Boutique hostels in Europe: maximum style, minimum budget

Forget nights in cramped, drab dorms, these gorgeous hostels are clean and comfortable, with stylish extras that make them feel more like a chic hotel – without the price tag
  
  


Boutique Hostels: Almaa Sintra Hostel, Sintra, Portugal
Almáa Sintra Hostel, Sintra, Portugal: Almáa Sintra Hostel could hardly be further from the traditional image of a hostel as a city base for rowdy 20-somethings. Housed in a 12th-century property and set in 3.5 hectares of gardens, it is 10 minutes from the hilltown of Sintra with its fairytale castles and palaces, and surrounded by mountains. The hostel’s grounds feature a natural swimming pool, and yoga, cooking, surf and meditation classes are available on request. Sintra beach (25 minutes), the pretty seaside town of Cascais (30 minutes) and Lisbon (40 minutes) are all accessible by public transport. There are two-bed private rooms and three, five and eight-bed shared rooms. • Caminho dos Frades, Quinta dos Lobos; + 351 91 985 08 05 (mobile), almaasintrahostel.com, from £21pp per night for a shared room, £26 for a private twin room. Photograph: PR
Boutique Hostels: Rooms Deluxe Hostel, Valencia, Spain
Rooms Deluxe Hostel, Valencia, Spain: Valencia's first 'luxury' hostel has 28 themed rooms, ranging from sumptuous to quirky. For example, the Enchanted Forest Room is hung with foliage and a wall-to-ceiling woodland print while the somewhat garish Marilyn room is all bubblegum pink and satin, with blown-up shots of the actress towering over the bed. More conventional chic is the African Savannah, pictured. All rooms might not be to your taste, but they are nonetheless several rungs above your usual bunk'n'board hostel digs. There's also a fully equipped kitchen, free Wi-Fi, TV and games room and a children's area. It's centrally located for a city break, just 100m from the City of Arts and Sciences. • Av. Instituto Obrero nº 20, +34 963 356 793, roomsdeluxe.com, doubles from £59, four-bed room £75 Photograph: PR
Boutique Hostels: Casa Gracia, Barcelona
Casa Gracia Hostel, Barcelona, Spain: Renovated in 2012, this light-filled, elegant building has been jazzed up with funky art work and photographs, and vintage-style furniture and fittings. Centrally located on the intersection of Paseo de Gràcia and Diagonal, it’s a short walk to Gaudi’s Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and Casa Batlló and the Tàpies Foundation, an exhibition space and cultural centre. Facilities include a large communal kitchen, outdoor patio and large living/dining area, and rooms include private twins and doubles as well as dorms. • Passeig de Gràcia 116, 08008, Barcelona, +34 93 187 4497, casagraciabcn.com, shared from €28pp per night, double from €92, both high-season Photograph: PR
Boutique Hostels: Seven Hostel, Sorrento, Italy
Seven Hostel, Sorrento, Italy: An elegant 19th-century building has been refurbished as a modern, stylish hostel a stone's throw from Sorrento. Dorms are minimal but sleek with a Scandinavian design feel to them and those wanting more privacy can opt for one of 12 doubles on the top floor with private bathrooms with TV and a balcony with views. The clincher though, is the rooftop terrace, where you can bask on a sun lounger, sip cocktails gazing out over the Gulf of Naples and Sorrento Peninsula and feel like you are staying at a swanky high-end hotel. The hostel can organise private tours of the Sorrento Coast and nearby towns as well as Napoli boat trips. • Via Iommella Grande, Sant'Agnello, +39 081 878 67 58, sevenhostel.com, dorms from €19 for a 12-bed dorm with shared bathroom, doubles from €77 Photograph: PR
Boutique Hostels: Bunk Design Hostel, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Bunk Design Hostel, Istanbul, Turkey: One of the new breed of boutique hostels, Bunk is stylish with the sort of facilities you’d expect of a hotel including complimentary breakfast, concierge, and private access to the decked roof terrace, and its jacuzzi. In the heart of Beyoglu, Istanbul’s liveliest district, bars, clubs, as well as art galleries, restaurants and shops are on the doorstep. Rooms sleep one to four with facilities. • Kamer Hatun Mh, Balik Sokak 7, +90 212 244 88 08, bunkhostels.com/?pg=home, €30pp per night for a shared room, €90 for a twin private room Photograph: PR
Boutique Hostels: Design Hostel Goli & Bosi, Split, Croatia
Goli & Bosi Design Hostel, Split, Croatia: This ultra-modern boutique hostel is smack bang in the heart of Split old town, just a short walk from Bacvice Bay and main sights such as the Diocletian's palace and Split Cathedral. One striking feature is the colour theme: yellow. There is a lot of it, inspired by the sulphurous baths that Split was once famous for. There are private rooms with views on the top floor, but the dorms offer more privacy than the average hostel as each bed is built within it's own alcove with a curtain that you can draw across. There's a small cinema room, plenty of lounge areas, free Wi-Fi and a lively restaurant. The sunny square out front is perfect for kicking back with a drink with your fellow travellers. • Morpurgova Poljana 2, +38 52 15 10 999, gollybossy.com, dorms from £18.63pppn, private from £39.64pp per night Photograph: PR
Boutique Hostels: Caveland, Santorini, Greece
Caveland, Santorini Island, Greece: Beautiful, romantic Santorini with its dazzling white, blue-domed chapels and houses tumbling down hillsides... is not known for budget accommodation so Caveland is a bit of a find. Built into an 18th-century former winery in the village of Karterados, its rooms are pretty spartan but there is a pool and two tennis courts, and there are plenty of organised activities to dip into should you feel sociable, including hikes, boat trips, BBQs. In the quieter winter months it tends to attract artists and those in search of peace and quiet. There are three private double rooms plus two single rooms and four, six and 10-bed dorms – both mixed and girls only. • 39 Karterados, cave-land.com, Shared from €16 pp per night; doubles from €25pp per night (high season). Includes breakfast Photograph: PR
 

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