Absolute Hotel Paris

Located near the bubbly, up-and-coming République, the hip without frills Hôtel Absolute is one of Paris’s new funky hostels, offering both affordable dorm-style bunk beds and private rooms at reasonable rates.

Quick read

Pros: Cheap private rooms and dorms with private bath. Free breakfast and Wi-Fi. Edgy, cool neighborhood.

Cons: Shabby chic décor sometimes too “shabby.” Few amenities. Area can be sketchy at night.

Rooms

Here’s the scoop: In its former life, the Absolute was a two-star hotel. Then new management stumbled in and got the hostel party started, targeting young travelers and adding their own spirited twist to the mix.

Instead of knocking down walls to create large dorm room spaces, they simply outfitted each former hotel room with two sets of metal bunk beds (four beds to a room). These are teeny-tiny, no amenity rooms, but hotel bathrooms were kept intact, meaning each dorm has its own private shower and toilet.

The top floors offer single, double and triple rooms, each equipped with a television and private bath. Furniture and linens are homey and well worn and shabby chic reigns here. During our visit, we enjoyed spotting old traces from the building’s former two-star days. Brass door numbers and peeling wallpaper in the stairwell gave us a feeling of (perhaps unintended) continuity with the past (in a Proustian sort of way!).

Hotel services

Decked out with a flat-screen television, party-hat-shaped lights, exposed brick walls, vending machines and what must surely be one of the world’s largest clocks, the lobby is a happy hive of activity. Staff is equally happy and helpful.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and there is also a free Internet station. Breakfast is included, too! Be prepared, though, to pay a €2 deposit for your towel, or else pack your own.

Location

The Absolute’s neighborhood, near République, is quite busy and offers lots of cheap eating and nightlife options. This makes it quite popular with younger travelers looking to go out.

That said, the area is also a tad sketchy at night, so keep your eyes open and a tight grip on your bag.