Have you ever slept on a hostelboat/houseboat? Check these out in Amsterdam, Budapest, Stockholm, berlin and Bergen!

1. When hostels go sailing!
Houseboats, floating hostels, ship-hotels… discover the charm of unique accommodations on
the sea or on a river!
When you imagine a hostel, you usually picture a building, maybe a nice old red-bricks house in
Amsterdam, a loft in Paris, a brand-new design house in London… but there are also hostels that
float! Europe is scattered with boat-hostels, perfect to enjoy your trip form a different point of view:
let’s start a boat trip to discover them!
Let’s start from Northern Europe,
precisely from Sweden: homeland
to great thriller writers, two handed
backhands and build-it-yourself
furniture, but not only. Stockholm
has all of hostels in boats, or
actually ships, both docked
at Södermälarstrand, a very
central area within walking distance
from all the top spots in town. The
first one has been with HostelsClub
for many years - we are talking
about the Rygerfjord Hotel &
Hostel, located on a ship built in
1950 in Bergen, that after almost 50
years of service, sailing the icy Norwegian seas, was turned into a hostel in 1995. The size of the ship
guarantees a good night’s sleep even when the water in the bay is a little rough. The hostel offers all the
facilities of a traditional bricks and mortar building: from a restaurant to a meeting room, to the bar on the top
deck with a view of Stockholm.
The newcomer among HostelsClub’s
boat hostels, The Red Boat, is on a
much older ship, dating back to the
Titanic era (ok, I guess we could
have found a better reference, here),
and is moored in Södermälarstrand
as well, only a few meters away from
the Rygerfjord. The wooden
interiors, the dominance of red,
almost a 100 years of history (which,
just like any lady, the ship does not
show) make this ship-hostel one of
the prides of our website. The ship
has 36 rooms among private and
shared, to satisfy (almost) everyone.
Also thee Red Boat offers all the
comforts of a hostel on the
mainland, including wi-fi
coveringmost of the common areas.

2. Let’s sail a bit South towards Germany.
I bet you do not know the name of the
river of Berlin! That’s right, Berlin is
crossed by a pretty big river, the Spree.
In the heart of the city, near the
Oberbaum Bridge, you will find the two
boats of Eastern Comfort & Western
Comfort Hostels. These boats used to
be on the opposite banks of the river,
but due to renovation works on the
West Bank, they are now both on the
East side. These hostels offer a great
view of the city and, thanks to their
central position, they allow you to walk
to the most interesting places in Berlin.
The two twin boats have a very high
standard, but each offers a slightly
different service. The Eastern Comfort
caters for backpackers, with shared rooms with 5 or 6 beds, and also camping places (yes, you can camp on
a boat!) on the top deck, with a views of the Oberbaum Bridge. The Western Comfort is for those who seek
a little more privacy, with private rooms with 2 or 3 beds. Nothing beats sleeping while being gently rocked
by a river, in the center of Berlin, in sight of the remains of the Wall and only a few steps form the hip areas
of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain.
If you sail west, you’ll
reach Amsterdam – a more
traditional and expected destination
for boat accommodations.
Amsterdam hotelboats, however, are
very different form the ones of Berlin
and Stockholm: they are usually
small and family-run, with a staff
living on board all year round.
HostelsClub.com offers quite a big
range of these accommodations, but
we are particularly fond of a couple
of them.Hotelboat Amsterdam is an
old 40-meter barge, turned into
hostel. The crew, a couple, is made
of a captain and a chef, who live on
board. The Hotelboat offers 17
double rooms, with bunk beds, with
shared bathrooms. Thanks to the
ideal position (only 10 minutes by
foot from the Central Station, and
only 5 minutes from the Red Light District) and to its range of services (Breakfast, WiFi, sheets and towels),
Hotelboat Amsterdam is one of the best choices for those looking for a cheap, fun and different
accommodation in Amsterdam.

3. The other hotelboat we really like
is Hotelboat Angeline, moored in
the city centre, at Oosterdok. Its
size is similar to Hotelboat
Amsterdam, but all rooms have a
private bathroom here. On the main
deck you’ll find couches and
armchairs and, since smoking
inside is forbidden, a dedicated
smokers’ area. Breakfast and WiFi
are free and included in the price and so is the magnificent view of
Amsterdam’s harbour: something
that traditional hostels can’t really
offer!
Let’s not forget one of the most famous and long rivers in Europe, the Danube, and all the city it crosses.
Among them, the most evocative one is probably Budapest, where the river divides the two cities of Buda
and Pest. HostelsClub.com offers you a boat accommodation in Budapest as well: the Boathotel Fortuna is
not exactly a hostel, but it gives you a great occasion to see a fascinating European capital from a different
point of view. It is moored in Pest, near the Margaret bridge, in front of the island of the same name. Fortuna
offers you 3-star service and comforts. The price is a tad higher than in other accommodations in Budapest
(but still around a very reasonable 12€), but sleeping on the Danube is an experience well worth the money!
So, if you are looking for a new, one-of-a-kind holiday… use this list to start your sailing, and may the
winds always be at your back!
For more details contact us at info@hostelsclub.com
Book your hostel on a boat on www.hostelsclub.com