We’ll let you in on a secret. You get what you pay for and more – if you do your research.
We know, we know, you’re done with the dormitory life and are never going back.
And we get it, but hear us out.
There’s a new breed of hostels on the rise, more like boutique hotels than your typical backpacker dwellings, they let you keep it chic — without the steep price tag.
From converted biscuit factories to the former homes of Ambassadors, these are the stylish stays feature rooftop pools, decadent interiors and rooftop dining options that’ll make you forget everything you know about budget lodgings.
So, enjoy your Negroni or three, now you don’t have to skip a round to enjoy an overly pricey but 100% essential gondola ride when you’re next in Venice.
Kex Hostel, Reykjavik
Just like almost everything in Iceland, Kex Hostel ticks the boxes of Nordic design.
It’s pared back but bursts with personality, with retro trinkets artistically scattered around the establishment. Peer out the windows for spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Despite the size of the former biscuit factory (it sleeps 142), Kex Hostel still feels homely. The entire place is decked out with second-hand furniture — think 70s-style couches and Turkish rugs — much like your hip mate’s living room.
Upstairs are your standard hostel dorms but if you’re looking for a little more space but a lot more hygge, then the ‘double rooms plus’ are for you.
Onsite are the conveniences that you’d expect from a four star hotel. Feeling a little unruly after a long flight?
Freshen up at Raxtur salon, however if you’d rather savour a traditional Icelandic meal than glam up, then you popular Sæmundur í Sparifötunum gastro pub is just downstairs.
Generator, Venice
This isn’t your average Generator hostel. The backpacker accommodation giant Generator has upped the ante at its Venice outpost making it the most stylish and expensive of the bunch.
And the good news? It’s still a fraction of what you’d expect to pay for a hotel room in the centre of The Floating City.
With its waterside location, mosaic floors and murano glass chandeliers, this former granary oozes the Venetian richness that you’d expect from a three-starred hotel. In fact, standing inside the lobby — adorned with deep-red armchairs surrounding a stone fireplace — you probably couldn’t tell the difference.
Its vicinity to all things happening in Venice is hard to beat. Rooms boast views of Guidecca’s gardens, the Lido, the Grand Canal or the iconic Piazza San Marco, so whatever you’re looking for, you know you don’t have to totter in your brand-new Italian leather heels for long.
Les Piaules, Paris
In a city where hostels are mainly catered towards American students on school trips, Les Piaules in the arty quartier of Belleville redefines budget abodes in Paris.
Here, what you see is what you get and from the minute you step inside the bar you’ll be grinning from ear to ear. On the menu are charcuterie and cheese platters, as well as local craft beers. Move onto small plates and dishes of sea urchin, summer truffles, and duck rillette will have you salivating.
Private rooms at Les Piaules are worth splashing out on, which are highly sought after for the little luxuries, such as coffee on tap and Dolby Surround sound. And that’s not even the best part.
The real kicker? The wooden decking outdoor terrace from where you can take in the Sacre Coeur under the starry starry night sky.
Option Be, Córdoba
Follow the pokey alleyways of this town in the south of Spain and they’ll lead to you to a minimalist’s dream, Option Be.
Designed by its owner José Fabra Garrido, this hostel’s modern all-white design is a big departure from its medieval surroundings but that doesn’t mean it’s short of old-fashioned hospitality. On arrival you’ll be served some of the best paella in Córdoba — or perhaps even the Andalucia region — and it’s small gestures like these that sets this overnight hideaway apart from the pack.
The private rooms are spacious and well-equipped with plenty of coat-hangers and space to make sure even if you feel a little rough around the edges that your clothes don’t give it away at it. But that’s just a little detail. The big drawcard of Option Be is it’s rooftop plunge pool. Intimate just like the hostel itself, you’ll be grateful for it when Córdoba turns up the heat to a scorching 40-degree Celsius.
The Independente Hostel and Suites, Lisbon
Located along the Tagus River, The Independente can’t help but exude class due to the building’s former life as the official residence of the Swiss Ambassador.
From the parquet flooring to the stucco ceilings, there are time capsules all over this hostel-hotel hybrid. However, it’s anything but stuffy.
Interior designer Joana Cabral has effortlessly created a boho chic vibe, mixing antique furniture among chipwood bunks in dormitories and fusing minimalist and geometric styles all the way to the balconies of the private rooms.
Home to two restaurants, Decadente and Insolito, and a bar and beer garden that allures to both locals and travellers. With views of the hip Bairro Alto from the terraces, it’s hard to find a better place to immerse yourself in traditional Portuguese fare with a modern twist. Interested in recreating these dishes at home? Join a cooking class to be let in on their chef’s secrets.
