On my latest trip to Dublin I had the chance to check out Wynn’s Hotel , a historic hotel in the heart of Dublin.

Location

Location of Wynn’s is unbeatable and what makes this hotel stand out –right in the heart of Dublin off O’Connell Street you are within walking distance of all the key sights: Dublin Castle, Trinity College and the Temple Bar area.

Dining and breakfast room. Wynns Hotel, Dublin

Great hospitality

In existence since 1845, if you like hotels that are historic and full of character you will love Wynn’s- it’s a taste of traditional Irish hospitality.

Staff are attentive and extremely helpful.

The rooms

My double room on the 5^th floor was away from noise of trams below and towards the back–had a great nights sleep.

It was on the small side and very compact.

Useful amenties in the room included coffee making facilities in the room, a small flatscreen TV and free wifi which was decent throughout my stay,

Ensuite bathrooms are clean and toiletries are provided.

The shower was tiny and the water strength was poor. Hopefully this was a one-off and a temporary issue.

Top breakfast

One of the best features of the hotel is the free breakfast where you get a nice hot, cooked breakfast from the traditional Irish to Eggs Benedict: great way to start the day. Coffee was not the best but otherwise everything was ace.

The hotel has a nice onsite bar where guests can relax and have a pint of the black stuff.

Verdict

I like the location, old fashioned hospitality , free wifi, good breakfast and my room was clean and comfortable. Downside was that my room was quite compact ( they have larger sized rooms), shower poor which maybe a one-off but otherwise a good experience.

The price point? Booked via HRS UK the price of the hotel for two nights was 178 Euros or 89 per night which is definitely on the pricier side but nevertheless for the location you could argue, good value. Depends on what is important for you and also what you would classify as ‘budget’ in Dublin city centre.

Tip: Book a room towards the back of the hotel and on the top floor to have a good nights sleep.

Essentials

39 Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1

Disclaimer

My stay was made possible through the kind support of HRS UK but the views are clearly my own and by no means biased by the sponsor. I value that readers come here for my honest opinions and they always come first when I write any review. If you have any feedback about my reviews, please share via the comments box below or contact me on europebudgetguide AT gmail.com 

Part of a 250-year-old building Lisbon Calling Hostel is another stunning Lisbon hostel , overflowing with beautiful period features and vintage charm. It’s also home for the owners and their friends so staying at this hostel really feels like you’ve been welcomed into someone’s home.

Lounge. Lisbon Calling Hostel.  Note: All photos in this review are courtesy of Lisbon Calling Hostel

Location

Situated just a short walking distance from the city centre (Chiado) and the city’s nightlife hotspots of Bairro Alto and Cais de Sodré , this hostel is in a fantastic location.

’1812′ room , Lisbon Calling Hostel

Rooms and bathrooms

Staying here is an experience. With quirky interior décor, stone walls and wooden floors , all the rooms here have a nice rustic charm, filled with light and very spacious.

If you are looking for romance and something exclusive- stay in the doubles room section which is a separate section of the building and almost akin to the experience of having your own apartment in Lisbon.

You get your own keys to come and go from your room as you please. There are only four rooms, each one with a cool theme. I stayed in ’1812′ -charmingly furnished with vintage retro pieces. The rooms was huge with tall ceilings and large windows that offered me great panoramic views of the square below and the beautiful church of Sao Paolo. You share a very clean, well maintained bathroom and kitchen with the other residents here but it’s not much of an issue.

FRESCOS : 10 Bed Dorm, Lisbon Calling Hostel

Dorms -4, 6 and 10 bed dorms are excellent value and comfortable- the beautiful wooden bunk beds are custom made and raised so you can catch views of the church square while the ceilings are adorned with frescos.

Facilities

Living area

This place is a living exhibition of eclectic furniture pieces and fittings that the owners have procured from Portugal and Europe to give the place a unique charm and feel. There is everything from an antique bathtub coverted into a table , 1950′s Rock and Roll memorabilia to outlandish kitsch decorations that create a very colourful vibe.

Shared Kitchen space for the ‘Doubles’ apartment

One of the great features of staying in the doubles is the very cool free breakfast There is no fixed breakfast hour. Fresh breadrolls are kept in an embroidered cloth bag which is hung on your room’s door handle in the morning. Whenever you’re up and running, you take them to the common kitchen and make coffee or tea, help yourself to orange juice from the fridge, have muesli and toast the bread enjoy with butter or delicious fruit jam. Given that you are sharing with three other couples you have a good chance to having the kitchen to yourself.

The kitchen area in the main part of the hostel is a very cool, social space where the owners encourage guests to use their fridge and often invite guests to join them as they cook lunch or dinner for no extra cost-really feels like you are visiting a friends or relatives home.

The free wifi is excellent and the staff here are friendly with lots of great tips to make the most of your stay here. Also for free here….

Secure Storage (individual lockers, locks & keys)
 plus in the words of the owners , All day-do-it-yourself coffee and tea (coffee machine and kettle)

Top tip

Across from the hostel is Rua de Nova Carvalho, formerly the ‘red light’ district of Lisbon. There are some cool bars here but the pick of the joints is Pensao Amor , once a cheap pension with rooms rented by the hour to prostitutes. Nowadays the place functions as a bar, venue for concerts and also has a leopard and gold decorated pole dance room which is used for pole dancing workshops.

FACTBOX

Choose from a…

BLUE WITH A VIEW – 4 Bed Mixed Dorm
(2 on platform + 2 down)

THE NEST – 4 Bed Mixed Dorm (2 bunks)

PLATFORM – 6 Bed Mixed Dorm
(3 on platform + 3 down)

FRESCOS – 10 Bed Mixed Dorm
(5 bunks)

Room prices start from just 16 euros for a room or just 50 euros per night for staying in the ‘1812’ room.

Address

Rua de Sao Paulo, 126 – floor 3D

1200-429 Lisbon, Portugal

Phone

+351 213 432 381

To end… a cool video from the owners welcoming you to their cool hostel.

Situated in the trendy Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district in a former Bishop’s Palace dating back to 1874, The Grand Hostel Berlin is a hostel that combines a bit of old world Berlin charm , great hospitality plus has a stunning library bar.

The location

The location is excellent, just a 3 minute walk to the Möckernbrücke station from where you can access the U1 and U7 lines.  It’s in a quiet neighbourhood so this hostel is the perfect place to relax in after a long day and also gives visitors convenient access to Berlin and it’s fabled nightlife.

Rooms and bathrooms

Card key access gives you access to the rooms-very secure. The shared dorms in Grand Hostel are clean and well maintained- they all have flat beds and no bunks. Beds are spaced out nicely. Rooms have high ceilings and come with beautiful bay windows that give the rooms a nice light, cosy feel. Double rooms are beautifully furnished with the a bit of old fashioned charm- potted plants, dressing table and walk in wardrobe.  My only minor gripe would be the extra 3.50 euros for linen and towels for 2 euros.

Common bathrooms are clean and plentiful on each floor. They come with hairdryers.

Facilities

On check-in, guests are offered a free cup of coffee or tea or water at check-in which is a nice gesture after a long journey. Coffee machine is great here btw.

The staff here are a real credit to the hostel and some of the best I’ve encountered on my luxury hostels tour. Professional, courteous and always willing to help- it’s 5 star hotel service.

Another standout feature of the hostel is the library bar they have. It’s impossibly cool with volumes of old dusty books from floor to ceiling that you can have a nosy through while enjoying your coffee. During the day, I spent a lot of time sitting on one of the leather armchairs reading a book or just catching up with friends on my laptop with the help of the free internet connection. In the evening the library/common room becomes the meeting point with the bar opening up. Morgan, the bartender running the show knows how to make a mean cocktail and keeps guests entertained with his banter. I spent a large part of my evenings at the Grand Hostel chatting with Morgan and the guests.

There is no breakfast included. However the hostel’s very own Grandwich Bar just next door to the hostel offers a good breakfast, variety of delicious sandwiches, paninis and traditional german food at decent prices.

If you’re visiting the hostel on Wednesdays they currently are offering a free pasta dinner which is a great excuse to meet fellow guests.

The hostel staff also offer a walking tour of Berlin and run a pub crawl on Fridays. They offer an in-house bicycle rental for 10 euros a day ( 50 euro deposit required)

What makes this a luxury hostel

It’s a great experience staying here- the combination of old Berlin Charm, beautiful interior décor and  great service from staff make you feel you are staying in a hotel more than a hostel-a great experience. With the cool Library bar and spacious, bunk less dorms makes this an ideal base for exploring Berlin.

Top tip

You’re just a short walk away (Mehringdamm 32 ) from kebab heaven: ask staff for direction to Mustafa’s. The kebabs here have the perfect balance of meat, sauce, vegetables and bread. The meat is nice and juicy. The vegetables they use are fresh plus you get fried potatoes too which is genius. A squeeze of lemon juice and….food heaven. Warning: Queues are huge here so grab a bottle of beer so ease the pain of a long wait. It’s worth it in the end.

The Journey

The hostel is a short walk away from Hallesches Tor and Möckernbrücke ( U1, U7) which connects you nicely to the rest of Berlin.

To book

Book at Grandhostel-berlin.de

Room prices vary according to season and start from 12€ a night for a bed in the 6 bed salon , 40€ for a twin or double with shared bathroom  or 60€ for a double room, ensuite

Tempelhofer Ufer 14
10963 Berlin

Tel:  +49 (30) 200 95 45-0

Email: info@grandhostel-berlin.de

Can you recommend a good budget hotel or hostel for me to stay in London?

This is probably my most popular request from readers and friends so I thought it would be beneficial to summarise on my blog, my favourite budget places to stay in London. So in no particular order, here are my 7 best places stay in London on a budget

Double room at umi London

1. umi hotels, London

A double room for 2 people in a 3 star hotel in the £60-80 price bracket in London is hard to beat and when you add to that the location of the hotel – the trendy neighbourhood of Notting Hill , you’ve got the ingredients of a great stay in London. Welcome to umi hotels, brainchild of hotelier Steve Lowy who came up with the unique idea of employing interns who were still at university studying hospitality degrees to help run his hotels. The result is a refreshing, youthful and can-do attitude amongst staff which makes a nice change. The hotel boasts a 24 hour concierge service which takes care of your onward travel needs or if you just want to book a ticket for the latest West End shows. Start your day in style at the hotel’s groundfloor coffee shop, Yumi which offers complimentary newspapers alongside a choice of hot cooked or continental breakfasts. You can enjoy teas and freshly grounded coffee throughout the day. If you’re looking for a hotel stay with a bit of personality, you’ll love umi.

Book at umihotellondon.co.uk Prices start from £60

Tune Hotels, Liverpool Street: 5 star beds at 1 star price.

2. Tune Hotels, London

Tune Hotels in London are a breath of fresh air in the hotel scene. It’s no-frills approach has been adopted by many but for me the key thing that sets it apart of the other chain hotels are the superb locations in London– Westminister, Liverpool Street, Kings Cross and now Paddington. Plus you the awesome Hypnos beds as standard – a feature which you find in luxury hotels in London like Brown and One Aldwych ( plus superior doubles in umi London) You just sink into these beds and have the best nights sleep. Their ensuite bathrooms are small but offer brilliant power showers that get you going for the day. With advance prices of just £35 per room, per night they represent superb value.

Book at tunehotels.com Prices starts from £35, per night

London now is blessed with a number of a top notch hostels that I visited as part of my Luxury Hostels of Europe project.

If you’re looking for a comfortable room to sleep in with a social edge, check out some of my favourite London hostels below

Hillspring Lodge, Palmers Lodge Boutique Hostels. London

3 & 4) Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage and Palmers Lodge Hillspring Lodge 

Palmers Lodge run two superb hostels in London- both of them offer a unique experience. Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage offer a more social atmosphere and that cosy, home away from home atmosphere. The common room is the social hub where guests relax on the sofas browsing on their tablets and laptops using the excellent free wifi or chatting to fellow guests around the tables. Both hostels run an excellent onsite bar where you can meet fellow guests and enjoy an inexpensive drink or decently priced pub grub.

Hillspring Lodge, Palmers Lodge is superbly furnished and offers a more modern décor. It’s in a peaceful neighbourhood bit away from the main drag so if you’re looking for a chilled out hostel, you’ll prefer this. If you like hostels with character both places offer a great experience: Hillspring hostel is filled with quirky objects like deer rugs hanging from the celiing and a garden filled with 100 odd motorcycles whereas the Swiss Cottage branch is located in a stunning Victorian grade II listed building. Beds in the dorm are also a standout feature, made of sturdy oak wood , fitted with nice mattresses plus come with a private curtain and reading light.

Book at palmerslodges.com Prices starts at £16 a night

Clink 78! Hostel

5) Clink! 78 London

Clink! 78 is set in a stylishly renovated Victorian 200 year old courthouse in an excellent location just a few minutes walk from Kings Cross station . This is a cool party hostel and accommodates upto 500 guests from as little as £12 a night. Facilities onsite include an onsite bar and also travel shop to help guests book discounted tickets for top London attractions and also assist with airport transfers and onward travel arrangements. Guests can chill out in style in the infamous, wood panelled Internet and PC courtroom which previously served as a magistrates courtroom where The Clash were famously tried for shooting carrier pigeons in 1978, provoking them to write the song ‘Guns on the Roof’.  For those interested in the indulging further in the criminal past of the hostel you can rent your own private prison cell for as little as a £50 a night. Cells come fully furnished and complete with a barred window.

Book at clinkhostels.com Prices start at £12 a night

6) Safestay Hostel

The brand new Safestay Hostel is in a great location near Elephant & Castle tube station and is situated in John Smith House which , in a previous incarnation, served as the  Labour party headquarters. With it’s bright purple and hot pink colours, quirky design features and lighting by Tom Dixon-its a very stylish affair.  The bar cum common room downstairs is a great shared space for guests with a bar, pool room plus uplholstered armchairs where guests can sink into and access the hostels’ free wifi via their internet devices. Beds in the dorm rooms come equipped with a reading light, nice thick duvets and also a private fitted curtain to offer guests privacy and also avoid being woken up whenever another fellow guest walks in. Families are welcomed with the hostel offering private rooms that include a double bed and single bunk above plus 40 inch plasma screen TV’s, complimentary tea and coffee making facilities.

Book at www.safestay.co.uk Prices start from £20 a night

7) Meet the locals: Stay in a London ( Miriam’s) apartment with Wimdu

Another cool, alternative option would be to choose an apartment rental in London. Till this year, I’ve traditionally always looked at hotel or hostels when visiting London. When Wimdu invited me in the summer to experience the opportunity to stay in one of their properties across the world, I was intrigued. My opportunity came later in November when I was looking for a roof over my head with fellow blogger Mike Sowden for World Travel Market in London. After a search of their extensive portfolio of properties, we finally plumped for a shared apartment in Stratford on the doorstep of the Olympic Park. It offered great connections to central London with the bus no. 25 running an all day and night service into the city plus it’s all on the Central and DLR line. The other benefits of the location is that the Westfield Shopping centre (Europe’s biggest shopping centre ) is right on the doorstep. The biggest asset of choosing the property was the hospitality of Miriam with whom we clicked instantly- very warm, open hearted and had some great conversations with her: everything from Indian weddings, Slovakian food to talking about places to travel in 2013. The place itself was cosy, bright colours and beautifully furnished rooms with a great kitchen and common room. Plus excellent wifi connection.  You think sharing with the owner would be awkward but it was quite the contrary-they were very easy to be around and were quite discreet.

Book at Wimdu.com A night’s stay at Miriam’s apartment booked via Wimdu costs around £100 a night with 2 double bedrooms that sleep 4.

Hope you enjoyed my suggestions. If you have any budget friendly places you would recommend  while staying in London , pleased do share below.

Funky common room at the Goodmorning Lisbon Hostel

If you’re looking for a taste of warm Portuguese hospitality in an unbeatable location within Lisbon, then say hello to Goodmorning Hostel on your next visit to the city. 

The location

Goodmorning Hostel is in a unbeatable location in Praca dos Restauradores just a stone’s throw away from the Metro Station and Rossio Train Station. Airport Shuttle leaves from just across the square.

Clocks on the wall of the common room, telling the different time from across the world

Rooms and bathrooms

Warm and cosy are two perfect words to sum up the experience of staying in the Goodmorning.

Beautiful upholstered leather chairs in the common room of the hostel

The hostel is typical of the breed of designer hostels in Lisbon. You have warm wooden flooring, bright bold wallpaper and rooms filled with a cornucopia of vintage curios and recycled furniture pieces that set it apart from the run of mill hostel-my personal favourite being the ‘bathtub couch’ on the top floor. The dorm rooms are spacious, beds well laid out and very comfortable. Each bed in dorm comes with a mini shelf to keep your keys and coins, power socket and reading light. Travellers looking for more privacy can choose from one of their private ensuite doubles on the top floor of the hostel. All rooms come with a balcony and panoramic views of the city.

Me and my second family- the amazing staff at Goodmorning Hostel

Facilities

Hostel staff – Joao ( makes the best waffles) , Yolanda ( puts on great tunes and introduced me to some cool bands ) , Duarte ( Great if you’re looking for a guitar player for a good ole singsong in the evening over a few beers) Magdalena ( wicked sense of humour and makes great pierogi) and Manuela ( organizes cool and fun stuff, always a big smile on her face and is an amazing singer)  are the outstanding feature of this hostel. They have a friendly personable approach, full of great enthusiasm and ideas of cool things to do in Lisbon that you might not find in your guidebook. It’s rare to meet such a great group of nice people in one hostel. Staying there for a few days, by the time I left, I felt like I was part of a big family.

Cosy, intimate dining room at the Goodmorning Hostel, Lisbon

They organize excellent free walking tours of the city and also a ‘Dinner with the locals’ where they introduce guests to local Portuguese dishes. Guests can join in with the cooking. I pitched in one night and cooked the guests an authentic Indian curry. (Video below)

Eating dinner and sharing stories of travel experiences with the staff and hostel guests  at Goodmorning was one of my most memorable experiences from my travels this year.  Staff often offer a glass of red wine, port wine or Ginginha to the guests for free.There is a cheap ,excellent supermarket just a stone’s throw away which is quite handy.

Free breakfast is fantastic ( until 1130am ) and something different from your standard hostel fare-they offer freshly prepared waffles which you can enjoy with good filtered coffee and juices. Free coffee and tea is offered throughout the day.

They have a dedicated internet room on which guests can surf on for free and also a separate TV room with a large flatscreen TV and DVD player to watch movies. The free wifi is decent and available throughout the hostel. They have a free left luggage facility in case you are travelling later in the day.

What makes this a luxury hostel

Staying at the Goodmorning Hostel is like being invited into a friend’s home- superb central location, generous breakfast and the friendly, knowledgeable hostel staff makes this a great base for exploring Lisbon.

Ensuite double room at Goodmorning Hostel, Lisbon. Starting at just 60 euros a night, it’s a steal

Top tip

If you’re looking for a romantic break in Lisbon in a great location , choose the double ensuite room at the top of the hostel with it’s beautiful comfy bed, great views and quirky decor.

The Journey

The hostel is just 250 metres away from the Restauradores Metro station and the Rossio Train Station.

I flew to Lisbon with easyJet which is the main low-cost airline serving the city.

From the airport you have the choice of taking Aerobus number 91 to Cais do Sodré and exit at Restauradores. (cost 3,50€ takes between 30-45 minutes andleaves every 20 minutes between 0740-2045, 30 minute intervals after  ).
Goodmorning Hostel is at the door step.

Take the Metro’s red line to São Sebastião, then change to the blue line in the direction of Santa Apolónia and leave at Restauradores. (cost 1,25€). 
Goodmorning Hostel is a 3 minute walk away.

Goodmorning Lisbon

Praça dos Restauradores, n. 65, 2nd floor, 1250-188 Lisbon

Telephone numbers: + 351 213 421 128

Email: bookings@goodmorninghostel.com.

Fact box

Room in a 10 bedroom room costs just 14 euros going upto 60 euros for a double en-suite room. Book at http://goodmorninghostel.com/

If you’re looking for a friendly, cosy hostel to relax in after a long day of exploring the sights and sounds of Buda and Pest, then the Aventura Boutique Hostel, Budapest is a perfect base for your adventures in this fantastic city.

The location

The hostel is in a quiet neighbourhood just off the 5th district and 15 minutes walking distance from the Parliament, Bazilica, Opera House and Margaret Island. The Nyugati Ter metro station is just one block away and the grand boulevard of Budapest is nearby from where you access the city’s fantasic and inexpensive tram network. Nyugati Palyaudvar train station is also close by. There are 2 inexpensive convenience stores around the corner from the hostel and also a modern shopping mall just down the road.

The India Room-6 bed dorm, price for a bed starts for as little as 11 euros a night.

Rooms and bathrooms

Aventura offers a range of different themed rooms, all quite spacious with lots of light. From the minimalistic ‘Japan’ room (double) to the exotic and colourful Africa and India rooms to sleeping under the stars in the Space room-there is a room for every type of traveller. Families looking for their own space but still wanting the comfort and convenience of the hostel can choose to stay in the stylish Art Apartment just around the corner from the main hostel building. Sleeping 25 guests, it’s a cosy, intimate hostel so if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful and friendly to stay in Budapest, you’ll feel at home at Aventura. Also, there are no bunk beds in the Aventura so that sets it apart from the typical hostel. Linen is included in the price, they do have hairdryers plus towels are available for hire for a small price. Common bathroom is very clean and given the small size of the hostel, getting access is easy. Showers are great with plenty of hot water.

The kitchen at Aventura-fantastic space that also doubles up as the common room

Facilities

In terms of facilities, this hostel caters for everything that a backpacker would look for nice kitchen, free excellent wifi, tons of information about places to go and things to see in Budapest and elsewhere. Staff are very friendly, knowlegable with lots of cool tips for things to see and do. They also happy to do your laundry at a small price. A novel feature of this hostel is that they offer an in-house massage service which costs as little as 20 euros for a 1 hour massage. Great value and perfect after a day of walking around Budapest or if you’re backpack has been breaking your back in the weeks past. The hostel offer a continental breakfast for around 3 euros. Alternatively, checkout the café downstairs which offers a nice cooked breakfast and great coffee for a few euros. Professional child care can be organized on request.

What makes this a luxury hostel

Great location, friendly staff and the unique feature of offering an inexpensive, in-house massage service makes the stay here a memorable experience.

The Japan Room

Top tip

Starting at around 50 euros per night, the nearby Art Apartment is a brilliant deal which gives you your own space while also allowing you to access the facilities of the hostel at your convenience. Or choose the minimalistic Japan Room in the hostel where prices start at just 33 euros per room, per night.

The Journey

The hostel is just a few minutes walk away from the Nyugati Ter Metro station and the Nyugati Palyauvdar train station.

Take the metro No. 2 (red line) to “Deak Ferenc Ter”. From here take the metro No. 3 (blue line) to “Nyugati Ter” (Nyugati Palyaudvar/Western Train Station). Exit at “Szent Istvan Korut”. Start walking towards the river, and the street of Aventura Hostel Budapest is the first one on the right.

From Budapest Airport (Terminal 2) Regular city buses (“Repteri busz”, Bus No. 200) run between Budapest airport (both terminals) and the metro No. 3 (blue line, “Kobanya Kispest”). Take the metro to “Nyugati Ter” (Nyugati Palyaudvar/Western Train Station). Exit at “Szent Istvan Korut”. Start walking towards the river, and the street of Aventura Hostel Budapest is the first one on the right

1132 Budapest, Visegrádi St 12, ( Doorbell 5, 1st floor/apt 1 )

Hungary

Telephone: +36 1 239 0782

Email:  info@aventurahostel.com

Fact box

Prices can vary according to season but a bed in the ‘Africa’ themed 8 bedroom dormitory starts at just around 9 euros in the Low Season going upto 41 euros for a double en-suite apartment. Book at http://aventurahostelbudapest.com/

A perfect blend of blue and white , warm hospitality and Finnish design philosophy makes in my opinion Dream Hostel the best hostel in Finland and possibly the rest of  Scandinavia.

The location

Just a few minutes walk away from Tampere train station, the Dream Hostel is in a great location near several well-known local landmarks like Tampere Hall, Tampere University, Pakkahuone and the Sorsapuisto park. Situated in the university neighborhood area Tulli,  hostel is in the hub of the city’s nightlife- trendy bars, local restaurants, outdoor market, second hand stores and a grocery store are just stone’s throw away.

Rooms and bathrooms

The rooms are airconditioned , spacious with beds nicely spaced out. Big heavy doors and thick walls means that it’s quite peaceful. Beds are sturdy and come equipped with discreet reading lights and power points to juice your gadgets. Whilst the rooms are not ensuite, toilets and showers facilities are plentiful and cleaned on a regular basis. Probably one of the powerful hostel showers I’ve ever experienced in a hostel-awesome.

Facilities

Centrepiece of the hostel is the kitchen which also doubles up as a social space. Lots of boardgames to play, great selection of books to read and also there is bunch of maps and guides to the local area for you to get inspiration for your trip. Guests chill out on their tablets or laptops using the hostels excellent free wifi.

Help yourself all day to unlimited refills of top notch Columbian grinded coffee from the filter coffee machine.  Other perks are free pea soup on Thursday and free popcorn when it rains ( which it does a lot in Tampere, so your chances are good) or on a Friday night. The hostel does not offer breakfast but there is a supermarket nearby and the hostel has a nice arrangement with the local café where for as little as 5 euros you can enjoy a hearty breakfast.

For around 10 euros you have the option of renting bikes for them to explore the city and the great Finnish outdoors.

Ville and the rest of the team at Dream are very enthusiastic and passionate about the city and the beautiful surrounding countryside –feel free to ask them for any tips and recommendations plus check out the noticeboard for the staff’s daily tips. The hostel has excellent connections with local adventure sports tour operators so if you’re looking to go mountain biking, hiking or canoeing-there is a great variety of cool things to do here.

What makes this a luxury hostel

Excellent design, great hospitality and comfortable rooms make this a very cool luxury hostel. No surprise that it has been voted the best hostel in Finland.

Top tip

For privacy and comfort choose one of the twin rooms.

One of the great Finnish traditions is to visit the sauna and Tampere has 3 public saunas to choose from. Costing as little as 5 euros, it’s a fantastic rejuvenating experience.

The Journey 

I flew from Berlin to Helsinki with Finnair . From Helsinki you can take the train to Tampere ( 1 hour ) Pay as little as 16.20 euros if you book 2 months in advance via http://www.vr.fi compared to paying 32.38 euros on the day. I also recommend using the bus connection that runs between Tampere and Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

Verdict

A perfect blend of blue and white , warm Finnish hospitality and design philosophy makes Dream Hostel a perfect base to explore Tampere and its great outdoors.

Factbox 

Guests can choose from choice of Twin, 4 bed Private rooms, 4 bed Female only Dorms, 4 Bed Mixed Dorms , 10 bed Mixed Dorm and 16 Bed Mixed Dorms.

Twin room prices start from 69 euros per night, per room going down to 23 euros for a bed in the 16 bed dorm.

More information, check: http://www.dreamhostel.fi/

Tampere Dream Hostel 

Åkerlundinkatu 2

33100 Tampere

Finland

Disclaimer: My stay was sponsored by Dream Hostel but the views here are entirely my own. Thanks Ville  and the ‘Dream team’ for a great stay. I’d also like to thank Virpi and  Visit Finland  team plus Visit Tampere for supporting my trip. 

Villa Saint-Exupéry Gardens, a former Carmelite monastery in Cimiez neighbourhood of Nice is one of the most atmospheric and nicest hostels I’ve visited on my travels.

What I loved about the Villa Saint Exupery Garden Hostel

Location, location, Location?

Looking for a place right near the beach with all the other tourists?

The Villa Saint Exupery isn’t for you. However if you’re looking to getaway from the madness of the tourist strips on the beach and get some fresh air, you might prefer this backpacker oasis, perched on top of a hill. It’s a bit of a jaunt to get here up the hill so make full use of the hostel’s very handy, free shuttle service which takes guests up and down the hill.

It’s a perfect base to explore the jewels of the Cote D’Azur like Monaco, Monte Carlo which is affordable thanks to the inexpensive, excellent bus service from Nice. Also within close radius are the picturesque towns of Villefranche sur Mer and Antibes.

In nearby proximity you have the Musee Matisse and the ruins of Cemenelum, capital of the ancient Roman province of Alpes Maritimae.

The view

There’s something about starting off your day with a beautiful view.

I pushed wide open the green French windows of my double room and in-between the palm trees I saw Nice-stretch out before me, a dreamy view of the city nestled beside the azure blue waters of the Mediterranean.

Beautiful garden of the Villa Saint Exupery -great space to relax with friends, meet fellow travellers.

Breakfast in the garden

A simple affair of toasts, 10 types of cereals and decent coffee- your standard hostel fare. However, you do get to sit in the beautiful, wide open spaces of the hostel’s garden. Classic tunes on the jukebox, it’s a great way to start the day. Hostel owners, Arno and Ulf often drop by for breakfast to speak to and meet the guests, giving them tips of how to make the most of their stay in the region.

The Chapel Bar

The chapel of the original monastery is the heart of the place, a great social space to meet other fellow travellers in the hostel. One of the most breathtaking features of the room in the hostel is the beautiful stained glass that spans almost the length of the room The Chapel gets lively during breakfast and then for the fantastic Happy Hour from 6-8pm ( thankfully not 5-6pm when no–one is around , as you often find in other hostels) where you get drinks for as little as 3.50 euros. During the day it’s quite chilled out, you’ll find people on the sofas with their tablets surfing away , making use of the free internet.

Top quality food

It’s a rarity to find good quality inexpensive grub in a hostel and this is one area where the Villa scores highly over many other hostels. There is a daily ‘plat du jour’ dish of the day –I enjoyed a really nice seafood pasta on my first night in the hostel. Besides that they do great stonebaked pizzas and also a nice choice of salads so if you’re looking to just relax in the hostel, it’s perfect. Given how expensive eating out can be in town , this is a great service.

Friendly staff

They have a really nice group of staff  at the Villa Saint Exupery – backpackers, travellers themselves armed with great tips and ideas for things to do in the city.

What could be better

Rooms

The rooms are comfortable but look like they need a lick of paint and being upgraded. I am aware that the rooms are being renovated during Winter so I look forward to seeing the new look rooms next summer when I hope to revisit Nice.

Wifi

Again a common theme amongst most large hostels is the wifi signal. At busy times, the bandwidth gets sucked and it becomes painfully slow. The solution again would be to install a few more routers to boost the signal.

To conclude

For exploring the Cote D’Azur, if you’re looking for an inexpensive and fun base to , then this is the hostel to come to.

Great staff, beautiful garden and the great onsite dining options for me made this is a very enjoyable stay.

Essentials

To get to Nice, I flew with easyJet from Edinburgh. Book early to get the best fares.

Single Private Ensuite at the Villa costs just 35 euros in the low season going upto 90 euros in the peak season

On the other end of the scale, a bed in a 12 bed (Female or Mixed) dorm ensuite ranges from 18 euros in Low Season to 30 euros in the High Season.

The Villa Saint Exupery are currently running a special offer in the Low Season where you can book 4 nights for the price of 3!

For more details check out their website

It seems already a distant memory. 

I landed in Rome over 2 months ago now on a warm Monday October afternoon.

It was unseasonably warm. 24c ( Now winter has kicked in it’s much cooler but still respectable 14c )

I was excited.

I was going to spend 2 whole weeks in Rome staying in 2 apartments courtesy of HomeAway UK.

2 whole weeks.

A unique chance to sample what life as a local is like in Rome.

I checked into my stunning HomeAway apartment on Viccolo Vaccarella just off Via Della Stroza.

Two bedroom apartment. Beautifully furnished with all the modcons you would want including super fast wifi- I was a happy Roman indeed.

Here’s the artsy shot of my HomeAway Uk apartment: Casa Wally. Sleeps 4. Cost £100 a night.

Aerial view of the main living room-cum bedroom

It’s a big change for me, switching from a life of hostelling to living in a a luxury apartment.

So why did I choose an apartment for Rome?

For me, a few personal and practical reasons.

As many of you know, it’s been a pretty hectic year of travelling so these 2 weeks were a chance for me to refuel, reenergise ahead of a busy few weeks ahead.

Time to take it slow. That’s the secret to enjoying Rome.

No need to worry about unpacking and repacking my backpack.

Within hours of arriving, I spread my books, clothes all over the apartment.

Yes, I am messy. I like to spread myself out wherever I go.

Also when you live life out of a backpack it’s great to take a break from hostels, hotels and be in an apartment where you can have your own personal space.

2 weeks in Rome in 2 different apartments for a week also meant that I could also get the chance to explore the city from two different perspectives and really get underneath the skin of the city.

I think apartment rentals, especially in Rome, compared to hotels, offer great value.

Based on 4 sharing my apartment works out to be a cool £25 pppn which for a luxury standard apartment is superb value.

As a BudgetTraveller I am definitely a fanboy of cool hostels and budget hotels but for extended stays in a city, I definitely look more towards an apartment.

Another key factor is to be within walking distance of all the key landmarks and this is where the first apartment was perfect.

Stone’s throw away from Piazza Navona and Pantheon, the apartment enjoyed a superb location.

Spanish Steps are just a scenic 15 minute walk from the apartment

Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain & Villa Borghese were within a 20 minute walking radius.

In my first week I walked everywhere. Beside the practical reason of avoiding Rome’s chaotic transportation system, with all the gelatos and pizza I’ve stuffed down my throat over 2 weeks,  walking helped….

Other key thing I looked for when picking my apartment was how easily accessible local amenities are.

One thing I love in Rome and in Italy is how locals love to go out and still buy their bread fresh in the morning.

Antico Forno- briefly, my local bakery.

I was excited to discover the next day on my reconnaissance of the neighbourhood that one of Rome’s oldest bakeries were on my doorstep- Antico Forno.

I’d came almost everyday here to buy their Casareccio (homemade) bread.

Cost for half a loaf of bread -just a euro.

Plus they had a great selection of pastries like Crema Nutella.

Also I loved cooking and having my own kitchen.

Just a few streets away, tucked in between a couple of restuarants I discovered a Spar.

Besides getting all the key basics for an Italian breakfast ( Nutella!) and fruit, I got a nice bottle of Chianti plus the ingredients for making Pasta Amatriciana which after carbonara, is the most popular pasta dish from Rome.

Cost of the shop was around 25 euros.

Lunch at Taverna La Coppele on Via Coppele just around the corner of my Homeaway apartment.

Also on the next street, I discovered a nice little Italian trattoria -Taverna Le Coppelle where I enjoyed a lunch consisting of the local Roman speciality – Spaghetti Cacio Pepe , washed down with a glass of house red . Total 7.50 euros-bargain!

I was sad to leave my first ‘home’ in Rome.

Love the apartment and the neighbourhood.

The days flew by.

Strange.

How quickly we get attached to the places we go and how they become part of us…

Stay tuned to the BudgetTraveller for more about my 2 weeks in Rome.

I’ll be giving you the lowdown on best places to eat, drink and sightseeing all with the customary budget friendly twist.

For ideas of what kind of places you can rent check out the Rome holiday apartments on HomeAwayUK

Disclaimer

My stay is sponsored by HomeAway UK but the views represented here are entirely my own.

London hasn’t been traditionally a hotbed for cool hostels but recently there’s been a bit of a revolution on the scene with Palmers Lodge opening up a new hostel in Willesden Green which I loved and also there is the supercool Clink! 78 whose review will appear shortly on the site.

So it was with great interest and excitement when I heard a new luxury hostel in Elephant & Castle, London was launching called the Safestay.

I was a guest of Safestay recently and this is my review of the hostel. Hope you find the review useful and if you have any questions, comments- feel free to leave them below.

What I loved about Safestay

Location

Great location for London. Slight issue finding my way from the Elephant & Castle tube station but once I had figured it out-great. Also added bonus advantage of having the bus stop right at your doorstep which takes you straight to Victoria Station and the heart of London so very handy.

The Electric Elephant Cafe , just around the corner from the Safestay Hostel is one of the many interesting finds in this relatively undiscovered neighbourhood of London. Adjacent to the artists quarter you can expect home baked goodness, great crispy bacon rolls, ‘Damn fine coffee’ and happy smiling people.

Great neighbourhood has tons of character with great cafes like the Electric Elephant Cafe ( in picture ) , takeaways ( great little Indian takeaway down the road) and little pots of history that gives the location a great deal of character.

Stunning interior décor

Loved the bright colours, quirky design and décor- definitely has the look of  a 5 star hostel/ boutique hotel written all over it.

Great common area

The bar cum common room downstairs is a very chilled out and relaxed space. Whether you are there for a drink or just to catch up with friends or working on your laptop-great shared space.

The rooms I found at Safestay are some of the best I’ve seen on my tour of Luxury Hostels.

Ensuite Dorm rooms-brilliant.

Reading light , nice thick duvets and also the privacy of having a curtain fitted-simple but genius idea. More hostels should implement this idea. It’s nice not just for privacy but for the joy of not being woken up when fellow guests come in later at night and switch on the main light.

Double rooms

Tea making facilities – yes please. More hostels around the world should offer this great British tradition.Lots of natural light in the room-great, especially on cold winter day ahead. Awesome plasma screen TV. Attached ensuite bathrooms are stunning and would not look out of a place in a 4 star hotel.

Staff are very polite and friendly. Very professional and helpful whenever I required their help.

What could be better about the hostel

Few things to fault with Safestay but to make it even better….

More personalisation of the travellers experience

While the hostel has all the hallmarks and touch of a luxury hostel, the one thing it lacked for me was a real soul. The staff were polite and helpful. I had a few really nice conversations with them but it seems in terms of creating the experience, they are still find their feet.

It is a challenge in a large hostel where you have huge volume of people passing through your day on a daily basis. Groups require a separate focus.You then have solo travellers and families passing through- all these groups have their own needs. So compared to smaller hostels, it means the staff in a larger hostel have to have work much more harder to give the optimum experience. I think this is where the concept of a dedicated guest relations manager would be helpful which has been successful in some of the other hostels I’ve visited. Again,  having just launched a few months , this is something I know the hostel is working on.

Wifi signal

Other key things that could be improved is the wifi which during the time of my review was available only in the common room.

The signal was excellent in mornings and afternoon but poor in quality when a few people jumped on the network in the evenings so by installing a few more routers, the hostel could tackle this issue.

To conclude…

Overall, really enjoyed my stay at Safestay – was a comfortable and very pleasant experience. Great location, sleep, good breakfast and also great layout and décor makes this is a very welcome addition to the London hostelling scene.

I will definitely be revisiting in future visits to London.

Essentials

Room rates starts from £ 18 per person per night in dorms going upto £58 for a Twin Room and £66 for the Double Room

Safestay Hostel

Walworth Road  London, Elephant & Castle London, Greater London SE17 1JL
020 7703 8000