Redefining Hospitality
As soon as you walk into Jo&Joe you know it’s different. From beer walls, feminist events, flash tattoos, giant deer, art everywhere, £5 cocktails (!!!!), and a very funky bar room.
Jo&Joe is more of an experience than a place to lay your weary head.
When I think of a hostel, I think of a bland, dull place to stay when you’re travelling for cheap. It has the bare necessities and is a place that could probably do with a fresh coat of paint. All in all, when I think of a hostel, I think they’re nothing special. Jo&Joe changed that perception for me.
Jo&Joe is located a twenty-minute car ride away from Paris city centre in Gentilly. The rooms start from 25 Euros and you have a variety of options. The cheapest option is the dorms (mixed and female only) and is ideal for solo travellers or people who are all about meeting new people. The dorms have a bunk bed style set up with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities (and the bathrooms are super cool!) For ten euros more, you can get yourself a cabin which is quite literally a cabin in shared space suited for one person. There’s really cool art on these cabins too! Finally, they have the private bedrooms (double, triple and six beds – all of which have their own private bathrooms.) But the real stars of the show are the ‘OOO’ rooms or ‘Out Of the Ordinary’ rooms. Whilst the rest of the rooms simply have black walls, the OOO rooms are decorated by different amazing artists – and these rooms even come with their own private terrace!
But Jo&Joe is so much more than just the bedrooms. The Jo&Joe Open House has its own bar, a self-service beer wall, and stage for DJs and performers. The downstairs also has it’s own garden which I can imagine is absolutely lovely in the summer months. Jo&Joe is a place for events too. During my stay, there were yoga classes and a feminist event taking place with performance poets and flash tattoos (yes, I did get one!) and I also hear that a farmer’s markets also take place there.
Whilst Jo&Joe may not be the central location that everyone is looking for, you certainly don’t feel out of the loop staying here. It’s one of the most welcoming places I’ve ever stayed, and it’s somewhere I want to spend time in rather than just a place to sleep.
Jo&Joe has everything that young travellers could want. Simple rooms, great wifi, and a great social space where you can meet new people or simply sit down for a cheap cocktail with whoever you’re travelling with.
Jo&Joe is the future of hostels, and I can’t wait to visit again!
Information on Jo and Joe
Only 2 minutes from the RER B line, 20 minutes from the Arc de Triomphe and 20 minutes from Orly Airport, JO&JOE PARIS-GENTILLY is a new living space, open to all, locals and travelers alike, where youth hostels meet hotels.
A restaurant that seats 140, a varied menu of fresh, simple and generous dishes offered throughout the day. Dishes for sharing, like the XXL quiche and ultra-indulgent burgers.
Culinary treats guaranteed – tasting them is a must!
The cashless payment system lets customers pay with their mobile – it’s as easy as that!
Dishes from €7.
The bartenders are always available to welcome customers for a coffee or a colorful cocktail.
A major innovation: a beer wall where you can help yourself using a prepayment card.
Cheers! Drinks from €3.
Different types of accommodation are available:
- “Together” are shared dormitory-like areas where several people can sleep while maintaining their privacy thanks to modular spaces. These spaces can be made private for 4 people or more – from €25 per bed
- “Yours” are private hotel-style guestrooms for 2 or 3 people – from €70 per night for two people
- “Cabins” are a unique concept in France offering a private individual space with access to a communal bathroom and restroom. The perfect solution for those undecided between a bunk bed in a dormitory and a private room – from €30 per night.
