London, UK
Generator Hostel London has always been one of our most popular hostels, and when you take into consideration its location and facilities it is easy to see why. Situated in Russell Square, just five minutes walk from the British museum, the hostel enjoys about as central location as you could possibly get in London.
The rooms are basic and comfortable, while the atmosphere rivals that of any hostel in the world. It has its own bar which is open from 6pm unil 2am every night and runs regular themed parties and events including karaoke nights, quizzes and pool competitions.
Generator Hostel London is certainly a social hostel with plenty of places to relax and unwind after a big night out. The chill out room offers big sofas and regularly shows movies on a big screen TV. There is also a lounge and a 24 hour games room with pool tables and TVs.
The hostel is a great base to explore London and represents excellent value for money, while the staff are warm and friendly and the food isn’t half bad either; the all you can eat breakfast- available all day- is ideal when nursing a hangover!
2155 out of 2686 HostelBookers customers would recommend Generator Hostel London- a great return from such a high number of reviews.
Barcelona’s Equity Point Centric and Paris’s St Christoper’s Inns made up the top 3 for the most popular award category, racking up 1286 and 918 bookings respectively.
Equity Point Centric is one of Barcelona’s top hostels and is popular amongst travelers thanks to its amazing views over the most famous buildings and areas of Barcelona. It’s huge common area, bar, free internet access and satellite TV screens are also popular.
St. Christopher’s Inns clinched its place in the top 3 thanks to its superb location, live music, atmospheric bar and range of tours. Located just two stops from the popular Montmartre tourist area, St. Christopher’s is particularly popular amongst female travelers thanks to its female only floor.
And there you have it, the 18 Award for Excellence winners for Europe, chosen from customer feedback and ratings.
Travellers House
Lisbon, Portugal
Owned and managed by travelers, Travellers House is a fun and friendly hostel in the heart of Lisbon, where you are made to feel welcome from the moment you set foot inside the door. The facilities are first class and include two bathrooms with four showers, a dining room, reading area and broadband internet access.
The communal music lounge and TV/DVD areas are always full of fellow travelers, which makes for a fantastic atmosphere. Cleanliness is really important to the owners and their attention to detail is second to none.
One of the best things about Travellers House is it’s central location. Situated in Baixa, the most historic area of town, the hostel is within walking distance of all Lisbon’s major tourist attractions and has connections to the city’s transport system on its doorstep.
Add to this super friendly staff that go out of their way to ensure you have a great stay and the fact that 475 out of 477 customers would recommend it, and it’s not hard to see why the Travellers House ended up as one of Europe’s Top rated hostels.
Belgrade’s Hostelche Hostel and Hostel Majdas from Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina, were the other worthy winners of our top 3 hostels award thanks to their outstanding quality across the ratings categories.
Hostelche Hostel scored an impressive average overall rating of 98% with all 47 customers that left feedback saying they would recommend it to another traveler. With facilities and services like free bike hire and a central location just 3 minutes from the promenade on the Danube river, it’s easy to see why it won its award.
Hostel Majdas also won the award for its outstanding performance across the board. It’s friendly staff, large communal lounge area and its clean, comfortable and spacious rooms for less than 11 euros a night were just some of the reasons why it obtained an average rating of 97.4% and went a long way towards ensuring its inclusion in the top 3.
Hostal El Pilar
Madrid, Spain
Hostal El Pilar enjoys one of the best locations in Madrid. Everything you could possibly want is nearby from shops and sites to bars and restaurants. The property is so close to the Puerta del Sol that you can actually hear the ringing of the bell tower!
The staff are warm and friendly and happy to help you with any problems you may have during the course of your stay. Hostel facilities include a laundry service and daily room cleaning. It also has a TV lounge which is a great place to chill out after a busy day spent shopping and site-seeing in Madrid.
Offering 38 double and single rooms all equipped with bathrooms, TV, telephone, heating, climate control, Wi-Fi and safety deposit boxes, Hostal El Pilar is a a great place to stay- 449 out of 471 customers can’t be wrong, surely!
Accademy Hostel in Florence and Hotel Los Patios in Cordoba made up the other two winners of our European top 3 hostels for location thanks to their super central locations.
Academy Hostel obtained a location rating of 96.8% and is situated in the heart of Florence on Via Ricasoli, 30 seconds from the Duomo, on the road that leads directly to the Museum dell’ Accademia where the original statue of Michelangelo’s David is displayed.
Hostel Los Patios received an incredible location rating of 99% thanks to its location right in the middle of Cordoba’s old Town. The hostel looks out on to the main entrance to Cordoba’s Mosque-Cathedral, opposite the bell tower, and is just a few minutes walk from all of Cordoba’s World Heritage sites.
Metropolis
Istanbul, Turkey
Situated in the heart of Istanbul, in the busy Sultanahmet area, Metropolis is a lively hostel that is rarely quiet. Run by travelers for travelers, Metropolis is a great place to meet people from all over the world. It has a covered common room as well as a roof terrace, both with great views of the Marmara Sea and Blue Mosque.
When the weather is good the hostel hosts a BBQ party on the roof terrace, followed by a pub crawl to Istanbul’s party central, Taksim. The hostel also has its own associated restaurant, just 20 metres down the road, which is a great place to go and try traditional Turkish cuisine.
A big screen cable TV shows all the movies and big sports games, while an extensive DVD collection is also available. Metropolis prides itself on ensuring that you, the customer, has a good time.
Ideally located between the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia and Topkapi Palace, and just a few minutes walk from the Grand Bazaar and many of Istanbul’s other tourist attractions, Metropolis is one of our most popular hostels with 443 out of 465 HostelBookers customers recommending it as a great place to stay.
Hostel Krumlov from the Czech Republic and Kitsch Hostel in Lisbon completed our European top 3 hostels for atmosphere, scoring 99.2% and 95.2% atmosphere ratings respectively.
Hostel Krumlov House made the top three for its outstanding customer service and friendly staff. Upon arrival, a member of the team fills you in immediately on all the great places to eat, drink and be merry, and can book whatever activity you fancy without a moment’s hesitation- from an hour horse-riding in the woods to a massage with one of the town’s best masseuses.
Kitsch Hostel also obtained its place amongst the top three for its attention to detail and efforts to make you feel at home. The hostel is run by a group of young international travelers whose only goal is to provide you with the best possible stay in Lisbon. Inside the hostel, every object is oozing history, giving the living room a cool relaxed and welcoming atmosphere where travelers can meet each other and chat over a drink at the bar.
Guesthouse S&L
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Guesthouse S&L is an attractive guesthouse just four minutes from Dubrovnik Old Town and twenty minutes from the beach. Set in quiet and tranquil surroundings, the guesthouse is the perfect getaway for couples and people looking to escape the stresses and strains of every day life.
This property has two terraces and a balcony with a perfect view of the sea at Elafiti Island. It also has a nice garden, which guests are free to stroll around at any time of the day or night.
As you’d expect for a property that has won an award for cleanliness, the rooms and common areas are impeccable. Guests can also make use of free internet access, satellite TV, air-conditioning and a pick up and laundry service for a small fee. There is also a well equipped communal kitchen, but if you’d rather eat out, the friendly staff are always on hand with city maps and advice on good places to go.
All 26 HostelBookers who provided feedback on Guesthouse S&L would recommend it to other travelers and gave it 100% for cleanliness, making it a worthy winner and well worth a look if you’re ever in Dubrovnik.
Hospedaje Donosti@ B&B from San Sebastian in Spain and BiniBag House from Aveiro in Portugal scooped the other two awards for cleanliness thanks to their meticulously high standards of cleanliness.
Hospedaje Donosti scored a customer rating of 100% for cleanliness. Offering clean, comfortable rooms, daily free linen and towels and outstanding shared bathroom facilities, it more than deserved its place among Europe’s three cleanest hostels.
Binibag House also scored a 100% rating for cleanliness. It offers guests free linen and towels and takes real pride in keeping the hostel impeccably tidy in all areas from the bar and lounge area to the luggage room.
The Secret Garden Hostel
Krakow, Poland
The Secret Garden Hostel is a new, cozy and original property, offering clean and comfortable accommodation at affordable prices. Guests can relax in the violet common room, with its comfortable sofas, computers with free internet access, TV, DVD player and DVD library. There is also has a small book library and a grilling area in the garden, which is perfect for socializing in the summer months.
The hostel provides 24 hour care for its guests, while attentive, English speaking staff can recommend a number of great places to visit, having close links with several clubs, pubs and restaurants.
The Secret Garden Hostel is an excellent choice for people looking for moderately priced, comfortable rooms and, having scored 98.4% for value and being recommended by 91 out of 93 hostels, it is easy to see why it is a popular hostel. If you’re ever in Krakow and in need of a good value hostel, the Secret Garden Hostel is well worth considering.
Greg&Tom from Krakow in Poland and El Grenado from Granada in Spain were the other two winners of Europe’s top 3 hostels for value thanks to their low and competitive prices and their excellent value for money
Greg&Tom scored a value rating of 99.2% and offers guests shared rooms for as little as 12.55 Euros a night for facilities which include free linen and sheets, access to 24 hour hot showers, internet access and a comfortable lounge area.
El Granado scored a value rating of 95.3% and has rooms available for equally reasonable prices. Shared rooms are available for as little as 16 Euros a night while a private room is available for just 20 Euros. This is excellent value for money given some of the facilities available which include a free breakfast, internet access and lounge room.
Tags : Hostels, Hotels, Hotel