Central Hostel Bordeaux Reviews: Rooms, Amenities + More (2024)
Searching for Central Hostel Bordeaux Reviews to help you decide whether this is the hostel for you? Here’s everything you to know! As someone who spends multiple months in Europe each year, I’ve stayed in everything from budget hostels and mid-range hotels to the most luxurious hotels along the French Riviera. And as of August 2024, I’ve stayed in 35+ European hostels! After passing through so many hostels, I’ve learned which features and amenities can make or break your vacation. So, to give you the full picture, here’s my unfiltered review of the Central Hostel in Bordeaux!
Central Hostel: Key Takeaways
Biggest Pros: Extremely central location, big common area, big storage areas under the bed, awesome customer service, and chill atmosphere!
Main Cons: Rooms are on the smaller side & water pressure isn’t great
Overall Rating: 🌟 8.9 / 10
Central Hostel Bordeaux Review Overview
Nestled along the Garonne River, Bordeaux boasts world-renowned vineyards and cellars and enchants visitors with stunning 18th-century architecture, lively local markets, and a dynamic cultural scene! And as a city with the perfect blend of old-world charm and modern allure, there are plenty of places to stay.
In this review, I’ll detail my first-hand experience of staying at Central Hostel Bordeaux for 4 nights. I’ll cover everything from the location and atmosphere to the amenities and room itself. This way, you can decide whether this hostel is the best fit for you or if other housing accommodations may be better!
To start, this is the highest-rated Bordeaux youth hostel that offers shared dorms, according to Hostelworld. And in my opinion, there is truly no hostel more conveniently located! For example, you’re within a few minutes walk from Miroir d’Eau, Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, and Pey Berland Tower — three of the most famous landmarks!
The hostel is also unique because it doubles as a restaurant/bar/cafe open to the general public. As such, it’s pretty common to see people who aren’t staying at the hostel. I even saw some students working on a group project on one of the couches. Don’t worry, the rooms are located above the ground floor, which you need a key fob to access, so it’s all safe.
Oh, and they even have laundry facilities within the building. I promise this is a luxury for hostel life! So, aside from a safe place to spend the night, this hostel provides a lot of value for what you pay with all its amenities. 🤠
✅ 🇫🇷 Check Out Central Hostel Bordeaux Here!
Booking | Expedia | Hotels | Hostelworld
What Makes Central Hostel Bordeaux Special
Now that you have a rough overview of what the hostel offers, let’s dive a little deeper. 😉 Here are all the specific features and services that made the hostel stand out and why I recommend staying at Central Hostel Bordeaux.
Amazing Location
First of all, as the name suggests, the hostel is centrally located smack in the middle of Bordeaux. On top of that, it’s super accessible and easy to get to. I arrived in Bordeaux from Paris via the train. Upon arrival, I downloaded the TBM app, created an account, and purchased a few tram tickets. Once my tickets were ready, I rode the tram for ~15 minutes, and then it was an easy 2-minute walk!
The hostel is located within Place Saint Projet, a big square next to the main shopping street that you’ll likely walk along. Around the plaza, you’ll find tons of restaurants, a little convenience store that has all the necessities you might need, and food stalls!
🍷 PRO TIP: If you want to maximize your time and taste all the local specialties, I highly recommend doing a food tour with an expert guide!
And, of course, you’re within easy walking distance of several tourist attractions! Let me tell you, not having to commute for 15 – 30 minutes to get to the main city area makes a HUGE difference!
A friend I made at the hostel and I hit up all the main attractions that we wanted to in a single day. This means you can spend your remaining days doing an in-depth wine-tasting experience in the world-renowned Saint Émilion wine region or just leisurely exploring the city’s lesser-known gems.
The only big attraction that takes more time to reach is La Cité du Vin or The City of Wine.” This museum (view location) is about 21 minutes away via the city tram system or ~hour walk.
🍷✅ Save time and reserve your Cité du Vine ticket in advance!
Spacious Common Area
As you walk up to the hostel, you’ll notice a terrace with seating out front. Inside, you’ll find reception, the hostel’s bar/restaurant/cafe, and a huge open space with an abundance of seating that serves as the common area! Their daily breakfast is also served here, which is nothing fancy but only costs a few euros. You just need to let them know if you plan on eating breakfast there in advance, so they can ensure they have enough supplies.
Another perk of the hostel is that the Wi-fi is high-speed. For all my fellow remote workers, this is always a big priority. Whenever my friend and I would take little breaks from roaming the city, I would come downstairs to do some work. The only downside is that there are a limited number of outlets, so plan on charging your devices in your room ahead of time. Just be sure to remember your travel adaptors
✅ 🔌 Check out the universal travel adaptor I love to use and swear by 🙂
And even if you don’t need to get some remote work done, the common space is great to mingle with other guests! It’s a very bright, happy, and well-decorated space that feels inviting, which I appreciate.
Comfy and Cozy Rooms
Normally, when you hear a room being described as, “cozy,” you probably think it’s a euphemism for the word “cramped.” I’m not gonna lie, the rooms are on the smaller side… That said, I don’t think they were too small to the point you’re trampling over everyone’s stuff. In fact, I was quite a fan of most of the room’s layout and design!
The beds were super comfy, and I slept like a baby every night, which can’t be said for the hostels I stayed at in Montpellier or London — both of which give me nightmares. Unlike those hostels, the beds at Central Hostel are neither too soft nor too hard.
Another feature I’m a big fan of is that each bed has a pull-down shade. This gives you complete privacy on all four sides. There’s also a little ledge where you can store your toiletries, phone, water, etc. for easy access. Underneath the bottom beds are storage cubbies. I was pleasantly surprised to discover they comfortably fit both my carry-on suitcase and backpack.
But, if you plan on traveling with a checked bag or giant backpack (50L or more), you’d likely have to remove your valuables to store away and leave your bag out. Speaking of, don’t forget to bring a padlock! I personally always carry two with me. One with a thin locking head that’s more flexible and your generic master lock!
✅ 🔐 Check out the secure locks I always travel with: Lock 1 & Lock 2
Finally, the room had air conditioning that worked exceptionally well. And when you’re visiting France during the summer (Hello humid hot rain 🫠!) and there’s typically no AC, having AC feels like a godsend. 😙
Big Bathrooms
In comparison to some hostels that have minuscule toilets and showers, I thought the bathrooms at the Central Hostel Bordeaux were fairly nice and roomy. The entire floor shared a set of toilets. This means that on one side of the hallway, there was a room that had 3 individual toilets. Each toilet was in a private room that could be closed by a proper door.
Now, you might be thinking, how does an entire floor share 3 toilets!? From my experience, pretty easily. 😂 I never had to wait in line because most of the time, people are exploring the city. And with Bordeaux having an active nightlife, I don’t think I ever saw a line, even late at night.
As for the showers, there were separate washrooms for the guys and girls. Within the girls’ bathroom, there were two shower rooms. These shower rooms were giant and offered plenty of shelving to put your clothes, toiletries, etc.
And speaking on the state of the bathrooms, they were always well-maintained. Again, I’ve stayed at hostels where the bathrooms look like they could be a health hazard. But here, it was always relatively clean, and I know the cleaning staff passed through daily.
Great Customer Service
Last, but certainly not least, this hostel had great customer service. Everyone I interacted with from start to finish was great! It’s honestly pretty rare to come across a hostel staff member that’s mean since that’s kinda the nature of hostels, but everyone was super welcoming.
I had zero problems checking in and checking out. The staff checking me in spoke English well, which I know can be a concern for non-French speakers. Also, they took the time to explain everything to me — Wifi, how they operate their breakfasts, social events, things to do in the area, etc.
Even the cleaning staff was super courteous and nice. At some point, I got turned around while trying to do laundry, and they helped me out. So from my perspective, the hostel staff was awesome and made booking this hostel feel worth it!
✅ 🇫🇷 Check Rates & Availability for Central Hostel Bordeaux Here!
Booking | Expedia | Hotels | Hostelworld
Central Hostel Bordeaux Cons
Since it’s no secret that no hostel is completely perfect, at least none of the hostels that I’ve been to… So, to temper your expectations and give you a heads up, here are areas where I think the hostel could improve.
Towel Troubles
First, there aren’t enough towel hooks in the room. In my 8-person room, there were only 6 hooks on the wall for towels. Yeah, I’m being pretty nit-picky to dock them for this, but this is a pretty easy fix. With the lack of towel hooks, I resorted to just handing mine off the side of the ladder. Not the biggest deal, but also 2 more hooks could be added… 🙊
To make the towel woes worse, it seems like some towels from previous guests weren’t being removed. This is likely more the guest’s fault for not putting them in some bin when checking out, but I feel like the system could be improved. For example, the hooks could be numbered to correspond with your bed number. This way, when a guest checks out and a bed is cleaned, the corresponding towel can also be removed.
And if you’re wondering whether or not towels are provided, they are not. You can rent one from the hostel, but I genuinely recommend investing in your own. The small fees add up and it’s nice to know you always have a towel no matter the situation. This is the microfiber towel I’ve used for the last 5 years while traveling and it’s fantastic. It comes in a wide range of sizes, is very compact, doesn’t smell, and dries quickly!
Weak Water Pressure
The only other con is that the water pressure in the showers wasn’t great. Again, I’m being pretty nit-picky here, but it was noticeable. I’m someone who normally takes 5-minute showers, but I spent probably 3 minutes longer in the shower simply trying to rinse my face and shampoo and conditioner out my hair.
I guess the building is super old, so the water pressure isn’t great in general. Or, they’re just trying to mitigate water usage to keep costs down. Either way, it’s just something to be aware of even if it doesn’t have the greatest impact.
And to be frank, I’d rather deal with weak water pressure but have lots of space in the shower as opposed to strong water pressure and zero space. The alternate scenario just makes me think water is going everywhere, and there’s nowhere to move lol.
Central Hostel Bordeaux Review Recap
Just to give a little recap, here are my overall ratings for Central Hostel in Bordeaux. These are 100% biased, but I’m someone who likes to analyze metrics and give tangible comparisons. Hopefully, my ratings give you a better holistic idea of the hostel.
- Cleanliness & Comfort: ⭐️ 9 / 10
- Neighborhood: ⭐️ 9 / 10
- Proximity to public transport: ⭐️ 9.5 / 10
- Proximity to tourist attractions: ⭐️ 9.5 / 10
- Atmosphere and ambiance: ⭐️ 8 / 10
- Amenities: ⭐️ 8 / 10
- Customer Service: ⭐️ 9 / 10
- Overall Rating: ⭐️ 8.9 / 10
Who is this hostel ideal for: If you want to be located right in the center of the action and don’t mind not having a private bathroom in the room, this hostel is an excellent choice. Also, as someone who is often traveling while working remotely, I’d say this hostel is well-suited for remote workers. As I mentioned, the common area is spacious and lively, and the wifi is strong.
Not to mention, with the built-in restaurant on the ground floor, you know you almost always have easy access to food and drinks. So, whether you just want to be conveniently located to all the main attractions or to simply book an affordable and safe place to stay, this hostel is a great option!
Alternative Bordeaux Accommodations
If you’ve gone through my review and don’t think this hostel is for you, that’s totally fair. I know hostel life isn’t for everyone, and this hostel isn’t perfect. So, to help you quickly search for some alternative Bordeaux accommodations that are affordable, here are places to check out.
Low-Cost Stay
- Residhome Bordeaux — 3-star residence | ⭐️ 8.7 / 10
- Rooms with kitchen, right next to the river and tram stop
- Staycity Aparthotel Bordeaux — 3-star residence | ⭐️ 8.6 / 10
- Spacious rooms, central and quiet location, great breakfast
Mid-Range Stay
- Moxy Bordeaux — 3-star hotel right next to La Cité du Vin | ⭐️ 9.2 / 10
- Has a bar, fitness center, and restaurant on site
- FirstName Bordeaux — Stylish and modern 4-star hotel | ⭐️ 9.2 / 10
- Fabulous location near lots of restaurants and bars
Or, if you’re more of a visual person, check out the interactive map below. You can enter your specific travel dates to see current housing prices in the area.
Visiting Bordeaux: FAQ
After reading my Central Hostel Bordeaux review, I want to make sure you have all the information and details you need to plan your perfect trip to Bordeaux, France. So, here are some quick answers to frequently asked questions about visiting Bordeaux!
Bordeaux is surrounded by an incredibly famous wine region known as Saint Émilion. In fact, the entire area is recognized as a UNESCO site. So, if there’s one must-do activity, it’s going on a fun wine-tasting tour! And if you aren’t up for a day trip, I recommend at least visiting the interactive Cité du Vin museum.
Ignoring the cost of housing, I recommend budgeting about $80 – $150 USD per day in Bordeaux. The average meal costs about $20 USD for breakfast and $30 USD for lunch and dinner. Tours and excursions vary, but this stellar, full-day wine-tasting tour costs about $175 and this fantastic food tour costs $111. That said, you can save on museums and public transit with a Bordeaux city pass!
Although Bordeaux has a moderate crime rate, I’d say it’s mostly a safe city. During the day, nothing will likely happen, and walking alone is fine. But, there are some narrow streets with lots of homeless people that I avoided at night. As always, remember to stay vigilant of your belongings!
I recommend at least two nights in Bordeaux. But if you want to leisurely explore the city and do some full-day excursions, such as to X and X, I recommend 4 nights in Bordeaux! There’s quite a bit to discover outside the main city center and 4-5 days gives you plenty of time!
Final Thoughts: Is Central Hostel Bordeaux Worth It?
To sum this little review up, Central Hostel is by far the best Bordeaux youth hostel available. Between its location right in the heart of the city, laid back and comfortable atmosphere, friendly staff, and giant common area that’s perfect for mingling or working, there’s not much more you can ask for.
And to top it all off, it’s definitely on the affordable side. Yes, I know — all hostels are supposed to be budget-friendly, but if you’ve stayed at some of the hostels in Paris, you know that this isn’t always the case! Anyway, if you’re keen on some affordable housing while you’re in Bordeaux for a few days, I highly recommend checking out Central Hostel!
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