The differences between a hotel and a hostel

The choice often seems obvious; you choose a hostel when you are young traveler wanting to travel the world as cheap as possible. You choose a hotel if you want a little more service, comfort and privacy and when you can afford to spend a little more on accommodation. Sometimes the choices are nowhere near as simple in the ever-changing world of travel. Luckily, we are here to help. In order to compare the price/quality of hostels and hotels in Europe, we investigated the offers in a few popular European cities.

The evolution of the hostel

With the arrival of Airbnb, apartments and private lodging your options are endless. Hotels and hostels also changed quite a bit throughout the years. The days of sleeping in a smelly dorm with fifteen others and wearing shower sandals for protection against the sticky floors are long gone in the hostels of today. The modern traveler requires a lot more than a bunk in the corner. You can now find the most trendy, clean and stylish hostels throughout Europe. Most hostels offer private rooms as well, allowing you to stay in a young and vibrant place but with the privacy you may require. Hostels often offer you a complimentary breakfast, where hotels charge quite a bit for a good start of the day. However, hotels are more service oriented and are usually a lot more comfortable.

Hotel or Hostel in Prague

There are almost more hostels than hotels in the old city of Prague. Which can be easily explained, as Prague is a city loved by the young public. As the Czech Republic is known for its low prices, a stay in this ancient city is not expensive at all. For five pounds a night, you are able to stay in a nice hostel in the city center. If you are looking for a little more privacy or if you are travelling with your family you can get a nice hotel for around 50 pounds per night.

Hotel of Hostel in Madrid

Our favourite among the Madrid hostels has to be the Hat. We have never seen anything quite like it. The Hat is a modern, beautiful and tranquil hostel in central Madrid. Besides sharing a room with fellow travelers, it is like staying in a beautiful house in the middle of the city. Reasonably priced hotels in the city center are family friendly, clean and modernized. When travelling to Madrid in summer, it might be worth booking a hotel a little outside of the city. This way you escape the dense heat. Most hotels out of the city center also offer a swimming pool.

Hotel or Hostel in Berlin

Berlin is one of the most trendy and urban cities in Europe that attracts thousands of tourists every single day. Its underground scene is famous with young folks from around the globe and its fascinating history attracts families and schools for educational trips throughout the year. From checkpoint Charlie to the rooftop clubs in Friedrichshain.

What would you choose, a hotel or a hostel? At EUclaim we asked our employees what they prefer. As it turns out, 91 percent prefers a hotel.