hostel of the day – Page 4

Hostel of the Day: PODS THE BACKPACKERS HOME & CAFÉ – A True Backpacker’s Home Near Kuala Lumpur’s Central Transportation Hub

Guess what? Hostel of the Day features are back! Yes, you read that right. Leisure travel & backpacking is now picking up after being temporarily halted during the early days of the pandemic. With vaccines now available & borders re-opening, travelers have started to push through with the plans they had back in 2020 & 2021. The recent easing of restrictions also saw the re-opening of our beloved hostels & shared accommodations. I am very happy that these hostels now have the chance to make up for the losses they had in the recent years.

I’ve recently restarted traveling after being on the ground for over 2 years. I’ve mostly flown to & from Manila from my hometown & had short trips with friends in Davao & Cebu. Just last month, after 31 months of being in the Philippines, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a short out-of-the-country trip. I spent my first few days in a hostel called PODs The Backpackers Home & Café. Join me in today’s hostel feature to know more about this budget accommodation that’s a stone throw away from KL Sentral – Kuala Lumpur’s central transportation hub.

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café is an affordable & eco-friendly hostel located in the Brickfields neighborhood near KL Sentral. The hostel opened in April 2011 & since then has catered to backpackers & budget travelers. The hostel occupies 4 floors. The ground floor has the café & communal area. The first, third & fourth floors house the private pods & the dormitory rooms. PODs The Backpackers tries its best to help the environment by adopting eco-friendly measures such as using recyclable materials & avoiding single-use plastics.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Location & Access

The hostel is located along Jalan Thambipillay in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. It is accessible to almost all transportation lines in the city. It is a 5-minute walk away from the KL Monorail KL Sentral Station. It is about a 10-minute walk from the main KL Sentral Station. This train station has access to almost all major train lines in Kuala Lumpur – MRT SBK Line, LRT Kelana Jaya Line, LRT Ampang & Sri Petaling Line, KLIA Express (high-speed train to the airport), KLIA Transit (affordable train ride to the airport), KTM Komuter (KL local railway service), KTM Inercity & KTM ETS & Skypark Link.

The hostel is also near several city bus stops & more importantly, the KL Sentral Bus Terminal. This bus terminal gives people bus links to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminals 1 & 2, Genting Highlands & other localities. The KL Sentral Bus Terminal is about a 5 to 10-minute walk from the hostel doors.

The nearest convenience store is a minute away – right in front of the hostel, while the nearest local grocery is literally next door. There are other convenience stores & groceries nearby, closer to the NU Sentral Shopping Mall & KL Sentral Station. The hostel is also surrounded by different local restaurants & bars. PODs The Backpacker’s location is an easy 10 out of 10. It is located close to everything a traveler needs during his or her stay.

ROOM Options

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café caters to all types of budget travelers. They have 3 room options (mini PODs, single PODs & double PODs) for those who want some privacy; they also have 3 dormitory room options (4-bed female, 8-bed mixed & 16-bed mixed) for those who don’t mind sharing the room with other travelers.

A mini POD is a small private room with a single mattress on a built-in platform. A single POD is a larger private room with a single mattress also found on a built-in platform. The room also has a bigger cabinet / storage space. A double POD is a private room that has twin mattresses on top of a built-in platform. Guests in these private rooms have access to shared shower & toilet areas, centralized air conditioning & in-room ceiling fans. Standard room rates range from RM70 – RM90 per night.

All dormitory rooms have bunk beds with the numbers depending on the room configuration. Like the private rooms, guests in these dormitory rooms also have access to shared shower & toilets, centralized air conditioning & ceiling fans. Standard dormitory room rates start at RM40 per night. Please take note that private & dormitory room rates vary per booking platform. The hostel’s own platform offers 20% discount to all direct bookings, while third-party booking websites like Agoda, Booking.com, Hostelworld & Traveloka have their own promotional rates.

I booked my stay with Agoda & paid RM123.20 for a 2-night stay in a single POD. I got the room at RM61.60 per night – RM1.60 more than the hostel’s 20% off promotional rate (RM60 per night) but with flexible booking terms. This room rate includes free cancelation up to 1 day before the first night & a pay later option. My bank charged me ₱1,619.82 including the foreign conversion fee for this 2-night stay. I paid ₱809.91 pesos per night for this private single room. I believe it was still a good deal considering the type of room I had & the hostel’s location & amenities. Know more about the room amenities in the next section below.

In case you haven’t read it, I also post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines , Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Like any other hostel, PODs The Backpackers Home & Café has a long list of facilities & amenities that guests can enjoy during their stay.

Free & Fast Wi-Fi – All guests have access to free & fast Wi-Fi connection. Don’t forget to ask reception what’s the password. The hostel’s connection is reliable; it allowed me to host seamless Zoom meetings.

Café & Restaurant – The hostel has an on-site café & restaurant named TeaPODs Café. The café & restaurant is owned by a Filipino. From what I was told, they serve a wide range of cuisines all day & they even have a long list of Filipino dishes.

Well-Maintained Communal Shower & Toilet Areas – The hostel has minimum 2 communal shower cubicles & 2 toilet areas per floor. The staff cleans these shared facilities on a daily basis.

Rooftop Communal Space – The hostel has a rooftop communal space which guests can access. The rooftop area has chairs, tables & a couch where people can stay & chill. It has a nice view of the KL Sentral skyline, especially at night.

Communal Social / Lounge Area – In case guests don’t want to use the rooftop space, they can also chill & hangout in the ground floor communal area.

Private Room Amenities – Guests booked in private rooms are given bath towels to use during their stay. They can use the large cabinets inside the rooms; they also have full control of the rooms’ ceiling fans. They also have access to universal power sockets; they don’t need to bring their own adaptors.

Travel Desk – The hostel has a dedicated travel desk that offers guided tours around Kuala Lumpur & Malaysia. Feel free to ask reception for details.

Luggage Storage – PODs The Backpackers Hostel offers luggage storage for their guests both before check-in & after check-out.

Laundry Services – The hostel also offers laundry services. Feel free to check with reception if you want to avail of this service.

Ironing Facilities – Guests can iron their clothes using the iron & ironing board on the 1^st floor.

Drinking Water Refill – Guests can refill their water bottles / containers near the reception area.

Seasonal Hostel Activities – Once in a while, the hostel organizes activities which guests can join & enjoy. Don’t forget to ask reception if there’s anything scheduled during your stay.

Games Area – The hostel also has some board & card games which guests can play with during their stay. Guests can use these board & card games for free.

Safe Deposit Boxes at Concierge – They have safe deposit boxes which guests can use to store their valuables.

Shoe Storage Areas & In-Room Slippers – The hostel asks guests to leave their shoes near the floor entrance & use in-room slippers while inside their respective rooms.

Centralized Air Conditioning System – The hostel’s air conditioning system is centralized. It is usually turned on at 8:00pm & runs for 12 hours until 8:00am. Outside these hours, guests can use the ceiling fans installed in every room.

Long Reception Hours – PODs The Backpackers Hostel’s reception is open everyday from 8:00am to 2:00am.

Printing & Scanning Services – The hostel offers printing & scanning services to its guests. These services area available in the reception desk.

Friendly & Responsive Staff – The hostel staff are friendly, hospitable & responsive. The people assigned in the reception desk during my check-in & check-out where very accommodating. They answered all my questions & explained every single detail about my stay. The person behind their Facebook page is also responsive & pleasant to talk to.

Secured Hostel Access – Only hostel guests can access & go inside the private & dormitory rooms. Guests are given key cards during check-in that work on their assigned floor / level.

Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags don’t need to worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has a lift which guests can use to get up & down from their assigned rooms / beds.

Hostel Experience

I had a great 2-night stay with PODs The Backpackers Home & Café. Their single pods are perfect for those who want to stay in affordable accommodation at the same time having some privacy away from the usual dormitory rooms. I liked how the mattresses inside the rooms were placed above the built-in platforms. I enjoyed the hostel’s facilities & amenities such as the fast & reliable Wi-Fi connection, the well-maintained rain showers & toilets & the spacious rooftop terrace. I also laud the hostel’s eco-friendly measures of recycling materials & avoiding single-use plastics. I believe the hostel’s ace is their location; it is accessible to almost all places in Kuala Lumpur.

I was a bit sad I didn’t get the chance to try out the food & drinks at TeaPODs Café. I was supposed to have lunch there after check-out but I was told they were closed for general cleaning. If there’s one thing that I didn’t like about the facilities, it’s the poor ventilation of the single pod assigned to me during my stay. The room had no windows (which I don’t mind really) but it would have been nicer if it had an exhaust. I had to open the door once in a while just to keep the room temperature bearable, especially during the day. Other than that, I think this hostel is really good.

The hostel location paired with their budget-friendly rates & awesome facilities make this property a true backpacker’s home. The hostel was quiet during my visit but it is still nice to see that people are starting to travel & visit Kuala Lumpur again. I hope to stay with this hostel again on my next visit to the city!

Do you have questions about the hostel & their facilities? Feel free to contact them in the following platforms.

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café
Address: G-6, No 30, Jalan Thambipillay, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone Number: +60 3 2276 0858
E-mail Address: admin@podsbackpacker.com
Website: www.podsbackpacker.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/podsbackpackers
Instagram: www.instagram.com/podsbackpackers

Have you recently stayed in a hostel? How was your experience compared to the pre-pandemic days? Feel free to share your hostel experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about my stay with PODs The Backpackers Home & Café? Post them in the comments below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature! I am happy that this section is back & I cannot wait to share more hostels & experiences in the future. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: LUB D MAKATI – Posh & Affordable City Center Hostel Perfect for Your Next Staycation

Lately, I came across old phone photos about a really good hostel in the heart of Makati City – Lub d Makati. I’ve stayed with this hostel a few times in the past but never thought of writing about it. Well, I’ve featured hostels from Boracay & Palawan & as far as Taiwan, Australia, Japan, Czech Republic & Denmark; I thought of finally featuring this city gem. Welcome to today’s hostel of the day feature. Join me as I run you through the hostel’s features & amenities. Know why Lub d Makati is the perfect choice for your post-pandemic staycation.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Lub D Hostels & Lub D Makati

Lub d is a small Bangkok-based hostel group. The group has properties in 3 Southeast Asian countries. The hostel group has 3 properties in Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket & Koh Samui), 1 property in Cambodia (Siem Reap) & 1 property in the Philippines (Makati – today’s hostel of the day feature).

Lub d Makati is the hostel group’s first property in the Philippines. The hostel opened in 2018 in the heart of Makati City – one of the metro’s busiest cities. It features 153 private rooms & 10 dormitory rooms in a simple multi-storey building (from the outside) with beautifully designed interiors. The hostel has various features & amenities which will all be discussed below.

Location & Access

Lub d Makati is located at 7820 Makati Avenue, Makati City. The hostel is in a busy commercial area full of restaurants, bars, hotels, offices & condominiums. It is accessible to the public via jeepneys & taxis. The nearest shopping malls are about 2 kilometers. The airport is about 20-30 minutes away without traffic.

The hostel’s location is a 10 out of 10. The nearest convenience store is a few meters walk from the property. Restaurants are found in front or beside the hostel building. The nearest supermarket is a few meters walk from the hostel. The hostel is 300 meters away from Poblacion – Makati’s famous night out spot. The only downside of its location is the traffic congestion (which I don’t mind) outside the hostel’s doors.

Room Options

Lub d Makati caters to all kinds of guests – whether you’re a solo traveler spending a night in Manila before going to the islands, a couple leaving after a long holiday in the Philippines or groups who just want to go on a staycation. The hostel has 153 private rooms divided into double, twin & barkada rooms. It also has 10 dormitory rooms with 8 beds each. These rooms are configured either as female only or mixed dormitory rooms.

My friends & I would usually book the 16 sq m barkada room for 4. This room has either a double or twin beds & 2 single beds in the mezzanine. The room has a private shower & toilet, complete with towels, shampoo & liquid soap. Each baraka room has air conditioning, a cable television, a small refrigerator, a safety deposit box, an electric kettle, glasses, cups & 4 free bottles of water. All private rooms have almost the same layout, except for the additional mezzanine beds in the barkada room.

I never tried staying on their dormitory rooms but I’ve read from their website that each air-conditioned room is spacious at 36 sq m. Each bed has a private reading light, privacy curtain, universal power outlet & USB charging port, individual locker, a complete bedding set & bath towel. Guests staying in a dormitory room have access to shared shower area & toilet.

A bed in the dormitory room can cost as low as below ₱500 per night depending on season & length of stay. The private double & twin rooms can cost as low as a little over ₱2,000 per night while the barkada room can cost as low as a little over ₱3,000 per night during low season. To be honest, I never paid more than ₱3,000 during my previous stay with Lub d Makati. I always book my stay with 3^rd party companies like Agoda, Booking.com & Traveloka & avail of their promotions & discounts for lower room rates.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Lub d Makati boasts a long list of facilities & amenities their guests can enjoy. It may not have a swimming pool unlike their properties in other countries, but it surely has other perks which guests can still avail.

Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to free high-speed wireless internet connection in common areas & inside the rooms.

On-site Café & Snack Bar – The hostel has an on-site café & snack bar near the reception area. This café serves coffee, breakfast & snacks.

Rooftop Bar & Restaurant – Lub d Makati has a rooftop bar & restaurant which offers a good view of Makati skyline. Essential goodness, for the pilgrims is found in the 13^th floor of the hostel building & is open to serve customers from breakfast to dinner.

Communal Social Area – The hostel as a large communal social area by the reception area. The area has cozy chairs with a view of Makati Avenue.

Media Room – Lub d Makati has a media room where guests can chill & watch something.

Co-Working Space – The hostel has a co-working space open for everyone. Rates include the use of spacious tables & high-speed Wi-Fi connection. Check out the hostel’s website for the updated rates & membership fees.

Private Meeting Room – Guests who need to host meetings can use the hostel’s private meeting room. Please approach the hostel reception if you want to use this room.

Guest Activities & Tours – Lub d Makati hosts daily activities & games for the guests. Check out the latest activities in the activity board near reception. They also offer different tours around Metro Manila. Feel free to ask reception on what are the available tours during your stay.

Communal & Private Amenities – The property has clean & well-maintained toilets & amenities both inside the rooms & in the communal areas.

Games Area – The hostel has a small games area where guests can freely play pool, table football & other games. There are also board games to borrow & enjoy!

Luggage Storage – Lub d Makati offers luggage storage for their guests both before check in & after check out.

Laundry Service – The hostel also offers laundry services. Check out with reception on where these facilities are found.

Private Room Amenities – Private rooms have small refrigerators, safety deposit boxes, in-room telephones, bottled waters, water kettles, coffee, glasses & cups.

24-Hour Reception – Lub d Makati’s reception is always manned. It is open to help guests & address guests’ concerns 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Welcoming & Friendly Staff – Lub d Makati’s staff are very friendly & welcoming. They make sure they talk to their guests & even briefs guests about the hostel’s facilities upon check-in. The hostel’s housekeeping staff are also friendly. They always greet guests in the hallways & in the lifts.

Free Parking – The hostel has free parking in the ground floor. Free parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags don’t need to worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has 2 lifts which only work with the use of the room key cards.

Secured Hostel Access – Lub d Makati guests are the only ones who have access to the hostel’s rooms. The room key cards only work on the assigned rooms, assigned floors (in the lifts) & in the communal floors – 2^nd floor reception & communal areas & 13^th floor rooftop bar & restaurant.

Experiences

I stayed with Lub d Makati for a few times in the last 2 years – all stays in their barkada room. I like the room layout – 2 beds in the ground & 2 beds in the mezzanine. All beds have a pillow, blanket, bath towel, personal light, 1 universal power outlet & 1 USB plug. The pillow & bed are comfortable.

The private rooms are well-designed & well-lighted. I fancy the small table between the beds & the powder / preparation area. I also like that the sink is outside the toilet & shower room, making it possible for people to use these facilities simultaneously. The rooms have cable television & cold air conditioning. All private rooms have a small window with dark curtains.

Check in & check out process are quick. The 2^nd floor hostel facilities are free to use for all guests. My friends & I played pool, table football & jenga during our stay in the hostel. The 2^nd floor communal area is spacious enough. I haven’t joined any hostel activity but I’ll be down to in my post-covid stay. Believe it or not, I haven’t tried the on-site café & snack bar & the rooftop bar & restaurant. My friends & I always go out of the hostel to eat.

Lub d Makati may not be the cheapest option in the area but it’s where you actually get the worth of every peso you paid. Their rates are still affordable compared to the properties of the same class or level. The rooms & communal areas are simple but well-designed – very instagrammable! With its long list of perks & facilities, it is the perfect property for your post-covid staycation with friends. I cannot wait for the situation to get better; I will bring my friends here for a night of catch-up.

In case you have questions to the hostel, you can contact them at the following platforms:

Lub d Philippines – Makati
Address: 7820 Makati Avenue, Brgy Poblacion, Makati City, Philippines 1210
Phone Number: +62 8542 6358 / +63 915 546 3309
E-mail Address: contact.makati@lubd.com
Website: www.lubd.com/makati
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lubdphmakati
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lub_d
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lubdmakati

Have you been to Lub d Makati? What do you think of the hostel, its rooms & facilities? Feel free to share your thoughts & comments below. For me, it is the perfect hostel for your barkada’s staycation. The hostel is posh; it has affordable rates. Its location is perfect & it has a long list of amenities to enjoy.

Do you have questions about the things & features mentioned above? You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please please please also follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.

I hope you also check out my other hostel of the day features! Thanks for joining me today. See you in the next one. Stay safe! ❤️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

A Dream Come True: 19 DAYS Around NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIC & DENMARK for Less Than ₱120,000 – Airfare, Accommodation & 12-Hour Singapore Stopover Included

Last October to November 2019, I flew to Europe all by myself for 19 days & went around Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark. I never thought this trip that took 7 years to plan would finally happen & that I would do everything alone & DIY – no help from any travel agency, consultant or whatsoever. If you’ve been following me the last few months, I’ve shared every single detail of this Euro trip from city itineraries, flight reports, to hostels & even local food. You can find all posts under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Going to Europe for a long trip like this is not a cheap trip to do. Some people spend hundreds of thousands on airfare & accommodation & add probably another hundred for food, pocket money & tours. I didn’t have that much savings for this kind of expensive trip so I did a lot of research to make it happen in a relatively affordable budget. AND I DID IT! I flew to Europe for 19 days around 4 countries including airfare, accommodation & a 12-hour Singapore stopover for less than ₱120,000 all in. Let me share with you how I made this trip of a lifetime possible.

Disclaimer: There are ways to make this trip even cheaper than what I spent – staying in cheaper hostels, taking low-cost carriers / buses with cutting trips, etc. – but I wanted to make it special (as a first time) & splurged a bit on some parts like food (& beers), high-rated hostels & better transportation options. Also, I only chose to visit 4 countries instead of hopping on from one country to the other after a day or two to have a better appreciation of every country / city. I am not a fan of rushed trips; I enjoy staying longer in one place or country.

In case you missed it last week, I posted an article on 11 Europe thrift hacks that I did on this trip. These thrift hacks helped me save on some expenses like food & tours. Check out that article here.

Air Tickets

I took the risk & booked a return ticket to Europe with Singapore Airlines during their January promotion with BPI Credit Cards. I got the economy class ticket from Manila to Amsterdam via Singapore & Copenhagen to Manila via Singapore for only 719.23 USD. The ticket includes 30-kilogram baggage allowance on all sectors, in-flight meals & snacks, personal entertainment screens & their 5-star Singaporean hospitality. My BPI credit card charged me ₱37,669.40 including foreign transaction fees. Not bad for a ticket to Europe considering it’s with Singapore Airlines, right?

Months before the trip, I figured out the route I’ll take & the countries I’ll visit. Then, I booked air tickets for my inter-European transfers. Train tickets were more expensive & would take a few changes while bus trips, even if cheap, will take ages & a few transfers before you reach the next city / country. I paid €67,40 for a plane ticket from Brussels, Belgium to Prague, Czech Republic on Brussels Airlines. I booked another ticket from Prague, Czech Republic to Copenhagen, Denmark on Czech Airlines for 1,588 Kč. Both tickets include 23-kilogram check in baggage. I got charged ₱4,000.85 & ₱3,658.88, respectively for these 2 tickets.

I booked these 3 tickets without a Schengen tourist visa. Some people don’t recommend this, but I took the risk & did it. I was confident that time that I will be granted visa for this trip & luckily, I got one.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Europe is not cheap. A dormitory bed in a hostel costs about €30 to €40 a night, depending on the room configuration & location. Hotels & private rooms are more expensive. I can’t afford them. I booked my hostels 4 months into the trip. All these hostel bookings had free cancellation options if I don’t push through. I became picky with the hostels I’ll stay with since it was my first time in Europe. I stayed in popular & high-rated hostels found in central & well-recommended locations.

I stayed with Generator Hostel in Amsterdam (₱8,885.82 for 4 nights – paid in Philippine Peso), Sleep Well Youth Hostel in Brussels (€122 for 4 nights – paid during check-in), DREAM Hostel in Prague (1,790 Kč for 4 nights – paid via credit card on check-in) & Steel House in Copenhagen (US$ 116.24 for 4 nights – paid via Agoda). I paid ₱26,117.54 for 16 nights in these 4 countries – roughly ₱1,632.25 per night in Philippine Peso or €28,49 per night in Euros. I think I still got a good deal from these hostels! It would’ve been cheaper if booked my stay at least 8-10 months before.

Travel Insurance

Schengen tourist visa applications require a travel insurance with up to €30,000 medical coverage for the duration of the trip, some even up to 15 to 30 days after the trip. I got my travel insurance coverage online from Standard Insurance; I got their Travel Protect Policy which covers up to €37,500 medical coverage for 19 days. I paid ₱1,918 for the 19-day coverage.

Tourist Visa

I applied for my own Schengen tourist visa with VFS Netherlands. The visa fee cost €60 (₱3,420) + ₱901 VFS handling fee. I opted for the passport delivery service instead of picking up my passport in the VFS office. I paid a small fee for the courier service. I previously shared in this website how I got my Schengen tourist visa without the help of any tour agency. Check out that Tuesday Tip post here.

Internet Sim Card

Traveling around Europe alone isn’t easy. I made sure I was connected to the internet for the whole duration of the trip. I bought an internet sim card from Pinoy Traveler’s Unlimited Data Sim Card on Facebook. The sim card was operated by Three UK & it included 12 GB of 3G/4G data & unlimited call & text in Europe & UK & 9 GB of 3G/4G data outside Europe & UK for 30 days. The sim card cost ₱1,600 with free shipping. The data, call & text services worked well during my stay in Singapore, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark.

Travel Tax

All Philippine passport holders are required to pay a travel tax of ₱1,620 before going out the country for holiday. I paid the travel tax right before I checked in for my flight from Manila to Singapore.

Daily Budget & Unexpected Expenses

I mentioned in my Europe thrift hacks post that I set a daily budget of €40 for food, transportation & entrance fees. I spent more in some days but I was traveling on a €30-€35 per day budget. There were days where I had to buy last-minute museum tickets (Heineken Experience & Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam), join guided tours (Canal Tour in Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken in Holland & Kutná Hora in Czech Republic) & go on side trips (Utrecht, Bruges, Ghent & Český Krumlov) which cost me more. I also bought last-minute train & bus tickets in Belgium & Czech Republic – the downsides of not following an itinerary.

I splurged on beers in all 4 countries; I paid more for food in Denmark (food there is expensive) but I’m happy I still had about €120 cash left at the end of the trip. I counted all my expenses from pocket money, to credit & debit card transactions & debit card withdrawals for 19 days. I spent ₱34,327.78 (around €600) for 17 full days (travel days not included) on food, transportation, walking tours, entry tickets, guided tours & beers – about €35 per day on average.

Singapore Stopover

My flight from Manila to Amsterdam had a 12-hour layover in Singapore. I took this time to meet 2 friends – one for lunch + milk tea & one for early dinner. I also used this time to walk around the beautiful city, check out a city library & walk around The Jewel at Changi Airport. I spent around S$50 (₱1,859.4 conversion that time) on this 12-hour stop – food, drinks & transportation included.

Summary of Expenses

After all the costs & numbers mentioned above, let’s see how much I actually spent for the trip.

Exchange rate at the time of trip: €1 = ₱57.3 Exchange rates of purchases & withdrawals vary. There you go! I spent ₱117,092.85 pesos for a 19-day trip around 4 European Countries – Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark – with air tickets, accommodation costs & a 12-hour Singapore stopover included. If you’ll include the transportation expenses during the visa application process, to & from the airport when I left & arrived, it’ll be somewhere around ₱118,500 – still less than ₱120,000!

Don’t get me wrong, ₱117,092.85 is a very big amount but we’re talking about a 19-day trip to Europe here flying with one of the world’s premium airlines – Singapore Airlines & visiting first world & expensive countries like Netherlands, Belgium & Denmark. I couldn’t believe this when I listed all my expenses after the trip. I wanted this trip to be fun, memorable & spontaneous & I’m happy it turned out to be a trip of a lifetime. This solo trip to Europe is so far my longest, most expensive & most memorable experience I’ve had in my life. Every single peso spent was worth it!

Blog List

In case you’re interested in the posts about this trip, check out the blog list below.

FLIGHT REPORTS ✈️

SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – 5-Star Economy Class Experience In A New Generation Boeing Dreamliner
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 324 – Singapore to Amsterdam – My First Ever 13-Hour Flight That Didn’t Feel Like One
BRUSSELS AIRLINES SN 2811 – Brussels to Prague – Belgium’s Flag Carrier & My First Ever European Airline Experience
CZECH AIRLINES OK 502 – Prague to Copenhagen – Czech Republic’s National Carrier & World’s Fifth Oldest Operating Airline
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 351 – Copenhagen to Singapore – Cozy & Enjoyable 12-Hour Window Seat Economy Class Flight Back to Asia
SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 912 – Singapore to Manila – 3-Hour Remarkable Economy Class Experience Aboard A 15-Year Old Aircraft

HOSTEL FEATURES 🏨

GENERATOR AMSTERDAM – An Old University Building Turned Award-Winning Economy Accommodation
SLEEP WELL YOUTH HOSTEL BRUSSELS – Eco-Friendly City Center Hostel with Excellent Free Buffet Breakfast
DREAM HOSTEL PRAGUE – Stylish & Budget-Friendly Backpacker Hostel in New Town
STEEL HOUSE COPENHAGEN – 4 Nights in Danish Capital’s New York-Inspired Industrial Style Luxury Accommodation

VISA APPLICATION & TIPS ✍️

Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application With VFS NETHERLANDS
11 EUROPE THRIFT HACKS You Should Know
10 THINGS TO KNOW Before Traveling To Europe

NETHERLANDS 🇳🇱

AMSTERDAM – Beautiful Canals, Colorful Houses & Interesting Museums In A Bustling City
UTRECHT- Unplanned Afternoon Visit To Netherlands’ Underrated Canal City
NORTH HOLLAND COUNTRYSIDE – A Day Trip To The Cheese Farm & Clogs Factory, Windmills & Waterlands
6 Dutch Delis I Enjoyed

BELGIUM 🇧🇪

BRUSSELS – Belgium’s Center, Europe’s Capital & Most Boring City?
BRUGES – Cobbled Alleys, Gingerbread Houses & Pretty Canals in Belgium’s Picture-Perfect City
GHENT – Belgium’s Underrated Port City
5 Must Try Belgian Treats

CZECH REPUBLIC 🇨🇿

PRAGUE – Europe’s Most Beautiful Capital City
KUTNÁ HORA – Day Trip To Central Bohemia’s Medieval Silver Mining Town
ČESKÝ KRUMLOV – Czechia’s Quaint Fairy Tale Town
4 Czech Eats To Savor

DENMARK 🇩🇰

COPENHAGEN – Walking Around Denmark’s Wonderful Capital City
7 Danish Delicacies Not To Miss
7 Interesting Observations About Denmark

Thank you for joining me in today’s Euro trip summary. I’ve made use of the pandemic to finish all the posts about this trip. It’s a shame that my next planned trip to Europe this October won’t push through, but it won’t stop me from planning my next trip to this beautiful continent. We may all be stuck in our own homes but we’ll surely go back to the time when travelling is safe & sound. It’s never too late to give up on your dream trips to Europe! Make use of this downtime to research about the cities & countries you want to visit & plan out the route you’ll take.

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Is there anything you want to ask how I planned the trip in general? Or maybe how I did it? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send it via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. I’ll finish the post with this.. I DID IT – 19 DAYS AROUND NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIC & DENMARK FOR LESS THAN ₱120,000 ALL IN & I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel of the Day: STEEL HOUSE COPENHAGEN – 4 Nights in Danish Capital’s New York-Inspired Industrial Style Luxury Accommodation

After landing in Copenhagen Airport from that Czech Airlines flight from Prague, I claimed my luggage, took the train to the city & went straight to Steel House Copenhagen – my hostel in Copenhagen for my last 4 nights in Europe. This New York-inspired industrial style luxury accommodation will be today’s hostel of the day feature. Find out in the post below how this hostel differs from DREAM Hostel Prague, Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels & Generator Amsterdam, the other hostels I stayed with throughout this trip to Europe.

In case you didn’t know, I went on 19-day trip around 4 countries in Europe late last year. I started my trip in the Netherlands & went around Amsterdam, Utrecht & North Holland. From there, I took the bus & went to Belgium. I stayed in the country for 4 full days & walked around Brussels, Bruges & Ghent. I flew to Czech Republic & settled in Prague for another full days. I also took day trips to Kutná Hora & Český Krumlov. I finished my trip in the beautiful city of Copenhagen (blog to follow) in Denmark. The details & posts that talk about this Europe trip of a lifetime can be found under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Steel House Copenhagen

Steel House Copenhagen is one of the city’s newest & renowned hostel properties. The hostel sits in the former Danish Union of Metalworkers building which has been transformed into a modern & well-designed luxury hostel accommodation. The hostel lives up to its luxury hostel vibe by providing hotel-like amenities & extraordinary shared facilities which you will know more about later in the post. The hostel has 253 rooms which are divided into dormitory & private rooms.

The hostel is owned & managed by Arp-Hansen Hotel Group – Copenhagen’s biggest chain of privately-owned & centrally-located hospitality properties.

Location & Access

Steel House Copenhagen is located in the hip neighborhood of Vesterbo, next to Nørrebro, Frederiksberg. It is in Herholdtsgade 6 & is 2-minute walk away from Vesterport Station of the Boulevard Line. It is also 10 minutes away by foot from Copenhagen’s main train station known as Københavns Hovedbanegård or København H. It is also 10 to 20-minute walk to most of Copenhagen’s tourist spots.

The nearest convenience store is 2 minutes away; the nearest supermarket is 3-5 minutes away. There are many pubs & restaurants near the hostel. Copenhagen Airport (CPH), Københavns Lufthavn in local language & Denmark’s main airport, is 30 minutes away from the hostel & can be accessed via the train (walking included). The journey from Copenhagen Central Station to Copenhagen Airport Station takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The hostel’s location is perfect. It is within the city & is walkable to almost everywhere in the city center.

Room Options & Rates

Steel House Copenhagen has a total of 1,154 beds in 253 rooms which guests can occupy in 1 night. These rooms are divided into private & dormitory rooms. The property has 64 private rooms offered in single, double & twin bed (with & without balconies) configurations. It also has 54 rooms with 4 dormitory beds each formatted in 2 semi-private bunks. The largest type of room they have is the 6-bed dormitory rooms in 135 rooms. The dormitory rooms are configured into mixed or female-only rooms. Nightly rates vary per room, bed & season. The beds in the 6-bed dormitory room are usually the cheapest. It can go as low as 125 DKK (Danish kroner) per night.

Private & dormitory rooms all have their own shower & toilet areas with quality shampoo, liquid soap & conditioner. Rooms have enough storage space (lockers for dormitory rooms) for luggage. All rooms have air conditioning. Each dormitory bed has a luxurious mattress with fresh linen, a personal power socket / outlet, a reading light & a small pouch or storage space by the bed. Private room guests have access to televisions in their rooms plus the option to upgrade to rooms with wooden terraces. The hostel provides towels to all guests free-of-charge.

I stayed in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room for 4 nights. I booked my stay with Agoda & paid $116.24 for all 4 nights – later charged as ₱6,210.98 by my bank. The rate didn’t include breakfast. The dormitory beds are semi-private with unique design. The mattress was comfortable to sleep with & the facilities are clean & well-maintained. The hostel provided towels & big lockers which fit my medium-sized luggage. Our room had a nice view of Sankt Jørgens Sø (St George’s Lake) in Copenhagen.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Steel House Copenhagen offers a long list of facilities & amenities which all guests can enjoy. This is by far the longest list of amenities I’ve had in all hostel of the day features in this website.

Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to ultra-fast Wi-Fi connection inside the rooms & in the common areas.

Café & Bar – The hostel has an in-house café & bar where guests can grab something to eat & drink. They have a happy hour promo of 1+1 on Carlsberg & Tuborg beers every Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Breakfast Bag – The hostel sells breakfast bags every morning for 49 DKK. They don’t have breakfast buffets or breakfast meals; these healthy breakfast bags will do. It has a bun, a small bottle of juice, a fruit bar & a cup of coffee or tea.

Free Unlimited Water Refills – One of the best things about Steel House Copenhagen is the free unlimited water refills from the tap in the common area. Tap water in Denmark is clean & potable.

Communal Lounge Areas – The hostel has spacious communal lounge areas beside the café & bar. Guests can choose from the comfortable couches to the wooden tables & chairs.

Night Concerts & Jamming Sessions – The hostel hosts small concerts & jamming sessions in the communal area beside the café & bar. They invite local artists to perform in the lounge area & to serenade or jam with the guests.

Private Amenities & Communal Toilets – All rooms have their own private hot & cold shower & toilets complete with complimentary shampoo, conditioner & liquid soap. There are also communal amenities in the basement for those who are in the common areas.

Self-Service Kitchen – The hostel has a luxurious & fully-equipped kitchen which guests can use during their stay. Access to this kitchen costs 20 DKK for the duration of stay. Guests who buy access to this kitchen can store food in the fridge & cook their own food. This kitchen room is open daily from 6:00 am to 12:00 am.

Fitness Center – Steel House Copenhagen has a small gym or fitness center with limited equipment. Access to this fitness facility costs 20 DKK for 2 hours per session. The fitness center is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.

Swimming Pool – Guests can enjoy a bath in the hostel’s 40 sq m swimming pool for 20 DKK. The pass is good for 2 hours. The swimming pool is open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Games Room – Guests can kill time by playing pool, table football or shuffleboard in the games room.

Cinema Room – The hostel has a small cinema room that can accommodate up to 25 people. They show movies & sports games in this communal room found in the lower ground floor.

SoMe Garden – Steel House Copenhagen has set-up 12 communal & free-for-all tablets where guests can browse the internet, open their social media accounts, catch-up on YouTube videos & plan the next leg of their trip. It is also the perfect place to do some work if you are working in between holidays.

Venue Area – The hostel has a multi-purpose venue or space in the lower ground floor for small events like comedy shows, band concerts & presentations.

Television Room – Guests who want to catch-up on shows & news they’re watching can do so in the television room found in the lower basement level.

Paid Luggage Storage – Guests who need to leave their luggage before check-in & after check-out can store them in the storage room for 20 DKK for 3 hours, 35 DKK for 6 hours & 50 DKK for 24 hours.

Laundry Facilities – The hostel has a laundry room in the lower ground floor. Access to these self-service laundry facilities cost 20 DKK per guest.

24-Hour Reception – Steel House Copenhagen’s reception area is open for 24 hours. There will always be someone who will smile & welcome you every time you arrive at the hostel you.

Express Check-in & Check-out – The hostel has a cool express check-in & check-out system. Guests who will check-in need to complete the guest form in one of the computers in front of reception then just claim their access cards from the staff. Guests who will check-out only need to drop their access cards in the drop box by the reception area.

Welcoming & Friendly Staff – The hostel’s staff are very welcome & friendly. They greeted me with a smile when I arrived from the airport. Those in the reception smile to everyone going inside the hostel. They even engage guests into small talks. These lovely people made my stay memorable.

Daily Activities – Aside from the night concerts & jamming sessions, Steel House also hosts other activities with guests such as games & quiz nights, yoga & capoeira sessions, running activities & pub crawls. Schedules vary per week so it’s always best to check the weekly activities posted inside the elevators.

Free Walking Tours – The hostel has partnered with the touring company to offer a free (well, tip-based) tour around Copenhagen. This walking tour happens every day & starts at 10:20 am in the reception area.

Basement Car Parking – Steel House has 60 car parking spaces underneath the hostel. Guests can park their cars in this parking facility for 210 DKK per 24 hours. Car parking spaces cannot be reserved & follows a “first come, first serve” policy.

Bicycle Rental – Copenhagen, just like Amsterdam, is a great city to cycle around. The hostel offers bicycle rental for 125 DKK for a day until midnight. I didn’t have the chance to cycle around the city but it’s something I’ll do next time.

Lift Access – Hostel guests have access to lifts up to their rooms. This makes luggage easy to be brought up to & down from the rooms.

Secured Hostel Access – Steel House gives their hostel guests a key card or access card that only works on your specific level & room. Only guests can go up to & down from their rooms.

Experience

My 4-night stay in Steel House Copenhagen & around Copenhagen was the perfect way to end this 19-day Going Solo in Europe trip. To be honest, there were other relatively cheaper hostels around the city. But I opted to treat myself by staying in this hostel. I paid more to stay in Steel House Copenhagen & I had no regrets. Who would ever think I’ll stay in this luxury hostel for 4 nights in such an expensive country like Denmark?

This hostel impressed me from the time I arrived in the hostel up to check-out. The staff welcomed me with their best smiles, pointed me to the express check-in kiosk then gave me my key card afterwards. They also granted my request of staying in a lower bunk bed. They have small chitchats with the guests every time they order in the bar & café.

The room size was enough for 4 people to stay in. The lockers were big to fit my medium-sized luggage. The semi-private bunk beds had a nice design; the bed was comfortable to sleep in. I like that each room had a private toilet & shower. The rooms are cleaned daily. My only issue with the bathroom & toilet is its automatic lighting system. The bathroom lights turn off when they do not detect any movement for a certain time. I always need to go out of the shower area to activate the lighting system.

The hostel makes sure that all guests have a good time by organizing daily activities from walking tours, to daily exercise sessions, games & quiz nights to jamming nights & pub crawls. The weekend happy hour 1+1 promo on beers is a big plus for me. Beers in Copenhagen or in Denmark in general are expensive compared to Prague’s so these promos are much appreciated. It came to a point (during my last night in Steel House) where I ordered for 4 glasses of Carlsberg & got 8 because of the happy hour. Don’t worry, I only had 4 & the other 4 was for my friend Mads.

One thing Generator Amsterdam, Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels & DREAM Hostel Prague had which Steel House Copenhagen didn’t is buffet breakfast. I know they have breakfast bags for 49 DKK but it would have been a full-package if they had this kind of breakfast option for guests. I guess I only expected them to have one because all my 3 past hostels had it. However, it’s not a major issue for me. I still enjoyed the treats inside the breakfast bag.

Steel House also made up for the breakfast part by having an unlimited free water refill option for guests. The other 3 hostels I stayed with didn’t have this option. In a continent like Europe where is more of a luxury, having the unlimited free water refill feature is such a lifesaver. Thank you, Steel House, for this amenity.

Steel House Copenhagen has the best range of facilities & amenities in all the hostels I stayed with so far. Imagine a hostel with a fitness center, a swimming pool, a self-service kitchen, games room, lounge area, television room, cinema, events space, café & bar? Even though access to some of these facilities come with a price, I still can’t over the fact this hostel has these amenities which are mostly found in hotels. Take note, all these areas are all clean & well-maintained. Steel House Copenhagen is one of a kind – they live up the expectations of being a luxury hostel.

Overall, I had an excellent stay with Steel House Copenhagen. This was the best hostel among the hostels I’ve stayed with in this trip & probably in the top 3 hostels I’ve stayed with in my life. The hostel has been superb in all aspects – from the rooms, the beds to the communal facilities, amenities, staff & guest activities. I realized I got so much more than the ₱1,552.75 (roughly $30) I paid per night. Will I go back to Steel House? Yes. Will I recommend this hostel to everyone? Hell yes! Look no further, book your stay with this hostel when you are in Copenhagen. Oh, book early as they sell out all 1,154 beds on some days.

In case you have questions to Steel House Copenhagen, you may reach them on the following platforms:

Steel House Copenhagen
Address: Herholdtsgade 6 DK-1605 København V
Number: +45 3317 7110
E-mail Address: reservations@steelhousecopenhagen.com
Website: www.steelhousecopenhagen.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/steelhousecopenhagen
Instagram: www.instagram.com/steel_house_copenhagen

What do you think of Steel House Copenhagen? Have you ever stayed in a hostel that has hotel-like facilities like this? What & where is this hostel? How was your stay? Share your luxury hostel experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about my experience or about the hostel? You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I will try my best to answer these questions as soon as possible.

Thank you for joining me in today’s hostel of the day feature. I think this has been my longest entry so far. Steel House Copenhagen offers so much to its guest. This also marks the last hostel to feature from my Going Solo in Europe series. I hope you enjoyed this & my other features on Generator Amsterdam, Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels & DREAM Hostel Prague.

Please don’t forget to follow me on social media – Facebook & Instagram. Have a nice day & please stay safe!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel of the Day: DREAM HOSTEL PRAGUE – Stylish & Budget-Friendly Backpacker Hostel in New Town

Another day, another hostel to feature! My recent Going Solo in Europe posts showed the places I visited around Prague, Kutná Hora & Český Krumlov in Czech Republic. I spent 4 out of the 17 days in Czech Republic & I stayed in a stylish & budget-friendly hostel named DREAM Hostel Prague. This backpacker hostel will be today’s hostel of the day feature. This is also my 3^rd European hostel after staying with Generator Hostel in Amsterdam & Sleep Well Youth Hostel in Brussels. Allow me to share some facts about this lovely Prague hostel & how my stay with them went.

Welcome to today’s Hostel of the Day feature – the cheap, cozy & central DREAM Hostel Prague 🇨🇿

Czech Republic was the 3^rd country I visited during my 19-day (flights included) solo trip to Europe last October to November 2019. I started my journey in the Netherlands & visited Amsterdam, Utrecht & North Holland. After a few days, I went down to Belgium & explored Brussels, Ghent & Bruges, I flew to Czech Republic & walked around Prague, Kutná Hora & Český Krumlov. The last leg of this 2.5-week trip was Denmark. I decided to just spend the last few days around the beautiful Copenhagen. If you want to know the details about this Euro trip of a lifetime, check out all the posts under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Dream Hostels & Dream Hostel Prague

DREAM Hostels is a new generation of backpacker hostels located mainly in Ukraine & Central Europe. DREAM Hostels provide budget-friendly & cozy (hotel-like) accommodation, have nice & engaging staff & feature a solo-traveler friendly hostel atmosphere. DREAM Hostels are mainly found around Ukraine (Kiev, Lviv, Poltava, Zaporozhye, Odessa, Rakhov) but also have international branches in Czech Republic, Poland & Slovakia.

I stayed in their Prague property for 4 nights last November 2019. Their hostel in Czech Republic is named DREAM Hostel Prague – a stylish & budget-friendly hostel in the center of New Town Prague. Know more about this hostel in the specifics below.

One of DREAM Hostel Prague’s chairs in the communal co-working space & lounge near reception.

Location & Access

DREAM Hostel Prague is located at Ve Smečkách 23 in New Town Prague. It is in one of the streets off Wenceslas Square, one of the famous & lively squares in Prague. The nearest metro stations are Muzeum & Můstek Stations. It is accessible to both subways & trams. It is near restaurants, cafes & shops. Old Town Prague is 15 minutes away by foot while Národní Muzeum (National Museum) is 5 minutes away by foot.

Václav Havel Airport Prague is about 12 kilometers away from the hostel. A trip from the airport to the hostel or vice versa can take around 35 minutes to 1 hour by taking the bus & the metro. DREAM Hostel Prague’s location is excellent. It is in the center of New Town Prague, in a very quiet but accessible street off Wenceslas Square.

Room Options

DREAM Hostel Prague offers various room & dormitory configurations to its guests. Those travelling on budget can stay in their 8-bed mixed, 8-bed female, 6-bed mixed & 4-bed mixed dormitory rooms. Couples, families or those travelling in small groups can opt to stay in the double or twin rooms, triple & quadruple rooms. Selected rooms have private amenities while most rooms have access to common toilet & shower areas. Rates per night vary depending on days & season. Peak seasons like summer & Christmas holidays cost more than the ordinary / off-peak seasons.

This is my bed in the 8-bed dormitory room. The bed was clean, all made-up & comfy to sleep on.

I booked my stay with Booking.Com & paid 1,880 Kč (₱4,030.14 including credit card charges in local currency) for 4 nights. It cost me around 470 Kč per night – ₱1,008 in local currency. The nightly rate includes a bed in a mixed dormitory room. All beds have curtains for privacy. Rooms have air conditioning & heating systems. Each bed has a plug, reading light, a personal shelf & a locker. Guests share toilets & bathrooms per floor.

I personally think the nightly rate was alright considering I booked my bed 2-3 months before my intended stay. The hostel’s rates are way cheaper than those I paid for Generator Amsterdam, Sleep Well Youth Hostel & Steel House Copenhagen.

Tip: It’s cheaper to book with them directly. Book early to get the best rates on your room of choice. Check out the rates on your planned stay here.

Guest Perks

DREAM Hostel Prague has a long list of perks guests can enjoy during their stay. Check out the list below:

Free Wi-Fi Access – Wi-Fi access is free for all guests of DREAM Hostel Prague. The wi-fi password is found in your key card holder & in the signage all over the hostel. Their connection is fast & reliable!

Affordable Breakfast Buffet – DREAM Hostel Prague offers an affordable breakfast buffet every morning from 8:00 am. The buffet costs 145 Kč on the day itself but is 20 Kč cheaper at 125 Kč per person if you buy it at least the day before. The buffet spread includes bread, jam, cereals, salad, ham, cheese, potatoes & sausages. Drinks such as coffee, tea, fruit juice & water are also included in the rate.

Stylish Indoor Communal Areas & Co-Working Spaces – The hostel has well-designed communal areas & co-working spaces. There is a long wooden table in front of reception for those who want to do some work. There are also couches & comfortable seats around.

Outdoor Garden & Sun Terrace – The hostel has an outdoor garden & sun terrace outside the kitchen & dining area. It is a perfect area to get some sun or to have some quiet time in the morning.

Communal Kitchen & Dining Area – Hostel guests have access to a communal kitchen & dining area. They can buy ingredients from the supermarket & cook their own meals in the kitchen. Once done cooking, guests can enjoy their meals in the spacious dining area beside it.

Clean & Well-Maintained Shower & Toilet Areas – DREAM Hostel Prague’s showers & toilets are some of the cleanest & well-maintained facilities I’ve seen in Europe. Staff clean them every morning & do checks at random times. It’s also the only hostel which has a bidet! I am one happy Asian!

Hostel Dog – One unique thing I found in this hostel is Sam, their hostel dog. This doggo walks freely around the hostel common areas during the day. This dog is nice & friendly. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.

Free Luggage Storage – The hostel offers free (yes, free!) luggage storage for all its incoming & outgoing guests. Luggage can be stored in the storage room at the back of reception area, just before the lifts. Make sure your bags have their own locks.

On-site Café & Bar – DREAM Hostel Prague has an on-site care & bar called MATES Café. They offer snacks, drinks & even alcoholic beverages for reasonable prices.

24-Hour Reception – The hostel’s reception is open 24 hours every day & 7 days a week. There’s always someone in reception to help guests out at any time of the day. No need to worry if you need to check out early or check in during the wee hours of the morning.

Friendly Multi-Lingual Staff – The hostel’s staff are very friendly & accommodating. They welcomed me with the best smiles & even gave recommendations on where to go or what to do during my stay. Some staff are multi-lingual, they speak a number of languages.

Amenity Shop & Rental – The hostel as small shop where guests can buy or rent travel essentials such as toothbrush, shampoo, etc.

Laundry Facility – DREAM Hostel Prague has a laundry facility in the basement. Guests may use it too. Make sure to ask reception for details / costs.

Secured Room Entry – All guests are given electronic key cards which only has access to their specific rooms. This ensures that no outsiders can randomly go inside the guest rooms.

Free Walking Tours & Anti-Tours – DREAM Hostel Prague has partnered with SANDEMANs New Europe for a daily free walking tour. A tour guide picks up hostel guests daily at 10:00 am for the 11:00 am free walking tour. The hostel also has anti-tours for those who want to know more about Prague. You may approach reception for more details.

Free Use of Board Games & Puzzles – Guests can play with the board games & puzzles for free while killing some time. These games & puzzles are found in front of the café / reception area.

Lift Access – Guests, especially those with large suitcases, can take the lift up to the rooms without having to carry them.

Experience

I had a lovely 4-night stay at DREAM Hostel Prague. Coming from the expensive cities of Amsterdam & Brussels, I feel like I had some relief paying for an affordable hostel at least in one of the cities I visited. The hostel’s facilities are great. I like the set-up of the common areas & the co-working spaces near the reception – stylish & very pleasing to the eyes. This area is also guest-friendly – a fun place to meet new people who are also travelling. I quite a good bunch of people in this hostel.

This long table in front of reception was probably my most favorite part in the hostel. It’s so cozy!!

The hostel’s location is a winner. It’s located in a quiet street off the busy Wenceslas Square. It actually is in a street of strip clubs & bars but the hostel is safe. I didn’t even hear any noise from those establishments during night-time. The hostel is near the highlights of New Town Prague & is also 15 minutes away by foot from the Old Town highlights. It’s also very accessible to public transportation.

I stayed in an 8-bed mixed dormitory room for 4 nights. The rooms were spacious enough. The beds had curtains for privacy & even positioned in such a way that all guests don’t face each other when sleeping. The beds were spacious & comfortable to sleep in. The shower & toilet beside our room was well-maintained & spot clean.

The hostel paid breakfast was superb. I enjoyed having the sausages (with ketchup) & fried potatoes every morning. The drinks selection was also great. The hostel staff were nice & friendly. They entertained all my questions & even helped me find the best & cheapest way to Český Krumlov. To be honest, I can’t think of a bad thing to stay about this lovely hostel. I mean it!

DREAM Hostel Prague is not the cheapest (but still cheap) hostel option in the city. There are other properties which are cheaper but noisy & less private. This hostel is a perfect example of a property that offers clean & well-maintained facilities, guest privacy in rooms, cozy common areas & excellent guest services for an affordable price. It may not be super duper mega cheap (but it is still very cheap in European standards lol) as the others but it surely gives worth to every money spent in the hostel. I would love to go back in DREAM Hostel Prague again in the future!

Here are the hostel’s contact details for future reference:

DREAM Hostel Prague
Address: 600/23 Ve Smečkách St. Prague, Czech Republic 11000
Phone Numbers: +420 601 576 992 / +420 222 522 650
E-Mail Address: prague@dream-hostels.com
Website: www.dream-hostels.com/en/prague
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DREAMHostelPrague
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dream_hostels

What do you think of DREAM Hostel Prague compared to Generator Amsterdam & Sleep Well Youth Hostel? I will choose DREAM Hostel Prague every single time. The other 2 hostels are also great but this just gives you more than what you actually pay for. It’s also way cheaper than the other two. Do you have any questions about today’s hostel feature? Drop them in the comments section below. I’ll answer them later. Do you have anything to ask about Prague, Kutná Hora, Český Krumlov or Czech Republic in general? Send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll make sure to answer you in no time.

If you want to know more about my Europe 2019 trip, check out the posts under the Going Solo in Europe category. You’ll know more about this trip of a lifetime. Oh, can I ask for a favor? Can you help me out & follow me on my social media platforms – Facebook & Instagram? I still have a lot of travel-related content to share so please watch out for them.

Thank you for joining me in today’s hostel of the day feature. Until next time!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.