Village Hostel

Located at the base of Sacre Coeur’s hill, Le Village Hostel offers a very friendly northern perch for young (and young-minded) travelers.

Quick read

Pros: Clean, air-conditioned dorms and rooms. Complimentary breakfast. Public spaces are stocked with amenities and places to hang out.
Cons: Dorms and rooms sparsely furnished. Towels cost extra.

Rooms

Le Village has 25 rooms, including both dorms and private rooms. Dorms sleep between three and eight guests, and each is equipped with air conditioning (individually controlled) and a private bathroom (with a nice shower; towel rental €1). These rooms are furnished sparsely, with blue linoleum floors and white metal bunks, and five dorms have skylights.

Private rooms are scheduled for a cosmetic makeover, but currently have purple-and-gray walls, simple furnishings and lovely original wood-beamed ceilings. Double-paned windows keep the noise out, and (as with the dorms) all are equipped with air conditioning and nicely tiled private baths. Their rates, €80-110 for a double, are reasonable, although not the cheapest deal in town. 

Hostel facilities

Note that none of the Le Village rooms has a television or telephone. However, there is a TV lounge downstairs in the lobby and “hang-out” zone. This area, in fact, is full of activity. There’s a foosball table (“le baby-foot” in French, a word that always cracks us up). Internet stations (not free) line the wall, and Wi-Fi is free in the lobby (although it doesn’t reach the rooms). A guest kitchen offers a hot plate, microwave and refrigerator, as well as plates.

In nice weather, the hostel’s outdoor patio is a great place to hang out, have a drink and meet fellow travelers. It also boasts some great views of Sacre Coeur, just up the hill. (Seriously, you could roll down the hill and right into your bunk, although we don’t recommend trying this.)

Breakfast is included in the room rate. All rooms are non-smoking.

Location

The Village Hostel is located on the interesting rue D’Orsel, a small street that’s packed with fabric stores. The Metro Anvers is a block and a half south.