What a good hostel experience looks like!
Staying in a hostel is one of the best experiences I have had during my travels. It is true that, at first thought, it might sound scary to share a room with people you don’t know. However, as they say, the best part of your life lies beyond your comfort zone!
Since that first hostel experience in Copenhagen back in 2010, I became addicted to this type of accommodations. It became normal for me to prioritize hostels whenever I plan a new trip. I am always looking forward to meeting my roommates, asking myself question such as: how many people are going to be in the room? where do they come from? will we one day go on a trip together?
All these thoughts create enthusiasm that lasts until the day I set foot in the hostel. I can say that throughout my travels, I always had amazing hostel experiences. It surely differed from one city to another but the important thing is that they all had one thing in common which is: the joy of new experiences!
Meeting new friends, having breakfast together, planning hangouts, going on pub crawls are all amazing memories I will always cherish from my hostel experiences.
So how were my hostel experiences so far? Here are my top 5!
- First hostel experience in Copenhagen
- My ‘Czech inn’ experience in Prague
- Amazing memories from Alessandro hostel in Rome
- Barcelona’s hostel experience
- A room in Saint Sebastian
First hostel experience in Copenhagen
In 2010, when I first arrived in France, I had decided to go with a friend and spend new year’s eve in the Danish capital. She suggested we book 2 beds in a hostel room and assured me it was going to be a great experience that is worth the try.
She convinced me and, after searching online, we chose to stay at ‘Sleep in heaven‘ hostel. Arriving a few days later in Copenhagen, I was very anxious about this new experience that turned out amazing!
We went inside ‘Sleep in heaven‘, were welcomed by very nice people who explained everything and showed us our room. We had 2 beds in 6 beds mixed dormitory. Thus, my first hostel experience had begun.
‘Sleep in heaven’ is the place that made me love staying in hostels throughout my trips. The staff was friendly and helpful, especially when asking for touristic information. The rooms and bathrooms were all clean and the beds very comfortable.
While getting around the hostel, the common area caught my eyes. I remember seeing people from different nationalities playing board games, laughing and telling stories to each other. I think this scene was the reason why I keep going back to hostels over and over again.
The thing I learned during this stay, is that it is possible to travel on a budget while staying in amazing places and meeting new friends. Surely, I shared rooms with people I didn’t know and had to wake up at 2 AM when new travelers arrived or left, but all this is part of the beautiful adventure.
What I remember the most
Coming back from new year’s eve party, we were welcomed by glasses of champagne at the hostel where many people were still partying. It was a beautiful night!
During our stay in ‘Sleep in heaven’, we met two guys from England who were staying in our room. They became our friends and we began to hang out all together. We visited Christiania, and had a great open buffet dinner that I can never forget!
The day following new year’s eve, we took a train to Sweden and spent an amazing day in Malmo with them!
‘Sleep in heaven’ was the place that taught me the charm of staying in hostels and will surely go back there whenever I am in Copenhagen!
My ‘Czech inn’ experience in Prague
My trip to Prague had been one of the best I had in Europe and staying at ‘Czech inn‘ hostel made it even better. I was a solo traveler looking to explore Czech’s capital and meet new people.
After reading lots of reviews about ‘Czech inn’ hostel, I decided to book a bed for 3 nights. It was very convenient that this hostel is very close to tram and bus stations. Therefore, it is practical to reach any part of the city easily!
The rooms and bathrooms were all very clean and comfortable. The common area is very relaxing and offers many types of activities. One of the best assets of this hostel is their brick cellar bar with affordable prices. Whether you just want to have breakfast in the morning, enjoy a drink at night while listening to good music with positive vibes surrounding you, you will surely be well served!
The thing I liked a lot about ‘Czech inn‘ is the great number of activities they offer. You get to book through them different walking tours and pub crawls.
Thanks to this hostel, I had an amazing time in Prague, always surrounded by positive and happy people!
What I remember the most
During my stay at ‘Czech inn’, I went on a pub crawl where we visited many nice bars and clubs of the capital. Thanks to this pub crawl, I learned how to play beer pong and even won a few rounds…. beginners’ luck?
I also met people from Cota Rica, Malaysia, and England with whom I went on a walking tour to Prague castle. We called ourselves the Prague team, we visited many hidden gems together and also began planning future trips!
Amazing memories from Alessandro Downtown hostel in Rome
2016 was the year I finally visited the city I always dreamed about: Rome. I was not solo traveling but was with my two sisters Mariam and Angelina.
As I wanted to show them what staying in a hostel was like, we booked 3 beds in Alessandro Downtown hostel at the heart of Rome. We arrived early in the morning, so the staff was really friendly and allowed us to keep our luggage in the hostel until our room was ready to check-in.
Our 4-bed dormitory room was very spacious. The beds were very comfortable with a nice street view from the window. Inside the room, we had clean toilets and showers which was very practical.
Alessandro downtown hostel is located next to one of the most important train and metro station in Rome, Termini Station. Thanks to this location, we were able to visit the most interesting parts of the city in no time. There are also lots of activities organized by the hostel which was really nice. Unfortunately, since we came at the beginning of the week, we could not participate in the pub crawl that happens every Thursday. Nevertheless, it was a good stay!
What I remember the most
One of the good memories I have from this hostel experience was the party at the rooftop. I remember going up with both my sisters to a big terrace where there were many people from different nationalities, drinking and having small talks.
We also grabbed some drinks and began getting to know some of the participants. It was a very nice get-together, where people from different countries became friends in no time!
Barcelona’s hostel experience
My hostel experience in Barcelona was a bit different from the previous ones. This time, I chose to stay in a 9-bed dormitory room. I had always stayed in 4 or 6-bed dormitory rooms.
My choice landed on ‘Jam hostel‘ and I can fairly say it was a great choice! Needless to say that the staff was so friendly and helpful. Moreover, the hostel is located in a calm area and at the same time close to 3 important metro stations which makes it very easy to reach any part of the city.
I really enjoyed the big common area that has a kitchen where you can cook, a library with many amazing books and a TV for all sports games. In addition to all that, Jam hostel has a big terrace for morning Yoga and you can also ask for a massage from a certified instructor!
I guess this was one of the best hostels I stayed in. The rooms and bathrooms were all very clean and the services provided match the price paid. I would certainly stay here again during my next trip to Barcelona!
What I remember the most
Thanks to the big common area in the Jam hostel, I got to meet many people from France and England who were also solo travelers. I was surprised to see a couple with both their children staying here also. This made me realize that hostels are not only made for couples or solo travelers, but even families are welcome here and they are sure to spend amazing times just like everyone else!
A room in Saint Sebastian
During summer 2018, I decided to visit Saint Sebastian for 3 days. ‘A room in the city‘ was the hostel I chose to stay in. Its location is just perfect. You barely walk for 2 minutes and there it is: the amazing beach is in front of you!
If you are up for a drink, they have a very nice bar with affordable prices and where you can easily meet other fellow travelers. The rooms were amazing and it was the first time I see a new concept of beds and lockers: The bed is like a small cabin with a curtain. Once you close the curtain, you can turn on the light to your right and you feel as if you are in your private space even though there are at least 6 other people in the room with you!
It is a great design that gives privacy in a public area.
I used to enjoy going to the kitchen every morning, prepare my breakfast and have some fruits while getting to know other tourists! The staff was amazing. As it was time for la “Gande semana”, a full week of partying and fireworks, the receptionist told me the exact place where I should stand in order to enjoy the show to the best and I can say it was magnificent!
What I remember the most
Usually, everywhere you go affects you in a different way. I am not sure why, but after several months of inactivity, I decided to relaunch my blog after staying at ‘A Room in the city‘. I guess, spending time in the common area, with all the travel hashtags and quotes on the walls gave me the motivation to get my blog back on tracks!
Always remember: The best parts of your life lie beyond your comfort zone, so if you have never tried the hostel experience yet, go ahead and do it, you will surely be amazed!
