Thursday, September 8, 2011

Six Awesome Hostels in Europe

Last week I returned from my month-long European adventure. We wanted to save as much money as possible on this trip, especially on accommodations, so we chose to stay in hostels. While many people are weary about hostels and have heard horror stories, there definitely are some really great hostels to be found. Check out the rest of this post for some of my hostel recommendations in Italy, France, Switzerland, and Germany.




Italy:

PLUS Camping Roma
I stayed at this campsite for three nights in the bungalow-style cabins. The bungalows are very clean, well-maintained and even have air-conditioning, a bathroom and shower in each one!  The bungalows are laid out in a way where you can meet other travelers who are hanging out on the front lawns of their cabins. The best feature of this hostel was probably the facilities on-site.  It has a grocery store which is open both early and late (selling cheap beer and wine), and a full service sit-down and take-out restaurant with amazing Italian food.  There are even laundry facilities that are open all night. There is a decently priced bar/club which has themed party nights, as well as a pool-side bar.  Yes, there is a pool - two, actually.  There are also two hot-tubs.  It's nice at the end of a long day on your feet to come back to the hostel and relax in the pool. As well, there's free wi-fi points, and cheap shuttle buses to the Vatican.  The downside is that it's not in central Rome, but it does have great prices.  If you have a few days or more in Rome, the distance into central Rome really isn't so bad since the metro system is quick, cheap and efficient.  81% rating on Hostel World.

Our bungalow at PLUS Camping Roma.

Hanging out at the campsite pool.

PLUS Florence
We stayed in a shared dorm at PLUS Florence.  The rooms are well maintained, clean and the bathrooms are kept very clean even though they are shared by everyone in the dorm room.  There is free wi-fi (which actually worked very well), an optional buffet breakfast, an indoor pool, and there is staff at the reception desk 24 hours a day! The hostel is modern, had a great terrace bar with lots of nightly themed parties, and most importantly, a great view overlooking Florence.  It was a very short walk to all of the main attractions, and it was in a good part of town. For any women traveling alone, there is also PLUS Girls, an entire floor just for girls, that has a lot of additional features.  87% rating on Hostel World.

The view from the rooftop terrace at PLUS Florence.


Santa Fortunata Campogaio Sorrento
This campsite has a great location if you're visiting Sorrento and the Isle of Capri.  The campsite is up the hill from Sorrento, and takes about 30 minutes to walk to, or you can take a 5 minute bus ride.  It is probably one of the most affordable accommodation options in Sorrento, since this town doesn't exactly have a lot of hostel options.  The best feature of this campsite is it's view.  There are a few lookout points which have the most amazing views of the coast and Sorrento.  It's stunning! There is a pool on site (which you pay to use), and a rock 'beach'.  It's easy to get to Capri, as boats come right to the campsite to shuttle people to the island.  There are often themed nights at the site and it can be surprisingly lively.  There are different accommodation options, from tent, to cabins or chalets.  The tent cabins are perfect for backpackers who are staying just for a few nights.

The view of Sorrento from Santa Fortunata.


France:

St. Christopher's Inn Paris
This was probably the most modern hostel I stayed at on my trip through Europe.  There is a great bar with awesome food.  There is a very small free breakfast each morning. Free wi-fi is available in the bar/lounge. There is also a computer room which you can use for a fee.  You don't have to worry about stairs as the elevator is fast and fits lots of people.  The rooms are very modern, stylish, clean, and some even have a balcony.  And most importantly, there is air-conditioning!  This hostel is not in central Paris, but it is right next to a metro stop, which only takes 10-15 minutes to get to many of the main attractions.  The metro system is efficient and very easy to use from this point.  It's definitely a less expensive option to staying in central Paris.  82% rating on Hostel World.

Our double-occupancy hostel room at St. Christopher's.

Switzerland:

Camping Jungfrau
Nestled in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, inside the mountains, the scenery doesn't get much better than at this campsite.  From my cabin, I could see the mountains in the distance, and a huge waterfall flowing off to the side.  A glacier river rushes right through the campsite. It is a 5 minute walk to the train station and to the lifts up the cliffs.  We were right in the middle of all the outdoor activities that the region offers.  This campsite has good facilities - a grocery store, showers, and a restaurant/bar.  The grocery store has everything from fruits and vegetables, sliced meats and breads, to beer and wine. There is also another more lively bar called the 'Bomb Shelter' which goes a little later into the night. Considering how expensive this part of Switzerland can be, this campsite has pretty good rates for cabins and dorms. The cabins are small, but the location is stunning!  88% rating on Hostel World.

The view of the cliffs surrounding Camping Jungfrau.

The waterfall next to the campsite.


Germany:

Wombat's Hostel Munich
This hostel had a great atmosphere - a good bar, and a great air-conditioned wi-fi lounge (with couches and hammocks)! Awesome!  The staff are also very friendly and extremely helpful.  Breakfast is available in the bar each morning for a small fee, but it is a pretty good breakfast.  The hostel is about a 10 minute walk to Marienplatz and the market.  It is also across the street from the train station, so if you are interested in doing day trips outside of Munich, it is very convenient for that.  The hostel rooms are very clean and extremely well-maintained, as housekeeping staff come in each day to clean.  The only downside is that there is no air-conditioning in the rooms (which you'll find to be the case in most public places in Munich).  It made a hot summer day pretty unbearable, but who wants to be hanging out in their hostel room anyways?  I still definitely recommend this hostel as it's very safe and clean.  Even each floor is entirely locked off to everyone except people with swipe cards to that particular floor.  91% rating on Hostel World.

Hanging out in a hammock in the Wombat's lounge having a stein.


These are my six favorite hostels from my summer Europe trip.  I would love to go back and stay at all of them!  If you're ever looking to stay at a great hostel in one of those cities for a decent price, definitely check out the links.

No comments:

Post a Comment