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[snosie]

I have decided that in the quest to help others, I will offer my list of the best hostels I have visited this year. My critera are clean, relatively new. I do not gauge social factor as much, seeing you can BYO or make friends wherever, if you make the effort!

Warsaw: Nathan's Villa and Oky Doky - great staff, and whilst not super new, clean and well kept, cheap due to good exchange rate, free net and Nathan's will do your washing for free!

Krakow: New Deco Hostel - redone apartements, crisp white sheets and donnas/quilts, tiny kitchen and free net!

London: Ace Hotel - is a hostel. No air con is super heat, but otherwise, pristine, new, funky colour scheme - lots of lime, a great back yard with hot tub, a bar, flat screen telly... What else? NO free net : ( In room bathrooms sometimes (6 bedder once, not in a twin nor another 6 bedder?)

Prague: Miss Sophies - a designer place at a backpacker price, or good enough. Huge pillows, crisp white sheet and donna, great attic rooms that have a living room, down stairs kitchenette, no bar, outside smoking courtyard and lovely and chic

Brussels: 2GO4 - central location, and pretty! Bunk rooms in a converted old building, all funky coloured. Had flat screen tvs, a dowstair eating area, tiny kitchen, net, free wireless at least, in room bathrooms.

What I don't have is one for PARIS which is the place i spend the most time in! Anyone got equally uncompromising standards at less than 25E a night? Let me know...

[bobsonthegreat]

I'm gonna put down my favourite hostels based on atmosphere, and my own personal experiences.

USA Hostels Hollywood - Los Angeles, USA
Neither grotty nor old, this hostel is hands down the best hostel I have stayed in on my travels. A hostel-only bar upstairs with $2 beers (or you can drink your own beer in there if you want), free stand-up comedy nights, free talent nights, tours to beverly hills and the hollywood sign, free buses to Santa Monica/Venice Beach, amazing atmosphere and great location. Ok so LA doesn't agree with a lot of people, but I loved it, and this hostel only made it better.

Southern Laughter Lodge - Queenstown, New Zealand
A very close contender for the top spot, this hostel seems to attract the coolest, friendliest and most down-to-earth travellers on the planet. People are only allowed to stay for a week, which means that everyone is always eager to meet people and make friends. There's a free hot-tub, and free veggie soup every day (which, with a bit of bread, saves a hell of a lot of money on groceries). Most of the dorms are offset from their own kitchen/living rooms which makes for a great community feeling. Just thinking about my time there makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Albert Park Backpackers - Auckland, New Zealand
Really cheap ($120 a week) and a bit grotty, this one is especially popular with Germans for some reason, who I happen to think are some of the worlds coolest travellers. Stayed here for a couple of months whilst working in Auckland and made friends for life. Rooms 26 and 27 are the best dorms - opening out onto a little courtyard where the smokers go for a puff and the non-smokers go for a chat. It's also a great place for a drink after work. There's also a big area on the roof with a BBQ where we've had a few great parties. The kitchen is very open and good for socialising (plus they have a wicked industrial gas stove so you can cook up a storm). The TV room is cosy, with Sky Movies 1 and 2, they have a $1 pool table and a few sofas about where you can read your book. Just a nice, friendly, relaxed atmosphere, and a cosy feel. Great memories from here.