Where staying in a hostel comes with a touch of class

Accommodation pops up in non-descript buildings — usually filled with row upon row of bunk beds — and with good reason. Keeping costs down means lower nightly rates, and for the most part, guests are so busy sightseeing and socializing that no one minds the bland surroundings. Then there are hostels that are so historic, they rate a guidebook mention. The Maverick Hostel & Ensuites in Budapest, housed in a royal mansion built during the Habsburg dynasty, offers “the gilded lifestyle of the noble aristocrat at a peasant’s price”. Boasting “no bunk beds” (although the mixed dorms do have cots), the Maverick offers everything from new double-bed ensuite accommodation with private bathroom, to “The Blues Brothers” loft with six beds and its own fireplace. Sample prices for a Saturday night in late November ranged from 13 to 22 euros (about $18 to $31). In Catania, Italy, on the east coast of Sicily, the 19th-century Agora Hostel offers more traditional digs (bunk beds abound) offset by vaulted ceilings, antique tiled floors and lava block columns. The hostel’s bar is housed in a cave formed 300 years ago by an eruption of Sicily’s most famous landmark, Mt. Etna. North America has its share of historic hostels too, like HI Ottawa, known in its former life as the Carleton County Gaol and now dubbed “a great place to hang”. And yes, you can sleep in former jail cells. See www.hostelworld.com.

DOING THE DEW IN COLORADO

Colorado is famous as a winter sports mecca, particularly among the well-heeled, and some might assume that the snow-rich state is priced out of their budget. Not so. Aspen and Vail may attract a high-end crowd, and often famous faces. Then there’s Breckenridge. Once a mining town, laid-back Breckenridge offers a down-to-earth local vibe that attracts more than its share of young people, many of them snowboarders, who were welcomed by the city years ago when other mountain resorts were still hesitant about the new sport. Playing host to the 2010 Winter Dew Tour, now in its third year, Breckenridge will have a chance to show off its new, 6.7-metre Olympic-size half pipe when the entire town “turns into a ski party” on Dec. 16 to 20 with events including snowboarding and free skiing, both superpipe and slopestyle. Leading up to the Dew Tour, the Village Hotel and Great Divide Lodge has special rates from $99 (U.S.) per night, valid Nov. 12 through Dec. 16, with an increase for stays during the event itself. See www.breckenridge.com for event information or www.breckresorts.com for accommodation details.

NEW YEAR’S IN BERLIN

Berlin’s open-air New Year’s Eve party attracts more than one million visitors to the city’s “party mile”, which stretches from Brandenburg Gate all the way to the Victory Column. Stages with DJs and dance floors line the route, along with light shows and food tents, and a spectacular fireworks display becomes just a blip in time as the party continues right into the morning hours. The truly energetic will be back at Brandenburg Gate at noon on New Year’s Day for the city’s annual four-kilometre New Year’s Run. And for those who might want a bed at some point, Berlin Tourism has some suggestions, all centrally located and offering great value for young travellers: Michelbergerhotel, Hotel Amano, the Circus Hotel, Motel One and any of the city’s Meininger Hotels. See individual hotel websites or www.visitberlin.de.

ACTIVE MOROCCO WITH INTREPID

In its tours, Intrepid Travel avoids the “big air-conditioned buses” whenever possible, favouring more independent (and cheaper) modes of transport like hiking, biking and kayaking. The nine-day Active Morocco tour, starting from $1,170 with a maximum of 12 travellers, is rated four out of five for physical challenge and includes hiking through mountain passes to remote villages, and climbing sheer rock faces at the Todra Gorge. Another option, the 28-day Middle East Adventure (from $3,265), features transport by camel, sleeper train and 4x4 vehicles with some overnight stays in a beach hut and a desert camp. Airfare is not included. See www.intrepidtravel.com.

Kathryn Folliott is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Prices quoted are subject to change and availability.
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