There are many hostels to choose from in Europe, all with very different prices, values, reviews, and offering. Somehow every hostel claims they have the "best location" or "best atmosphere". First hand experience in a city is the best way to validate these claims. Lucky for you, you have us! Our goal is to make trip planning easier for you, which is why we have created the below outline. We have found that the best tool used to compare hostel options before traveling is Hostelworld.com.
Table of Contents
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Best Location
The pros of this hostel are friendly/helpful staff, décor, location, and hotel-atmosphere. It is a great hostel to choose if you prefer private rooms or minimal-bed shared rooms. The location is fantastic. Close to museums, the Heineken experience, and many other sites throughout Amsterdam.
We highly encourage you to book a hostel in this location rather than De Wallen due to the late-night craziness. If your intention is to partake in late night craziness, this hostel is still within walking distance of De Wallen, while allowing you to escape the madness.
Also Read: Amsterdam Complete Guide
Best Value
The pros of this hostel are location proximity to main attractions, free breakfast, and free Wi-Fi. The amenities are basic, however, a great value for both dorm-style and private rooms given its great location. Free breakfast is also hard to come by in most hostels, adding to the value of your stay at Hans Brinker.
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Athens, Greece
Best Location/Value
The pros of this hostel are amazing location, free Wi-Fi, cleanliness, air conditioning, beautiful amenities, rooftop terrace, ensuite bathrooms, and hotel-atmosphere. This is a beautiful hostel with private and dorm-style rooms at a very affordable price. Selling factor for us was the rooftop terrace with a view of the Acropolis.
The pros of this hostel are amazing location, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, cleanliness, and modern-atmosphere. The location is right in the heart of the city, next to the main square, restaurants, bars, and shops.
The price of the rooms at Bedbox are slightly lower than those at Mosaikon for both private and dorm-style rooms. Choosing between these two hostels comes down to availability and your preference of being on the main drag (Bedbox) vs. slightly tucked away (Mosaikon).
Also Read: Athens Complete Guide
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Barcelona, Spain
Best Location/Value
The pros of staying at this hostel are location, free Wi-Fi, hot showers, free walking tours, and friendliness of staff. This is truly the best location of a hostel we have seen in Barcelona [Gothic Quarter], with its proximity to attractions, La Rambla, beaches, and parks. Finally, it has very affordable options for dorm-style beds, as well as, a great value for private rooms.
Also Read: Barcelona Complete Guide
The pros of staying at this hostel are location, free Wi-Fi, proximity to metro, hot showers, and opportunities to socialize. This hostel only has 6-bed dorms available, therefore, it is designed around getting to know your fellow travelers and creating long-lasting relationships.
This location is within walking distance to many of the main attractions, while being close to public transportation. 360 Hostel offers a great value for a 6-bed dorm in a very central neighborhood to Barcelona's well-renowned sites.
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Berlin, Germany
Best Location
The pros of staying at this hostel are location, free Wi-Fi, cleanliness, ensuite rooms, and its contemporary style. Mitte is the city center with lots of restaurants and attractions close by foot. However, the public transportation system in Berlin is amazing, so close proximity to a tram/metro is almost better than location by foot. Generator has a great location on both accounts, therefore, a great value for their private ensuite and dorm-style rooms.
Also Read: Berlin Complete Guide
The pros of staying at this hostel are location, free Wi-Fi, hot showers, and that it was newly refurbished March 2019. This location is great for many sites and attractions as it is within close walking distance from Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag Building, and Großer Tiergarten. It is slightly outside of Mitte, however, we have still found it to be a great location to see all desirable noms brews & views.
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Best Value
The pros of staying at this hostel are free Wi-Fi, private rooms, and friendliness of staff. It was built in 1903, so is a bit older than the above recommendations. However, if you are looking for the essentials in a prime location, this a noteworthy choice. This hostel is close to Mitte and Kreuzberg, but most importantly, a 5 min walk to the tram/metro stations that can take you anywhere. You will find the greatest value for a dorm-style bed or private room at Pegasus.
Brussels, Belgium
Best Location/Value
The pros of staying at this hostel are location, free Wi-Fi, hot showers, hostel amenities, ensuite bathrooms, and hotel-atmosphere. The location is a close walk to many of Brussels' attractions and is along the Canal de Charleroi.
MEININGER offers a great value for both private rooms and dorm-style rooms that include private ensuite bathrooms. The number of quality of reviews at this hostel speak for themselves. This is the best hostel to choose when staying in Brussels!
Also Read: Brussels Complete Guide
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Dublin, Ireland
Best Location
The pros of choosing this hostel are location, friendliness of staff, cleanliness, and free breakfast. This hostel is in the heart of the city, within the Temple Bar district. However, this location will also lead to nosier volumes late at night, so we would not recommend staying here if you desire a peaceful night's rest. It has an excellent value for the dorm-style rooms, especially for this central location. However, the private suites are a little pricey if you do not desire to be within a dorm.
Also Read: Dublin Complete Guide
The pros of choosing this hostel are location, friendliness of staff, cleanliness, and free breakfast. This hostel is alongside the River Liffey in a truly prime location, just not within Temple Bar. Personally, we like this location better than Abigails because it is still in the heart of everything, just slightly removed from any late-night shenanigans.
The value of rooms at Abbey Court are comparable to Abigails, however, there is better value in private suites at Abbey Court if that is what you are looking for.
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Best Value
The pros of choosing this hostel are friendliness of staff, cleanliness, ensuite bathrooms in every room, and price. Jacob's has the lowest price for both dorm-style and private rooms that are still within walking distance to all attractions. Not to mention, it has a cool modern vibe and a rooftop patio. This hostel is a close walk to all attractions, yet far enough to be a quiet night's rest.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Best Location
The pros of choosing this hostel are friendliness of staff, cleanliness, and location. You can see Edinburgh Castle from this hostel and it is in the middle of Grassmarket, which is home to many cafes, street vendors, and artisans. A short distance to any nightlife, yet far enough away for a quiet night's rest.
There is free Wi-Fi, hot showers, and a top-floor lounge for hanging out and socializing with fellow travelers. Breakfast is not included, however, available for purchase. We recommend trying a traditional Scottish breakfast (just make sure you know what Haggis & Black Pudding is ahead of time). Private rooms are a good price for the location, however, you will find your best value in the dorm rooms.
Also Read: Edinburgh Complete Guide
Sister-Hostel to Kick Ass Grassmarket, the pros of choosing this hostel are also friendliness of staff, cleanliness, and location. The location of Greyfriars is more optimal if you are looking to be close to nightlife, however, keep in mind this also means louder volumes at night.
Greyfriars does offer the lowest price for a bed, as they offer a very low price for a 30-bed mixed dorm.
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Best Value
The pros of choosing this hostel are cleanliness, proximity to shopping, and friendliness of staff. This hostel is located near Princess Street Gardens in New Town. It is a great location that splits the difference between seeing attractions in New Town vs. Old Town.
This is a great hostel if you are looking for a value, as the dorm rooms and private rooms both have a unbeatable price compared to other Edinburgh hostels.
Prague, Czech Republic
Best Location/Value
The pros of staying at this hostel are its central location, free Wi-Fi, buffet breakfast (EUR €5), activities offered, hot showers, and friendliness of staff. This hostel offers a nice value for private rooms and allows you to easily explore Prague's Old Town.
Also Read: Prague Complete Guide
The pros of staying at this hostel are the same as Ahoy! (as they appear to be sister-hostels). Hostel DownTown also has a central location, free Wi-Fi, buffet breakfast (EUR €5), activities offered, hot showers, and friendly staff. However, Hostel DownTown offers private ensuite rooms. We recommend picking between the two hostels based on availability.
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Santorini, Greece
Best Location
The pros of staying at this hostel are location, luxury, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, ensuite bathrooms, and private rooms. However, you will receive the best value in booking a dorm-style room at Bedspot Hostel. It is in the heart of Fira and close to public transportation that will take you to Oia and the beaches.
In our option, Fira is a hidden gem. It has plenty of shops, restaurants, winding pathways, and a breathtaking view that is similar to Oia, without the crowded streets of Oia.
Best Value
The pros of staying at this hostel are also location (although slightly outside of Fira), free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, ensuite bathrooms, proximity to public transportation, pool, and private rooms. All of the rooms at Villa Agas are private rooms, therefore, it is more of a budget-hotel experience than a hostel experience (with a hostel's price tag!). We got lucky and were upgraded to a room with a balcony and view!
Also Read: Santorini Complete Guide
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Vienna, Austria
Best Location/Value
The pros of staying at this hostel are its wonderful location, free Wi-Fi, buffet breakfast (additional fee), friendliness of staff, cleanliness, and ability to socialize with other travelers. Wombats is in the heart of Vienna, central to all of the sites and attractions that you will want to visit during your stay there. The number of raving reviews at this hostel speak for itself. This is the best place to stay when traveling to Vienna.
Also Read: Vienna Complete Guide
Happy Adventuring! J&L
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