Old Québec (Upper Town)

HI Quebec, Auberge Internationale de Quebec

★★★★★

HI Québec, the Auberge internationale de Québec, is the budget answer to Old Québec’s high hotel prices — and a remarkably atmospheric one. It occupies a historic former convent at 19 Rue Sainte-Ursule, a quiet street inside the walls of the UNESCO-listed old town, a few minutes’ walk from Rue Saint-Jean, the Château Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace. Described by the tourism office as the largest Hostelling International hostel in Canada, it has more than 150 dorm beds plus many private rooms, some with private bathrooms, so it works for solo travellers, couples and small families alike. Shared spaces are the heart of the place: a café-bistro serving breakfast, a bar, a living room with a TV and library, and an outdoor yard for summer evenings, plus laundry facilities and free Wi-Fi; bedding is included, and the tourism listing notes breakfast as included too. Like every hostel, it is about sociability and savings rather than polish: rooms are simple, dorms are shared, and sound carries in busy periods. There is no parking on site and pets are not allowed. Fit: budget travellers of every age, students and young travellers, couples willing to trade luxury for location, and anyone who wants to spend their money on meals and experiences rather than on the room.

Why choose it: there is simply no cheaper way to sleep inside the walls. The location is as good as the grand hotels’, the convent building has character, and the hostel’s common spaces make it easy to meet other travellers, swap tips and find company for a night out on Rue Saint-Jean.

Room craft: book private rooms well ahead, as they sell out first, especially in summer and during Carnaval. Choose a smaller dorm if you want more quiet, and bring earplugs and a padlock. Use the café for breakfast and the bar for a cheap first drink before heading out. HI members get discounts, so check membership before booking.

Practicals: 19 Rue Sainte-Ursule, inside the walls; dorms and private rooms; café-bistro, bar, laundry; no on-site parking. Fit: budget travellers, solo travellers and young couples. The hostel’s location on Rue Sainte-Ursule is quieter than Rue Saint-Jean while still being steps from it, and the walk to Dufferin Terrace, the funicular and the Citadelle takes only minutes. In winter, it is a good base for Carnaval on a budget, with the festivities a short walk away.