Auberge Jeunesse à LouLou

This is not a youth hostel, I would call it «un gîte». I booked a bed while driving back from out east. They have many options for rooms. The cheapest accommodation is in the 10 person mixed dorm. It was $ 31. They accept debit and credit cards as well as cash.
The facilities are great, it’s a well renovated semidetached house where both sides were combined. There is a common kitchen and lots of individual washrooms equipped with shower, sink and toilet. There is also a washer and dryer in the kitchen.
Location is also great, the hostel backs onto the Charny train station, is close to bars, five minutes from a depanneur and it is easy to drive to. There is plenty of parking on the property. It is on a main road, so it’s easy to find if you’re driving. It’s a 5min drive to autoroute 20. The neighbourhood is very safe.
There are nice touches that made this place feel luxurious for a hostel: towels are included, and they’re nice Egyptian cotton towels; bunks have hooks and shelves for glasses; there is a pretty deck with tables in the back, enough to sit all the guests; and the house is surrounded by lovely landscaping.
Here’s why I didn’t give the place 5 stars:
— the train passes by the station at 9pm and 6am and it is quite noisy. My wake up time was therefore 6 am but breakfast doesn’t start until 8am, and you have to pay for that, preferably with cash
— I had to pay for a cup of coffee in the morning, it was awkward trying to find the change to pay for such a small item… I paid for my stay with credit
— the owners are too flexible with new guests checking-​in at late hours; one registered past 10pm. I just don’t think it’s a good habit they’ve started for a hostel given accommodation is shared
— There were very few youths; hence it really isn’t a youth hostel. This was the peak of youth tourist season, still this hostel attracts older travellers who can dish out more money for the inexpensive private accommodations available here. You end up with various classes of guests, basically the poor ones and the rich ones. This negatively affects the atmosphere. Guests are not in the habit of talking to eachother as much as in other hostels I’ve stayed in. I’m a social guy but didn’t feel welcome to interact with anybody here.