While waiting to be able to access their room, Filippo and Gabriel sip a cold drink, comfortably installed on the rooftop leafy Jo & Joe Paris Nation (20e borough) which opened its doors only a year ago. The two 18-year-old Italians laugh: they have just chosen, a few minutes earlier, completely at random, the last stage of their roadtrip, which must bring them back to Rome where they will begin their higher education in two months. After Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Berlin and today Paris, they will set down their suitcases in four days in… Thiers. ” Why not ? » They quickly inquire about the presence, over there, of a youth hostel, or rather of a “hostel” like this one.
Filippo and Gabriel are the core target of this type of new generation youth hostel. They have been multiplying everywhere in France for ten years and have chosen, to stand out, the international name “hostel”. These establishments meet the demand of a young and demanding clientele, while pushing historic establishments to reinvent themselves. Our two young backpacker (“backpackers”) indeed want to travel but without breaking the bank, “sleep in a cheap room”but anyway with “comfort and design”in a place where “you can meet people” says Filippo.
“Ecological” decor with an “urban” touch
At the house of Joe & Joe, no big old-fashioned twenty-five person dorms, guests have the choice of a private room, modeled and priced at a standard hotel, or a bed in a spacious 3-8 person shared room , where the well-thought-out layout preserves relative privacy. It is this second choice that we make our two young Italians, who will get by for 42 euros a night.
“Our clientele will have the same budget as another traveller, but will prefer to spend less on sleeping accommodations in order to save money for going out, having a drink, etc. » comments Neel Tordo, the young general manager of this hybrid establishment, as he visits us. Here the decor is “ecological”raw wood, with a touch “urban”, many stylized graffs adorn the walls. For travelers who do not wish to use the happy room, rest room with fridge and kitchenette for cooking, the bar-restaurant, central element of the establishment, offers a relatively inexpensive menu. It is also accessible to local residents and teleworkers, who often take over the space during the afternoon, before it turns into a trendy pub in the evening.
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