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)