From the category archives:

Lists and Such

6 Haunting Hostels for Halloween!

by Bianca on September 2, 2010

We all know that Halloween nowadays is just another excuse to party and have fun while wearing scary costumes!

However, for centuries Halloween was considered a moment when the dead, or magical creatures like witches and elves, would walk around on Earth, scaring the hell out of us poor humans.

You might not remember this while you are having a beer and trying to pick up that sexy dressed up Catwoman, or that cool vampire – but if you are staying in one of this hostels, you might suddenly be reminded…

Here are our Halloween hostels: mysterious places, whose past is rich with history and whose present is sometimes disturbing… discover the best hostels for Halloween!

1.  USA Hostels San Diego: located in an 18th century brothel, this hostel has a number of stories that  is simply unbelievable, from the age of the Spanish missions to the time of the cowboys, to the Gold Rush, probably every sort of strange event has happened here. If you are a fan of old western gunfights at the Ok Corral, this might be the best place for you: it is said (whispered, actually) that the ghost of Sheriff Wyatt Earp still wanders around seeking revenge for his friend Doc Holliday.

Former guests of Usa Hostels San Diego recall seeing the light go on and off for no reason in the middle of the night, and an entire dorm was once awakened by a strange knocking on the walls… the worst part being that the knocking was moving all around the room, including the ceiling and the floor! You may not believe this – but the management later decided to turn that room into a bathroom… and not to forget, the unexplainable night breezes, or all the guests that were woken up after having been “touched and grabbed by icy cold hands”…

2. A convent in Tuscany might not look scary… but what if we talk about an old monastery in the heart of Florence, home of the poisonings and treacheries of the Borgia family?  The monastery of the Seven Founder Saints has now been turned into a hostel, conveniently named Ostello Sette Santi (Hostel of the Seven Saints). You might be awakened and taken for a free night tour of the hostel by the soul of an old dead monk, who still has to find forgiveness and eternal peace… and might need your help to find them!

3.  The High Street Hostel is located in one of the oldest building of the capital city of the first nation that comes to mind when mentioning legends and mythical creatures: Edinburgh, Scotland! Who knows which creatures haunt the halls of this scary 16th century palace!!

4. If you are one of those who “want to believe” that the Lochness monster exists, there is no better day than October 31st to go find out! The West End Hostel in Edinburgh organizes day trips to the Lake of Ness.

5. But if you want to stay even closer to “Nessie”, you might want to check out the conveniently named Highlander Hostel Inverness, in one of the oldest building in town, just a stone’s throw away from Loch Ness.

6. The Falu Prison Hostel is not just another “prison hostel”. First of all, the prison closed only in 1995, but it has been active since 1850! But that’s not all, near Falu you’ll find a 1000 year old copper mine and an abandoned wooden village: the souls of those who died in the dark tunnels of those mines are said to wander around here!

The best experience of your life (or, maybe, the last one?) could be sleeping in the in the isolation cell of the former prison, but will you be able to resist the obscure presences gently suggested by the graffiti carved by inmates who would never see the sun again? Go and check if their souls have found eternal peace.. or if they still haunt the prison, looking for revenge!

Happy Halloween!

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When it’s cold somewhere, it’s hot somewhere else and if you’re into surfing, HostelsClub has the best surf destinations for you. Check out the full List of Surfing Destinations and Surf-Friendly Hostels so you can get your Surf On!

Some of the hot spots are Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Spain and the US, so be sure to check out the best places to surf and where you can stay at budget pricing since just getting to these places might take a toll on your wallet.

Cowabunga Surfer Dudes! Ride the waves and save money while you sleep!

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Traveling with Pets

by Bianca on July 1, 2010

Thinking about travelling with Fido? Well, while it use to be difficult to find pet-friendly accommodations, now there are many places which welcome you and your four-legged friends! HostelsClub has added it as a searchable facility so you can filter out only those hostels that are animal friendly.

To give you some ideas of where you can go around the world at budget prices, we decided to make a little list for you.

Here are a few hostels where you can take your pet on holiday!

1. RomeAD 1 House is a few steps from Termini train station and offers dormitory beds from € 18 and private rooms from 38€. AD 1 House staff are always available and friendly and will have no problem welcoming your 4-legged companion.

2. Naples – Also in Italy, Hostel and Hotel Bella Capri, welcomes families and pets with high ratings in cleanliness and tranquility. The Hostel and Hotel Bella Capri is located in downtown Naples, at Piazza Municipio, and with 20 € per night, it can accommodate you and your pet.

3. Barcelona – The AAE Rey Don Jaime is located on the lively Via Laietana, a two minutes’ walk to the famous Las Rambas area full of bars and restaurants. Prices start at € 23.80 per night and you and your pet will sleep in the middle of Barcelona!

4. Paris Hotel de la Herse d’Or is in the heart of the Marais, near Place de la Bastille were all the nightclubs/bars are allows you to leave your pet and enjoy the night in the land of love with secure, clean private rooms with free WIFI !

5. LondonForest Gate Hotel is located in East London with basic amenities but including a kettle, fridge, microwave and toaster in the room in case you want to make your own breakfast for you and your pet, has private rooms starting at 23 € per person!
The list of hostels that accept pets could go on and on, but for now we’ll stop here and wish you and your pet safe travels!!

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Beach Parties, Summer Madness and Amazing Waters!

1.  Italy – Beach cities like Palermo, Rimini, Naples, Ravello (Amalfi Coast). Click here for current Italian sales and discounts!

2. Greece – Visit the clear waters of Mykonos, Crete, Santorini, and Zakynthos. Click here to see the Greek Discounts!

3. USAMiami, Los Angeles, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts! Massachussetts might sound weird, but you haven’t seen the cool beach houses there…major house parties….

4. Portugal – Check out the Algarve Region on the Southern Coast! To die for…

5.  SpainIbiza, Barcelona, and the southernmost Andalusia region!

This is the inside scoop where you can find the locals and non-stop parties on all these coasts!

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Top 5 Gay Pride Events this Summer

by Bianca on June 24, 2010

Rainbow pride can be fun for everyone!! And these festivals below are definitely unforgettable events!

1. Rome – Gay Village 2010 – June 17- September 12

Book a hostel in Rome

2. London – Pride London Festival Fortnight – June 19th – July 3rd

Book a hostel in London

3. San Francisco – San Francisco Pride – June 26th and 27th

Book a hostel in San Francisco

4. New York City – PrideFest New York – June 27th

Book a hostel in NYC

5. Amsterdam – Amsterdam Gay Pride – August 5th -8th

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Enjoy!!

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5 Top Reasons Why Hostel Travellers Choose iPads

28 April 2010

Here are 5 top reasons why iPads can come in handy for travelers:

Weight –It only weighs 1.6 lbs which is much less than most laptops and even than my purse for that matter!
Battery life – The battery life is claimed to last for 10 hours [...]

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Do You Have the Potential to be a “Real” Amsterdam Tourist?

1 April 2010

Do you know how to ride a bicycle?
Do you know the difference between left and right and do you understand road signs?  (We Dutchies bicycle on the right. We even have bicycle signs on the road, so [...]

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Best Budget Cities for a Romantic Getaway

2 February 2010

The HostelsClub philosophy this Valentine’s Day is that a romantic weekend does not have to be expensive or about how much you spend, but who and where you spend it at. Check out the Top 10 list:
1. Venice – No other city has more beautiful alleyways, foot bridges and scenery for couples in love. Picture [...]

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Green hostels

13 January 2010

Perhaps you do eco-friendly shopping  in the grocery store, take the train instead of the car now and then. But did you know you could also make a conscious choice and Go Green also when you book hostels or hotels?
Hostelsclub has a lot of cool eco-friendly accomodation for you to choose between. Let’s start with [...]

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10 tips to pick a suitable Hostel

26 August 2009

So you have decided to travel; and you have decided on a hostel rather than a hotel. The big question here is how you know which hostel to choose and which to avoid.
Most of the tips I have mentioned are about you and what you want.  The best place to look for a hostel is [...]

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