Travel is essential (at least, we think so) but it can take its toll on your bank account. Scouring the Internet for affordable accommodation is a real drag and no one wants to wind up in some gross old hotel filled with bedbugs just because you were trying to save a few pounds.
Luckily, the latest trend in travel is the “poshtel,” which is defined as a luxury hostel that caters to voyagers who expect a little more from their stay. Poshtels are popping up around the globe, especially in Europe, and offer a communal feel paired with a cool, boutique hotel vibe. Most even feature private rooms, just in case you feel too old to be sharing a dorm with nine other women.
We’ve selected fifteen of the best poshtels that you should consider when booking your next trip. Just promise you’ll use some of your savings to send us a souvenir.
Casa Gracia, Barcelona
Case Gracia calls itself a “meeting point for grumpy grandpas and wealthy hipsters,” but don’t let that description dissuade you. The hostel’s rooms swing from six-person dorms to deluxe apartments with amazing city views and all include free Wi-Fi, coffee and tea services. When you’re not wandering around town and eating yourself silly, check out the hostel’s many cool hang out spaces, bar and eatery.You can also enroll yourself in events like a mojito master class, rumba and salsa dancing or lomographic camera workshop. It’s a fifteen minute jaunt to Plaça Catalunya, the heart of Barcelona, so it’s easily accessible to everything you want to do on your break. Private twins go from £99 a night.
Photo courtesy of @casagraciabcn
Clink Hostels, London/Amsterdam
Clink78, Clink Hostels’ flagship location, is situated in an old courthouse near King’s Cross. Its basement bar, ClashBAR, which hosts live music and DJs, gets its name from being the room where The Clash once stood trial. Of course, if you’re coming from London, you’ll be more interested in Clink’s Amsterdam hostel, ClinkNOORD, which was built in a converted 1920s laboratory. There ensuite private rooms go from a pricy £122 per night, but you can score a dorm bed for as low as £23. And if you’re in a band? Maybe you can get a booking at the hostel’s ZincBAR and score your room for free.
Photo courtersy of @clinkhostels
Cloud 7 Hotel, Istanbul
Cloud 7 is an up-and-coming hotel brand that is planning to open locations in Dubai, Prague, Tehran, Tblisi, Doha and Muscat. For now, you can visit its chic Istanbul spot, located in the Bakirkoy neighborhood only ten minutes from the old city area. Cloud 7 is focused on cool events, which include an upcoming concert by M83 in June, and connecting its global travellers in "chill out spaces" and a (very nice) gym. There are no shared dorms here, only a choice between larger hotel rooms and compact “Cloud” rooms that will help save you some dough (they start at an affordable £39). The décor is sparse and modern, with plush, white bedding and a good vibe in the common areas. We’re now holding our breath for all their future hotels to open.
Photo courtesy of @cloud7hotels
Urban House, Copenhagen
Copenhagen’s Vesterbro neighbourhood is its coolest up-and-coming area, filled with bars and restaurants (check out Papa Ramen down the road), and Urban House is right in its centre. The lively hostel, which has well-kept private rooms, is legitimately fun, with a cool bar and a "hangover room" full of giant beanbag chairs. The best part? If you have a hankering for new ink you can book a session at the hotel’s own tattoo shop during your stay. Double private rooms start at £76 per night.
Photo courtesy of @dourbanhouse
The Freehand, Miami/Chicago
The Freehand has become known as one of the best poshtels around (and certainly the best in the U.S.). With locations in Chicago and Miami – and one about to open in Los Angeles – the brand embodies a fun, whimsical vibe that caters to a broad range of millennial travellers. In Miami, the chic rooms and bar have a funky beach aesthetic while the Chicago branch has more of an urban city feel. The idea behind Freehand is to connect likeminded people in a cool atmosphere, making it the perfect choice for those who want to make new friends on the road. Private rooms in Chicago will run you £116 while Miami rooms start at £88 per night.
Photo courtesy of @freehandmiami
Gallery Hostel, Porto
If you like art, this is the hostel for you. The aptly named Gallery Hostel, situated in the hip Miguel Bombarda neighbourhood of the Portuguese city, features its own selection of artwork in exhibitions that change twice a month. That artsy vibe permeates the entire experience, with dorm rooms named for Porto’s artists and private rooms based on the city’s many public gardens. The hostel hosts live music, wine tastings (of port wine, of course), walking tours and communal dinners. The socially responsible hostel, which contributes to community projects and is eco-friendly, is the perfect spot to base your exploration of Porto, which is one of the most sought after cities to visit this year.
Photo courtesy of Gallery Hostel
Generators Hostels, Stockholm/ Rome/ Amsterdam/ Paris/ London/ Venice/ Berlin/ Barcelona/ Hamburg/ Copenhagen/ Dublin
Generator is one of the main purveyors of the poshtel trend. They’ve expanded to ten locations across Europe, including two in Berlin and a particularly cool edition in Paris’s 10th arrondissement, and will open two more this year. The brand’s goal is to provide affordable luxury stays with a variety of spots to socialise. Each location has a selection of shared and private rooms (in Paris, a private twin starts at £69 per night), so you can decide what’s best for you. It’s a good bet if you’re traveling around the continent and want consistent quality.
Photo courtersy of @generatorhostels
Hotel Not Hotel, Amsterdam
Have you ever wanted to sleep in a secret room behind a bookcase? Or inside a tram cart? At Amsterdam’s incredibly inventive Hotel Not Hotel you can. The rooms vary in size and creativity – and share communal bathrooms – and will make you feel like you’re part of some kind of weird art project. The hotel also features a bar called Kevin Bacon (because they “wanted it to be the Kevin Bacon of bars” and connect everyone), bike rentals and free Wi-Fi. It’s minimal in terms of amenities, but the price is good for Amsterdam. The rooms book up fast and start around £70 per night.
Photo courtesy of @hotelnothotel
New York Loft Hostel, Brooklyn, NY
New York has a massive number of hotel options, most of which are very pricey. So finding an affordable, cool hotel can be tricky. New York Loft Hostel is located in buzzy East Williamsburg and features lots of common areas, a gym and a bar that brings in live music and DJs. The décor in the rooms is sparse, but nice and you can pick from a selection of room types (private rooms with ensuite bathrooms start at £88 per night ). The best aspect is the location, right near Williamsburg’s slew of bars and restaurants and only a few blocks from the L subway train, which goes directly into Manhattan.
Photo courtesy of @nylofthostel
Once In Capetown, Capetown
Once In Capetown is the South African city’s best hostel experience, with the possibility for private twin, double or family rooms if bunks aren’t your style. The walls are papered with comic book pages and the communal spaces include a fire pit and a kitchen, as well as several cafés. The contemporary hotel-meets-hostel will also help you book activities around town, including surf trips, wine tasting, safaris and – best of all – cage diving with sharks. And once you’ve recovered from your shark experience you’ll want to grab a drink on the hotel’s roof top bar (dubbed Up Yours) with a view of Table Mountain. Private rooms go for £33 per night.
Photo courtesy of Once In Capetown
One 80° Hostel, Berlin
If you want to be close to all of Berlin’s action and attractions, check out One 80° Hostel, centrally located in Berlin Mitte at Alexanderplatz. It’s a sparse hostel, but contemporary and clean (and it won’t set you back too far with double rooms for £60). The hostel offers bike rentals, ideal for cycling around Berlin in the springtime, although its location is super close to the U-Bahn trains. It’s also a quick walk to the restaurants of Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain. Make sure to pay a visit to the nearby Museum Island, with its variety of museums, and to the Hamburger Bahnhof, a massive modern art museum that is worth an entire afternoon.
Photo courtesy of One 80° Hostel
KEX Hostel, Reykjavik
KEX, a “social hostel” in Reykjavik, has a lux boutique vibe with its eclectic décor and vintage touches. The rooms are spacious and bright, with queen-sized tiny rooms as an option for those a budget (the hotel bills them as for “happy couples,” so if you’re fighting try a bigger room). There’s a gastropub and gym and KEX books daily music events. The hostel will also help you find your way around Iceland with car rentals, whale safaris and, of course, transfers to the infamous Blue Lagoon. It’s not exactly cheap (since Iceland is not exactly cheap), but those aforementioned tiny rooms go for £135 while dorms start at £22 per night.
Photo courtesy of KEX Hostel
The Safehouse Hostel, Cardiff
The Safehouse Hostel is billed as “accommodation for the weary and wise,” which should tell you a lot about its cosy, boutique quality. The hostel, located in central Cardiff, offers free breakfast, free walking tours and bespoke bunk beds that you’ll probably want to take home with you. The Safehouse, built in a refurbished Victorian building, is known for its high customer service and décor that feels more like a luxury hotel than a hostel. Private rooms start at £72 per night while bunk rooms are a mere £27 (which should give you plenty of extra funds for the pub down the road).
Photo courtesy of @safehousehostel
Space Hotel, Melbourne
Melbourne is an ideal holiday city with its friendly bars, great food and blooming cultural scene. It’s also not cheap, especially when it comes to hotel rooms. Which makes Space Hotel a solid booking choice, with its ensuite rooms at only £50 per night. Once there you can sunbathe on the rooftop deck with a view of the city, take in a movie at the cinema or grab a beer at the Blue Moon Bar. The amenities are basic, but ideally you’ll be out exploring all day – and night. And while in town make sure you pay a visit to Mrs. Parma’s, a classic joint that serves Melbourne’s signature parma dishes.
Photo courtesy of Space Hotel
The Bivouac Hostel, Breckenridge, Colorado
Ski resort towns are notoriously expensive, especially in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where pricy luxury hotels reign supreme. So the Bivouac Hostel (a.k.a. Bivii Hostel) is a welcome respite for younger travellers who don’t want to blow their entire budget on a bed. Located near the base of Breckenridge’s ski mountain, the wooden decor hostel is perfect for outdoorsy folk who can select from a variety of rooms (all of which comes with free parking and breakfast). It’s not just for winter either: The Colorado high country is perfect for a summer break. Private rooms are more expensive, at about £68, but if you’re willing to rough it in a dorm it will only set you back £19 per night.
Photo courtesy of The Bivouac HostelLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
10 Dreamy Greek Getaways That Aren't Athens
The Most Instagrammable Places In London
How To Have A Cheap Trip To Venice (And Still Drink All The Aperol)