You are currently viewing 26 Days in Europe: Hostels and Hotels I Stayed

So, I just had an epic vacation in Europe + Turkey and I wanted to share the places that I stayed during my almost one month trip. I stayed mainly in hostels in the Schengen area and mostly in hotels in the Balkans and Turkey. I booked all my stays at Booking.com since I find their rates to be the most competitive compared to other booking sites.

Some of my stays were booked ahead of time (places I stayed in the Schengen zone) and some were booked last minute.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Space Home Hostel – City Hall [Check rates and availability]

Space Home Hostel - City Hall in Vienna, Austria
Space Home Hostel – City Hall in Vienna, Austria

Why did I choose Space Home Hostel – City Hall?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Near the subway and tram station

What did I like about Space Home Hostel – City Hall?

  • It’s clean and safe.
  • The storage locker was large enough to fit my luggage and other stuff
  • Within walking distance to restaurants and convenience stores.
  • It’s a capsule hostel so I still had some sort of privacy

What I did not like about Space Home Hostel – City Hall?

  • Nothing

MUNICH, GERMANY

CVJM Jugendhotel München [Check rates and availability]

CVJM Jugendhotel München in Munich, Germany
CVJM Jugendhotel München in Munich, Germany

Why did I choose CVJM Jugendhotel München?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Walking distance from Muchen Hbf (Munich Central Station)
  • Close to popular tourist attractions
  • Within the city center

What did I like about CVJM Jugendhotel München?

  • It’s clean and safe but you have to bring your own lock for the locker.
  • Walking distance to restaurants and supermarkets.
  • Complimentary breakfast

What I did not like about CVJM Jugendhotel München?

  • The room was very small

PARIS, FRANCE

Walled off Hotel Paris [Check rates and availability]

Walled off Hotel Paris - France
Walled off Hotel Paris – France

Why did I choose Walled off Hotel Paris?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Near the subway station
  • Competitive price for a single room

What did I like about Walled off Hotel Paris?

  • Walking distance from two subway stations
  • Close to bus stops
  • Affordable restaurants just a few blocks away

What I did not like about Walled off Hotel Paris?

  • Shared T&B but I already knew about it. It’s still a good deal. The shared T&B was clean though.

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

ClinkNOORD Hostel [Check rates and availability]

ClinkNOORD Hostel's Common Area
ClinkNOORD Hostel’s Common Area

Why did I choose ClinkNOORD Hostel?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Close to the Amsterdam Central Station (I knew I’ll be arriving late so I wanted a place close to the central station)

What did I like about ClinkNOORD Hostel?

  • Its proximity to the train station and it’s also just a walking distance to the red light district and other tourist spots.
  • The free short ferry ride was also fun.

What I did not like about ClinkNOORD Hostel?

  • Very small room
  • Small locker but you can rent a big locker at the reception which I did

SPLIT, CROATIA

Hostel Dvor [Check rates and availability]

Hostel Dvor is Split, Croatia
Hostel Dvor is Split, Croatia

Why did I choose Hostel Dvor?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Located within the city center

What did I like about Hostel Dvor?

  • Clean and quite spacious
  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Walking distance to the Diocletian’s Palace and Riva (Split Waterfront)

What I did not like about Hostel Dvor?

  • Quite far from the bus terminal

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

Hotel Dubrovnik [Check rates and availability]

Hotel Dubrovnik
Hotel Dubrovnik (I forgot to take a photo of the room 🙁

Why did I choose Hotel Dubrovnik?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Close to a bus stop
  • Near Sunset Beach

What did I like about Hotel Dubrovnik?

  • Just a couple of minutes to the sunset beach
  • Close to restaurants and walking distance to the supermarket
  • Complimentary buffet breakfast

What I did not like about Hotel Dubrovnik?

  • Small room and T&B

KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

Apartments Wine House Old Town [Check rates and availability]

Apartments Wine House Old Town in Kotor, Montenegro
Apartments Wine House Old Town in Kotor, Montenegro

Why did I choose Apartments Wine House Old Town?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Inside the old town

What did I like about Apartments Wine House Old Town?

  • Friendly owner
  • Interesting interior
  • Near the jump-off point to hike to the Fortress

What I did not like about Apartments Wine House Old Town?

  • It’s inside the old town so you’ll have to walk from the main entrance to the apartment which is quite exhausting if you arrive midday with huge and heavy luggage.

TIRANA, ALBANIA

Prime Hotel [Check rates and availability]

Prime Hotel in Tirana, Albania
Prime Hotel in Tirana, Albania

Why did I choose Prime Hotel?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Located within the center center
  • Near Skanderbeg Square

What did I like about Prime Hotel?

  • Good value for money
  • Clean
  • Close to restaurants and bus stops

What I did not like about Prime Hotel?

  • No elevator, so I had to take the stairs while carrying my heavy luggage. Good thing I was only on the 1st floor.

SKOPJE, MACEDONIA

Villa Nina Hotel & Lounge Bar [Check rates and availability]

Villa Nina Hotel & Lounge Bar in Skopje, North Macedonia
Villa Nina Hotel & Lounge Bar in Skopje, North Macedonia

Why did I choose Villa Nina Hotel & Lounge Bar?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Located in the city center
  • Competitive room rates

What did I like about Villa Nina Hotel & Lounge Bar?

  • The backyard where you can take your take out meal or just chill
  • Close to restaurants
  • Friendly owner

What I did not like about Villa Nina Hotel & Lounge Bar?

  • No elevator, so I had to take the stairs while carrying my heavy luggage. Good thing I was only on the 1st floor.

SOFIA, BULGARIA

Smart Hostel Sofia [Check rates and availability]

Why did I choose Smart Hostel Sofia?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Very affordable. I knew I would arrive very late so instead of booking a hotel, I decided to stay at Smart Hostel.

What did I like about Smart Hostel Sofia?

  • Nothing really. It was just cheap. That’s it. Ideal for backpackers. Not for me though.

What I did not like about Smart Hostel Sofia?

  • No elevator
  • Tiny bed
  • 10:00 AM check out time

Generaator Sofia [Check rates and availability]

Generaator Sofia
Generaator Sofia (I forgot to take photo when I checked in) – taken when I was about to check out

Why did I choose Generaator Sofia?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Value for money
  • Located in the city center

What did I like about Generaator Sofia?

  • Friendly staff
  • Walking distance to/from the Sofia Central Train Station and Bus Station
  • Close to restaurants and supermarkets

What I did not like about Generaator Sofia?

  • No elevator and my room was on the 3rd floor. Good thing the staff helped me carry my luggage.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Orient Express & Spa by Orka Hotels [Check rates and availability]

Orient Express & Spa by Orka Hotels in Istanbul, Turkey
Orient Express & Spa by Orka Hotels in Istanbul, Turkey

Why did I choose Orient Express & Spa by Orka Hotels?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Located in the city center

What did I like about Orient Express & Spa by Orka Hotels?

  • Good value for money
  • Near Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
  • Close to restaurants, exchange center, shops
  • Complimentary buffet breakfast

What I did not like about Orient Express & Spa by Orka Hotels?

  • It’s along the tram road so taxis are not allowed to pick up or drop off. You’ll have to walk a little bit to/from the hotel to take a cab.

All Seasons Hotel [Check rates and availability]

All Seasons Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey
All Seasons Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey

Why did I choose All Seasons Hotel?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Competitive rates

What did I like about All Seasons Hotel?

  • Very close to a tram station
  • Near Carrefour Supermarket
  • Large bed
  • Complimentary breakfast

What I did not like about All Seasons Hotel?

  • Poor breakfast selection. You have to pay extra for an egg.

CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY

Royal Stone Houses – Goreme [Check rates and availability]

Royal Stone Houses - Goreme
Royal Stone Houses – Goreme

Why did I choose Royal Stone Houses – Goreme?

  • Good reviews on Booking
  • Competitive rates

What did I like about Royal Stone Houses – Goreme?

  • Walking distance to the town center. Quite far from Sunset Point but within walking distance
  • You can see the hot air balloons from the room window in the morning
  • Complimentary breakfast

What I did not like about Royal Stone Houses – Goreme?

  • Not so friendly staff

Travel Tips

  1. Choose accommodation near a bus stop, train or tram station so you can commute easily.
  2. Travel during the off-peak season for more affordable stays
  3. If traveling during off-peak, you can book last-minute like a day before your stay. Some hotels offer huge discounts for last-minute bookings.
  4. Book your stays at Booking.com , never had a problem with them even with last-minute bookings.
  5. When searching for hotels, use the filter option to see accommodation with elevators, distance from the city center, etc.
  6. For popular places like Paris, choose accommodation far from the center but close to a subway/train station to save money.
  7. Always read the guest reviews, both positive and negative.

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