It’s true! HostelBookers are now even cheaper than Hostelworld according to the latest study conducted by Reed Business Insight.
The price comparison survey found that HostelBookers is now, on average, 8.7% cheaper than Hostelworld, across 784 properties in 77 destinations which is great news for you, our customer, as you can now save more money than ever before by booking with us!
Save £££s
A two night stay booked through us in a private double room for two people in a London hostel from 4-5 September is £14.75 cheaper thanthe same room booked through Hostelworld.
The same room type booked through HostelBookers over the same time period in Edinburgh will save you even more of your hard earned pennies- £19.67 more to be exact.
The savings don’t stop at the UK- you’ll save almost £40 in Venice and £19.67 and £11.24 in in Florence respectively.
The biggest savings can be had in Reykjavik where we are a massive 50.8% cheaper than Hostelworld! That’s a total save of £161.28 and means you would be able to have double the length of stay through us and still have change for a pint!
How the survey was worked out
Reed Business Insights based their survey results on the price of a double room for two people for two nights during the period 4th-5th September 2010 in 77 destinations around the world.
The RBI looked at between 2 and 6 properties in each destination and the results found that we were, on average, 8.7% cheaper than Hostelworld.
Find out more about the Hostelworld price comparison.
Lowest Price Guarantee
We didn’t want to stop at being cheaper than Hostelworld- we wanted to be the cheapest accommodation provider on the net to help you get away for less this summer.
That’s why we’re offering you the lowest price guarantee on all 16,000 of our properties to guarantee we are the cheapest and will refund double the difference if you can find the accommodation for less on another website!
That means if you can find a London hostel £5 cheaper than our advertised price we will refund you £10!
So what are you waiting for? Stop looking and start booking by heading over to HostelBookers.com now to save money on your accommodation this summer.
Not got long to visit a city? Then you need a guide on what to miss, and what you can’t miss out. Barcelona makes a perfect summer city break, especially if you’re taking a day trip from Catalonia, or backpacking through Europe. Plus with hostels in Barcelona and other Spain hostels part of our summer sale, it’s even cheaper to make the trip there this summer.
Our guest blogger Gizelle Lau knows what makes the city tick, and recently gave herself 24 hours to sample the best of Barcelona. Here’s her guide to Barcelona’s hot list, with not a dud tapas bar or tourist trap in sight:
What’s Hot:
Jamonisimo. For a taste of some of the best ham in the world and a uniquely Spanish treat, this is the place to go. The ham served here is high-end Iberico ham: pigs raised in the Spanish countryside that are fed on acorns. With my limited Spanish and the shopkeeper’s limited English, when I managed to ask for a tasting plate (35 EUR), the shopkeeper’s face lit up. He took me to a room in the back of the shop where two small tables were set up. He brought out a bottle of Rioja, toasted tomatoes on bread, and sliced some of the most delicious ham I’ve ever tasted.
Gaudi: La Sagrada Familia is the most-visited attraction in Barcelona and packed with photo takers and bus tours. Although other Gaudi sights like La Pedrera, Park Guell, and Casa Batillo are worth the visit, La Sagrada Familia is one of the most fascinating structures I have ever seen. Only partially completed when Gaudi died, this unfinished temple is haunted by construction cranes and scaffolding, not to mention a lack of funding for its completion.
Tapas & Chocolate Cake: Bubo is best known as the purveyors of the World’s Best Chocolate Cake – although I would urge you to try their other amazing treats, which are even more delicious. Visit the shop for a delicious break of homemade marshmallows, macarons, mousses, and specialty cakes/pastries. Bobu Bar next door is also one of Barcelona’s top tapas bar right next door in the Old Quarter, just across from the Basilica Santa Maria del Mar.
Nighttime Entertainment: The Magic Fountain of Montjuic is located in the Montjuic area where you can find attractions like the Archaeological Museum and the National Palace. You can spend more than 1 day in this area alone, but if you’re short on time, be sure to visit on a day that the fountain’s synchronized water-lights-music show takes place at night. Built in 1929, it’s the first show of its kind (eat your heart out, Bellagio!).
The Bus Turistica: The easiest way to see Barcelona, especially if you’re short on time is to just give in and take the Bus Turistica. For a 21 Euro fare, you can hop on and hop off the bus at 24 of the city’s top sights all day until 9-10pm. Buses arrive every 15 minutes and traverse 3 different zones (east, north, and central) of Barcelona, taking you from Montjuic Mountain to Tibidabo Mountain, Olympic Stadium, Sagrada Familia, the Barri Gotic, and many more.
A Hip Hotel
If you’re planning on spending the night, Casa con Estilo is one of the chicest pads to crash in Barcelona. This small boutique hotel only sleeps 12, so has a homely but super cool feel, housed in elegant 19th century building, with funky decor and a terrace overlooking the city. (Ed. Stay at the Casa con Estilo for less with our summer sale!)
What’s Not:
Las Ramblas, the city’s busiest area: A tree-lined pedestrian avenue that begins in the heart of Barcelona leading to its port, it’s packed with shops, tourists, vendors trying to sell to tourists, tourist trap restaurants that serve low-quality food, and people looking to scam tourists, especially near the port-end of the avenue. It’s nonetheless one of the popular attractions – just beware of pickpockets and people looking to lure you into their shop in dark alleys. Go spend your time at the Barri Gotic instead.
Tibidabo Mountain: The top of Tibidabo is great for families because it has an amusement park. The cathedral is stunning and the views of Barcelona at your feet are great, but not worth the time and money to get to the top.
Newsflash! We’ve had a great few years here at HostelBloggers, keeping you guys up to speed on the world of budget travel. But change is afoot. We’re all grown up and we’ve got ourselves a brand spanking new site over at http://blog.hostelbookers.com/!
You’ll still get the same top quality articles and budget travel advice, but the redesigned blog has a much prettier layout, and helpful features like drop-down menus and a search facility to help you find what you’re looking for, as well as handy sections on top destinations.
Of course we don’t want to totally abandon our loyal readers who’ve made it here over the years, so we will be popping up the occasional post from time to time. But log on to http://blog.hostelbookers.com/ for all our latest travel tips, and start seeing the world for less!
2009 marks an important date for the HB HQ – our first half-decade! Have a look at what we got up to celebrating HostelBookers 5th birthday…
It’s been an amazing 5 years – we’ve gone from 800 properties and five staff to 14,000 hostels around the world and 73 people…
As part of the celebrations, we wanted to give a little something back to our customers; so we’re running a fantastic summer offer – beach hostels for 5 cent a night!
We’ll also be giving away 20 great ‘birthday presents’ to our customers – including £500 cash, an Asus 701SD Travel Laptop, a Northface Backpack and a Canon Ixus 85 Digital Camera. Runners-up will receive a rucksack filled with handy travel supplies.
Check out the hostel holiday competition page for full details.
‘Recession’ is the word on everybody’s lips – but how will it affect your travel plans this year?
It seems the idea of a holiday isn’t being abandoned just yet, but hunting out the best budget deals and keeping costs to a minimum is becoming rather fashionable….
If you’re looking for the cheapest accommodation online, here’s the scoop: HostelBookers are now offering a ‘lowestprice guarantee‘ on all their 12,000 properties and 2,500 destinations…
Basically, HostelBookers are so confident that they’re the cheapest accommodation provider on the web (Read the results of EyeforTravel’s research on HostelBookers)that they will refund the total difference if you can find the same accommodation for less on another website!
With summer on its way (and recession still the flavour of the month), this is great news for backpackers and holiday-makers looking for the cheapest deals guaranteed to keep them traveling!
We’re well and truly crunched here – fed up with the credit crunch, that is! But no matter how many times the recession is re-hashed in the media, the truth is we are all looking to cut back, especially when it comes to our holidays.
Luckily, with the rise of the ‘flashpacker’ and fancier kinds of hostel popping up all over the place, you really don’t have to slum it nowadays if you want a low-cost holiday. This week, guest blogger (and experienced Flashpacker) Andrea Di Tonto gives an introduction to backpacking with a little extra ‘flash’.
Nowadays everyone can be a Flashpacker. You don’t need a huge wodge of cash - just a will to travel, a spirit of adventure and the know-how to find good deals…
When I first started traveling, I complained to my fellow travelers that although I was traveling the world on my own and on a limited budget, I didn’t want to spend my nights in overcrowded hostel dorms and my mornings queueing for a spartan shower. So I often ended up booking an en-suite single room, but to remain within budget I would search online for good deals in ’special’ hostels.
To which my traveler friends replied, “You’re a Flashpacker! Look at you, you even bring a laptop with you!” A quick search online for ‘Flashpacking’ revealed how there are a lot of people out there with my same needs, enough to actually create a new travel phenomenon…
There are usually two main definitions of a Flashpacker. The first one is a ‘Backpacker who travels with a lot of high-tech gadgets and toys, like a laptop, digital camera, iPhone, etc.’ The second describes the Flashpacker as ‘a Backpacker with a more disposable income, able to afford better accommodation, meals and transportation.’
These two definitions, however, tend to reduce the concept of Flashpacking to having gadgets, lots of cash, or both….
The good news is that thanks to constant innovation and the power of the internet, prices are getting lower for both gadgets and good accommodation. While before a laptop would be expensive enough to decide not to risk bringing it with you on your trip, the new generation of netbooks are now not only extremely cheap, but also very easy to carry due to their small size and weight.
And hostels are no longer just cheap dormitories. They are constantly adapting to the latest Flashpacking needs, offering not only comfort but, in many cases, pure luxury. Prices are still a lot more affordable compared to the ones offered by hotels. The internet makes it super-easy to find luxurious accommodation at very affordable prices. To get you started, check out the pick of Flashpacking hostels here.
So, are you ready to Flashpack around the world?
Andrea Di Tonto is a passionate Flashpacker and Blogger. He looks after The Tux in the Backpack, a blog all about Flashpacking!
You’d never believe the Lisbon Lounge was the city’s first hostel, with its stylish design and modern art on the walls.
The chicest pad in the Baixa has had a major revamp since moving to downtown Lisbon, but the nine rooms, housed in a historic apartment block, still have a homely vibe.
With a large kitchen, and three ‘lounge areas’ well stocked with magazines and a film projector, it’s like having your own arty apartment in the city center, and the six bathrooms mean you will have plenty of time to pamper yourself before a night on the town…
The ‘Lounge’ keeps its cool credentials with an enviable location close to the Bairro Alto, home to the city’s best nightlife, and the main train and tram system – perfect for a recovery session on the beach the next day.
They pull out all the stops to make your stay chic – there’s a free breakfast, unlimited tea and coffee all day, and even a mini bar for that penthouse feel.
With an almost perfect score from all customer ratings, this hostel puts the boutique in backpacking – and prices start at only €18 per person per night.
We try to avoid blowing our own trumpet over here at the HB HQ, but…we’re really excited to have scooped an award from Wanderlust, one of our favourite UK travel mags.
HostelBookers picked up the Silver Award for ‘Top Travel Website’, with an overall 94% score based on customer satisfaction.
And seeing as the Oscars aren’t too long gone… here’s a weepy acceptance speech…
A big thanks to everyone who nominated and voted for us. (And for giving us an excuse to celebrate down the pub – Ed.) There were so many other great travel sites in the running (a whopping 420!) that we’re really pleased to have come 2nd and, more importantly, to know that what we’re doing makes you guys happy!
Now we’ve got a taste for the limelight, we’re figuring out how to go for gold next year! Not that we’re competitive or anything…
Housed in a 19th century brewery, the stylish modern Pfefferbett Hostel in Berlin is a an industrial monument and a slice of the city’s cultural history. Mixing architecture and contemporary design, they’ve created a unique space that’s as arty as it is practical.
Situated in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in German culture, from the hostel’s traditional beer garden to the surrounding galleries and hip nightlife that Berlin is famous for.
Style, convenience and value for money all get top marks here… The facilities include a lounge area, games room with pool table and – nice and safety conscious – lockers in every dorm, whilst prices start at just €16 per person per night.
What more can we say?
Ed. – Heading for a weekend in Berlin? Check out our 48 hour city guide for ideas on what to do.
Here’s a heads-up about a new addition to the site… this talked-about hostel in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Jumbo Hostel is the first of its kind and ever since we found out about it, we found ourselves (very immaturely) consumed with making up puns…
A bumpy ride here won’t take you to heaven and back; you’ll stay firmly on the ground in this former Boeing 747 that’s been converted into an upmarket hostel – complete with its own 24-hour cabin crew on site to lend a hand.
Located just outside Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, owner Oscar Dios found the disused aircraft when it was put up for sale, and decided to create a convenient stop-off for travelers’ weary from their flight. Once you’re on the impressive jumbo, though, it can be hard to get much sleep – there’s wireless internet and flat screen TVs in every room.
Bunk up in a three bed cabin, or enjoy the cockpit – now a luxury suite. There’s also a café when you’ve worked up an appetite. The design and facilities are clean, modern and spacious – although we can’t yet comment if the toilets are roomier than usual…
Travelers heading to Stockholm are guaranteed a good lift off to backpacking in Sweden if they make this the first stop on their landing strip…
A two night stay booked through us in a private double room for two people in a London hostel from 4-5 September is £14.75 cheaper than the same room booked through Hostelworld.
Reed Business Insights based their survey results on the price of a double room for two people for two nights during the period 4th-5th September 2010 in 77 destinations around the world.
We didn’t want to stop at being cheaper than Hostelworld- we wanted to be the cheapest accommodation provider on the net to help you get away for less this summer.
Jamonisimo. For a taste of some of the best ham in the world and a uniquely Spanish treat, this is the place to go. The ham served here is high-end Iberico ham: pigs raised in the Spanish countryside that are fed on acorns. With my limited Spanish and the shopkeeper’s limited English, when I managed to ask for a tasting plate (35 EUR), the shopkeeper’s face lit up. He took me to a room in the back of the shop where two small tables were set up. He brought out a bottle of Rioja, toasted tomatoes on bread, and sliced some of the most delicious ham I’ve ever tasted.
Gaudi: La Sagrada Familia is the most-visited attraction in Barcelona and packed with photo takers and bus tours. Although other Gaudi sights like La Pedrera, Park Guell, and Casa Batillo are worth the visit, La Sagrada Familia is one of the most fascinating structures I have ever seen. Only partially completed when Gaudi died, this unfinished temple is haunted by construction cranes and scaffolding, not to mention a lack of funding for its completion.
Nighttime Entertainment: The Magic Fountain of Montjuic is located in the Montjuic area where you can find attractions like the Archaeological Museum and the National Palace. You can spend more than 1 day in this area alone, but if you’re short on time, be sure to visit on a day that the fountain’s synchronized water-lights-music show takes place at night. Built in 1929, it’s the first show of its kind (eat your heart out, Bellagio!).
A Hip Hotel
You’d never believe the Lisbon Lounge was the city’s first hostel, with its stylish design and modern art on the walls.
The ‘Lounge’ keeps its cool credentials with an enviable location close to the Bairro Alto, home to the city’s best nightlife, and the main train and tram system – perfect for a recovery session on the beach the next day.
