DESIGNER DORMS
CZECH INN
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
DORMS FROM $18
At Prague's Czech Inn, you'll find everything you would expect in a modern hotel: Scandinavian-style furniture, exposed brick, a posh bar with a live DJ, and a lobby with white walls and brushed aluminum trimming that makes it look like a giant iPod. This is one of the new breed of "designer hostels" targeted at upscale backpackers who can afford a hotel but prefer the social interaction found in hostels. Located near Prague's city centre on a major tram line, accommodations are a mix of crisply-designed dorms and a few private rooms and apartments. Mind you, the buzzing bar on the main floor is bound to lure even the most exhausted tourists to quaff a pint of Czech beer.
Francouzska 76, Prague; 420 267 267 600; www.czech-inn.com
GLOBETROTTER INN
LONDON, ENGLAND
FROM $40 A PERSON
Only 30 minutes by tube from Heathrow Airport in a safe residential area, this is considered one of the top hostels in Britain. You can kip out in style on custom-designed "luxury bunks" with personal reading lights, or enjoy the amenities, which include a bar, a gym, an Internet café, a mini-supermarket, a large kitchen and a dining room. They'll even do your dishes for you. The hostel has 400 beds, ranging from private double and twin en-suite rooms to four- and six-bed mixed and same-sex dorms.
Ashlar Court, Ravenscourt Gardens, London; 44 208 746 3112; www.globetrotterinns.com .
HILUX VALENCIA
VALENCIA, SPAIN
FROM $37 A PERSON
Part of the Feetup Hostels chain (voted best in 2005 by Hostelworld.com customers), this Spanish gem in the heart of Valencia's historic Barrio El Carmen has just 10 double or twin balconied rooms tastefully decorated with the work of local artists. This hostel will also appeal to better-heeled, mature travellers interested in the city's nightlife since guests under 18 aren't admitted without a guardian. Features include free Wi-Fi Internet access in the lobby and rooms, continental breakfast, a tour desk, luggage storage and 24-hour reception.
Calle Cadirers 11, 46001 Valencia, Spain; 34 9639-14691; www.feetuphostels.com. Rates start at $37 a person.
EAST SEVEN HOSTEL
BERLIN, GERMANY
DORMS FROM $25
Situated in Mitte, Berlin's bustling art and nightlife district, the East Seven gives guests a comfortable perch from which to witness the city's startling rebirth. Recently renovated, the hostel boasts a design that is brash but inviting. Well-lit rooms are splashed with bright colours and feature comfortable pine beds and even baby beds for new parents struck by the travel bug. As for shared spaces, owners Pierre Ammon and Jörg Schöpfe have found the right balance between bohemian hip and homespun hospitality in the multicoloured retro lounge and a cozy back garden — both perfect places to make the transition from a day of gallery-hopping to a night of clubbing.
Ammon & Schöpfel GBR, Schwedter Strasse 7, Berlin; 49 3 0 936 222 40; www.eastseven.de. Doubles from $46.
CELICA HOSTEL
LLUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
DORMS FROM $25
That are few places you can stay in Europe — at any price — that have a history quite like the Celica. Located in Ljubljana, Slovenia, one of the most popular destinations among the breakaway states of former Yugoslavia, this hotel is a former military prison that has been reconstructed in co-operation with local and foreign artists.
Every room is literally a work of art: 20 former prison cells, complete with iron bars, have been turned into compact guest rooms with details such as a ceiling painted by Russian artist Maksim Isayev.
The Celica is part of Metelkova, a self-declared "Autonomous Cultural Zone" that has evolved into the capital's creative hub, with the hostel regularly hosting art shows, poetry readings, and concerts.
Metelkova 8, S -1000; 386 1 230 97 00; www.souhostel.com. Dorms from $25, "cells" from $31
YHA SCUOL
SCUOL, SWITZERLAND
DORMS FROM $31
Hostelling International, the world's largest hostelling organization, has jumped on the trend toward upscale hostels in a big way with five new designer hostels in Switzerland. Among the best is YHA in Scuol, a small town two hours from Zurich that is home to skiing, snowboarding and world-class thermal baths. With a unique design that places balconies and bay windows in unexpected places, the newly built hostel looks like a giant Jenga puzzle. The interior, however, is all smooth lines — its giant lounge features a massive fireplace and a panoramic view of the Lower Engadine Valley. The hostel recently won an award for its sustainable design.
