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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...

[whereshegoes]

South Africa: Buccaneers Backpackers in Cintsa - This place was so amazing I decided to stay there and work for a couple months. Its more like a resort than anything else and the people are so kind and welcoming. Highly recommended.

[rbisset]

Best hostel I stayed in last year:

Far East International Hostel - Beijing, China

Comfortable, clean rooms (with key-card entry!) arranged around a brilliant traditional Chinese courtyard. A couple of decent cheapie restaurants in the surrounding streets (1 selling dog....) and it's a gorgeous 10 minute walk along the Hutongs (traditional streets) to Tian'men Square! Superb and I'm sure I'm not the only one who will recommend this place. Oh forgot to add, beers cost 14p

Aster Plaza - Hiroshima, Japan

While not strictly a hostel this is an absolute bargain that must be grabbed with both hands! Japan is expensive but this place (which looks like a conference centre) has a couple of floors of bargain rooms. The rooms wouldn't look out of place in a 3/4* hotel and at only 3000yen (£15) you'd be stupid not to go there.

Guess T House - Tokyo, Japan

Whilst not the cleanest hostel in the world, this place is a great place to meet other travellers. The upstairs lounge area housed large comfortable red sofas, TV/DVD and was always packed with people looking for a chat, normally whilst waiting to use the free Internet terminal. Also had the added bonus of being a few minutes walk from the notorious Roppongi drinking area of Tokyo and is a great place to meet up with likeminded people on the look-out for a crazy night in Tokyo!

Wang Fat Hostel - Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a lot of terrible accomodation (Chungking Mansions etc) and although the rooms here are small they are better than most. Brilliantly located around the corner from Causeway Bay subway station on HK Island it's very easy to get around and in my opinion is a far nicer area than TST or Kowloon.

Yak Hotel - Lhasa, China (Tibet)

More a hotel than a hostel but they do have a couple of dorms in the outside courtyard. Can be a little cold with the glass doors but the hotel rooms in the main building are immaculate and very well priced. Restaurant and bar are also very good.

[rbisset]

Lets add some more:

Jolly Frog - Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Great little guesthouse right on the river Kwai with a very inviting outdoor area (with desk chairs and hamocks) and a pontoon onto the river. Good food, can organise tours for you and was unbelievably cheap! 70 Baht for a room in Thailand was almost unheard of. If you're looking for a hostel with onsite tattoo parlour then this is your place!

Original Backpackers - Sydney, Australia

Sure this place isn't the nicest hostel in the world but gets a mention here on atmosphere alone. There was always a party on somewhere everynight and the hostel used to ply us with jug-after-jug of free beer. I wasn't going to complain. Only downside is it's pretty expensive so stay in a hostel next door that's $10 a night cheaper and sneak in before they head off on the nightly pub crawls!

Toddy's - Alice Springs, Australia

Stayed here for a couple of days and found it quite reasonable. Nice pool area, tv lounge and great little outdoor bar. Bargain all-you-can-eat dinners every night were well worth the money and it's only a short walk (bout 5 mins) to town and Melankas bar.

The Cavenagh - Darwin, Australia

Stayed here for bloody ages! Dorms aren't particularly appealing but they are arranged around the best pool I saw in an Aussie hostel. Met an unbelievable amount of people here and if you are in need of a break from travelling then you could do worse than lounging around the pool on the numerous sun loungers. Great weather in the dry so if it gets too cold for you down south get on a flight up north!

Hostal Catedral - Mexico City (DF), Mexico

One of the most professionally run hostels I encountered during my trip. Everything you could require from a hostel was here and the location can't be bettered. Right on the Zocalo, very good Internet room, cafe/restaurant overlooking the street for some early evening beers and a brilliant rooftop bar for drinking into the early morning!

Big Foot - Leon, Nicaragua

Found this place by chance and it was a really good hostel. Outdoor area for lounging around during the blistering heat of the day, a large kitchen (if you fancy cooking in the cheapest country in C.America?) and good Mojitos. If you stay here go volcano boarding with the Aussie owner, it was great fun!

Hacienda Merida - Merida, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

OK I never got to stay here over night as my mate got some stupid fever but the 2 hours I saw of the place put it right near the top of my list! Looks like a hippy commune but is more like a backpackers resort! They offer climbing trips to Volcan Maderas to see the crater lake, kayak rental, horse riding, bike rental, trips to waterfalls, Spanish lessons ($8 3 hours), volunteer projects at the local schools and all you can eat buffets! Only $4 a night in the dorms!

And finally although not a hostel in the slightest, Circus Circus Casino, Las Vegas! Cheapest casino on the strip but at only $5/night more than the horrible hostel (which is in the middle of nowhere in a seedy area) it is a bargain! Huge beds, good location and best buffets in Vegas. Just try not to blow too much money gambling!

[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.

[rbisset]

I stayed in a dump of a hostel in LA. That one sounds great!

[dream07]

Best Hostels That I have stayed in:

Old Prague Hostel- Prague, Czech Republic:

This hostel was great for its location, right in the Old Town Square. A very affordable hostel. It was a great atmosphere.The rooms were very clean, comfortable and linen included. The hostel was very bright and nice showers. There are dormitory and private rooms there. Also as well, free internet and breakfast. The reception was open 24/7 so if I had any questions, they were answered. All of the staff was friendly and willing to help me out. As well they had a kitchenette in both common rooms and the lower common room had a touch screen for movies and music, something I have not seen before. Overall it was an amazing, fun, and nice place to stay!

Bohemia- Spicak, Czech Republic:

This place is defiantly right for the mountains. It is a hotel, but the pricing is amazing there. It is located just at the base of the mountain. The breakfast was included with our stay as well. We were there in the winter so after a long day of skiing we were able to arrive just at our door from the slope. There is a semi-formal dining room or there is a restaurant and bar just downstairs, where there is a pool table. Reception was very nice and made our stay pleasurable. The rooms were very clean,sizable and television included.

Zlomena Lyze (Broken Ski)- Zelezna Ruda, Czech Republic

Great Bed and Breakfast. The rooms were very clean and a great size. Family owned and they cook an amazing breakfast in the morning. Very friendly and nice place.

[snosie]

Anyone got recommendations for Singapore?

[rbisset]

I stayed at the Prince of Wales in Singapore but hated it. Was by far the cheapest hostel in Singapore though and in a good location. I was talking to my mate about it and he said he stayed there and loved it. I was put off by the idiot of an owner.

[louisechina]

Have you been to Chongqing?There are two good hostels
YangtzeRiver Internatiinal Youth Hostel
Perfecttime International Youth Hostel

[seal]

For me, it would be the:

HI Hostel Central (Vancouver) : Located on Granville Street, very clean, friendly staff, loads of activities going on, Free Wifi, in the heart of Vancouver CBD

Samesun Hostel (Banff) : Spacious rooms, all own onsuits, clean, friendly staff, Pancake Breakfasts, Free Wifi, Very central location in Banff.

[ScottWoz]

Jolly Frog - Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Great little guesthouse right on the river Kwai with a very inviting outdoor area (with desk chairs and hamocks) and a pontoon onto the river. Good food, can organise tours for you and was unbelievably cheap! 70 Baht for a room in Thailand was almost unheard of. If you're looking for a hostel with onsite tattoo parlour then this is your place!

I second that. This is one of the best hostels I've ever stayed in. Peace and tranquility at its finest, though it was more than 70baht when I stayed four months ago.

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.

I stayed here last year, had a top night in the upstairs comedy club. Spot on. Rooms were ok, clean and tidy at least, with great staff. A good all-rounder..

Anyone got recommendations for Singapore?

A couple of years ago I stayed at the Inn-Crowd Backpackers (Google it.) The staff were flawless, the hostel was clean and comfortable and it was in a great location (Little India). I'd definitely recommend staying there, though as always it all depends on what you like and what sort of traveller you are...

That said I stayed at the Fernloft East Coast Hostel and while it was a lot smaller, it had a more personal feel to it. The staff were great and the whole place was immaculate. Again, I'd definitely recommend..

[shanstravels]

Loki Hostel in -Cusco (Peru) -Lima (Peru) -La Paz (Bolivia) are good.
Adventure Brew Hostel in La Paz (Bolivia) pretty cool, super close to the bus station and things, a free beer on arrival.
Che Lagarto in Brazil (3 in Rio), Argentina (Buenos Aires), and Chile and maybe Uruguay: not bad, have good deals.
Favourite over all is Stone of a Beach in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) on Copacabana beach. Has a big amazing breakfast, pool, bar, free net, good location etc.

[jeremystravels]

On my travels around Europe I would deffinitly picked up following hostels as the best places to stay:
Austria, Wien - Wombats, www.wombats-hostels.com
Germany, Berlin - Wombats, www.wombats-hostels.com
Italy, Rome - The Yellow
Spain, Barcelona - Kabul hostel
Czech republic - Old Prague Hostel, www.oldpraguehostel.com or Prague Square Hostel, www.praguesquarehostel.com
Poland, Krakow - The Flamingo hostel, www.flamingo-hostel.com

I'll second wombats in Berlin! The room I had seemed brand new, with storage lockers, nice restaurant, pay internet though, and a really good location.
That place was amazing and had like 2.50Euro Jager bombs if I remember correctly. Cheapest bar I've seen anywhere thats for sure.

Might warn you that is where Contiki uses on some of their tours so you'll get a lot of that crowd. It might be a bit full of the tour groups (which is what I was on at the time)

If you want to go the camping/cabin route outside of the city center I might recommend Camping Panoramico in Florence. The cheap cabins are very, very, VERY tiny and is very far from the city center but the view of the city is one of the best I have ever seen.

[sirrocko711]

re: Singapore,

Stayed at Betelbox Hostel the first time around, it was cheap, modern, and superbly run... my one kaveat was the location, it's in the Katong (I think?) suburb a bit of a ride from the city center. It's on a nightlife strip there though so it's not like you're far from action.

Second time around I stayed at Service World Hostel in Chinatown. Cheap, mostly clean though not as modern, and *tiny.* I liked the small size though, it kind of forced us 8 strangers staying together to become an insta-family, at least as far as dinnertime was concerned. The owners (an elderly couple) were magical human beings who really tried to get to know you. Awesome location directly across the ped-mall from that huge central pagoda (forgot its name.)

Other awesome hostels I've stayed at:
Mountain Hostel, Gimmelwald, Switzerland: Epic views of the peaks from pretty much any room's window + a hot tub! Excellent place to meet other peeps.

Lub D Bangkok, in Bangkok obviously. Probably the cleanest, most modern hostel I've ever stayed at, it even had power sliding front doors! The layout of the lobby, with the free internet stations front and center, didn't foster a very good sense of community however... that was my only minor caveat. It's tucked in a side street just off Thanon Silom, about a 10min walk from the action there and 5min to the nearest SkyTrain station. Loc was good in relation to Silom, but just as a personal preference I liked staying on Khao San Road better.

The Siem Reap Hostel, Siem Reap, Cambodia: AWESOME hostel. Modern, clean, had hammocks, a balcony, a swimming pool... Price was about $8 a night, not dirt cheap but reasonable considering the high quality.

August Hostel, Budapest: One of the best senses of community I've felt at a hostel and the owner Jim, an American expat, is a great fellow full of all sorts of colorful stories (of dubious truth lol) who went far out of his way to help us. Honestly the place was a bit makeshift and not so modern, but it got all the important stuff right and again the coziness and family atmosphere made up for any shortcomings. Budapest was one of our favorite stops largely because of this place.

[uktokyoite]

The Mariam Hotel in Madaba, Jordan for me http://www.mariamhotel.com/

Lovely people, good location, really helpful and help you organize onward transport for less than you'll be able to organize yourself.

We were there in winter so didn't use it (too cold) but if you're then when it's hot they also have a swimming pool. They do ask that you observe local feelings so please don't wear teeny weeny bikinis - one piece swimsuits are the norm.