Hostelworld's blog

1,000 FREE Travelnroam mobile SIMs up for grabs!

2009-09-22T01:44:00.000-07:00

Hostelworld.com along with our new Travel Store partner Travelnroam has joined forces to bring you a VERY limited giveaway!

To be in with a chance to get one of these 1,000 SIMs all you have to do is make a booking on Hostelworld.com from 00.01 GMT on Tuesday 22nd September. 1,000 lucky bookers will then receive a FREE Travelnroam mobile SIM card worth €15 preloaded with €5 free calling credit.

To learn more about the competition (including Terms & Conditions) and about Travelnroam just click here.

Oslo - Day 4

2009-08-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Got up early this morning to head out to Bygdoy so I could record my final Oslo podcast at the Viking Ship Museum. A really interesting museum, it holds the remains of three huge Viking Ships. I'd really recommend anyone visiting Oslo to have a look in here. Also, just down the road you'll come across the awesome open-air Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. As well as a plethora of old-school buildings, you'll see people wandering around in traditional dress.

After that I headed towards Frogner Park, a huge green area with lots of cool stuff in it. For example, here's where you'll find the Vigeland Sculpture Park which is full of some of the most interesting pieces of sculpture I've ever seen. Definitely well worth a look!

Tomorrow I'm going to head to St. Hanshaugen Park and have a look around that area! Hopefully it'll have stopped raining by then!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Oslo - Day 3

2009-08-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

Another rainy day in Oslo, but still a good one! Recorded a podcast at the Oslo Opera House. Got to have a look at two of the three stage areas and I also learned a lot more about the kind of performances they host. As well as hosting a plethora of cultural events, the building itself is pretty interesting. You can even go walking around on the roof!

Later on, I had a wander around an area of Oslo called Grünerløkka to the east of the city centre. I love areas like this, filled with alternative stores, cool bars and a great selection of cafes abd restaurants. Plenty of places to duck into to wait out the rain and soak up the atmosphere.

Tomorrow, I'm heading out to Bygdoy. It should apparently take around 20 minutes by bus from the National Theatre, which is cool. There are lots of museums in this neighbourhood, including the Viking Ship Museum where I'll be recording my last Oslo podcast!

Now though, time for some food!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Oslo - Day 2

2009-08-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

A rainy day in Oslo today, although it seems to be clearing up nicely now so hopefully I'll see some sunshine tomorrow.

Spend the morning in the Nobel Peace Center, one of the most interesting attractions I've visited so far here in Oslo. After getting a really awesome tour, I recorded a podcast with the Center's Director. I'd definitely recommend the Center to anyone visiting Oslo. Very informative, plus lots of really cool interactive stuff too.

Went to a few of Oslo's top-notch galleries today too, including the National Gallery which is free. I checked out the Munch Museum as well. Security on the way in is very tight but the museum is well-worth a look.

Had dinner in the Rice Bowl Thai Cafe on Youngsgate. It was really delicious and great value too. The place was packed full of locals with a very lively atmosphere. Would go back!

Tomorrow, I'm going to head to the Oslo Opera House first for another podcast. Then hopefully the sun will we out and I can go check out the Vigeland Sculpture Park!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Landed in Oslo!

2009-08-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

I've landed in Oslo where I'll be staying until Sunday so I can collect information and photos for one of our PDF guides. Over the course of my stay I'll also be doing 3 interviews for our Hostelworld podcasts, as well as taking footage for one of our Hostelworld videos.

While here, I'm staying at the Oslo Budget Hotel. As you can see from the picture here, my room is very nicely equipped with a flatscreen TV and desk. WiFi is free too, which is pretty cool.

Right, time for me to head out to have a little look around and find some dinner.

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Got a Story to Tell?

2009-08-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

As part of Hostelworld.com's 10-year anniversary celebration, we are kicking off a writing contest called, “Got a Story to Tell?”

As our travelers know, every new journey brings another great story to tell, and we want to invite you and your readers to share your best adventure from the past ten years with us. Whether it was a beach party on Fraser Island or eating octopus for the first time while hiking the Azorean forests, we want to hear it!

There will be 10 lucky winners. The grand prize winner will receive a €500 travel voucher and the nine runners up will win Amazon vouchers worth €50.

You've already lived the adventure, so the next part is easy. Simply send us your story (between 500 and 1,500 words) by visiting here. Make sure to include a photograph of your trip, and you'll be entered to win one of these fantastic prizes. Just one more thing: make sure to get it to us by September 30th.

Thanks and happy travels,

Hostelworld.com

Bratislava day 3!

2009-07-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

Started today by wandering up towards Grassalkovich Garden, which is located behind the Presidential Palace, a short walk from Bratislava's popular Obchodna Street. On the way, I got a pretty good view of the city's Castle. The Castle itself is closed at the moment because of ongoing renovations, but it's still a pretty sight, perched on a high hill overlooking the city.

On the way back, I walked along the afore-mentioned Obchodna. It was pretty busy, with people wandering along checking out the shops, cafes, bars and restaurants located all along the street.

Not just along the street itself, the passages ways leading off the street also hold numerous delights. Take for example this street market, which was very busy when I walked through. Selling everything from sunglasses to shoes, it seems like a well-liked shopping spot.

No night shots last night after all due to the onset of a lightning story. Watched from my room window as it went on for quite a while. Am going to try again tonight after I find some food!

Rebecca.
Hostelworld.com

Day 2 in Bratislava!

2009-07-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Still warm and sunny over here in Bratislava today. Have had quite a bit of a wander around so far today and I’ve seen some really cool places. Take for example, the Natural Science Museum. Only 2 of its 4 floors are currently in use, but there are plenty of great exhibits to be seen there. Like this not so little guy!

While walking to the museum, I got a different view of the New Bridge, which I crossed yesterday. It looks just as impressive from a distance as it does when you’re crossing over it, cars and trucks rumbling by overhead as well as beneath you.

One the way back through the Old Town area I passed the beautiful building of the Slovak National Theatre. Performances are still held here, and outside the building you’ll also get to see Ganymede’s fountain, another one of the city’s impressive waterworks.

Hopping on one of the trams after procuring a ticket from one of the handy machines at the stop (which have English directions on the types of tickets and how to get them), I took a short trip out of the Old Town area to visit Polus City Center. This is a pretty giant shopping centre, filled with lots of well-known brands. Lovely and cool inside, it was a nice spot to take a bit of a breather from the heat.

Tonight I’m going to try and take some night shots, as well as visiting a few bars. But first I think it might be time for some dinner!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Hello from sunny Bratislava!

2009-07-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

Got into Bratislava earlier on today, and I'll be here until Sunday. While I'm here I'm going to be collection info for one of our pdf guides (You can check out our other guides here). I'm staying at the Patio Hostel in a private twin room with shared bathrooms. Staff have been extremely helpful so far and it's in a great location just a short walk from the Old Town area.

Had a bit of wander around the Old Town today. Here's one of the many fountains I saw. Also had a look around St. Martin's Cathedral and walked across the New Bridge to go check out the AuPark shopping centre and the beautiful Sad Janka Kráľa park.

Very hot over here at the moment but I'm staying hydrated so it's all good! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the city tomorrow.

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Last full day in Zurich

2009-06-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

And today it decided to rain!

Went out to Winterthur this morning, a town about twenty minutes from Zurich in the S-Bahn. As well as having numerous museums and some top-notch shopping, it also hosts a food market that I was able to check out this morning.

When I got back to the city itself, it had started to rain but armed with my umbrella I wandered down Limmatquai. All along this stretch, you'll find numerous shops, as well as cafes galore. Stopped for lunch in Cafe Odeon and tried out their in-house take on rosti, which you can see here.

Also strolled along Bahnhofstrasse which was still busy despite the weather, as you can see.

Heading back to Dublin tomorrow but before I go I'll have time to visit a couple of the city's Saturday markets!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Zurich - Day three

2009-06-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

Spent another day wandering around the city today, and I've seen some really cool things. From the view of Zurich from the top of the Polybahn funicular service to the Platz Promenade, a park area behind the fascinating Landesmuseum. Check out the park as seen in the picture here.

I also took the time to check out some of Zurich's shopping opportunities, including the unusual Freitag shop which is housed in 17 stacked and converted freight containers. Sihlcity, the large shopping complex pictured here, was another stop for me today.

Tomorrow I'm going to take a trip towards the Uetilberg. It's the highest point so close to the city centre and the views should prove stunning!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Another gorgeous day in Zurich!

2009-06-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Visited a lot of attractions around the city on this very sunny day in Zurich. One of my favourites was the Chinese Garden. A really pretty place to wander around, as you can see from the picture here!

For lunch I went for a local favourite, and had some bratwurst from one of the many kiosks to be found along both sides of the Limmat River. Definitely filled me up for more sightseeing.

I also went for a really nice walk all along the quays leading from Bellevue, along Utoquai, and Seefeldquai, finally reaching the Zurichhorn Park. From here you can see Lake Zurich and the surrounding areas, as well as snow-covered mountains in the distance. Along the way, I got to see a lot of swans, including these two guys pictured.

Loving Zurich so far, I have to say. If you’re interested in heading here and you’re looking for somewhere to stay, check out the range of properties Hostelworld deals with here.

Going back out soon to find some dinner, and possibly a drink or two, and then once it’s dark I’ll try and take some night shots.

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Hello from beautiful Zurich!

2009-06-16T11:18:00.001-07:00

Landed in Zurich earlier today to collect information for a new Hostelworld pdf guide. (You can check out our other guides here.) I'm staying at the Hotel Coronado. As you can see from the picture, I have a pretty sweet set-up here! Just across the road from a tram stop too, which is great. Got me into the city in no time earlier on, and is a really easy system to get the hang of too.

Had a wander along Bahnhofstrasse, which seems to be the main shopping drag. Tonnes of people around and the shops were pretty busy. My favourite thing about this street isn't all the designer gear though, it's the really cool flowerpots! All along the street, you'll see these giant flowerpots covered in different, funky designs. Check out this one covered with lizards!

Dinner was a potato and vegetable gratin at a restaurant called Au Gratin at Bahnhofplatz. Really delicious, plus there's a bar downstairs so I stopped off for a drink there too.

Great first day in Zurich and I'm looking forward to seeing what tomorrow will bring!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Porto - The City of Bridges

2009-06-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

Arrived in Portugal's second city yesterday and hopped in a cab at the airport for the short trip to Porto's city centre.

I'm staying at The Yellow House, which is one of Porto's newest hostels. Have a look at the spotless dorm, complete with balcony! Also, the owners gave me some info on top-notch restaurants and bars. Going to check a couple out tonight.

Went on a boat trip down the Douro River yesterday afternoon. It was really enjoyable and a great way to see Porto's six famous bridges. I'm here in Porto to collect information on bars, restaurants and attractions for our 57th free pocket guide. You can check out the other 56 here.

Now I think it's time for me to hit the shops. Santa Catarina, here I come!

Rebecca
Hostelworld.com

Mastering the art of bartering

2009-05-12T12:06:00.001-07:00

I was out at the stalls today in Marrakech. Before leaving Jose at Equity Point where I'm staying gave me a quick heads up. Basically, whatever you're quoted knock 50%-60% off that.

So I was looking for a tracksuit top as it can get chilly here at night. I was quoted 500DHS (dirhams) first of all. Eh, forget about it! Told him the most I was going to pay was 200. He then said 250. I've since been told by Zac here at the hostel that the most I should be paying is 150. So now I'm going to go back into the souks again to find this top.

Also, another thing...getting lost in Marrakech's souks is almost inevitable. If you're approaced by people looking to bring you to where you're going, chances are they're going to look for something at the end of it. I gave this young guy the beneift of the doubt earlier, only to have to fork over 30DHS when we came to my final destination. And he was looking for between 50-100!

Manic Marrakech

2009-05-12T04:29:00.000-07:00

I've been to many places in my lifetime, but nothing quite like Marrakech. It is manic. Plain and simple.

Arrived yesterday morning at the hostel where I'm staying, Equity Point. I'm not sure if I've ever stayed in a hostel this swish to be honest. Check out my bathroom! It's amazing.If all hostels in Marrakech are this nice, I highly recommennd you come visit.

I hit the streets at 2pm. One of the first places I came across was Djemaa El-Fna. It's crazy. Absolutely crazy. All you can hear are drums beatings and the instruments of snake charmers. Bit of a shock to the senses, but you get used to it. I'll put up some pictures later.

Colm
Hostelworld.com

Back in wonderful Paris

2009-04-30T03:43:00.000-07:00

Made it to the French capital last night for the first time in years. The hostel I'm staying here in Paris is St Christopher's Paris. It's a great hostel - easy to get to via Metro, has a bar (even a nightclub) and free WiFi and breakfast. Staff are cool too.

I'm back in Paris to shoot our next city guide video, "10 Things You Need To Know About Paris". It will be full of tips for all those people who stay in hostels in Paris ie backpackers, but it will appeal to other travellers also. But now it's off to the streets with my camcorder and tripod...

Colm
Hostelworld.com

Help us win a Webby Award!

2009-04-29T01:34:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Have you seen our city guide videos? If not you can watch them by clicking here. We've got videos for Dublin, London, New York City and Prague. Rome is next, then Paris. They're full of tips so you should enjoy them.

Anyway, re the Webby Awards, the videos have been nominated for one! You can vote for us here:

http://pv.webbyawards.com

To vote simply register there, then once you're logged in choose the online film and video section, and then 'travel.

Hope you like the videos.

Colm
Hostelworld.com

Hoscar Winners Announced!

2009-01-28T05:59:00.000-08:00

Hi,
The winners of this year's coveted Hoscars have been announced! Congratulations to Travellers House in Lisbon (pictured below collecting their award) who have won the award of world's top hostel.

Upon winning the award, Gonzalo Figueira, co-owner of the hostel said “We are very happy. It’s been a successful year for us, so we thought we had a good chance of winning a HOSCAR."

Other hostels who won awards were from Lisbon, Cardiff and Beijing. For the full list visit www.hostelworld.com

Colm
Hostelworld.com

January customer newsletter

2009-01-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Hey,
Do you subscribe to Hostelworld's customer newsletter? If not, want to have a look anyway? You see the January '09 one here:

http://is.gd/g1Ky

As well as wishing all our customers a happy new year, it's got info on how to subscribe to our brand new RSS feeds, and a competition for a prize to Florence.

Enjoy!

Colm
Hostelworld.com

New competition!

2008-12-23T02:11:00.000-08:00

Didn't enter our competition for a holiday in Canada? Don't worry - we've got a new competition to enter! Check it out at www.hostelworld.com/competitions

Win a holiday in Canada

2008-12-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

Hi,
Haven't entered our competition for a trip in Canada worth CA$2,000? Don't fret - it's still open! To enter it just visit

www.hostelworld.com/competitions

Best of luck!

Colm
Hostelworld.com

Check out our first travel video

2008-08-07T01:54:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Not content with written and audio guides, we've now entered the world of video as our first video guide, "10 Things You Need To Know About Dublin" is now finished. You can check it out on our YouTube channel here:

www.youtube.com/hostelworld

Hope you find it useful (if you're coming to Dublin that is...)

Colm
Hostelworld.com

Help us redefine the word hostel

2008-07-24T01:14:00.000-07:00

Hi,
We at Hostelworld.com are campaigning to redefine the word 'hostel' as it appears in current editions of major UK and online dictionaries as we feel that current definitions are out of date and incorrect. To get it changed we need your help by signing our petition. For more information please visit

http://www.hostelworld.com/petition/

Thanks.

Colm,
Hostelworld.com

Now we've 40 free city guides

2008-05-02T03:09:00.000-07:00

Hi,

In the past we only had free pocket guides for our top European cities. Shocking, I know. But after returning from a mammoth 80-day trip around the world last year, we now have guides for all our top Asian cities. This includes Bangkok, Tokyo and Hong Kong. And the latest guides to go live are for Lisbon, Auckland and Galway. You can download all our guides here:

www.hostelworld.com/pdfguides.php

Hope you find them useful.

Colm

Hostelworld.com

1 millionth free pocket guide downloaded!

2008-04-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hi,
We had more good news in the Hostelworld office last week as last Friday (11th) the 1 millionth free pocket guide was downloaded! The guides are handy little things full with tips on how to save money, good places to eat and more. Click on the link and download one to find out for yourself :-)

We've got 37 guides live at the moment for cities in Europe, North America and Oceania. This is to increase to over 40 in the coming weeks with guides for Lisbon, Galway and Auckland on the way.

Hope you like them.

Colm
Hostelworld.com

We're a Webby Award Honoree!

2008-04-11T00:41:00.000-07:00

Hi,

The Hostelworld.com office was a very happy place this week. This was because we were named as an official honoree at this year's Webby Awards. As the Webby Awards are the Oscars of internet awards, so we're all over the moon!

Thanks to everyone who uses the site and making us the top hostel booking website on the internet.

Colm
Hostelworld.com

New Lisbon podcast available

2008-04-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I've just finished Hostelworld's latest podcast called 'Only in Lisbon...' You can listen to it at www.hostelworld.com/podcasts. It's the first of a set of an 'Only in X...' podcasts.

In this particular podcast I interview people from Oceanario de Lisboa, Castelo de Sao Jorge and Pasteis de Belem, a cafe where you can buy these tiny cakes pictured above. They're delightful. There are only three people in the world that know the recipe. During the 45 minutes I was in the cafe I scoffed a total of 6 cakes in a row. Not something to be proud of, granted, but just wanted to explain just how tasty they are. Anyway, hope you like the podcast.

Colm

Hostelworld.com

My first post - obviously a very emotional moment

2008-01-31T09:32:00.000-08:00

Today I came across from 'the bloggies' for the first time in my life. They're the oscars of the blog world apparently. Upon reading it I realised I don't have a blog. And being in the web game (you might guess from my blog title that I work for Hostelworld.com) I thought I'd better get myself one. So here it is.

Speaking of Oscars, this week we hosted the Hoscars. They're awards for the world's best hostels. You're guessing where we came up with the name, aren't you? You're not the first person. The winner was Flamingo Hostel from Krakow, Poland. I recorded a podcast at the event that should be on www.hostelworld.com/podcasts. Understandably, the staff from the winning hostel got quite drunk. Pawel, the guy who I interviewed, even hiccuped mid-conversation. And sure why not. That's them at the top of the post. I can assure you they didn't look as fresh at 2.30am after copious amounts of champagne.

So there it is - my first post. Awwww... No doubt I'll be back soon

Colm
Hostelworld.com