Les Auberge de Jeunesse – The perfect youth hotel in Namur

While searching for a hotel in Namur to spend my nights at during my trip to the city, I have stumbled upon Les Auberge de Jeunesse.

Location

Located just outside the city centre, on the shore of the river Meuse, Les Auberge de Jeunesse is just a short 15 minutes’ walk to the main square of Namur. The surrounding area is wonderful, very quiet, in a peaceful residential neighbourhood.

If you don’t want to walk (which I totally recommend as you will have the view of the citadel in front of you and also might meet some of the local residents, the swans), there is a bus stop very close to the hostel. Is it very useful when you need to go to the train station and have your luggage to carry with you.

Check-in

I arrived in Namur very early in the morning, so my room wasn’t ready yet. However, I was able to leave my bag at reception and to get a coffee before I went off exploring the surroundings.

When I returned I was given linen for my bed and a key card for the room. The hostel is secure, so you need a key card to be able to access the door behind which the rooms are.

Heritage

The villa Les Auberge de Jeunesse is situated at was the former workshop of Felicien Rops, the famous Belgian painter.  The building is a listed Mosan Villa and while it has been renovated, an elevator was added to facilitate the access for people with reduced mobility as well.

Room

I was booked in a three beds dorm, with an en-suite bathroom, which was situated at the top floor. The room was very spacious, with a bunkbed and a single bed under a rooftop window. Loving the position of the single bed, I chose it to be mine for the duration of my stay.

Every bed has a light switch and a plug next to it, which makes it very easy to charge your phone without getting off once you’re tucked in and ready to sleep. I found the bed to be very comfortable and warm (if you are cold there are extra blankets in the room). I was in Namur in April and it was still very cold outside, but I could easily control the temperature in the room directly from the heater.

Every bed has assigned a personal locker in the room which is big enough to fit a backpack in.

As I said before, the room was very spacious and even if I was alone there during my stay, with two other guests it wouldn’t have made a big difference. The room is divided into the sleeping area and the bathroom area, with a small table and chair in the middle. Inside the room there is a sink under another roof window, which provides plenty of natural light, and a shower room, with a small area to leave your cloths in before you step in (so that you don’t have to walk naked through the room). The water in the shower is timed controlled, which makes this hostel an eco-friendly one. And as you know, I always support environmental friendly companies.

The toilets are communal and are situated on the hallway. I like this arrangement because to be honest, I wouldn’t have liked to have a toilet inside the room, especially if it’s a shared type of accommodation.

The breakfast

I really liked that at Les Auberge de Jeunesse breakfast is treated seriously and you have a large selection to choose from, from ham, cheese and eggs to yogurt and fresh fruits. There are also two or three types of cereals, organic coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh juice.

Grounds

The hostel is quite big, with a beautiful garden in the back where you can relax or have a picnic, surrounded by nature. There is almost a small garden in the front if you chose to have your morning coffee with a view over the river. Unfortunately, when I was there it rained quite a lot, but I would have loved to spend some time in the garden.

Even if the weather is bad there are a lot of entertainment options inside the hostel. You can choose to have one of their own brewed beers in the bar or head over to the games room and use the computers, play foosball, darts, read a book or simply watch tv.

The restaurant and bar

The bar is a great place to meet other travellers and socialise over a pint of beer and dinner. The hostel has its own chef and restaurant, with a daily 3 course menu which costs only 12,80€​ and which includes traditional Belgian dishes (like bouchee a la reine vol au vent with traditional garnish or beef stew cooked a la Houppe with glazed carrots and boiled potatoes, or Braised chicken in Sambre and Meuse sauce with pilaf rice). Vegetarian options are also available. They can also pack you lunch if you are in a hurry, continue your cycling journey or have to catch a morning train.  The price for a packed lunch is only 7,20 €.

Cyclists welcomed! The perfect hotel for cyclists in Namur

If you are a cyclist traveling through Belgium, you should know that Les Auberge de Jeunesse is a cycling friendly hostel and it has special covered sheds where you can store your bike and protected it from the bad weather as well.

Disclaimer: Please note that my stay at the Les Auberge de Jeunesse was complimentary. However, all comments and opinions in this article are my own.

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