The AppleBlossom of Poznan: Blooming at the Blooms Hostel, Poland!

The greatest thing about hostel life, is that you never know what the next lodging is going to bring, in form of adventure. Sure, there are times I wish I could afford to stay, if only a couple of nights, at a traditional hotel, as such lodging most likely ensures uninterrupted rest due to the fact that there is nix and absolutely nil chance of a snorer in a bunk next to you, sounding much like an angry gorilla; or, that a group of two, whom you may be sandwiched in-between (bunk bed wise) have toured the local food market during the afternoon, and have decided to drink brew and dine where chefs hold the secret to the most brutal combination of garlic and spices...and as we all know, such lethal combination has a tendency to slowly release from internally into the midnight air, which can be insufferable for the rest of the innocent guests sleeping in a fully occupied dorm with such a fuming individuals! (needn’t say more...I’m sure you get the picture!) But, as the adventurous pleasant surprises, hostel wise, seems to outweigh the minor “garlic-fuming-find-a-gasmask-if-you-want-to-survive-the-night” or the “gorilla-hold-on-to-the-bunk-railing-so-that-the-snoring-blasts-won’t-knock-you-out-of-bed” issues, I will  continue be the proverbial hostel-booker (sleep in garlic-free aromatic atmosphere is always possible at home, in-between the hostelling)

Arriving Poznan, a smaller city in Poland, and The Blooms Hostel and Apartments proved to be just that, an adventure, as there were no expectations what this place (or the hostel) was going to be like. Usually, when visiting metropolitan cities there is already an expectation due to all the pre-exposure from media, as opposed to the smaller, but oh so beautiful cities and towns which all are tucked away, only to be randomly explored by individuals such as myself.

Let me back up and fill you, the reader, in, with regards the choice to visit (and ending up living) in Poznan:

I have found that air flights are not always the most convenient way to get to a destination in the shortest time possible; such perspective is as delusional as the myth of the unicorn! Although the airlines themselves usually offer great service, it is all the wasted time, from the moment one arrives at an airport hours prior to departure in order to wait in ridiculous lines, paying for over-priced food, also while waiting , running out of the complimentary one-hour internet, while waiting, leaving no other option other to spend the rest of the time to wander about and be tempted by all the over-priced items sold at the airport stores and kiosks, or to park the derriere in one of the bars to enjoy an over-priced drink- only to repeat the cycle at the next airport while departing on a connecting flight. I have therefore, by chance, found, that in Europe the option of trains, and even better yet, the busses are, sometimes, the better way to travel! In comfort, one can usually enjoy internet for hours on end, but then again, why would you? The view into the small towns, which the busses drives through, gives an insight to the real village life of the population of the country one is visiting. This is exactly what happened to me while hopping on a bus from Warsaw to Berlin, I became exposed to towns in Poland which I didn’t know existed.

Being deprived of American stores, such as TJ Maxx and Gap, after living in Denmark for the last three years (I know, how Shallow Halley of me, right?) needless to say that my eyes expanded to a size which would make even Marty Feldman green with envy once I saw the large posters hanging from the giant windows in the really, really, giant new shopping mall in Wroclaw! This was not the Poland I had envisioned, so modern and rather Americanized? Well, never mind that little fact that I actually returned to Wroclaw for the very reason of shopping in American stores...which also gave me an opportunity to review some of the local hostels...vive la Shallow Halley!

Anyway, it was on my way from Prague to Wroclaw to buy, in particular, leather belts which is impossible to find in Copenhagen but are found in abundance at the TK Maxx (as the franchise is called in Europe) that I had the opportunity to chat for hours with a young Chilean Vigneron whom was on his way back to his home country and grape-filled vineyards after hostelling Europe, and whom told me that he had decided to stop in Poznan for the night until travelling to Berlin for the flight back to Chile? “Poznan”, I thought. ”Perhaps...worth checking out?”

So I did. And with no regrets!

Poznan is definitely for anyone visiting Europe and who need a little break from sightseeing tours, museums, beaches, hiking mountains...only to relax at awesome cafés serving rich coffee and sirnik, the Polish name for (fantastic) cheesecake! It is primarily a student town, so the population is young and vibrant, and the above average intellectualism is reflected in nearly anything here; you will find giant shopping malls with all the modern brand names...and very attractive prices, I may add. Smaller, unique stores, laid as pearls in a row right off the old cobble-stoned streets, are also in abundance, if one prefers such shopping as opposed to the large shopping centres ...in other words: In Poznan, you can shop until you drop...and there will still be money leftover for that slice of sirnik! It can also be mentioned that the larger hotels in this town have Casinos (yes, you read that right; who needs Vegas, B.A.B.Y?!)

The town is only a four-hour bus ride from Berlin, and Poznan Airport does provide flights to London, Paris, Copenhagen, Prague, etc. Hint: the last airfare  purchased from Wizzair, departing Poznan to Malmø, Sweden, cost no less than 79 Zloty one way...  

Picking Blooms Hostel proved to be a great pick...again, no regrets! Entering old and charming authentic doors I had the pleasure to creep up the stairway to the reception (sorry, no elevators in this hostel), only to find more of the old, authentic frosted-glass and brass door-knobs opening up to a warm, turn-of-the-century architecture, dainty and with rather feminine flair  reception hall/kitchen/lounge area, and greeted by exceptionally polite staff handing my receipt and a charming old-fashioned steeled key to my dorm room...all I could think was “Welcome home, you little pug!”

I was put in a dorm, also oozing of femininity, and to my delight the eight-persons dorm was to be occupied by myself, a Polish student of Journalism, as well as young Dutch multilingual female techie who happened to work temporarily in Poznan and was found to be a golden well of information with regards to, what Paris Hilton would refer to as: “what’s hot/what’s not” in Poland.

While staying at the Blooms, the dorm looked more like a place of an on-going girly sleep-over party, as make-up, perfume bottles, heels, and shopping bags in powder-pink and mint-green were spread to every corner of the room, mainly due to the fact that the room only had two lockers...even though the dorm could be occupied by eight persons(?) (please read here: bring your padlock suitable to lock your luggage); Needles to say that the locker issue could be overlooked now that all sparkling everything had found its way into this room!

Anyway, other than occupying a dorm which seemed to have been bombarded with poofs of glitter the drawback was that one had to leave the on-going sparkly party and walk through the long hallway in order to visit the loo, as the fact remains, that unless you book a private room, there are no private bathrooms accompanying the dorms, and the bathrooms are co-ed; yet, the stalls are divided in such a way that privacy is never an issue. The charm of an older building may not always appear charming in the morning when met by cold water from the shower; this can, however, be resolved by letting the water run for a while before entering the the shower cabin (now, don’t say that I didn’t warn you, should you ever stay at the Blooms)

The hostel does not have a laundry facility, but it provides a laundry service...yes, you read that right. For a reasonable price, one can drop off the dirties and pick it up, usually, a few hours later.

Complimentary tea and coffee is available 24 hours a day in the cozy lounge area, and it is possible to purchase breakfast. The hostel is suitable for all ages, as it is not your typical youngster party-shack, and many of the hostel guests, particularly on the weekends seems to be Polish natives from other areas of Poland. While spending my time there, the potpourri of hostellers were everything (other than the sparkly roomies) from Irish medical students, long-term hostellers over the age of 40 years, a few Norwegian middle-aged hardcore knitters, a few intellectual couples, and then, of course your regular younger hostel patrons. In other words, this is a place where you will not be turned down because you are too old, too young, or in the case of the Norwegians: too crafty...!

Although a kitchen is located within the hostel, I will recommend to go out there and try authentic Polish food. Only minutes from The Blooms Hostel, on the main shopping street, one can find several Milk Bars, where all sorts of Polish and Russian Pierogi (dumplings) can be savored. Even better yet, around the corner of the hostel one can find a great house of crepes: the Manekin! Trust me, this place in itself is worth travelling to Poznan for...but you don’t have to take my word for it; all you have to do is check out the size of the line of waiting patrons on the weekends, ready to dig into the deliciousness of the different crepes served.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, one never knows what kind of adventure hostel life will bring you. Well in this case, I guess the combination of the warm, quiet and friendly hostel, the great hostel roomies and the laughters we were able to have in the short time lodging together, the trips to Tapas restaurants and Sushi bars with the techie roomie and new-found (temporary) friend, a town which seems so safe and intimate, not to mention the great pricing for non-Polish visitors, brought me to the greatest adventure of all: I decided to  pack something larger than the regular overhead compartment-sized piece of luggage which I ordinarily tote around, along with my massage table, and hauled everything (gypsy-style) on busses, and ferries in order to move to this town...and all I can say about this adventurous decision is: Oui, j’adore Poznan...Non, je ne regrette rien!

And who knows? Should you ever come to Poznan, there may be a chance that TheTinyPug is hanging out in the same café as you, drinking from an oversized cup filled with cappuccino, while planning the next hostel-booking trip worth barking about…

Time to rate:

• Was the overall location appropriate: Location is Super, Muy Bien, Dobry, Trés Bien, Sehr Gut...Kjempebra; Fedt!
• Overall ho(s)tel level: Category D: fit-for-all-ho(s)tel-bookers
• Would I let my children stay at this ho(s)tel: Of Course! Bien Sur! Aber Ja! Oczywiscie! Selvfølgelig!
• Would I bring my mother: Do birds fly? Do angels cry? in other word...Yes, Tak, Da, Oui, Ja...Si!
• Would I recommend the ho(s)tel to the neighbour: Answer is as affirmative as above (if you know what I mean)
• Low-point(s) of the ho(s)tel: No elevator…!
• High-point(s) of the ho(s)tel: the friendliness of the staff!
• For he/she who has tried everything: If you are looking for a place to get away in order to rejuvenate, then this is the place for you!

For more information, follow this link: http://www.blooms.com.pl/

Sincerely,

TheGreatDane

Chillin' at the Chili Hostel...!

Chili Hostel, Prague

Have you ever had that potpourri of feelings which lead you to thinking: “je ne sais qui…?!” Let's just imagine for a moment that you were, hypothetically, about to step into the house of your friend’s sister’s house where you were to spend the weekend due to the acceptance of an invitation to “hang out and chill” in a home away from home; and, as you may have expected that sister to be married to an utterly boring version of Mr. Grey, living in a suburban home with a white-picket fence; SUV’s in the driveway reflecting that post-graduate paygrade; the tea cup which you are forced to drink the “welcome drink” so politely from is just as pretentious as the house, the cars, the Mr.Grey-wanna-be husband...yes, even the family pooch is pretentious as h*ll; only to feel utterly surprised when you enter such friend’s sister’s house and wonder if you just stepped into a yoga retreat, Taj Mahal style; there are no SUV’s in the driveway- instead, a Volkswagen van with a bracket big enough to carry anything which you now imagine this sister and her husband are all about: surfboards, cross country skis, dirt-road bikes, oversized camping backpacks to go along with the oversized tent! And, oh no...you will not be served tea in a delicate china cup- instead, the "welcome drink" is glass filled to the rim of the sister’s secret herbal smoothie, which you can’t help but wonder if it will send you into a psychedelic rabbit hole rather than serve as a holistic cleanse for your tired body…! Hypothetically, such an experience would probably make you say out loud "Alors, je ne sais...qui!" Even if you don't, ordinarily, speak French.

Ok, so if you have ever had that kind of “je ne sais qui…?!” feeling, and you liked the surprise accompanying the emotion, then you will like the vibes of the Chili Hostel; if you have never had such a surprise feeling, ever, in your lifetime, and want to add that good “je ne sais qui…?!” feeling to your bucket-list, then you should spend a weekend-get-away at the Chili Hostel!

The Chili Hostel is located in a quiet part of Prague, however, everything lively is within walking distance; not to mention that this hostel, in itself, is lively: Walking down into the hostel, it appears to be located in a basement; yet, once you have checked in at the most “laid-back” reception counter (and laid-back staff) I have experienced so far, in the world of hostel life, you are given the linen, which the hostel have bought in mass quantity from Ikea, I may add (I should know...I own the same kind of linen!) and the hotel key (old-style), whereafter entering an equally laid-back lounge-area with computers, a kitchen, and to my delight, a coffee vending machine...only to walk either up or down (depending where your dorm is located) to what seems to be an old apartment complex covered with original mosaic tiled flooring...funky!

The dorm I was assigned to, could also only be described equally as “funky” and as laid-back as the rest of the hostel. Painted in mismatched colours, off-setting the colour-scheme of the linen, it added to that good surprise feeling, as well as the feeling of chillin’ in the bedroom of your friend’s organic-farming, yoga-instructing hippie sister rather than staying at a hostel in one of the prettiest cities of the world!


This is a place where you definitely want to be able to use your padlock key directly unto whatever luggage you might have brought. Although the hostel provides lockers for storage, they are too small to fit anything but a pair of socks/underwear, a phone, and/or a laptop, and any other small possessions you may treasure enough to put behind lock-and-key...but, who cares about that when you are chillin’ at the most laid-back hostel in Prague, right?

Furthermore, the bathrooms are as unpredictable and surprising as the dorms and the hostel, in general: one bathroom may be very small (and as I experienced, not suitable to bring more than soap, tooth-brush,flip-flops, and a towel, if you don’t want that claustrophobic feeling!)...only to find another bathroom in the same section of the hostel in the size: enormously spacious! (please read here: bring ALL your primping equipment without worries!). One thing that was delightfully predictable, though, was the cleanliness of the bathrooms, and consistently HOT water...yea!

Overall thoughts of the hostel: this is a hostel for the younger hostellers, and not suitable for families/older hostellers, in my opinion. (Unless, you are a real version of the Cheech/Chong team, then this hostel may be suitable...if you know what I mean!) The hostel serves as an inexpensive opportunity to see Prague’s attractions without having the lodging eating your money away, and should therefore be considered the place to stay...at least, for the not-so-picky-hosteller!

Time to rate:

• Was the location appropriate: Central enough...enough said!
• Overall hostel level: The Chili Hostel gets an “A”...as in category A: Youngsters...enough said!
• Would I let my children stay at this hostel: For the ones over the the age of 16...oh, h**l yes! (again: enough said!)
• Would I bring my mother: Oh h**l...NO! (here we go again: enough said!)
• Would I recommend it to my neighbour: Oh h**l yes...if the neighbor falls into the category “A”, as in youngsters (or, at least feels young at heart, if you know what I mean)
• Low-point(s) of the hostel: other than a really worn mattress, I cannot think of any low-points beyond that…
• High-point(s) of the hostel: Did I mention that there is a coffee vending machine located in the lounge area?
• For s(he) who has tried everything: if you want a Cheech/Chong moment (without a need for any “herbs” in order to feel hippiesh…!) then absolutely, this place to have that moment, whilst in Prague!

For more information about the Chili Hostel, Prague, follow this link: http://www.chili.dj/ 

Sincerely,

TheGreatDane

Check in to Class at the Czech Inn!

Have you ever arrived in a city where there were no expectations; yet, once there, the same feeling one feels when in love creeps up within you, and you already know that it will be difficult to say goodbye on the day you have to leave? That was exactly what happened to me once I arrived in the breathtaking city of Prague!

I am getting used to changing travel plans in the last minute, and this time wasn’t any different. Due to technical errors (which, seems to happen a lot!), my trip to Prague, due to just that, was altered, something which in this case happened to be a good thing. Somehow, the data system kept fouling up my bus connection from Warsaw to Prague, and by the time the ticket was paid and confirmed, and despite checking the timetable more than once before selecting the bus of choice, the time of departure on the confirmed ticket did,in deed, not match the time for which I swore I chose. I was therefore in need of lodging for an extra night in this city. I opted to book (at random, as usual) at a different hostel other than the one I had originally booked, thereby giving me an opportunity to experience more than one hostel this time around.

Arriving at the Florenc International Bus Station, I found out (by the help from my iPad and Mapquest as well as Google Translator) that I was only minutes away from the “Czech Inn”. Tired As I was I had not paid attention to what type of hostel I had chosen, and the sole price of 6 Euros for a night sounded quite reasonable...for a bed in a 36 persons dorm!

Once in the lobby of the Czech Inn, and to my astonishment, 6 Euros was going to pay for a night of lodging in pure luxury style, as this hostel definitely is a Boutigue-Hostel in every sense of the word! Elegantly decorated, mixing old architecture, with clean contemporary style, I can recommend this hostel to everyone. I was equally astonished when I walked in to what I had preconceived to be an enormous dorm, only to find a surprising sense of privacy, as the dorm was set up with half-walls, arched mid-entrances, and with beds equipped with soft linen, and privacy drapes in delicate grey velvet, a colour-scheme found and carried throughout the hostel. Waddling out to the bathrooms I did not find showers lined up in massive rows, as one would expect for such a large dorm. Instead, the shower area  was divided by only two (very private) enclosed showers to each area, letting guests primp in the same luxurious style as in any 4-star hotel, before taking on the tours, dining and/or clubbing in Prague,

For an extra 4 Euros, breakfast is available in the cellar of the hostel, which is decorated to create an intimate ambiance while serving as a cafe in the morning and serves as the  hostel bar in the evening. And for this modest price, one is served juices, pancakes, fruit, dried apricots, nuts, on top of everything else which otherwise is included in a hostel breakfast buffet; in other words, it is money well spent!

The staff is young and professional, and more than willing to offer their services of guiding one with regard to locations of museums and tours as well as the transit system, while doing so in remarkable fluent English.

Time to rate:

• Was the location appropriate: The location of the Czech Inn is a little ways away from the Prague centrum; yet the tram as well as the bus stops and picks up right outside the hostel, and will take you to the heart of the city in minutes.
• Overall hostel-level: I can only describe this hostel one way : TOP-NOTCH-Boutique-Hostel!
• Would I let my children stay here: There is no doubt that I would!
• Would I let my mother stay here: In a private room...absolutely! (With the fear that she wouldn’t want to check out:..if you know what I mean)
• Low-lights of the hostel: You know, I cannot think of any…?
• Highlights of the hostel: Overall fabulous!
• For s(h)e who has tried everything: this place is not going to give you any grand sensation other than you what you ordinarily would in the 4 or 5 star traditional hotels...for a fraction of the price of traditional lodging. Therefore, leave this hostel to the ones who wants to experience luxury for a fraction of the price for traditional luxury lodging…
  

For more information about Czech Inn, follow this link: http://www.czech-inn.com/

Sincerely,

TheGreatDane

Living like a rockstar at the Planet Hostel, Warsaw, Poland

After several discussions with other hostellers regarding the hottest place to spend this year’s New Year’s Eve, many whom were willing to spend 44 Euros a night for a bed (which ordinarily cost nothing more than 9 Euros) in order to celebrate the beginning of 2015 in the city of Berlin, Germany, for which the rumours were that it was THE place to party, and others whom were equally convinced that THE party of the year was to be found in Prague, Czech Republic (where the prices for hostels also climbed to 35 Euros a night), and whom were  therefore leaving Berlin in haste on busses, trains and planes in order to get to what they believed to be the party of the year.

I, on the other hand, decided for another destination: Warsaw, Poland! When I mentioned my destination for New Year’s, I could literally see a big “?” on their faces. Nonetheless, I stuck with my decision, something which I will never regret!

Last-minute travel arrangements were made, and I was set to roll out of Berlin on a Simple Exress Bus late on the 30th of December, in order to spend the night, not in a dorm bed, but on a bus, for the grand price of 25 Euros! The busses in Europe is an alternative way to travel in comfort, as most of the bus companies offer wifi, and in this case there were also screens for every seat, where the choices of movies seemed endless; should you be in the mood to play sudoku all night on the bus (which was the case for me) then that option was also available. This has become my favorite way to travel in Europe, as it presents opportunities to be on a very long “sightseeing” trip, taking you through towns one didn’t even knew existed; better yet, for someone like me who like to travel with a bag no bigger than a piece of carry-on luggage, (in case a last minute flight has to be arranged, while no time to check in big luggage) I don't have to worry about transferring lotions, soaps and shampoo into tiny bottles, only to have to leave behind the rest of such toiletries, as it is not allowed in air flight carry-on luggage, thereby able to buy all the good stuff at a lesser price in certain countries, and actually being able to take it with me back to my home country. 
Once in Poland, it is obvious that all the conveniences for a traveler is present: Hadn’t had time to exchange the currency to Zloty before leaving for Poland? No worries! Once let off the bus at the Centralny at 6 o’clock in the morning, a central station as modern as any central station, equipped with a McDonald’s, open 24 hours (free WiFi included with the egg McMuffin) and an exchange office willing to exchange your Danish Crowns, Euros, Dollars to Polish Zloty all you can do is smile and think yourself: Witamy w Polsce!

As always, I randomly chose a hostel. This time I chose Planet Hostel, a choice which proved to be as satisfying as that moment when you realize in a bingo hall that it is your turn to scream just that...B.I.N.G.O!

If you are planning to visit Warsaw, whether you travel on your own, are a family with small children, or traveling in a young hipster group, this is the hostel for you! Why? Well, I am about to tell you: As a smaller hostel, it is quiet, yet vibrant; it is quaint...yet, it promotes the outmost sense of contemporary fashion style as any modern boutique hotel would be able to offer. Located in a modest part of Warsaw and it may be a little difficult to find as there is no big sign hanging in front of the entrance; and if you fail to ask the portier how to get to the right floor of the hostel, you will (just as I did, as well as other hostellers did, I'm sure) ride the elevator up and down...and up again while trying to reach the hostel entrance, only to be met by abandoned floors...only to realize that the the elevator doesn’t stop on the floor where the Planet Hostel can be found! No, the only way to get to the right floor is to walk a few stairs.

Planet Hostel has everything which one would want a hostel to offer: Free WiFi, continental breakfast included in the price and complimentary coffee and tea all day, available in the common area/kitchen, where own meals can be prepared (if that is preferred as opposed to trying the Polish cuisine), and where also a large flat screen TV with complimentary dvd’s are available, it is, definitely, a place where anyone can feel right at home!

The hostel offers both the standard dorms in fashionable style, but also private apartments. Not to mention that the bathrooms are as accommodating as the ones one would find in an upscale traditional hotel. The “maid service” was carried out by a spunky Polish woman resembling more a fashionable rockstar than cleaning personnel, and combined with the young professional reception staff, it just added to the upscale boutique-hostel ambiance…

Time to rate:

• Was the location appropriate: Although a little ways out of centrum of Warsaw, it is only a brisk walk away from all the attractions. And, should touring Warsaw by foot not be desirable, then the tram is, literally right outside the entrance of the hostel.
• Overall hostel-level: "hipster", "top-notch boutique-hotel", as well as "fit-for-all-ho(s)tel-bookers".
• Would I let my children stay here: I would let my own children stay here...as well as my friends' children...as well as the children of persons I don't even know...heck, I would even encourage the children of my enemies (if I actually had any enemies) to stay here (if you know what I mean!)
• Would I bring my mother: yes...I would feel safe to say that even she would feel satisfied by the service of this hostel...if anyone could convince her that the days of communism is a thing of the past, and that Poland is becoming the "go-to" country for anyone looking for a sweet spot to spend their holidays...
• Low-points of the hostel: that not everyone knows about this fantastic little hostel!
• High points of the hostel: that not everyone knows about this fantastic little hostel!
• For s(h)e who has tried everything in life: if you are looking to escape a hectic life for a few days without compromising living in style...then yes, stay at the Planet Hostel!

For more information about Planet Hostel, follow this link: http://planethostel.eu/

Sincerely,

TheGreatDane

(Currently barking about Warsaw from Prague)

X-mas jinGles at yet another G-spot: The Generator hostel, East Berlin!

Are you familiar with the stressful time of year, also known as Christmas? You know, the time for which we all should be merry and spread joy in form of kindness and gratitude to one another. Yet- most spend this time of year to hustle and bustle about, buying everything between the heavens and earth, metaphorically (and corporate wise) speaking, wearing ourselves down, not as much from the hustling and bustling of running all over the city in search of the perfect gift, the perfect christmas tree (which, always proves to be more crooked once at home than it was at the tree sale, creating another form of stress while trying to defy physics by “forcing” the tree into an upright position, usually by leaning it up a wall, compromising the framed pictures of granny, granny’s mum, of aunties whom you have never met, and the “art” you felt obligated to hang on the wall, considering it was a gift from your sister, last Christmas!); the perfect size turkey, Christmas ham ; the perfect wine to go with the perfect sized turkey, the Christmas ham; rather, it is the stressful event of realizing that the whole ordeal has left one in a complete state of exhaustion, rather than in revived and joyous spirits...well, I am sure you get what level of stress I am trying to describe here. I am also quite familiar with this (usually) favourite time of year, and the stress which is added, usually from having to unstring tangled up wires in form of a giant ball of Christmas lights, only to find out that none of them work, due to the very fact that the family cat decided to chew on the wires...voila- no.more.lights! This means an added task of running frantically to several supermarkets, hoping that this year’s lights aren’t sold out, so that no one feels that awkward moment of dining during the season, with the perfect sized turkey and/or Christmas ham, next to a tree without twinkling lights.

This year, I decided to celebrate Christmas quite differently, by not celebrating Christmas at all- or, at least not in the traditional form of what we think of celebration. From the convenience of a local dorm bed, I decided to shop all the Christmas gifts from EBAY, feeling a sense of accomplishment, in three ways: 1. Unique gifts sent directly to the door of my loved ones (translation: bypassing the utterly ridiculous line at the Post Office) 2. Supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners in India, China and Japan. 3. Saving a bundle of money, so I could put into the budget the opportunity to observe and participate in what I find the most intriguing, trending lifestyle of the this era: hostelling! (a word, by the way, of which I invented...let’s get that into the dictionary by 2016)

After clicking the computer keys to end the final Christmas sale, the keystrokes began to sound a little different, as the fingers swept across the board in swift manner while typing: www.booking.com, www.hostelworld.com, and www.hostelbookers.com, followed by inserting the word “Berlin”- only to see the names of hostels, and even more exciting, the prices which Google search could come up with. In a matter of the count of three, two, one, the first stop was booked...Generator Hostel Prenzlauer Berg, here I come!

I have had the opportunity to stay at the East Berlin Generator Hostel once before, and due to the price of 7,00 Euros, I couldn’t resist to book a few nights there again! It also gave me a perfect opportunity to refresh my memory of the place. The East Berlin Generator is one of the older hostels in the Generator chain of lodging, which the design also reflects, as their newer hostels seem to become fancier one hostel at the time. Despite the simplicity of the rooms, (a look which reminds me of a college dorm more than a boutique hostel), the satisfactory level of quality of the service and cleanliness remains the same as their newer hostels.
It is also a hostel which is located a little further out from the heart of the city, but the train “ringbahn” stops only minutes from the door, thereby making it possible to get to anywhere in Berlin in a matter of minutes and without the worries of having to figure out how to find the way around on the transit system; furthermore, as an added service, the hostel also provides a guide whom will, on a daily basis, lead anyone safely unto the transit system, with the final destination being the meeting point at the Brandenburg Gate, for the free walking tours.

So, if you have more time than money, this is the hostel for you, as the price for one night usually runs below the price at the Generator Mitte, Berlin, or any other Berlin hostel for that matter.

As mentioned before, the Generator hostels have a tendency to fluxuate; in other word, there is no way of predicting the price from one day to the other. In my case, for instance, I found the prices for a bed in a  12 persons dorm to fall from 9 Euros to seven Euros in less than 24 hours, which, of course, lead to the same sensation of striking jackpot...only to see the price for the same bed rise from 7 Euros on the 30th of December to no less than 44 Euros on the 31st of December! Nein, ich kann nicht zahlen 44 Euros this time around,Generator...so, the New Year’s fireworks would have to be viewed elsewhere in Europe.

Time to rate:

• Was the location appropriate: If you don't mind staying in a location a few minutes away from where everything is happening, then this location for you; besides, inside a Generator hostel, it is always happening (if you know what I mean!)
• Overall hostel level: A definitely "fit-for-all-hostel-bookers" ; as a larger hostel, it caters to everyone.
• Would I let my children stay at this ho(s)tel: Of course!!
• Would I bring my mother...: I would have to say yes! The fact that there is a Park Hotel right next to the hostel makes it easy to separate "picky" family members by booking them into a traditional hotel less than one minute away...just in case the hostel environment is too trendy for them. Voila! Hostelling vs. traditional hotel lodging issues within a travelling family with generational gaps solved!!
• Would I recommend the hostel to my neighbour: Absolutely, especially if it means that they will take a trip to a city which everyone should have an opportunity to see once in a lifetime!
• Low-points of the hostel: The internet connection is more or less non-existent in the dorms...and sometimes non-existent in the lounge area...which presents an awkward situation where everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) huddles around in the lobby in order to frantically attempting to connect iPhones, Chromebooks, Samsung's, iPads, Dell computers (and any other devices used to enter cyberspace) to the "da-fix" connection...seems as if the Generator's "da-fix" connection needs a little fixin' (if you know what I mean)
• High-lights of the hostel: The very inexpensive but hearty breakfast buffet which will give you all the right calories needed before venturing off for hours of adventurous walking tours within the city!
• For s(he) whom has tried everything in life, I would recommend: For such a person who wants to experience what it is like to take a whole family on a vacation in the trending hostel fashion,only to feel the sensation of absolute surprise by how many museums one can visit, how many tour guides one can tip, and how well one can dine due to the fact that hostel lodging doesn't gobble up all your money, as opposed to traditional hotel lodging, then yes...check your whole family inn for three days at the Generator hostel, East Berlin, and watch to your astonishment how lavish a vacation can be in form of cultural experience, without spending a whole lot of money.

For more information about the Generator Hostel, East Berlin, follow this link: http://generatorhostels.com/en/destinations/berlin/prenzlauer-berg/

Sincerely,

TheGreatDane

(Barking about Berlin...from Prague)