Britain’s youth hostels revamped

Staying in a grotty youth hostel with loud dorm-mates and dry toast for breakfast is almost a rite of passage for most young travellers. But you’ll have a tough job finding something like this in Britain. Over the decades Britain has totally redeveloped the old (sometimes scruffy) youth hostel industry to provide quality-assessed, modern accommodation at incredibly low prices.

But guess what? Things are about to get even better. What is already great quality accommodation in Britain is about to get a £13.5 million makeover from the YHA (Youth Hostel Association) – Britain’s biggest youth hostel operator.

New hostels are opening, old ones closing or getting trendy 21st-century revamps focusing on both facilities and services. “We’re breaking down lots of the large dormitories to create private rooms, many of which will be ensuite,” said Paul Ferne from YHA. “Many hostels will have licensed bar areas where we’ll sell local ales and organic wines, and there will be a full meal service with locally sourced ingredients.”

And while this might sound almost ‘boutique’, Paul assures us that the original hostel ethos of providing really low-cost accommodation in a fun, social environment that encourages mixing of nationalities and cultures will not be lost. And neither will the dorms!

To find a hostel in Britain, use our hostel and campus accommodation search