Tucked away on the top two floors of a historic building somewhere in St. Petersburg is one of the best budget hotels. 'Friends by the House of Books' as it's called is right next to the landmark Zinger House aka the House of books. The hotel decor is very vibrant ...

Situated near Bellizona, Switzerland, the Fondazione Curzùtt-San Barnard hostel is surrounded by natural beauty near the Swiss and Italian border. The rural areas of Ticino have a rich and interesting history that is often overshadowed by the larger urban centres in the region, but those who make the trek to ...

You might not get views of Sydney opera house, or herds of wilderbeast sweeping majestically across the plains, but you do get a good night’s sleep in Singapore’s chic answer to the Japanese pod hotels. Each pod is luxuriously accommodated with a 300 thread-count sateen cotton sheets, fluffy duvet and ...

Located inside an English Heritage building, this has to be one of the grandest-looking youth hostels ever. It was once a magistrate’s court and served sentences to London’s criminals for over 200 years. I’m sure some of the patriarchs of Australia even went through this court house. Anyway, today it ...

This hostel rocks, literally. Arkabarka (is that not the most fun name to say?) is a boat hostel in Belgrade, Serbia at the river Danube. This contemporary wooden building is situated in one of the most beautiful central parks of Belgrade. Though it’s a hostel, there is definitely options for ...

Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the DEL900 hostel is a unique escape for travelers looking to explore this cosmopolitan capital. With a vintage, quirky, 1900s vibe and style, this hostel is described as having “all kinds of musical, expressive & architectonique styles converge and coexist in perfect disharmony.” From the ...

Fancy sleeping behind bars for a night? Ever wonder what it truly feels like to be an inmate? The SleepIn Fængslet (Fængslet = jail) in Denmark can finally put to rest your curiosities! Situated in a prison’s old sick ward, (the last inmate left in 2006), the building has been ...

Locally known as the “Butterfly House,” this Slovakian hotel/hostel hybrid in Slovakia looks like something out of children’s fairytale with its explosions of color and jagged designs. Strikingly bright and bold, Hotel Galéria Spirit is a 5 minute walk from the train station and about 15 minutes from the historic ...

Book lovers rejoice! A self-proclaimed “accommodation bookshop,” Book and Bed Tokyo is essentially a library that guests can snooze in. This affordable hostel has room for 30 guests and a selection of 1,700 books in both Japanese and English. Those looking for Japanese literature will find English translations of works ...

Imagine the ideal beach with its perfect community of backpackers. Now if that all happened in Turkey then you will find something similar to Kadir’s. The treehouses are modern yet rustic with air-conditioning and bathrooms. You could also stay in a beach bungalow. There is a pizza house, night club, ...

If you are looking for something different as you pass through Bonn, the Base Camp-Bonn hostel is a funky and retro alternative to more traditional backpackers’ accommodations. Thanks to the creative mind of a movie set director, you can now stay in the only indoor vintage caravan in the world. ...

Situated on the Dalmatian Coast, Zadar is steeped in history and intrigue. As one of the most important hubs on the Adriatic Sea, it is home to Roman ruins, medieval churches, museums, and international ferries that welcome tourists to this vibrant city. The Boutique Hostel Forum is situated in the ...

As you approach the Jugendherberge Mariastein, it feels as if you have entered the pages of a fairy-tale and are embarking upon your own medieval quest. This youth hostel is located within the walls of a 13th century castle, perched on the cliffs overlooking Mariastein, Switzerland, near the French border. ...

Hostels are not always the grungy and dirty places that people tend to think of when they hear the word hostel. Adler Luxury hostel, located in the heart of historical Chinatown in Singapore has proven the stereotype wrong. About two years ago, the Adler was established and built on the ...

This hotel does exactly what it says on the tin, I mean, tube. Ever wanted to sleep in a concrete tube? No? Well you wouldn’t be unusual in that respect but these aren’t just any concrete tubes, they are the latest in hotel design with glass fronting that open straight ...

*Bangkok dreams* A combination of the Western backpacker hostel and the Japanese pod hotel; this unique venue is aimed at the backpacker community that congregates on the famous Khaosan road in Bangkok. It is built completely from wood in the traditional style of the Bangkok old town. Your sleeping pods ...

*Cylinders of Comfort* SwissTubes and the attached campsite are located in the shores of Lake Thun surrounded by snow-capped mountains. A nearby nature reserve will convince you that all those writers and philosophers who came to this location over the centuries were right – it really is a place of ...

*Funky hostel with its own gallery* This hostel in Buenos Aires has its own art gallery. Set in an old colonial building located in San Telmo – the art district of the city – the hostel has a funky, mellow vibe while exposing you to creativity of the local art ...

This was once home to lines of tough-faced worshippers from the local fishing village of Stöðvarfjörður. Now it is home to you while you explore Iceland’s volcano-carved east coast. There is plenty of room and the accommodation is warm and welcoming. There is a self-catering kitchen and the choice of ...

The central location makes this hostel a perfect base for exploring Canada’s historic capital city and the nearby Great Lakes. The hostel is located in the converted Carleton County Gaol that used to house death-row inmates. Since opening to guests in 1972 there have been reports of ghosts and spooky ...

For those of you who have not spent enough time crammed into Jumbo Jets, trying to rub the feeling back into your twisted legs, craving for the blackout of sleep but unable to relax because you are stuck in a rigid position while your ears are deafened by the constant ...

The activities available to guests and groups at the Langholmen Hotel are all about pretending to be a prisoner and making your escape from the island. You will learn skills such as teamwork, climbing and marksmanship. Has no-one told the staff that Langholmen is not a prison any more? I ...