Chic and cheerful
No longer just for backpackers, today’s hostels are really putting on the style, says SARAH MARSHALL
ANYONE who’s taken a gap year or backpacked across continents has probably stayed in a hostel along the way.
These simple properties accommodate millions of travellers on a budget, making it possible to explore exotic destinations without racking up a big bill while there.
No longer just aimed at students, in the last few years hostels have really upped their game.
Facilities have improved, rooms benefit from greater privacy, and the interior design could match some of the trendiest hotels.
Try some of these European options for a stress-free short break this year...
SLEEPIN FAENGSLET, HORSENS, DENMARK
Spending the night in a cell might not sound like fun, but this historical hostel in Horsens, right, – a 45-minute drive from Aarhus – has plenty of kitsch appeal.
Once one of the largest prisons in Europe, Faengslet was commissioned in 1853 and closed in 2006.
Years later, bars have been dropped, allowing curious travellers to experience what it’s like to spend a night ‘inside.’
Learn about the tales of inmates – such as the story of Carl August Lorentzen, who escaped the prison in 1949 by spending 11 months digging an 18-metre tunnel.
HOW MUCH: Doubles from £56.50. Visit faengslet.dk
SWISS YOUTH HOSTELS CRANSMONTANA, SWITZERLAND
For more than a century, upmarket resort region Crans-montana has been a centre for health and wellness. Once used as a sanatorium, this beautifully converted hostel promises to benefit both body and soul, with views of the Rhone Valley, Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
Summer activities on offer include mountain biking, hiking and water sports, or visit the Alaia Chalet, an indoor and outdoor skate and trampoline park.
HOW MUCH: From £41 per person per night in a six-bed room including breakfast. Visit youthhostel.ch/en/ hostels/crans-montana
WOT PENICHE, PORTUGAL
You can choose between dorms, suites, studios and apartments at this hip, design-led hostel in Europe’s bohemian surf capital.
A few minutes’ walk from the best seafood restaurants in Peniche, the colourful property is run by cool locals who know the destination inside out. Learn to surf with one of the schools on Baleal Beach, or take a boat to the Berlengas, an archipelago with dramatic scenery. HOW MUCH: From £16.50 per person per night in a six-bed dorm. Visit wotelshub.com