Lyon 1 - Vieux AJ Hostel

Great social atmosphere!
OK, so this hostel has advantages and disadvantages. You have to walk up a big hill, which is inconvenient, but it's really only a pain the first time (when you're carrying all your stuff). The shower/bathroom facilities are below average, but if you're like me that's really not that important. The beds are average, too. I was in a six-person room. The best part about this hostel is its fantastic social atmosphere. I stayed at seven hostels in my most recent trip to Europe (June to July 2008), and this one had by far the most welcoming social atmosphere. People hang out in the common area (and on the patio) all evening. Drinks are available inside, which naturally encourages socializing. In the course of four evenings, I met people from Lebanon, Switzerland, Quebec, the United States, Australia, Mexico, France, Reunion, Japan, Brazil, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Every person has some kind of interesting story to tell. If you want to practice your French, I'd say this is a great opportunity. There were plenty of French guests. I participated in one French conversation with people from four nationalities! During some evenings there's an eccentric Frenchman who works at the bar. He cranks up the music (the bar has an extensive sound system, with a microphone), typically a pop or dance track, and sings along. If you want a hostel with a good social ambiance, then this is the place for you. The breakfast is pretty good as well -- baguettes, nutella, and cereal, and you can have as much as you want.

Well, I actually kind of liked it!
My sister and I stayed at the AJ Vieux Lyon for five nights in July 2007. We actually kind of liked it. It's true, the staff isn't the most attentive and the kitchen isn't the most spacious. Some of the beds are super-creaky, and some of the bathrooms are super-sketchy. The breakfast was very basic, more so than most hostels I've been at. But the good outweighed all the bad. Decent Location (take the funicular -- it accepts metro tickets and afterwards it's just a short walk downhill), close to cheap laundry and a good grocery, and a nice building. The reception area is spacious and bright, as well as the rooms, some with quite a view. The terrace was absolutely stunning. If you don't have a nice shower near your room, it is easy to go on a little expedition and find some that are more swanky. The breakfast is free. But one of the best qualities is the building's spaciousness -- there's always somewhere to sit and have a drink, a bite to eat, or a planning session. I was very satisfied with this hostel.

Great city let down by its hostel
The staff were rude and patronising, one day they sung a song during breakfast about guests coming to breakfast late and how annoying this was. They also ignored people when they first arrived at the reception desk. This sums up their attitude -- guest are an intrusion and should be treated like naughty schoolchildren. The cooking facilities were dreadful -- the hostel was full and only two rings on the cooker worked. The kitchen is also small so only a couple of people can prepare food at any one time. They then turned the cooker off at 10 p.m. before everyone was able to cook. The plumbing needs sorting out, you cant use the tap in the room because the sound of pipes will wake everyone in the room up. I read the bad reviews before I went and thought people were just being fussy, normally if somewhere is cheap I don't mind what it's like but this was truly awful, I would not recommend anyone to stay here. Lyon is an amazing city severely let down by its only hostel.

Cool staff and nice view
The YHI of Lyon is not that bad. Cool staff and nice view on the whole city. that guy in the bar is always looking behind you girls and trying to invite you for some Salsa with latin music. so if you don't dance salsa you can get some lessons for free.

I really loved the location, it is a trek up the hill to get there but it isn't that bad. Great views of Lyon and with wonderful vieux Lyon just a ten-minute walk (down away) makes it a great place to stay. Make sure to go out to eat here because Lyon's food is better and much cheaper than in Paris! My bathroom was clean although my room was strangely hot. Internet is expensive and the keyboards do not work. Breakfast ends way too early.

Stayed here with the family. The staff is cheerful, if not extremely efficient. We were supposed to pay more because only one of us had a youth hostel pass, but for some reason we got the discount anyway. The nonstop music in the "bar" was not exactly my cup of tea -- this is definitely not a "family" youth hostel. We had a charming room location with doors that opened out directly to the patio, which does have a spectacular view of Lyon. The noise is difficult to cope with if you aren't inclined to join the party. It was really very clean, although rather rundown.

Fab view run down garden but nice to sit out, as rooms were poky, showers dirty cold, and you need to keep pressing the button as it shuts of every 10 sec or so, One of our rooms shower smelt like a dirty sewer. If you can't find any better accomodation it wil do. The vast majority of the staff were rude, unhelpful and sullen. They changed their services like the wind, bar open bar closed food one day but not the next. Be prepared if you are travelling a distance and hoping for a bite to eat or a drink even if it is within advertised times. They have room for huge improvements. would not stay there nor reccommend it.

I can see why this hostel has had good reviews (and bad). It's common area is great with amazing views over Lyon and if you take the Fanicular railway from the Metro you only have to walk down hill. But it was not a good dorm room and bathroom facilities were very dirty and the toilet was covered with graffiti.

Vieux AJ is a party hostel, as are most French hostels. It's not as clean as Italian or German hostels, but its bar is far more fun. And its cooking facilities are good, but you oughta cook in Paris, and eat out in Lyon. By the way, the nice old guy offers free tours of Lyon some days. Don't bother walking up the hill with luggage, there is a funiculaire whose price is included in your metro ticket. Terrific view!

I stayed in this hostel last weekend. 2-4 December 05. The hostel is same as any other iyhf hostel in europe. But if I have to review it: Pros: A great location with a great view. Takes only about 10 mins to walk to the main square. Walking back can be a bit stiff for unfit buddies. Max six bed rooms. Very warm and clean sheets. Cons: Very arrogant and unhelpful reception staff. No map of city. Not informing you that the receipt should be placed aside the little panel by your bed. Otherwise your things are scrapped to the floor by cleaners. (thats what happenned to mine when I got in the room in the evening, I complained and got a new clean sheet!) Breakfast ends sharp at 9 am. That woman did not even give me a cup of coffee! If you are travelling with Easyjet from london. You will likely to arrive to the hostel about 1030 pm, so it is worth packing a sandwich and a bottle of water if you are not too brave to go down the hill to look for a place.

The showers are REALLY dirty, I stayed at this hostel three days, and they NEVER CLEAN the bathroom or shower!!! The guy at the reception is always singing, not well at all, very annoying when you want to eat!

Not as terrible as many make it out to be. We took our chances here and enjoyed ourselves. Rooms were moderately clean...I've seen worse. Sheets were okay, but the en suite showers were less than comfortable (cold, not very clean). The toilets did not smell as if they had been cleaned in a while. The uphill walk is not that bad if you are fit and wearing a backpack, rather than carrying rolling luggage. I had no problem with the staff, who spoke English quite fine, but were also more than happy to conduct business with me in French, per my wish to practice the language. The bar does not have that much to offer; breakfast is marginal but sufficient, and the view really is great! I would stay there again, it wasn't luxury but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle again. Lyon is nice to see once. The hostel is a long walk from the river where the nightclubs are located.

I really loved this hostel! I found clean toilets and rooms. The kitchen is 2 square meters large, but it works and it is a good place to meet other chefs from all over Europe! I'm going there once again on the next week!

Terrible. One of the worst hostels in Europe. But oh, what a view! Staff are incompetent and they have a poor understanding of English. Laundry facilities out of commission. Door keys do not work (doubly annoying when your dorm is on the top floor). They run out of beer. Breakfast is inadequate. There's a leaking skylight on the top floor. But oh, what a view! Be prepared to fend for yourself if you stay there, and do NOT under any circumstances attempt to walk up the hill to get there. Catch the funicular. But when you get there, get out on that balcony and admire the view!

This place had a great atmosphere, so much so that it almost made up for what the hostel lacked. The showers were very dirty and the dorms were not clean. Despite the fact that I didn't have one of the hostel cards, the staff gave me the discounted price. Wonderful staff, and amazing facilities (i.e. great patio view overlooking Lyon). The hostel had perfect areas for socializing and meeting new people. The staff give directions and suggestions on cool places to go in Lyon.