I know exactly what it’s like to want to travel but not want to pay for a place to stay. Most of the days traveling are spent NOT in a room. My go-to is always hostels. The only thing with hostels is that sometimes they’re a little bit old and unmaintained. They have so many people staying in it, I understand the struggle for maintenance but I’ve come up with a list of hostels that I’ve stayed in around Europe that I wouldn’t mind staying in again but bear in mind that my standards may be low because I’m a cheapskate. Personally, I’m just not one to break my piggy bank for a bed and bathroom.
London, England
St Christopher’s Inn Hammersmith
Staying in London can be expensive so a hostel is always a good call. This St Christopher’s Inn is located west of London in Hammersmith and is literally across the street from the tube station that takes you to central in 15 minutes. The ground floor of the hostel is a bar that gets pretty busy at night but is great for socializing. The rooms upstairs aren’t affected by the noise and are very spacious. Even though there are plenty beds, each bed has a curtain for privacy as well as under the bed storage with locks. The bathroom is clean and there’s more than enough cubicles to accommodate everyone. There is however no communal kitchen to cook in but the bar serves food. The reception is accommodating and helpful and can provide several things like towels, hairdryers and power adapters.
Would recommend this hostel but to those who aren’t planning to cook.
Link: St Christopher’s Inn London Hammersmith
Paris, France
St Christopher’s Canal
This hostel is literally just off a canal and is close to three different metro stations. Although it’s not in the centre of Paris, it was still a good location with restaurants and shops around it and it’s easy to get to all the attractions. The room itself is spacious and has large bunkbeds with curtains and under the bed storage. The bathroom is also clean and spacious. There is no communal kitchen to cook in this hostel but they do have a bar downstairs that serves food which is also a great place to socialize as well as a chill out room that a lot of guests sat around in. The reception is also very helpful with necessities and advice on how to get around.
Would recommend this hostel but to those who aren’t planning to cook.
Link: St Christopher’s Inn Paris Canal
Edinburgh, Scotland
Argyle Backpackers
Argyle Backpackers is situated in a nice residential area an easy 15 minute bus ride into the old town of Edinburgh where all the attractions are; however, it can also be a nice 25 minute walk. The hostel feels so homey with a nice living room area that is spacious and comfortable. There are two communal kitchens and a garden outside which meant that there is plenty space. Not only that, the room is also very spacious which is great for shared space. The bathrooms are clean although there aren’t many on the property which meant sometimes waiting for your turn or having to go up or downstairs which isn’t that big of a deal. This hostel is very comforting as it feels warm and homey and is in a very safe location.
Would definitely recommend this hostel.
Link: Argyle Backpackers Edinburgh
Salzburg, Austria
MEININGER Salzburg City Center
Although it’s called Salzburg City Center, it’s not quite in the center of the city. This hostel sits in a quiet residential area right next to a supermarket with a bus stop and a train station with 5 minutes by foot. The easiest way to get to the city center is to take a bus for 15 minutes (I never quite figured out the trains in Salzburg). The rooms are large and spacious which is great given it’s shared space. The toilets are also very clean and private. The hostel is also a hotel so it’s done up with a nice lobby and restaurant. There is also a kitchen and a washing machine, however, this communal area is quite small and can barely accommodate two parties in which case everyone would have to wait on each other for laundry and/or to cook.
Would recommend to those who aren’t planning to do much cooking.
Link: Meininger Hostel Salzburg
Milan, Italy
Ostello Bello
Ostello Bello (easily confused with Ostello Bello Grande which is in another location) sits on a historic street and is an easy 10 minute walk to the heart of Milan where the cathedral is. It is easily found and is strategically near several shops and restaurants. The interior of the hostel is quirky and aesthetically pleasing with some of the nicest staff I have ever come across. They instantly made it very accommodating and provided a tour of the hostel and made sure we found our room and beds. There is a nice, clean kitchen with free pasta as well as a nice rooftop tavern area as well as a common area in the lobby that served breakfast every morning. The rooms are nice and spacious with sturdy bunkbeds and individual under the bed storage space. The bathrooms are also modern and clean. The area is definitely great — easily accessible and safe.
Would 100% recommend this hostel.
Link: Ostello Bello Milan
Florence, Italy
PLUS Hotel and Hostel Florence
Florence is quite a small city and this hostel is an easy 15 minute walk from the main train station. It also has several restaurants and shops surrounding it and bus stops all along the street. The hostel which is also a hotel is large and had a proper lobby area. It has a pool and communal kitchen as well as a restaurant in its vicinity. However, the dormitory room is rather uncomfortable — merely a room with bunk beds. The bathroom is nice but there is just a separate toilet and shower to be shared between all of us. I didn’t find the rooms to be very nice or comfortable but it wasn’t terrible. The communal areas are also pretty basic. I didn’t visit the pool so I wouldn’t know how it was.
Would recommend this hostel but maybe pick a better room than the cheapest one.
Link: PLUS Hostel Florence
Venice, Italy
Generator Venice
This hostel is one of the nicest ones I’ve stayed in. I found the transportation in Venice to be a little confusing so at first getting to this hostel was a bit hard because it isn’t on the main island. But after figuring it out, it’s actually really easy to get to — the ferry stop is 2 minutes away from the door. The ground floor is also a bar and serves food so it’s great for socializing. There is also free breakfast in the morning at the bar/restaurant which is great. There is however no communal kitchen for those who would rather cook your own meals. The communal bathrooms are clean and modern — I had no qualms. In terms of safety, it never felt unsafe as there was always people around even at night.
Would 100% recommend this hostel who aren’t planning on cooking.
Link: Generator Hostel Venice
Prague, Czech Republic
Hostel Prague Tyn
Hostel Prague Tyn is ideally located a quick walking distance to the Old Town of Prague which holds a lot of famous monuments which leads to the famous Charles Bridge so in terms of location, this hostel is a win. The rooms are very simple with nothing but beds and lockers and they aren’t very big so you become in close proximity with your roommates. The bathrooms are private and clean. This hostel does have a lot of communal space in the basement which has a kitchen and a lot of social space. In the morning, they provide breakfast in this area which wasn’t anything fancy but any form of free meal is always appreciated. The hostel is quite hidden so it is a bit hard to identify at first but the area is great and safe.
Would recommend this to a simple person who doesn’t mind sharing a relatively small space with strangers.
Link: Hostel Prague Tyn
Barcelona, Spain
Factory Gardens Hostel
This hostel is definitely one of the nicer ones that I’ve stayed in. It’s close enough to a train station with grocery stores and restaurants literally just outside it. It has a shared bathroom that is clean throughout the stay and is done up nicely with modern appliances. The communal areas are also very nice albeit being very minimal, it’s comfortable. There’s a big kitchen space for anyone who would rather cook as well as a restaurant (for anyone who likes paying for breakfast with a place to stay). Mostly, I travel with just one other friend so in terms of safety, not once did I feel like the area was unsafe even when we came back late.
Would definitely recommend this hostel.
Link: Factory Gardens Hostel Barcelona
Valencia, Spain
Red Nest Hostel
The Red Nest Hostel is ideally located in an area with links to several public transportation options. The exterior of the hotel is beautiful with its exquisite architecture. However, the interior is rather unimpressive. The hostel is undeniably clean but has only the bare essentials in the bedroom what with squeaky, flimsy bunk beds and small lockers. There is
also barely any plug points given that at least four people are sharing the room. The bathroom is a public toilet type of set-up and is evidently old, water got all over the floors which was something that irked me. The communal kitchen however, is not somewhere I would cook in or eat in as it seemed unmaintained and over-used. In terms of a place to sleep and a bathroom, that was it for me at this hostel.
Would only recommend this to someone who isn’t at all fussy about where they stay.
Link: Red Nest Hostel Valencia
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About the author: A twenty something girl looking to make something of herself, Sofia Emily Parrott, hopes that someday her sideline writing will pay off — literally. She spends a copious of money on modern poetry books and make up and spends even more time on Netflix and taking inspirational naps. Right now, she is discovering where she belongs in this big, mean world by attaining a master’s degree in Marketing Communications after getting a degree in Media Studies. On the side, she is constantly writing more poems to add to her collection of unshared poetry and looking for a job that can potentially support her and her dreams.
