Tag: Hostels

Hostel Of The Day: SLEEP WELL YOUTH HOSTEL BRUSSELS – Eco-Friendly City Center Hostel with Excellent Free Buffet Breakfast

Hello & welcome to newest hostel of the day feature! After sharing with you my experiences around Brussels, Bruges & Ghent, it’s time to give details about Sleep Well Youth Hostel – the hostel I stayed with while in Belgium.

Sleep Well Youth Hostel is one of Brussels’ leading hostel. It started out as a youth home which eventually accepted young travelers. Through the years, it catered to more & more travelers & thus became to what it is now. It is an eco-friendly hostel in the center of Brussels. It offers affordable accommodation to those travel in a budget at the same time caters to those who want some privacy during their holidays. The hostel makes sure their operations have minimal impact to the environment by practicing environment-friendly measures. They also play an active role in the socioeconomic development of Belgium & its citizens.

I stayed with Sleep Well Youth Hostel for 4 full days & 4 nights after spending 5 days around Amsterdam, Utrecht, North Holland & The Netherlands in general. Oh, make sure to check out Generator Hostel Amsterdam – the hostel I stayed with while in Holland. Today, allow me to share with you details about this amazing hostel in Brussels. As always, I’ll run you through the hostel’s location, rooms & its amenities. I will also share bits about my stay in the hostel.

In case you missed it, I went on a 19-day Europe trip to Europe last October-November 2019. In these 19 days, I went & explored The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark. If you want to know the details of this Euro-trip, feel free to check out the posts under the Going Solo in Europe series.

Location & Access

Sleep Well Youth Hostel is a short-stay hostel in the center of Brussels. It is located in Rue du Damier 23, a street off the city’s shopping street. Rogier Station is the nearest metro station to the hostel. Brussels North Station & Brussels Central Station are about 10 to 15-minute walk away from the hostel doorstep. Brussels South Station is a metro ride away to Rogier Station. The nearest metro station exit to the hostel is Rue Nueve exit. Brussels Airport is 30 minutes by train from both North & Central Stations. Brussels Charleroi Airport is an hour bus ride from Brussels South Station. All means of going to Brussels go through these main hubs. You’ll easily find your way to this hostel.

The hostel’s location is perfect. There is a restaurant beside the hostel, a shopping center a few meters away & even more restaurants & food places 5-10 minutes from the hostel doors. Guests don’t need to take the metro or taxi to the important sights since most of them are walk-able from the hostel. Grand Place, Brussels’ most beautiful place, is 10 minutes away by foot.

Accommodation Options & Pricing

Sleep Well Youth Hostel has 3 types of rooms that cater to all kinds of travelers. Those who are in budget can stay in their dormitory rooms. These dormitory rooms have 3, 4 & 6 beds & are split between males & females. Rates per night are as follows: €26 for the 6-bed, €27,50 for the 4-bed & €31 for the 3-bed dormitory room. Those travelling in pairs can stay in the twin room at €36 per night. Solo travelers who want privacy can book the single room for €56 a night. These rooms have private shower & toilet but do not include towels & toiletries.

Sleep Well Hostel also offers upscale accommodation options for those who want to stay in a hotel-like room. Details about Sleep Well Star & Sleep Well Duplex accommodation options are found here.

I booked my stay directly with the hostel & stayed in a 3-bed male dormitory room. The room had single beds, a small work table, separate shower & toilet spaces & lockers (bring your own padlocks). The room had a big window but no air conditioning or fan – which I didn’t mind because it was cold during my visit. Each dormitory bed had sheets, a pillow & blanket, a reading light & 2 USB ports. I paid €122,00 for 4 nights with breakfast every morning. That’s 30,50 per night & around ₱1,800 in our currency. The hostel’s rate isn’t bad at all considering it already has breakfast buffet included. The nightly cost is standard in terms of European rates – at least it’s cheaper & of greater value than Generator Amsterdam’s.

Guest Amenities & Perks

Guests of Sleep Well Youth Hostel enjoy the following amenities & perks:

Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to the hostel’s fast Wi-Fi connection. Access is given during check-in; the log in details are in the key card case.

Excellent Free Breakfast – Guests can have breakfast hostel’s dining area from 7:00 to 10:00 in the morning. This is where this hostel sets the bar from any other hostel I’ve stayed with in this trip. Their buffet breakfast includes bread (with butter & jam), pasta, egg, cheese, cold cuts, vegetable salad, fruit mixes, cereals, yogurt & a variety of drinks – coffee, tea, juice, milk & water. I loved Sleep Well’s extensive breakfast choice for a hostel. On top of that – it’s already in the nightly rate you paid, unlike most hostels in Europe where you pay extra for breakfast.

Private Toilets & Shower Areas – All rooms have private & separate toilet & shower areas. Guests don’t need to line up for whichever area they need to use as these can be done simultaneously. Showers have both cold & hot water.

On-site Bar – The hostel has an on-site bar at the back of reception. The bar has an extensive list of Belgian beers to try. There’s not much vibe in the bar. From memory, it’s only open until 12 midnight.

24-Hour Reception – The hostel’s reception is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Check in time is at 3:00 pm & check out is at 11:00 am.

Nice & Helpful Staff – Sleep Well Youth Hostel’s staff were nice & helpful. There was a big group checking in when I arrived & one of the staffs immediately helped in checking in. They also gave recommendations on where to go & what to do during my stay.

Indoor & Outdoor Communal Areas – Another thing I loved about this hostel is the presence of indoor & outdoor communal areas. Guests can sit down & chill in almost every corner of the hostel. There are relaxation places by the reception area, right outside the breakfast area & even by the lifts.

Guest Kitchen – Guests also have access to the hostel’s communal kitchen. Those who want to prepare their own food can do so in this area.

Vending Machines – There are vending machines near the reception area in case one wants some drink or snack while in the common area.

Free Computer Use – Guests are welcome to use the desktop computers by the common areas. They can use this to book their onward tickets & hostels or even plan their daily itineraries while in Brussels.

Luggage Room – The hostel also has a room dedicated for guests’ luggage after check out. Please ask reception on where this is found.

Games Area – Those who are travelling in groups can kill time & play in the games area. There are table football & ping-pong tables to play with.

Laundry Facilities – Laundry facilities are available for guests who want to wash their clothes during their stay. Please ask the reception on how to avail this service.

Bicycle Rental & Tour Desk – The hostel reception offers bicycle rental & several guided tours around Brussels. Details available with reception.

Meeting Rooms – The hostel has meeting rooms for rent for private functions & meetings. I didn’t see where these rooms are located but the staff can surely help you with this when you ask them.

Secured Hostel & Room Access – Guests are given key cards that only work on the main hostel door, your specific floor in the lifts & in your room doors. Reception activates these key cards upon check in & deactivates them after check out.

Lift Access – The hostel has 2 lifts mainly to reach the rooms on the top floors. It also helps those with big luggage.

Lock-Out Times – The hostel implements a lock-out time for all dormitory rooms. Guests cannot stay in their rooms from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm because it’s the staff’s designated cleaning time. Note that room key cards do not work during these times.

Experience

My 4-night stay with Sleep Well Youth Hostel was great. It’s not the most social & eventful hostel but at least it lived up to its name. Check-in was fast. The other guy from reception entertained me upon arrival & processed everything in a few minutes. The lifts worked well but can only fit 4-5 people max; or even 2 people with big luggage. The key cards didn’t work for a while when I arrived. We got locked out of our rooms. Glad the hostel manager came & fixed it after a few minutes.

As mentioned above, I stayed in a 3-bed dormitory room. The beds were alright – nothing fancy. The rooms were spacious & clean. The toilets & shower were well-maintained. Thank God they have hot shower! Too bad the lockers were small – it only fit my laptop. I guess the lockers were only for the guest’s valuables. I met some nice people in my room. They were from Ukraine, Pakistan, Canada & Spain. I found the hostel too quiet but at least I had these people to hang out with at night.

The hostel’s location was perfect. It is in a small & quiet street off the busy area. It was accessible to public transportation. There were few homeless people / beggars staying in the street near the hostel. They made me feel a bit unsafe specially when going back to the hostel at night. It’s long list of amenities were amazing – the common areas were cozy, modern & spacious. In my whole stay in Europe, this hostel had the most diverse crowd I’ve experienced – most of them were families on holidays. I still prefer Generator Amsterdam’s crowd.

The breakfast was excellent! It was free & had an ‘extensive’ selection for a hostel. This is what really stick to me about this hostel. It was great for the value I paid. This hostel was definitely cheaper & of better value than Generator Amsterdam. Will I go back to this hostel? Definitely! It was worth every euro I paid.

Here are the hostel’s contact details for your reference.

Sleep Well Youth Hostel
Address: Rue du Damier 23 1000 Brussels Belgium
Phone Number: +32 02 218 50 50
Fax Number: +32 02 218 13 13
E-mail Address: info@sleepwell.be
Website: www.sleepwell.be
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SleepWellYouthHostel
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sleepwellyouthhostel

Do you have any questions about Sleep Well Youth Hostel or Brussels in general? Feel free to post them in the comments below & I’ll answer them. Do you know a hostel which is worth a feature here in my site? Shoot your suggestions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for joining me in today’s hostel of the day! See you in the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: GENERATOR AMSTERDAM – An Old University Building Turned Award-Winning Economy Accommodation

Another weekend, another hostel of the today feature! From last time’s post about Nekokura Hostel in Fukuoka, Japan, we’ll travel around 9,000 kilometers to the other side of the world – Amsterdam, Netherlands. Yes, today’s feature is Generator Amsterdam!

In the last few weeks, I started sharing with you details about my 2.5 weeks in Europe last October to November 2019. I took you with me on my Singapore Airlines flights from Manila to Singapore & Singapore to Amsterdam; I also took you around the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, to Utrecht & to the North Holland Countryside. We are only in the early part of this long trip & I still have a lot of fun stuff to share. Now let’s get down to business & know more about this award-winning Dutch hostel.

generator amsterdam

Generator Amsterdam is a large economy accommodation located in the eastern part of the city & is part of Generator Hostels group. Generator Hostels is a hostel group that offers modern, stylish & affordable accommodation in central locations within the city. The group already has over 10 properties around Europe & has recently expanded in the US. Generator Amsterdam is the group’s sole property in the Netherlands. It opened in 2016 & is now one of the city’s best choice of affordable hostel. The property used to be a former zoological university building & was transformed into a boutique accommodation. In 2017, Generator Amsterdam won as the world’s best economy hotel in the Hospitality Design Awards. It was also a runner-up in the best economy guest rooms & suites category.

I stayed in Generator Amsterdam for 4 nights. I was out of the hostel most of the time but I’ll will still share with you some bits about this award-winning hostel.

location & access

Generator Amsterdam is found in a quiet neighborhood east of Amsterdam city center. The hostel is located beside Oosterpark, one of the city’s largest public park. It is about 30 minutes by foot from Dam Square or Amsterdam Centraal. The nearest tram stop is Alexanderplein, about 400 meters from the hostel doors. The nearest metro station is Weesperplein Station, about 900 meters from the hostel doorstep.

The hostel may be a bit outside the city but is still located in a great neighborhood. The nearest Albert Heijn supermarket is 9 minutes away (700 m from the hostel) by foot while the nearest McDonalds & KFC fast food restaurants are 12-15 minutes away (1 km from the hostel) by foot. There are also restaurants & bars located within 500 m from the hostel. The hostel’s location is perfect – quiet, accessible & not too far from the city center.

In case you missed it, I shared in this website how I applied for my Schengen tourist visa. Check out this DIY Schengen Visa application post to know more.

private & dormitory rooms

Generator Amsterdam caters both to guests who want room privacy & those who want to meet & mingle with co-travelers. According to their website, Generator Amsterdam can accommodate up to 564 guests in 168 twin & quadruple rooms. The quadruple rooms are configured to work either as a private room for 4 or a dormitory-type of room for 4 different guests. The hostel also has a luxury apartment / suite that can accommodate up to 6 people. All these rooms have windows & have private toilet & shower areas. Room or dormitory bed rates depend where & when you book your stay. It can go as low as €19 per night for dormitory rooms & €75 per night for private rooms.

I stayed in a 4-bed male dormitory room for 4 nights. Each dormitory bed has a soft billow & a comfortable blanket. It also has a private reading light, a power outlet & a separate USB plug. Guest lockers are found under the beds. The beds don’t have curtains for privacy which I didn’t mind. I booked my stay with Agoda & paid ₱8,390.18 for 4 nights, breakfast & other add-ons not included. That’s ₱2,097.55 per night stay – expensive I know. I was there during a peak season weekend, thus higher nightly rates. There were relatively cheaper hostels in Amsterdam but I opted to pay more for better amenities & lower dormitory room configurations. To be honest, I think the rate I got is still cheap – hostels in Amsterdam & in Europe in general are expensive.

Guest Amenities & Perks

Generator Amsterdam has amenities & perks guests can enjoy or can pay for. Check out the list below:

Free Wi-fi – All guests have access to free & high-speed wi-fi connection. The password is given to all guests upon check-in.

Buffet Breakfast – Buffet breakfast is available for purchase in reception at €8,5 per day. Buffet breakfast rates are cheaper when you buy them upon check-in. If I remember it correctly, it was offered to me at €7,5. Buffet breakfast is available every day from 7:00 am to 10:00 am during weekdays & 11:00 am during weekends. The buffet breakfast area is in the canteen located in the basement level.

Clean Private Shower & Toilet – All rooms have private shower & toilet areas. Some rooms have separate toilet & shower rooms while others have just one. The staff clean these areas every day.

Amenities Store & Rental – The hostel has an in-house store & rentals facility. Towels are available for rent while other essentials such as toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner are available for sale. Check with Genstore for the updated rates.

Ground Floor Café – Nescio Café is an à la carte breakfast place & café found in the ground floor, near the reception. This café also offers affordable breakfast deals for those who don’t want to eat in the buffet. It is open every day from 7:30 am to 12 midnight or 1 am.

Auditorium Bar / Chill-Out Area – The hostel converted this former lecture theater into a bar & chill-out area. The bar is open every day from 8:00 am to 12 midnight or 1 am. They also show movies here from time to time. The venue is also available for hire for private events.

Relaxation & Private Events Place – The building’s library was converted into a relaxation & private events place. Guests can go here to sit down, relax, read & play ping-pong. The venue is also available for hire.

Secret Late-Night Bar – The hostel converted the buildings boiler room into a secret late-night bar called Oosterbar. The bar is open every Friday & Saturday from 11:00 pm to 4:00 am & sometimes on special days.

Communal Lounge Areas – Aside from the chill-out area & library, Generator Amsterdam has other communal lounge areas in the basement, beside the canteen & outside the library. There is also an outdoor seating area where guests can rest while waiting for their ride.

24 Hour Reception – The hostel’s reception is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Welcoming & Helpful Staff – Generator Amsterdam’s staffs are very welcoming, friendly & helpful. They already make you feel at home during check-in. They also give tips on where to eat, what to do & what’s the best way to do this & that.

Late Check-Out Option – The hostel offers late check-out option for a fee. Guests who want to sleep more can stay in their rooms until 1:00 pm for €7 for dormitory rooms & €20 for private rooms.

ATM & Vending Machines – The hostel has an in-house ATM where you can take out cash when needed. There are also vending machines available in the basement level.

Paid Lockers – Luggage storage in Generator Amsterdam is not fee. Incoming & leaving guests can store bags & luggage in their paid lockers. Rates can go as low as €1, charged per hour & luggage size.

Laundry Facilities – Washing machines are available for use in the 1st floor. Laundry rates are offered as low as €2. You can exchange coins in reception.

Travel & Tour Desk – Generator Amsterdam has a travel & tour desk where guests can avail day trips & buy tram passes. They also have a free (tip-based) walking tour that starts 10:10 am everyday near the reception area.

Bicycle, Scooter & Skateboard Rental – The hostel also offers bicycle (from €7,5), electronic scooter (from €15) & skateboard (from €7,5) rental. These can be availed from the reception.

Secured Room Entry – The elevator & rooms can also be accessed using the key card given during check in. These key cards only work on doors in your assigned floor & in your own room only.

experience

Generator Amsterdam was my first accommodation in Europe. I stayed there for 4 nights during my time in the Netherlands. The hostel didn’t disappoint. To be fair, it gave me an idea on what to expect on European hostels. It was different in some ways to the kind of hostels I’m used to here in the Philippines or in Asia in general; but it was all good.

It was not a cheap hostel to stay in – everything seems to come with a price tag. It may be cheap in Amsterdam standards but I still find it expensive for the basic amenities I got. The hostel’s location is a winner for me – it’s located in a very accessible quiet area outside the city center. Restaurants, bars & supermarkets are also near the hostel. I also like how it’s located beside Oosterpark. I already miss walking around that park every morning.

The hostel is generally clean & well-maintained. It has complete amenities – in-house café & restaurant, bar, communal areas, cash & vending machines & tour desk. The have everything you need as a visitor in Amsterdam. The breakfast buffet was lovely. I made a mistake of just buying 1 day of breakfast but it was all good. I enjoyed the kinds of bread available to choose from. They have egg, cheese, ham, yogurt & cereals in the spread. A variety of drinks were also included in the buffet. The €8,5 buffet rate was worth it.

The rooms are alright; it can get small when the guest pull-out lockers are out of the beds. The bathroom is clean & has enough space. Its lighting can be improved. The beds are comfortable to sleep in. The separate power outlet & USB port is something I liked & found very useful in the age of smartphones, tablets & laptops.

The hostel has very social vibe. I met a lot of new people from different parts of the world & had great times with them. The staff were all nice & helpful; they also gave tips on what’s best to see in the city. One thing I didn’t like is how busy the reception can be during peak hours. I waited in line for 20 minutes for check out; glad I was not in a hurry.

Overall, I had a nice stay in Generator Amsterdam. It’s definitely something you should check out when looking for a hostel in Amsterdam. Book early & choose the non-peak days to get lower rates. It’s not a cheap hostel but it’s all good in European standards.

Here’s Generator Amsterdam’s contact details just in case you want to get in touch with them:

Generator Amsterdam
Address: Mauritskade 57, 1092 AD Amsterdam, Netherlands
Number: +31 20 708 5600
E-mail Address: ask.amsterdam@staygenerator.com
Website: www.staygenerator.com/hostels/amsterdam
Facebook: www.facebook.com/staygenerator
Instagram: www.instagram.com/staygenerator
Twitter: www.twitter.com/askgenerator

Have you been to Generator Amsterdam? How about other Generator Hostels? How was your stay? Was it the same with my experience above? What did you like about the hostel you stayed in? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

Do you know a hostel which is worth a feature here in my site? Shoot your suggestions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for joining me in today’s hostel of the day feature. Join me as I move to another country in my Going Solo In Europe series. Watch out for that new post soon!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: NEKOKURA HOSTEL FUKUOKA – Small But Decent Hostel & Cat Rescue Shelter In A Quiet Area

Hello & welcome to the very first Hostel of the Day feature for 2020. As mentioned in my 2019 year ender post, I plan to post details about more hostels & share my experiences to everyone. Hopefully these hostel features will help out readers in deciding to give it a go or not & also help out the hostels get more people to stay with them.

Before I start posting details about my solo European trip last year, let me first share some details about my quick Fukuoka. Late last year, Majo & I decided to surprise our friend, Junelle, in her first ever solo trip to Fukuoka. We booked & planned everything 3 weeks before the trip. Unlike Tokyo & Osaka, Fukuoka isn’t abundant with affordable accommodation options. My previous hostel, Fukuoka Hana Hostel, was already booked out for that weekend. Good thing today’s hostel of the day feature, Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka, still has available beds for our chosen dates. Thanks to Junelle’s hints about her chosen accommodation, we got to stay in the same hostel as hers.

Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka is small but decent hostel found in Fukuoka. What makes this hostel unique is it houses a cat rescue shelter called Fukuneko House. They rescue & care for stray cats. They also open these rescued cats for adoption to those interested.

Join me as I share with you details about this hostel & cat shelter. I will also give you some insights of how our stay went.

location & access

Nekokura Hostel is located in a quiet residential neighborhood in Hakata Ward. The nearest subway station is Chiyo Kenchoguchi Station of the Hakozaki Line. The hostel is about 3-minute walk from Exit 5 of the subway station. Fukuoka Airport Station is 15 minutes away from this station. Fukuoka’s Tenjin area is about 15-20 minutes away by foot & JR Hakata Station is 25 minutes away by foot.

The nearest convenience store is 5 minutes away by foot. There is also a nearby local supermarket about 8 minutes from the hostel’s doorstep. Nekokura Hostel is near another famous Fukuoka hostel, Tonagi Hostel & Café. The hostel’s location is great; it is quite far from the busy city scene but it is still accessible by public transportation.

room options

We were surprised this hostel has dormitory rooms & a private double room given its small size. These dorms are divided into mixed & female rooms. Each room has 4 beds enclosed in private curtains & features heating & air conditioning. Each dormitory bed is provided with a pillow & bedding covers. It features a reading light, personal security box, a power outlet & a small window. All guests have access to free Wi-Fi & communal facilities such as toilets & shower areas. A night stay in these dormitory rooms costs ¥2,900. Depending on season & dates, female dormitory rates may be a little expensive than that of mixed.

The hostel also has a private double room for people who want the room for themselves. This room has the same features as that of each dormitory bed. They also have access to the same amenities & facilities. The only difference this room has is privacy. The nightly rate of this double room is ¥6,000. Nekokura Hostel’s rates are the usual hostel rates in Japan – not cheap, not expensive but just right.

We booked our stay with Booking.com. We also opted for the pre-payment feature via PayPal because we were unsure of our arrival time.

hostel amenities

Like any other hostel, Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka has a long list of amenities & perks every guest can enjoy. All guests have access to the following:

Free WiFi

All hostel guests can connect to the hostel’s WiFi. The username & password is found in the information sheet provided during check-in.

Breakfast Upon Order

The hostel offers breakfast upon order for ¥300. My friends & I didn’t try this breakfast option during our stay. I’m sure it’s either a local breakfast or a continental one.

Clean Communal Shower & Toilet Facilities

Nekokura Hostel has 2 shower rooms & 1 toilet each for men & women. All 4 shower & toilet facilities are clean & well-maintained. These are just located near the rooms, just a few steps from the communal living area.

Complimentary Amenities

One thing I loved about this hostel is the long list of amenities they offer to the guests. All shower rooms have big bottles of shampoo, conditioner (particularly liked this one!!!) & liquid soap. They also have blow-dryer for girls to use. There are free cotton swabs, body lotion, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, make up wash & disposable earplugs which guests can use. Take note, these are not just ordinary amenities; all of them come from good consumer brands.

Complimentary Green Tea & Water

Guests have access to complimentary tea & water found in the communal lounge area. The hostel management also provides paper cups to use.

Small Communal Lounge Area with Terrace

As mentioned earlier, this hostel is very small. I appreciate the small communal area they have despite the lack of space. This communal area is where guests can have morning coffee or breakfast. The table can seat up to 3 people at a time while the terrace can accommodate up to 5-6 people. The communal area also has a communal fridge, microwave oven & water kettle which guests can use.

Free Luggage Storage

The hostel offers free luggage storage just outside the hostel doorstep. The luggage storage facility is quite unconventional –a solid wire with a number of padlocks & keys. Guests can store their luggage here before check-in & after check out, but only until 10:00 in the evening. Don’t leave your bags here during the rainy season – it’ll surely get wet.

Ground Floor Cafe & Sake Bar

The hostel has a ground floor café & sake bar which guests can try. According to the hostel website, this café & sake bar has local seafood dishes worth trying. The sake bar also serves an award-winning sake. Too bad we weren’t able to try that.

Standard Reception Hours

The hostel’s reception area is located inside the café & sake bar. It is open from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily for check in. The hostel observes a self-check out method where guests will only drop their keys in a box before leaving.

Free Use of Board Games & Magazines

There are board games in the communal lounge area which guests can play with free of charge. There are also magazines which one can have a look at.

Laundry Facilities

The hostel has a laundry machine near the wash area. Guests are welcome to use the machine for a fee. Make sure to ask the staff before using the machine.

Secured Door Entry & Facility

Only guests can enter the secured hostel door. The hostel staff will teach all guests upon check in how the door works. The building is equipped with security cameras to ensure everyone’s safety.

Cat Shelter Tour

A unique experience this hostel offers is the cat shelter tour open only for hostel guests. This shelter tour only operates on certain days & times. Make sure to reach out to hostel reception before your stay to schedule this tour during your stay. Unfortunately, my friends & I didn’t have enough time to try this shelter tour during our stay.

experience & verdict

My friends & I had a decent stay in Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka last year. The hostel was the perfect choice considering the limited options we had given everything was planned 3 weeks before the trip. The hostel is very small; space is limited. We liked how the hostel amenities made up for the limited space around the hostel. The dormitory rooms were small but the dormitory beds were great. The features of each bed were outstanding. I appreciate the personal window & small security box each bed has.

The hostel & its communal areas were clean & well-maintained. It has complete amenities in such a small area. We were surprised how they fit everything (rooms, communal area, facilities) in that floor. The only time we had interaction with the staff was during check in; not sure if they were hiding or they were on the floor while we were out & exploring. Too bad we didn’t have the time to try the café & sake bar on the ground floor & to spend time with the cats in the cat shelter.

Nekokura Hostel’s location is ideal for people who want to stay away from the busy city noise. It’s not too far from the city buzz but is located in a quiet neighborhood. This hostel is great; it’s the place to be for cat lovers. I will definitely give this property a try again next time I fly to Fukuoka.

To those who want to reach out to the hostel, here are their contact details:

Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka
Address: 7-86, 4cho-me, Chiyo, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Japan
Phone Number: +81 92 409 2242
E-mail Address: mail@nekokura.net
Website: www.nekokura.co.jp
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/nekokurahostel
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nekokurahostel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nekokura5

Have you ever been to Fukuoka? Which hostel did you stay with before? I actually stayed with another hostel last February 2019 – Fukuoka Hana Hostel. Check out my hostel of the day feature about this hostel here. Fukuoka may not have many affordable accommodation options at the moment but at least it still has decent options to choose from.

I am in constant search for hostels to stay with & feature in this site. Do you know a nice hostel you’ve stayed with in the past? Share your suggestions below! You can also send your suggestions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me in today’s hostel feature. Until the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL BORACAY – Paradise Island's Hidden Party Hostel Gem

UPDATE: Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such amazing accommodation and also to keep the wonderful Mad Monkey memories alive.

Last September 2019, I flew to Boracay with friends for a short weekend break. My buddy Rick & I stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay in Bulabog Road for 3 nights & we had an awesome time. I’ve stayed in this hostel back in July 2016, when this blog is non-existent. I want to share with you more about this hostel thus featuring it as today’s Hostel Of The Day.

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay is part of the Mad Monkey Hostels Group, a famous party hostel chain in Southeast Asia (plus one branch in Australia) which gives people from all over the world the best hostel parties in each of its branches. The hostel group is known for its beach or pool parties at the same time its hourly free shots at the bar. The hostel group employs the locals & actively participates in environmental activities.

The group’s first hostel in the Philippines is Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay, opened in June 2016. Since then, they’ve already opened branches in Nacpan Beach in El Nido, Cebu City & Siargao. They also have hostel branches in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia & Laos. I started this Hostel Of The Day blog series last year with a feature about Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach.

Let me clarify with you that this post is not in any way sponsored / commissioned by the hostel group. My friend & I paid for our stay. The goal of this post is to share with you the details of this hostel & how our stay went. Allow me to give you some snippets about the hostel

In case you missed it, I posted a blog about our Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight with Cebu Pacific Air. Check out this post to read that flight report.

location & access

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay is located in Zone 5, Bulabog Beach Rd, Balabag in Boracay Island. It is not located by the beach, but it is located in the quiet neighborhood of Balabag. It is about 10 minutes walk from the White Beach, 10 minutes by foot to D’Mall & about 3-5 minutes from Bulabog Beach, where all water activities are conducted. The hostel is located in the heart of the island, literally minutes away by foot to the main areas.

From Caticlan (Boracay) Airport, one needs to take a tricycle to Caticlan Jetty Port, buy a ferry ticket, pay the environmental fees & then hop on a boat that will take you to Boracay Island. From Boracay Port, one needs to take a tricycle to Mad Monkey Hostel. Alternatively, you can book your hassle-free island transfers with Southwest Tours or Island Star Express. Journey from the airport to the hostel can take about an hour per way, depending on passenger load & weather.

My friend & I booked our island transfers with Klook for a discounted price which turned out to be with Island Star Express. The transfers were fast, well-taken care off & hassle free.

dormitory & private rooms

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay offers both dormitories & private rooms to its guests. The hostel has 3 choices for the dormitory rooms – 8-bed mixed dormitory room, 4-bed mixed dormitory room & 4-bed female dormitory room. Each dormitory bed comes with a large sized mattress with sheets, personal reading light & fan, power outlet & a locker. Each dormitory room comes with a private bathroom with hot shower & air conditioning. If you are lucky enough, your dormitory room might be located by the hostel swimming pool.

As of today, 30 November 2019, a night in the 8-bed dormitory room costs ₱550 (for mid-December 2019 stay) while the nightly rate in the 4-bed dormitory room is at ₱700 (for mid-December 2019 stay). Rates per night vary depending on season.

We got this air-conditioned twin room with private shower for around ₱1,400 per night. Not bad!

The hostel also has private rooms for guests who are travelling in groups or who want some privacy. They have twin rooms, double rooms, triple rooms, quad rooms & a suite room. Nightly rates depend on the room configuration, toilet access (some have shared toilet), privacy level & season. Some of these rooms come with private bathrooms with hot water, cable television, bath towels, air conditioning, dark curtains & shelves. Rooms tend to be cheaper on lean seasons.

If you want to know more about these room choices & see the actual photos, feel free to head to the hostel’s accommodation page.

Hostel Facilities & Perks

It’s time for my favorite part of every Hostel Of The Day feature; it’s the list of hostel facilities & amenities. Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay provides a long list of facilities & perks every guest can enjoy.

Free WiFi Access
Guests can connect to the hostel’s WiFi connection free of charge. The WiFi password can be obtained in reception or in the restaurant. It’s not the best WiFi connection you can get in the island, but it helps you with basic internet & social media use.

Swimming Pool Access
The hostel has a decent-sized swimming pool which all guests can enjoy. Non-hostel guests can also use the pool for a minimal fee.

Daily Hostel Activities
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay hosts daily activities. The hostel is famous for the Booze Cruise happening every Tuesday & Saturday where guests go on a boat party & cliff diving with unlimited drinks. They also host themed events like boodle fight dinners, paint parties, quiz nights, beer pong tournaments & pool parties. The hostel also hosts beach cleanup activities once in a while. These activities are announced daily in the hostel boards near reception or in the events page in their Facebook page.

We were there on a Sunday & there was a scheduled Sunday Session & BBQ Day + DJ ’til midnight

Pool-side Restaurant & Bar
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has an in-house restaurant & bar by the swimming pool. The bar & restaurant offers a wide range of dishes & drinks that caters to all nationalities. Food & drinks are reasonably-priced, pretty much the same with the other restaurants in the island. Food serving sizes are generous & worth the price. They also have daily food deals & happy hour promotions for alcoholic drinks.

Ordered from the Sunday BBQ menu – got a Pork BBQ Stick & Grilled Chicken with Greek Salad. 🙂

Every Mad Monkey Hostel branch has its own signature drink. If Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach has a Pacquiao Punch, Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has their Boracay Bomb. I don’t know what it’s made of but it’s surely worth trying. It’s sold for ₱200 per drink.

The Boracay Bomb – Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s signature drink offered for ₱200 per glass.

Free Shots At The Bar
Mad Monkey Hostels are known for giving free alcohol shots. The Boracay branch also gives these free shots every day.

Awesome Hostel Parties
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay turns into an awesome party place every night. The hostel guests & visitors have a good time in the hostel premises until 12 midnight every day. After 12, those who want to continue the party go out & party in other places.

Free Luggage Storage
The hostel offers free luggage storage to all incoming & outgoing guests. There is an open storage space by the reception where guests can put their bags & luggage before check in & after check out.

24-Hour Front Desk
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has a 24-hour reception / front desk. No matter what time you arrive or leave the hostel, there will always be someone who is there to man the reception area.

Cozy Lounge Area
The hostel has a cozy lounge area by the reception where guests can chill or relax while waiting for check in, airport transfer or whatever they have planned for the day. The lounge area offers a relaxing view of the swimming pool.

Cheerful, Accommodating & Friendly Staff
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has one of the most cheerful & friendliest staff ever. The staff always greets you whenever they come across you outside your rooms or in the common areas. They also speak good English & are responsive to questions & requests.

Tour Desk
The hostel has an in-house tour desk where you can book your Boracay tours or activities. Feel free to ask the person in reception on what activities or bookings they offer.

Secured Hostel Stay
The hostel swimming pool, bar & restaurant may be open to everyone, but the rooms & guest areas are still secured. Guests are given room keys to access their respective rooms. Private rooms also have a secured storage box where valuables can be kept safe. At night when parties turn fun & crazy, the hostel has security guards & bouncers who monitor everyone’s well-being.

hostel experience

Rick & I booked our stay directly with Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s platform. We took advantage of a random promotion & paid only ₱4,185 for 3 nights for a Superior Twin Room. The room came with 2 comfortable single beds, private bathroom with hot shower, air conditioning & dark curtain for privacy. The room was spacious & the bathroom was alright. Water pressure wasn’t that great during our stay; but that was because the authorities are upgrading the water supply facility nearby. WiFi worked well in our room. The staff were superb. We paid roughly ₱700 per person per night on a private room so not bad at all.

A part of our last 2 days in Boracay were spent in the hostel. We enjoyed the swimming pool, we took advantage of the bar’s happy hour promotions & enjoyed the hostel’s Sunday BBQ meal offering. The food servings were of decent size. We stayed for the Sunday night party, met cool people, played beer pong with the other guests & had a great time. We also tried the Boracay Bomb signature drink. To be honest, I don’t remember how it tasted. I was a bit drunk that night.

Overall, we had a memorable stay with Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay. How I wish my other friends also stayed in this hostel. Will I stay in this hostel again? Y-E-S! Man, I’m a fan of this hostel & I already want to go back. I need to go back to try their booze cruise party & to have a good time. This hostel is indeed a hidden gem in Boracay!

In any case you have questions you want to address the hostel directly, feel free to contact them in the details below:

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay
Address: Zone 5, Bulabog Beach Rd, Balabag, Boracay, Aklan Philippines 5608
Contact number: +63-966-308-1834
Email address: boracay@madmonkeyhostels.com
Website: www.madmonkeyhostels.com/boracay
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MadMonkeyBoracay
Instagram: www.instagram.com/madmonkeyhostels

Have you been to Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay? How about Nacpan Beach or in any other location? How was your stay? Did you like the hostel & its amenities? Share your hostel experiences in the comment section below. If you have any question about the hostel & want to remain anonymous to everyone, you can throw it via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll surely have a look at ’em. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me today. See you in next Hostel Of The Day feature!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: UINN TRAVEL HOSTEL – Modern, Space-Themed & Excellent Taipei Hostel

UPDATE: Uinn Travel Hostel has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such excellent accommodation.

Hey ho! I’m so sorry I’ve been quiet the past few weeks. I just came back from Yogyakarta, Indonesia (more details soon!) & been very busy with work requirements. Fret not, I am back & I am excited to share more information & experiences with you. Today, I will take you to back to Taipei, Taiwan. I’ve been to the city in 2015 & 2017 but I was convinced by my mom to go back with the whole family.

My family & I took advantage of the visa-free privilege for Filipino passport holders & went on a 4-day weekend trip around Taipei & Taichung last June 2019. I already shared with you last month some photos of our Taichung day trip as well as details of our EVA Air flight back to Manila. Now, I want to share with you details about our modern & space-themed hostel in Taipei – Uinn Travel Hostel. This amazing will be today’s Hostel Of The Day feature. I can’t wait for you to see how excellent this property is! Check out the property’s details below.

Location & Access

Uinn Travel Hostel is located in Chongqing South Rd, in the quiet neighborhood of Zhongzheng District. The nearest famous landmark to the property is Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall Station (Green & Red Lines) is 700 m away & is about 8-10 minutes walk. The hostel is 1 km away from Guting Station & is about 10-12 minutes walk. Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Station is 2 stops away from Taipei Main Station & 3 stops away from Ximen Station. Taipei 101 Station is 5 metro stops away on the red line. The hostel is also accessible to Ximending, Taipai Main Station & Daan Park by bus, with the bus stopping right in front of the hostel premises. The Taipei Taoyuan International Airport can be accessed from Taipei Main Station.

The hostel is located in a quiet area with local & affordable restaurants. The nearest convenience store is about 3-5 minutes walk from the hostel. For those who love bubble tea, there are a number of nearby bubble tea shops in the hostel. The hostel’s location may not be as strategic as the other hostels but its location is still nice – quiet, safe & accessible.

private & dormitory rooms

The property offers both private & dormitory rooms to its guests. Those who prefer to have the room to themselves can book their spacious standard double room. This room can accommodate 2 adults. It comes with a double bed, cable television, private toilet & shower, complete towels & toiletry set & a small fridge. The room also has a small table & chair if guests plan to do some work during their stay.

Guests who want to save some money can opt for the dormitory rooms. The dorm rooms are configured to either capsule beds or regular bunk beds. All these beds are equipped with personal television screens (with headset for the bunk beds), bedside sockets, personal reading light & lockers with electronic locks. Towels & toiletries are also included. Guests of the capsule dormitories can fully enclose their space while those on bunk beds can pull down roller blinds for privacy. Guests of both dormitory rooms have access to communal toilets & shower areas equipped with hair dryers.

All hostel guests have free, simple buffet breakfast every day; it is already included in the nightly rate. Room / dormitory bed rates differ from one booking website to the other. It also depends on the season. You can check out the hostel’s booking platform for the updated rates for your desired stay. Book early to get the best deals.

hostel amenities

Here comes my favorite part of every Hostel of the Day feature – the list of perks a guest gets in every hostel. Uinn Travel Hostel offers a long list of amenities & perks to enjoy. Check them below.

Free Fast Wi-Fi
The hostel offers free, fast Wi-Fi to all its guests. The connection is available throughout the property – from the reception area, to outdoor seating area & to the rooms. The Wi-Fi password can be obtained from the reception.

Simple Buffet Breakfast
Breakfast is included in the nightly rate. All guests have access to unlimited bread (with croissant!!) with butter & jam, coffee, tea, biscuits & boiled egg. From memory, breakfast starts at 7:00 am & ends at 9:30 am or 10:00 am.

Free Coffee, Tea & Juice
The hostel’s coffee & juice machines are open to all guests 24/7. Any guest can just go there & get their drink of choice at any time of the day. These drinks are free of charge.

Cozy Lounge & Dining Area
The hostel has a cozy & spacious lounge & dining area on the ground floor, beside the reception area. They even have stuff toys & colorful pillows which my baby cousin enjoyed.

Clean Communal Toilet & Shower Rooms
Aside from the toilet & shower areas in the private & dormitory rooms, the hostel also has communal facilities in the basement, open to all guests – even those who are just about to check in or those who already checked out.

Free Luggage Storage
Luggage storage is free to all upcoming & outgoing guests. The staff provides a small control paper which indicates a control number & the number of luggage the guests have. The luggage area is by the stairs, directly in front of reception. Bags & luggage are secured & are always at the eye of the staff.

24/7 Reception
Uinn Travel Hostel’s reception is open 24 hours 7 days a week. There’s always someone who is at the reception counter. People who are flying to Taiwan in late night or red-eye flights won’t have any problem when they arrive at the hostel.

Cheerful & Helpful Staff
The hostel staff are very cheerful & helpful. They welcomed us with bright smiles on their faces. They also answered all our questions & even gave recommendations on where to go & what to do. They also speak the English language; communication is & will never be a problem.

Outdoor Lounge Area
The hostel has an outdoor lounge area, right by the road. It is the perfect place to have some late night talks / drinks or early morning coffee.

Communal Computers
Personal computers are available for communal use in the ground floor communal area. Guests can use these computers to plan their itineraries, book onward tickets & future accommodation. It’s free of charge. Reception offers printing, fax & photocopying services for an additional fee.

Uinn Joy – Lounge & Games Area
One unique amenity of Uinn Travel Hostel is Uinn Joy. It is a special lounge & games area located in basement level 2 that has a dart machine, a table football, an audio-visual equipment & comfy seats which guests can enjoy. They even have free popcorn for all guests. Drinks can be bought in the on-site vending machine while beers can be purchased from the hostel. The hostel has viewing parties at selected times of the month. Uinn Joy is the best place to meet other guests & travelers. This facility is open everyday from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm or 1:00 am.

Daily Housekeeping
The hostel staff cleans all rooms everyday. They even provide bottled water to private rooms every day. Guests have the option to have their room cleaned every day or not.

Laundry Facilities
Uinn Travel Hostel has complete on-site laundry facilities. Feel free to check with a staff on how you can use the laundry facilities.

Secured Room Access
The hostel main door is open to everyone at all times. Lift access is only limited to guests & hostel staff through an electronic key card. Room access on the other hand is only available to the guest checked in on a specific room. Electronic key cards do not work on other room doors, only on your specified room door.

Bicycle Rental & Tour Services
They also offer bicycle rental & tour services to interested guests. More information about these services can be obtained from reception.

The perks & amenities provided by Uinn Travel Hostel to all its guests are at par with those offered by established Japan hostel chains. The hostel excels in providing every amenity & makes sure that the guests enjoy what they pay for.

my experience

We were a family of 8 adults & 1 kid & we opted on staying in private rooms for all 3 nights in Taipei. We got 4 standard double rooms (2 persons per room) at NT$ 1,700 per room per night – around ₱2,800 per room per night. A normal dormitory bed in Taipei costs close to ₱1,000 per night so getting the room for around ₱1,400 per person per night with privacy & a private toilet & shower is already a good deal.

The standard room was very spacious. The bed & pillows were soft & comfortable. The room air conditioning worked well – we had the coldest room among the four. Cleanliness was spot on – the staff even cleaned our room everyday. They also give our daily supply of bottled water. The toilet & shower were modern & clean; toiletries & towels were included. One weird thing I noticed is that the sinks were located outside the toilet & shower area. It was only a minor observation & probably the first time I saw it in a room. Wi-Fi was fast everywhere in the hostel.

The simple breakfast bread buffet was superb! I enjoyed the chocolate, peanut butter & garlic spreads they have. I ate a lot of small croissants every morning. The orange & grape juice were my favorites. I wish all other hostels offer the type of breakfast Uinn Travel Hostel offers.

Hostel location was alright. We didn’t mind walking to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Station & back. Hostel staff were super nice & accommodating. I didn’t have the chance to play & enjoy the facilities at Uinn Joy due to our tight schedule; but just having them on site is already great. The hostel is relatively quiet, not much of a social & definitely not a party hostel. It is a quiet but an amazing one.

Overall, we had a great stay. My parents, siblings, uncle & aunt & my baby cousin enjoyed their stay at Uinn Travel Hostel. We definitely got more than what we paid for. Everything was spot on; it is an excellent hostel. I definitely recommend this hostel to everyone. You don’t want to miss staying here whilst in Taipei.

If ever you have a question about the hostel or you want to contact them directly for an upcoming stay, feel free to reach them in the contact details below:

Uinn Travel Hostel
Address: 38 Section 3, Chongqing South Road Taipei City Taiwan 100
Phone Number: +886 2 2333 1277
Fax Number: +886 2 2339 6800
Email Address: uinntravel@outlook.com
Website: travel.uinnhotel.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/UinnTravel
Instagram: www.instagram.com/uinntravel/

Have you stayed with Uinn Travel Hostel in Taipei, Taiwan? If yes, how was your stay? Have you been to another modern & excellent hostel in Taipei or in Taiwan? Feel free to name the hostel in the comment section below. I might just stay there in my next Taiwan trip. You can also send your suggestions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for joining me today. Until the next Hostel Of The Day feature!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.