If you live in Cannes and are frequently running out of couches for your visiting friends to squat on, don’t despair, the City has you covered

Everything in Cannes is glamorous, and that includes its newest youth hostel. Forget about smelly corridors painted in drab greige, cramped dorm rooms with eight beds and saggy three-inch mattresses, military-style bathrooms, and dishwater posing as morning coffee. The youth hostel that the Ville de Cannes opens in early 2019 can teach many a two or three star hotel a lesson.

Cannes likes to do things well, even if that means differently, and allowed itself to be inspired by an innovative new hostel concept from Australia and New Zealand that promotes friendly encounters and connections in a pleasant and low-key setting. The future “Banana’s Camp” will be centrally located in the République quarter, within walking distance of the railway station and will feature 16 rooms (single, double and dorms) over 800 m2 for a total of 97 guests. Housed in the elegant Villa Clotilde, a heritage-listed 19th century property, it also sports large and well-appointed communal areas (open kitchen, dining room, internet-equipped office space, library, game room) and luscious grounds. Two of the eight onsite parking spots are reserved for persons with reduced mobility, who can also expect the premises adapted to their needs. Prices will run from €25 to €45 per night. Of course Banana’s Camp won’t compete with the chic five star Majestic Hotel on the Croisette but the rooms are perfectly fine and well-equipped. And in fact, the term “youth hostel” is a misnomer as persons of all ages are accepted.

This newest arrival in Cannes’ large range of accommodations for its 3 million visitors per year is another step in the City’s ongoing politics to re-energize neighbourhoods that are not directly benefitting from the film, event, and tourism industries. For the Prado-République-Mimont area, located just north of the train station, this also means that ten more businesses, such as Monsieur Bricolage, Galerie Blu, Basic Fit, and others will soon offer both services and employment opportunities for local residents.

“Opening the youth hostel and these businesses is one concrete result on a long To Do list to revitalize the République quarter: urban renovation, improvement of public services with the creation of public parking spaces nearby, the new Romain Gary library, the upcoming makeover of the municipal Maison des Associations, the implementation of a plan to help property owners renovate and embellish the façades of their homes, the fight for a safe and civic-minded community, and the development of commercial and leisure activities,” said Mayor David Lisnard. Popular, modern, and high quality – the town’s vision is once again being executed as promised.

So, from early 2019 on, if you need extra space for your out-of-town friends with champagne taste and shoestring budgets, Banana’s Camp is just the ticket. Keep an eye on the Ville de Cannes website for details about the hostel’s official opening and contact information.

CONTACT DETAILS
Banana’s Camp
18, bd. de la République
06600 Cannes

Lead image Villa Clotilde © Ville de Cannes; photo of David Lisnard courtesy of M. Lisnard; photo of inverted Cannes sign © Natja Igney