How to Pick a Hostel in Berlin

Berlin is one of the cities in Europe that pioneered the idea of adding a nice restaurant and bar to an old-fashioned, simple youth hostel, a place with several dormitory-style rooms filled with metal-framed bunk beds and clean mattresses. While you are visiting Berlin, be sure to take a walk through the section of the city called Mitte, where there are several hostels that feature a bar or restaurant. From street level, they often appear to be nothing more than a coffee bar that serves food, but they offer clean and safe accommodations for visitors of all ages.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internect connection
• A passport
• Map of Berlin

How to Pick a Hostel in Berlin

1. Join the Hostelling International (www.hihostels.com) organization and book a room before you leave for Germany. Hostelling International is the largest hostel organization. They offer accommodations worldwide, and many of their hostels have English-speaking staff. They have a good reputation for cleanliness and safety. They offer beds to all travelers, but a hostel membership guarantees some good discounts and a few extra benefits. The Berlin International (http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostel022022.en.htm) is HI Hostel in Berlin.

2. Stay at the Circus Hostel Weinbergsweg - Berlin (www.circus-berlin.de/), which is part of the Famous Hostel Circle, a select group of premier hostels that are scattered across the major cities of Europe. The Circus venue in Berlin is located in Mitte, the lively section of Berlin. The staff here is especially helpful in providing information about what to do in the city, and they can also help in making travel arrangements to other locales.

3. Stay at an A & O certified hostel. These include A&O Hostel City am Zoo, A&O Hostel andMitte Ostbahnhof and A&O Hostel Friedrichshain Ostkreuz. (http://www.aohostels.com/en/berlin/).

4. Stay at a "backpacker hostel." There are three in the "baxpax network" in Berlin. Go to www.baxpax.de/ for more details or contact the Mittes Backpacker hostel (http://www.baxpax.de/mittes-backpacker/en/home/), the Downtown Baxpax Hostel Hotel (http://www.baxpax.de/downtown/en/home/) or the Baxpax Kreuzberg Hostel (http://www.baxpax.de/kreuzberg/en/home/).

5. Stay at an independent hostel. A few of the more popular independents include the Heart of Gold Hostel (www.heartofgold-hostel.de), Helter Skelter Hostel Berlin (www.helterskelterhostel.com), Lette m sleep 7 Hostel für Backpackers (www.backpackers.de, this is actually a small chain) and the Pegasus Hostel Berlin (pegasushostel.de).

6. Take a walk around Mitte and randomly choose a hostel. As you walk around the streets, you will come across several storefronts that are actually youth hostels, accommodating travelers of all ages. However, in general, it is much better to make arrangements in advance or at least get the names of a reputable place from a guidebook or other travelers.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the Internet to search for other listings. Make sure the website is current and doublecheck any placeson hostelling websites such as hostelsz.com, hostelbookers.com and hostels.com.
• Be clean and considerate of other people’s space and property.
• Hostels come and go all the time, especially in a big city such as Berlin. Do a little research first.