Europes Chic Hostels: Miss Sophie's & Czech Inn

Hostel or hotel?

You’ve got hostels that conjure up images of the single traveller, checking in to a dankly decorated building, inhabiting one of twelve bunk-beds crammed into a room scarcely renovated since the 90s, barely two-strides long and with stank odours wafting from a communal corridor bathroom.  Then you’ve got hostels that do so well to rebut this stereotype, hostels that offer the single traveller certainly ‘perks’ such as free towels and linen, wifi, breakfast and the continuous – rather than occasional – usage of cleaning detergents and sanitiser.

However take that one step further and you’d be somewhere like Czech Inn or Miss Sophie’s.  These Prague hostels are two of Europe’s – and arguably the world’s – best ‘chic hostels’, a new brand of hostel and a gigantic leap from the unsavoury bed-bug ridden hostel stereotype many can’t help but perceive.  I am unsure by whom the term ‘chic hostels’ was coined, however what is certain is that there are a number of indisputable characteristics of these lodgings that separate them from regular hostels.  In fact, these two hostels offer private en suite rooms that leave the word ‘hostel’ and all it represents far behind.  In a nutshell, the best of both worlds equals chic hostels like Czech Inn and Miss Sophie’s – all the fun, cultural sociability and energy of a youth hostel with all the personal space, safety, cleanliness and freedom of a hotel room....and at a comparative price.

A word on the street about Czech Inn:
First impressions make a statement: the reception desk at Czech Inn stretched far across, set amidst tasteful wallpaper and an all-round clean and impressive vibe.  To the right we noticed several computer stations (modern, wall-mounted and all in operation) and to the left, stairs leading to a rather sizeable breakfast room / bar / coffee lounge.  Despite a short wait for someone at the desk to appear and check us in, we were greeted by a friendly and helpful staff member who dotted the necessary tourist-spots on a map and briefed us on the public transport system.  Our double room (€35 per person) was of a far better standard than that of many hotels of the same price: we had a spacious bathroom, a turbo-jet shower, a pair of armchairs and a comfortable bed – all with consistent and aesthetic decor! 

A word on the street about Miss Sophie’s:
Again, for €35 per person, our double room reservation did not disappoint.  This time, we were led across the street to the hostel’s extra space building, taken directly to the door by the hostel staff and shown our room.  If Czech Inn resembled a hotel room, Miss Sophie’s was an apartment in disguise.  In fact our room turned out to be three rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.  With complementary tea and coffee, shower gel and pillow chocolates...is this the stuff of hostels?

Miss Sophie’s and Czech Inn also offer shared dormitory rooms at prices no different from your regular hostel.  But if you’ve had your fair share of communal hostels and you fancy a little splash of moderately-priced luxury, these chic hostels are surely the way to go.  Best of all, you still get the fun of hostel bars, organised tours and spontaneous run-ins in the breakfast room with fellow travellers, rather than the sometimes idle isolation of a hostel room. 

Europe’s chic hostels:
Miss Sophie’s – Prague
Czech Inn – Prague
Balmers Hostel – Interlacken
Circus Hostel – Berlin
Kabul Hostel – Barcelona
Bauhaus Hostel – Bruges
St Christophers Inn – London
Flying Pig Hostel – Amsterdam