The People Hostel Nation

NUMBER OF ROOMS: 30 beds in the shared dormitories and 9 private rooms
ANNUAL CLOSURE: open year round

THE STORY: after making their bed in Belleville, the auberge known as Les Piaules is pulling an all-nighter, bringing its economically-attractive approach to Parisian housing to the Place de la Nation. The space in question? An ecologically-responsible building where the London-based architecture studio Michaelis Boyd Associates brought together a green roof, optimized surfaces and intelligently designed furniture. In the dormitories, you’ll find a handful of well-crafted bunk beds (small curtains for privacy, built-in USB and power outlets, padlocked lockers, etc.), stacked up in rooms for four, six or eight guests, which have access to shared bathrooms where the sinks, showers and mirrors are lined up in a row – it feels like being on vacation, minus the soggy socks! For the more reserved travelers among you, it’s also possible to sleep soundly in one of the nine double rooms (warm tones, patterned fabrics), which also boast private bathrooms. In short, this place is a lovely spot to hit the hay where you can sleep tight without clutching your pocketbook! Beds starting at €25 a night for the dormitories, double rooms starting at €85.

TOILETRIES: shampoo and body wash are provided in big bottles in both the shared and private bathrooms.
BREAKFAST: two options that won’t break the bank! One will set you back €3 for tea or coffee and a pastry, the other is €7 and a little heartier, including a hot drink, fruit juice, a selection of pastries, tartines and jams.
LITTLE LUXURY: eating your breakfast or having a drink on the rooftop, which has stunning views of the Parisian skyline.