St Christopher’s Inn Paris Canal

St Christopher's Inn Paris Canal is a hostel on the banks of the Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement, part of the St Christopher's Inns chain of hostels. It occupies a large waterfront building on Rue de Crimée, next to the lifting bridge over the canal, and it is one of the bigger hostels in Paris, with a busy bar, a restaurant and a terrace on the water.

Accommodation includes mixed dormitories, female-only dorms and private rooms, with en-suite options. The dorms have bunk beds and lockers, and a full continental breakfast can be added when you book. Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 11am. On the ground floor, Belushi's bar and restaurant serves food and drinks to guests and the public, and its canal-side terrace is one of the main draws in warm weather, looking out over the boats and the quays of the Bassin de la Villette. The hostel has a 24-hour reception, a lift, step-free access and accessible rooms and bathrooms, which is less common in Paris hostels.

The hostel suits backpackers, young travellers, groups of friends and solo travellers looking for a social base at a low price. It is not ideal for travellers who want quiet, as the bar and terrace are busy in the evenings and at weekends. The area along the Bassin de la Villette is popular with locals, with cinemas, cafés and outdoor activities on the water in summer.

Prices are in the budget range, especially for dorm beds. Book directly through the St Christopher's Inns website for the full choice of rooms and any member discounts. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the bar, and travellers arriving late can rely on the 24-hour reception.

Crimée station on metro line 7 is about five minutes' walk away, and Laumière on line 5 is also close. The quays of the Bassin de la Villette lead south to the Rotonde de la Villette and the start of the Canal Saint-Martin, and north to the Parc de la Villette, with the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie and the Philharmonie de Paris. The Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is about 15 minutes' walk south-east.