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My Honest Review of the ECO Hostel in Granada, Spain

6/22/2023

If you’re traveling to Granada, Spain and are looking up where to stay, I share my honest thoughts after spending two nights at the ECO Hostel Granada.

How Much Does It Cost To Say At the ECO Hostel Granada?
For reference, I stayed at the ECO Hostel Granada in April 2023. It wasn’t the high summer season, but I was there for Easter so still a big holiday there.

For a two-night stay, I paid 52 euros, which came to roughly 26 euros each night. The room I stayed in was a six-person male/female dorm room. Our hostel was easy to get to from the airport (you take a shuttle into town) and within walking distance of all the major attractions, including the Alhambra.

What Is There To Do At the ECO Hostel in Granada?
The ECO Hostel was actually pretty mellow, which I liked. It had a mix of older and younger people. While it wasn’t a party hostel, they did have some social activities such as nightly family dinners. However, I didn’t go to them because they were pretty late in the evening.

The ECO is a great space for digital nomads to work and the staff was really nice (shoutout to Jake at the front desk for your help).

What I Liked About the ECO Hostel Granada

Laid back vibe - The ECO is not a party hostel, and I really appreciate it. As someone who was traveling and working remotely, this was a major benefit. It also allows you to feel more relaxed after a busy day of exploring.
Friendly staff - The staff here were very personable and made me feel welcome right off the bat.
Spacious bathrooms - The six-person room I stayed in had a spacious bathroom that made getting ready in the mornings much easier.
Fantastic location - The ECO Hostel is within walking distance of the main tourist areas in Granada, including the Bazaar and the Alhambra.

What I Didn’t Like About the ECO Hostel Granada

Timed showers - With the word ‘eco’ in the name, it certainly makes sense this hostel focuses on being more sustainable. While this is something I can get behind, the timed showers felt frustrating. They ran for about 30 seconds before needing to be pushed on again.
No privacy curtains - The bunk beds in this hostel didn’t come with privacy curtains. That being said, it’s a quieter hostel, and I stayed in a smaller room so this wasn’t much of an issue during my experience. However, this could be a drawback for other travelers.
Smaller lockers - Our room has personal lockers where we could put our valuables. However, these lockers aren’t as big so you won’t be able to store things like your suitcase, clothes, or backpacks in there. However, they’re fine for things like your purse, wallet, smart phone, etc.

FAQs About Hostels in Granada

1. What are the best hostels in Granada, Spain?
The best hostels in Granada, Spain depend on what you’re looking for. If you want to stay somewhere more quiet that still gives you easy access to the most important places to see in Granada, then I’d definitely recommend the ECO Hostel.

2. Is there a good hostel in Granada near the Alhambra?
Yes, the ECO Hostel is a great hostel in Granada that’s near the Alhambra. I could easily
walk there for my day at the Alhambra.

3. What is Granada best known for?
Granada is best known for its Alhambra palace that sits at the top of the hill overlooking
the city.

For more on Spain hostels, visit my review of St. Christopher's Inn Barcelona.

My Honest Review of St. Christopher's Hostel in Barcelona

6/4/2023

If you’re looking to save money while traveling abroad, hostels are a great way to go. In this review of St. Christopher’s Inn, a Barcelona hostel, I’ll share my honest experience and opinions to help you decide if this sounds like a place you’d want to stay at during your Barcelona visit.

How Much Does It Cost To Say At St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona?
Specific rates will vary depending on when you travel and the type of room you reserve. Generally, you can expect lower prices in less-busy travel seasons and rooms with more people in them. Conversely, you can expect to pay more for booking a single or private room. The cheapest rooms will be the 12-person dormitory-style room.

For reference, I stayed in Barcelona in April around Easter and in a 12-person dormitory female room. My 3-night stay totaled about 197 euros, with my nightly rates ranging from 62 to 70 euros. However, I stayed at this hostel again the night before my flight home, and the rate for that night was just 29 euros.

What Is There To Do At St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona?
Like most hostels, St. Christopher’s has tours of the city, pub crawls, and nightly events. They also have a rather large bar and social area where people can drink, mingle, and watch sports.

What I Liked About St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona

The Location - St. Christopher’s Inn is located in the heart of Barcelona in the Las Ramblas neighborhood, so you have easy access to lots of shopping and restaurants. You can also easily walk to other parts of town, including Barceloneta Beach and the Gothic Quarter. I didn’t use the bus once during my Barcelona trip.
Easy Airport Access - When you arrive at Barcelona Airport, you can take the A1 bus and get off at the Placa Catalunya bus stop. From there, the hostel is about a 5-minute walk away. I booked my reservation through Hostelworld, and after booking, they send you directions on how to get to the hostel. This also made it easy to get back to the airport since I could get back on the A1 to return to the airport.
Safe Location - As someone who lives in Los Angeles, I would say I have a skewed perception of safety since LA can feel really unsafe at times. However, I felt totally safe in Barcelona, including the area where the hostel is.
Privacy Curtains - My hostel room included privacy curtains for each bed, which was nice and also helped block out lights if you were trying to sleep.

What I Didn’t Like About St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona

Party Hostel - This isn’t inherently bad, but if you’re not into partying and staying out super late, you might not like the idea of roommates getting back in the middle of the night, sometimes rather loudly too.
Tiny Bathrooms - I can only speak for the 12-person dorm rooms, but considering we had the most people, you’d think we’d have slightly bigger bathroom spaces. Nope, not at all. There were two showers, one toilet, and a single sink and mirror area, which meant if you were trying to get ready at the same time as someone else, it could be a challenge.
Timed Showers - The showers at this hostel were timed; you’d press a button, the water ran for 30 seconds, and then you’d have to press it again to get the water back on. The reason behind this is a noble one since they say it’s for conservation. That being said, I didn’t necessarily feel like it shortened my showers, but just made it more frustrating when the water kept turning off. Not the worst thing in the world, but still something to note.

FAQs About Hostels in Barcelona

1. What's the best hostel in Barcelona?
The best hostel in Barcelona is going to be what fits with your travel style and interests. Every hostel has its pros and cons. If you're into more of a social scene and want to stay in a vibrant, central location with easy airport transfer access, I would definitely recommend St. Christopher's Inn.

2. How much is a hostel in Barcelona per night?
The cost of a hostel in Barcelona will depend on several factors, including the type of room you choose, the time of year, and of course, the hostel itself. From my experience, hostel rates in Barcelona can range from as low as 29 euros per night all the way up to 70 euros per night for a dormitory-style room with 12 people.

3. Are hostels in Barcelona safe?
Yes, in general hostels in Barcelona are safe. Before booking a stay, though, I recommend making sure the hostel has secured access for both the hostel building and the bedrooms. You should also research the area in which you're staying, and of course, exercise standard safe travel precautions, especially if you're traveling solo. However, I felt incredibly safe at St. Christopher's Inn, even when I had to catch a ride to the airport at 4:00 a.m.

My Honest Review of the ECO Hostel in Granada, Spain

My Honest Review of St. Christopher's Hostel in Barcelona

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