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Cheapest way:staying at hostel or hotel?

I will be traveling in mid July with a group of 20 people to Paris and we plan to stay at hostels, in other words, backpacking. How does that work? Is there a place I can search on the internet to find a place to stay this is cheap. Or would a hotel be cheaper for us? This is my first time traveling to Paris. I would love to get some insights from you. Thanks, Nicole

Hostels generally cheaper but there are some really cheap hotels in Paris. The majority of hostels in Paris aren't too well thought of although there are a few recommended ones. You would have to contact them and find out what they charge. Here are 4 hostels in Paris that have received good reviews. To call or fax from the states, dial 011-33-1 then the 8 digit number. AAA Le Village Hostel Montmartre 20 rue d'Orsel 75018 Paris Tel: 011-33-1-42-64-22-02 Fax: 011-33-1-42-64 -22-04 Ê rooms for 2, 3, 4 and dorms up to 8 people. Each room has a shower and a WC Prices per person - with breakfast - 147FF in a double, 137 FF in a triple, 127FF in a quad and 117FF in a dorm . http://www.levillage-hostel.fr. Email [email protected] BVJ 44 Rue des Bernardins 75005 Paris(Latin Quarter) tel: 43.29.34.80 Metro Maubert Mutualite. Very Clean, and if you get a street facing room, very charming, with french doors with white lace and blue velvet curtains. Your own shower, toilet in hall, breakfast of baguettes and chocolat chaud or cafe. 120 francs. and well worth it! can get 1, 2, 4, or 10 person rooms. Very convenient, nice staff. Le Fourcy - recommended 6 Rue de Fourcy 75004 Paris Metro St. Paul or Pont Marie. Le Fauconnier - recommended 11 Rue du Fauconnier 75004 Paris Metro St. Paul or Pont Marie. For more Paris information and cheap hotels e-mail me – [email protected]

For really in-depth hostel info, you may want to pick up a copy of Lonely Planet or Let's go. Some hostels only take people under 25, and usually they have curfews... at least the under 25 year old ones do. Sometimes you need an International Youth Hosteller's card and/or a student ID to stay in one, but there are many unofficial hostels that don't have age limitations. Hostels are usually much MUCH cheaper then hotels, all the ones I stayed at were dormatory style lodgings, usually they are clean, and sometimes you can rent extra blankets etc. One caveat with Hostels, usually you can't book ahead and in summer.. they fill up early, so you need to be sure to get to your hostel asap upon arrival to insure that you can get a room. Definately pick up Let's go. But as the previous poster pointed out, there are lots of inexpensive hotels, I don't know for 20 people though, and in July I would say 90% of the super budget lodgings will be filled up. If you are travelling by train, when you get into a town, go first to Tourist Info. and get all the hostel info.

fred, me and my wife are traveling together i have heard that getting a cheap hotel is cheaper than getting 2 beds at a youth hostel pls. give me some names and contact numbers thank you cris

I just posted some hostel info for someone else on here looking for a few cheap nights. First, I don't think any hostel in Paris has age limitations. They are around 90-120F per night in a group room, more in a double (which some have). You can reserve rooms in most hostels, although not all. Many do have curfews (some like AIJ because it does not), I think that has to do with not wanting to man the doors all night and the subsequent hubbub rather than parental feelings. Here are some good hostel links: www.mije.fr (a very nice group in the Marais, but I do think they will not take reservations and often are booked by school groups), www.fuaj.fr (official one with 3 locs, two way far out, one near Republique metro ok, you probably need HI card for them), www.villagehostel.fr, www.blueplanet.com, www.woodstock.fr, www.cheaphostel.com (an assn of several good ones, I think the Young & Happy on here is rated highly and has a great location, the Aloha is ok also, www.europeanhostels.com (cheap hotels also). A thorough list is on www.paris.org/Accueil/Foyers also a little outdated so doesn't include newer ones like Woodstock and Village and Blue Planet. Some general packpacking/young budget travel sites with hostel reviews or forums are: www.hostels.com www.eurotrip.com, www.backpackEurope.com, www.thebackpacker.net. These places will explain the mechanisms, show up in morning and hope for a room or you can reserve some in advance, the above URLs and websites allow that. I don't think a hotel would be cheaper for anyone, regardless of group size, as hostels are only about $15 per person per night. I think you need to do a lot of planning and reservations for a group that size, although I know some hostel assns do handle school and tour groups, so get in contact with them. I just realized you're talking about in a couple weeks--I don't think there's any way you can get rooms in the same place and tons of backpackers are roaming around at that time, well, good luck, don't know what to recommend--the FUAJ central office at place Republique will help you find spaces, get a hostel card if you plan to use them.