Top Ten Worldwide Youth Hostels 1 -5
Each year, over 500,000 folks vote for the top ten international youth hostels at Hostelworld.com - the "Hoscars," hostel ratings based on character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness, according to Hostelworld.com. And the latest top five (see the runners up on the next page) student hostel winners are...1. Cat's Hostel, Madrid, Spain
The cat's meow in Madrid. Amenities:
Private rooms and dorms; dorms start at $22. Cat's Hostel address - Calle de CaNizares 6, 28012 Madrid, Spain (map).
2. The Flying Pig Backpacker's Downtown Hostel, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Three Flying Pig hostels exist in Amsterdam - the Flying Pig Palace Hostel, the Flying Pig Downtown Hostel and the Flying Pig Beach Hostel. The Palace digs came in at number nine ( next page) in the 2004 Hoscars. Amenities:
Dorms start at $27. Flying Pig Downtown Hostel: Nieuwendijk 100, 1012 Amsterdam, Netherlands ( map).
3. United World International Hostel, Madrid, Spain
Students of the road, unite to eat, drink and sleep with some style. Amenities:
Dorms start at $18. United World International Hostel address - 3C La Gran Via 73, 20813 Madrid, Spain - ( map)
4. The Bulldog Hostel, Amsterdam, Netherlands
You've gotta read the downlow on the Bulldog - a sense of humor is not required to stay within these walls, but it's appreciated. No parties of six males or more (together...at the same time...) are allowed, incidentally. Amenities:
Air conditioned non-smoking private rooms and dorms. Dorms start at $27. Bulldog Backpacker's Hostel address - Oudezijds Voorburgwal 220, 1012 Amsterdam, Netherlands (map). Hostel note: "Please do not invite crack-dealing, gun-toting maniacs into the hotel." Cool place.
Not especially mellow! Amenities:
Non-smoking dorms start at $29-30. (New "third floor" dorms feature private bath, air conditioning, courtesy light and plug at each bed, and key card locks.) Yellow Hostel address - 44 Via Palestro, 00185 Rome, Italy (map).
Please go on to the next page for user-rated top international youth hostels six through ten.
