High on Hostels, From Farmhouses to Chalets

Sunday, October 1, 2006

In August we explored the world of hosteling, including tips on how to book a hostel and what to bring, and our picks of a dozen top inns worldwide. Now it's your turn.

We asked readers to tell us about their favorite hostels worldwide and were delighted by the results, as varied as a lighthouse on the California coast and a chalet in the Swiss Alps.

We've provided phone numbers, Web sites and rates, but keep in mind that we haven't vetted these places ourselves -- though we'd happily plan a visit to Santa Ana, El Salvador, based on Lori Robertson's suggestion below, and anything named the "Funny Farm" is okay in our book.

Domestic

· The Stanford Hostel (330-467-8711, http://www.stanfordhostel.com/ ; beds from $19.15), in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Peninsula, Ohio, is an old farmhouse complete with red barn. My single room up under the eaves was $23 per night, though dorm rooms are also available.

I was there for three nights in September, and they were the most peaceful nights I have ever spent in my travels. Bambi and family were even grazing on the verdant lawn when I awoke and looked outside.

The farmhouse kitchen is huge and is equipped with everything a traveler could possibly need for either a three-course meal or a cup of java. Step out the back door for great hiking trails, or take a drive into Akron, a neat old city. The on-site host bore a striking resemblance to Stephen King, which gave the dark, quiet nights some real pizzazz!

Bette Amsler, Staunton, Va.

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel (650-879-0633, http://www.norcalhostels.org/pigeon ; beds from $22) in Pescadero, Calif., is gorgeous, and there's a hot tub on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. I stayed there in 2002 and 1998. I've seen whales feed right off the point and watched many a glorious sunset there. Even when it's foggy, it's gorgeous.

Kat Morgan, Kensington

One of the nicest hostels I've stayed at was the Denali Mountain Morning Hostel (907-683-7503, http://www.hostelalaska.com/ ; beds from $25), about 15 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park in Alaska. I stayed in one of the private rooms -- a cabin divided into two units -- for $65 a night in August 2005. There was a nice central cabin with a lounge and kitchen. The hostel provides transportation to the park (limited times), has a natural food store, and sells and rents camping equipment. It was clean, very comfortable and quiet.

Elizabeth Munsey, Washington

Editor's note: This hostel is closed for the season, but will take calls and reservations starting in January.

I had never in my 65 years stayed at a hostel, but on the way to some volunteering duty at Yosemite National Park in May and June this year I had to stop over in Sacramento, Calif. A friend recommended the HI-Sacramento (916-443-1691, http://www.norcalhostels.org/sac/index.html ; beds from $25). The hostel, in a classic Victorian house, was large, clean and comfortable, and it had such amenities as computer access and laundry and kitchen privileges. It's close to the Amtrak station and the state capitol, and the airport is a quick shuttle away.

The rooms were bunk rooms, but not too crowded, and the staff was friendly and efficient.

Jim Lynch, King George, Va.

International

For backpackers who love extreme sports and enjoy meeting new people, there is only one place in Europe to go: Funny Farm Hostel (011-41-79-652-61-27, http://www.funny-farm.ch/ ; beds from $20) in Interlaken, Switzerland. My friend and I stayed there in August 2005 in an eight-bed en suite room for about $25 a night. The hostel has a pool, a climbing wall, a volleyball court, a bonfire, a pool bar, a nightclub in the basement and a restaurant. We enjoyed free breakfast on the outdoor patio in a lovely garden, with snow-capped mountains providing a beautiful backdrop.

The extreme-sport activities include skydiving, glacier climbing, hang gliding and zorbing (rolling around while strapped inside a giant plastic ball), and you can book them all at the hostel. There's a quaint town with lots of restaurants and shops, mountains to hike and two crystal-blue lakes.

I have to mention that I met my fiance while staying at Funny Farm. He's English, and we stayed in the same room. He joined my roommate and me on our travels after we left Interlaken. A month later he was flying to D.C. to visit, three months after that I was living in London, and in a year we'll be married.

Emily Knoerl, Woodbridge

I backpacked for a month around Europe this summer, and my favorite hostel was Palmers Lodge (011 - 44-207-483-8470, http://www.palmerslodge.co.uk/ ; beds from $27) in London. It was a big old Victorian house converted into a hostel, and we loved it. We paid about $32 per person to stay in a 10-person, females-only room, with bathrooms/showers connected to the room. It included free breakfast and free Internet. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the room and bathrooms/showers were very clean and comfortable. It was also our only hostel that actually had carpeting in the rooms, a welcome change from cold tile floors.

A large common room with computers, TVs and couches for lounging was great for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing. Palmers Lodge is a short walk from the Swiss Cottage tube station, which is only about a 10- to 15-minute ride to downtown London.

Kristin Lewis, Rockville

The Freedom Traveller Hostel (011-39-06-478-238-62, http://www.freedom-traveller.it/ ; beds from $21) in Rome has to be one of the best values for your money. For $47, I got not only a bed, but also a clean shower (a few more stalls wouldn't have hurt), free Internet, breakfast and -- something not common at most hostels I know of -- a free dinner. It's nothing special, just marinara or Alfredo pasta, but it's a wonderful chance to socialize, as I discovered during my stay in December 2005.

Within walking distance of Termini station, Freedom Traveller is in a tall building with the most charming, most stereotypically Italian elevator ever: a little rickety thing barely big enough for one person and luggage. The hostel's common area and back garden are gorgeous, so much so that you might forget that all of Rome is just around the corner.

Rachel Kaufman, Brooklyn

Editor's note: This hostel offers the free dinner for those booking in the low season, which this year is Nov. 4 to March 20.

In July my husband and I stayed at the beautiful Failte Hostel (011-35-3-644-2333, http://www.neidin.net/failtehostel ; beds from $19) in Kenmare, Ireland. Kenmare is a charming small town in the southwest, a perfect gateway to a drive around the Ring of Kerry.

Great hiking and cycling are also nearby. The Failte Hostel offers immaculately clean facilities, a large kitchen and comfortable bedrooms with a sink, and it is one block from the town square. There is an open, airy dining room, a common room with books and games, and a great patio with bike storage. We paid 38 euros ($48) a night for a private room with a double bed and shared bathroom -- although we never actually had to share!

Nicole Banister, Columbia

More than a hostel, Casa Frolaz (011-503-2440-53-02, http://www.casafrolaz.com/ ; beds from $7) in Santa Ana, El Salvador, is the home of owner Javier Diaz. The water is hot and my bed was comfortable (I paid $7 a night), but what really makes this place is Javier's incredible hospitality. The house doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's gorgeous. Guests have full use of the gourmet kitchen, the living room and the garden and barbecue. There are only seven beds, and guests quickly get to know one another.

I was there in January and spent a number of delightful evenings having dinner and drinking wine with my fellow travelers -- and of course, Javier, who introduced us to great music, wonderful coffee and the beautiful attractions in western El Salvador.

Lori Robertson, Washington

While we stayed in several terrific hostels during a May-June backpack trip in China this year, the hands-down best was the Shanghai City Central Youth Hostel (011-86-21-52-90-5577, http://www.hostelchina.cn/ ; beds from $7.50). At $25 for a clean and cozy double, with a functional and clean in-room bathroom, the price was right. The hostel was conveniently located near a subway stop, though we took cabs and buses to downtown Shanghai, about a half-hour away. It had a helpful desk staff, and the Western breakfasts and other meals here were inexpensive and tops in taste. The washer was free, and the outdoor drying facility was good.

We are in our 60s, and age was not a factor here or in any of the other Chinese youth hostels. Linens here and at other hostels were provided; there was no "lockout" period or limit on how long you could stay. All had Internet facilities, and tours could be arranged if you wanted them.

Neil Silver, McLean

I stayed at Chalet Martin (011-41-79-724-63-74, http://www.gryon.com/ ; beds from $20) in Gryon, Switzerland, for three nights back in July 1999, but by the looks of its Web site, the charm of the place hasn't changed. It's accessible by an old cog wheel train, which stops running in the evenings. If you're late but called ahead to reserve a room, the owners might let the train operator know you're on your way so that he'll wait. At least he did in my case, which was lucky, because it's a long uphill walk from the train station.

Chalet Martin is nestled in the mountainside with phenomenal views of the Alps, has access to all sorts of outdoor activities and is very clean. (In fact, you must leave your shoes at the door, so foot phobics be warned.) There's a fantastic communal kitchen where travelers swap stories and food, and a movie room with fairly recent films. I stayed in a large, bunk-bed-filled room and awoke to a postcard Alps scene.

The staff members are part caretakers, part activities directors. They arrange group trips for rock climbing and summer skiing or point out the best hikes. The town itself is tiny -- literally the butcher, the baker and probably a candlestick maker, too.

Karen Lee, Arlington

I arrived in Munich on a dreary day in late March 2004. After a long flight, I was looking forward to a hot shower and a bed to rest in, so I approached my final destination anxiously. From the outside, 4 You Munich (011-49 -89-55-21-66-0, http://www.the4you.de/ ; beds from $22) doesn't look like much: It blends into the local architecture and can be easily missed.

But walk through the hostel's glass door, and you immediately know you've made the right choice. My first night there I stayed in a private room at the Youth Guesthouse, on the upper two floors of the five-story building. The next night I stayed in a six-bed dorm; for the rest of my stay I found a bottom bunk in a large 12-bed dorm.

The hostel is known for its eco-friendliness. From the rubber mattresses to the organic foods at breakfast, 4 You Munich is true to its word, keeping it ecological yet not drab. And the location doesn't hurt: It's a three-minute walk to Hauptbahnhof, Munich's main train station, and 10 minutes to Marienplatz, the old city center.

Iva Yates, San Juan, Puerto Rico

During our travels in fall 2005, we stayed at Valley Hostel (011-41-33-855-20-08, http://www.valleyhostel.ch/ ; beds from $21) in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, in the Jungfrau region. We got a full room to ourselves -- one double bed and a single bed, for three people -- with an external bathroom for around $22 per person. Best of all was a window looking out on the Staubbach Falls, plus it's near the railway station. Alfred and Martha run the hostel with their kids and are helpful in pointing out different treks.

Archi Rossi (011-39-055-29-0804, http://www.hostelarchirossi.com/ ; beds from $26) in Florence, Italy, is a fantastic place that's close to the railway station. And you can add your own graffiti to the walls. We stayed in a three-person room with an attached bath for about $28 per night per person. It has an excellent breakfast, free Internet and a coin-operated laundry.

In Paris, the three of us paid around $80 (breakfast included) for a room with three beds and attached bath at Fauconnier (011-33-1-42-74-2345, http://www.mije.com/ ; beds from $39), in a quiet mansion near Notre Dame. Yes, it does have some odd hours (for cleaning), but if you use the hostel mainly for sleeping, you can't ask for much more.

Joseph Noronha, Fairfax

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