Hostels Provide Great Stays for Families
For the few hostels that I have stayed in, I have been quite impressed at the cleanliness and services that were offered. There are those which are clearly geared toward the younger budget traveler, but others offer private rooms and bathrooms. When Shing Mon Chung of HostelBookers offered to write about hostels I thought this a great match and perhaps new information for the family traveler. The following post is from Shing.
Trips to museums, ice-creams, theme park rides, souvenirs; things start adding up on a family holiday. Perhaps this is why family hostels are currently on the up. Now offering private or family rooms, hostels help you save money on family accommodation and they throw in plenty of little extras too.
Aside from the price of a room, facilities like games rooms, TV lounges, Playstations or Wiis and internet kiosks mean you can keep the kids happy for a few hours without spending a penny. Besides, after a day of sightseeing, children and adults alike will fancy some ‘time out’ back at the hostel.
Hostels are totally geared up for budget travellers and are often the best places to quiz staff about family-friendly restaurants and cheap things to do in the area. They can also advise you about excursions and it is not uncommon to be offered a free city tour.
Where family hostels really come out on top is by providing self-catering facilities – unheard of in hotels. In the common kitchens you can store food, throw together some packed lunches and prepare light suppers. On top of this, breakfast is often included in your room rate so you can forget about forking out for three meals in a restaurant every day.
For a city break…
San Francisco is a dream for kids – and parents too because you’ll have no problem thinking up ways to keep the them busy! Golden Gate Park has activities enough to fill a couple of days including rowing boats, bikes for hire, a quaint Japanese tea garden and the de Young museum which was voted Best Museum by California’s own Child Magazine. The Castro Theatre is a fabulous 1920s movie palace with sing-a-long shows and don’t forget the atmospheric Alcatraz prison which calls for an exciting boat ride. The Adelaide Hostel and Hotel can handle groups up to 6 so it’s perfect for large families. Your free breakfast includes fresh bagels, scones, oatmeal and fresh fruit. There are self-catering facilities, free internet kiosks and they also offer a free city tour.
Sicily boasts some stunning stretches of coastline and also some wonderful cuisine and archaeological sites to make this an idyllic family holiday destination. In Siracusa you can find the beautifully preserved Teatro Greco which hosts spectacular events in the summer. The historic centre is the island of Ortigia with lovely piazzas, a Duomo and cobbled streets for evening walks. Pack up the car with a picnic and make day trips to the lovely sandy beaches about 8km south of the town including Avola and Fontane Bianche which has a nice shallow seabed – ideal for children. LolHostel Siracusa is a lovely new hostel with impressive architectural features including a pleasant courtyard with tables and brollies. They can offer en suite family rooms sleeping 3 to 8 people with air-conditioning, linen, towels and breakfast included. There is a TV lounge and a games room to keep the kids happy too.
For an adventure…
As one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet, Costa Rica makes for an exciting and colourful family trip. In the Cloud Forests of the Monteverde Reserve you can marvel at the resplendent quetzal or reach dizzying heights on a canopy tour. Hostel Cabinas El Pueblo can organise all sorts of activities for families including horse-riding, trips to the spectacular Arenal volcano or guided hikes through the rainforest. Mums can treat themselves to a massage or pedicure! They offer quad rooms with TVs and some boast balconies. Breakfast is included and they also have self-catering facilities, a games room and a comfy lounge area. From the airport a cheap and handy pick-up service is available.
