5 European Hostels for Every Traveler
If you’ve ever dreamed of backpacking through Europe (I mean, who hasn’t) then you’ve probably done a little bit of research and realized hostels are the cheapest and easiest way to stay in Europe especially if you’re traveling as a solo traveler. Unfortunately, not all hostels are created equal though.I spent 3 months backpacking through Europe and visited 15 countries along the way, therefore I have stayed in my fareshare of European hostels. From as far west as the UK (do we still count that as Europe? Asking for a friend) to as east as Istanbul, I’ve stayed in all sorts of hostels and I’m here today to tell you my five favorites for varying travel styles. From big party hostels to smaller bed-and-breakfast style, I’ll give you the rundown on each.
The Privacy Hostel
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If you are someone who loves the price of hostels but isn’t super keen on sharing a room with a bunch of strangers, Code Pod-The Court in Edinburgh is the perfect place for you. This hostel is known as a “capsule hostel” which means you stay in your own private pod, allowing for a lot more privacy. These types of hostels can be found all over the world and I’ve stayed in a few (including an interesting one in Slovenia) but this one is by far the best I’ve ever stayed at.
The bathrooms were squeaky clean, the rooms were spotless, and the privacy was amazing. On top of all of this though, if you wanted to branch out and be more social, they had an attached bar and cafe as well as plenty of other activities to get you mingling.
The Party Hostel
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If you’re looking for a good time and love nightlife, Old Town Hostel in Kotor, Montenegro is the perfect hostel for you. Truthfully, this type of hostel is not my cup of tea as I prefer something with a little less party and a little more ~vibes~ but this is truly a great party hostel. It’s got a pool, is right in the middle of Old Town, and has daily activities such as a booze cruise that you can do through the hostel.
The Bed-and-Breakfast
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This is by far the best hostel I have ever stayed at, but not for the typical reasons. Hostel Majdas in Mostar, Bosnia felt way more like a homeshare or a bed-and-breakfast than it did a hostel and the woman who runs this place is an angel on earth. She keeps the place absolutely spotless, knows her guests by name, cooks a homemade breakfast for everyone every morning, and cooks soup in the evenings if you take a guided tour with her brother.
If you plan on staying here, do not skip out on the guided tour. As mentioned, her brother runs it and takes guests of the hostel in his van to sights around and in Mostar. He talks all about his experience living in Bosnia during the war and walks you around the less touristy parts of Mostar that he grew up going to.
I can’t praise this hostel or the siblings that run it enough. This was the highlight of my time in Europe and I hope you get the opportunity to stay here.
The Mega Hostel
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If you want to stay at a super established, brand new, huge hostel, Wombat’s City Hostel in Munich (Werksviertel location) is the place for you. Because it’s brand new, everything is super up-to-date, the attached bar and cafe is great for meeting people, and there’s tons of common areas to hang out or work in. The only downside to this hostel is it is a little bit out of the main tourist attractions in Munich but as far as the facilities go, this place is amazing.
The One with a Rooftop
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The first hostel I ever stayed at in Europe set the bar a little too high for my future hostel experiences, but I guess that just means that this hostel is truly amazing. 2060 the Newton in Madrid, Spain still stands out as one of the best hostels I’ve stayed at around the world and I’ve stayed in over 30 hostels.
It has attached and detached bathrooms for when your roommates are using the en-suite ones, air-conditioning, bar crawls, and most importantly, a rooftop with views over Madrid with almost daily happy hours. Everything was super clean, there were outlets at each bed, curtains for privacy, and the bed was already made for you, which is pretty rare when it comes to hostels. If you are heading to Madrid anytime soon, I cannot recommend this place enough.
