Auberge de Jeunesse HI Belle-Île-en-Mer

My time there was only 3 nights, but long enough to enjoy and get to know the Island a bit! To get in touch with other Hostellers I found a bit difficult, as more groups where there. Not many solo travelers..

On the plus side: a lovely location in a historically interesting place (old correctional facility grounds). Good breakfast. There are only twin rooms (bunk beds, not super easy to climb, but sturdy), no dormitories. Useful guest kitchen. Very nice staff. Spacious garden for eating al fresco. Clean. Affordable. Mostly quiet. And the bus station is nearby, just down the hill. That said, this is still very much a youth hostel, not a hotel. You bring your own towels, you sleep in bunk beds (to be fair, this frees up precious floor space- AND there were enough places to hang your towels!). The rooms in the main building at least give you your own sink - but windows only face into the indoor patio, and the mildly annoying ventilator could not be turned off if the noise got on your nerves and you preferred to sleep with an open window. Hot water was there, but it sometimes took quite a while to reach the showers. To be improved: PLEASE, either install toilet seats and a disinfectant dispenser next to them, or bring back the good old squat toilets- the current system, sit-down toilets with no seats, is just not comfortable or very hygienic. I can live with it in a bus stop, but not "at home". Do think about making a washing machine available for guests- one would gladly pay. The laundry lines outside were a good start :-) Do make sure there is always salt in the guest kitchen- it was hit and miss. The cheapest stuff will do. And maybe invest in a stronger wifi signal- it did not work in the guest rooms in the main building, and one could not get to the reception area much of the day, which is where it worked best. All in all, continue the good work!