New competition!

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

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

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

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'hostel' as it appears in current editions of major UK and online dictionaries as we feel that current definitions are out of date and incorrect.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

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!

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!

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

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

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