Many thanks to everyone who took part in the Membership Survey we recently ran on hihostels website. We wanted to find out your thoughts on membership and received over 3,500 entries in total. Many thanks to everyone who took part!
Three winners have been chosen at random and these are:
First prize iPad goes to Shaun from Australia.
Second prize Kindle goes to Graciela from Uruguay.
Third prize Kindle goes to Anne from France.
Shaun and Graciela kindly sent us their favourite hostels to share with our hostelling community!
Chicago Hostel in USA
My first experience with a HI hostel was in Chicago Hostel last year. My overall impression of the hostel is that it is an excellent place to stay. It is in a great location close to Grant Park and Millennium Park. The large kitchen which has all the amenities impressed me as did the common space decked out with foosball, pool table and table tennis table.
I believe the thing that makes or breaks a hostel is the staff and I can say the people who worked at Chicago Hostel were pleasant, informative and willing to help. Hi Hostels have impressed me so much that I have booked the Boston HI Hostel for my next trip in which I leave for in a few weeks!
– Shaun
Bustiello Hostel in Spain
Bustiello is an old mining town along the river Aller, about 15-20 minutes from Oviedo, Asturias. The village is tiny, consisting of well-maintained two-story houses with sloping roofs that belonged to the workers and engineers who used to live there. It is a picturesque valley, ideal for walks, biking or horseback trails.
Very close to the Church, the building that used to be a school is now the hostel. The ground floor has a comfortable recreation area, plus kitchen and dining room. The top floor offers quiet, well-appointed rooms with balconies and new bathrooms, great for a hot shower after a discovery of the town. The outside offers ample room for parking overlooked with the Hostelling International flag, with its globally recognised logo.
Hostel Bustiello is cosy and very well maintained by young Dulce Maria, who greeted us upon our arrival that night and led us to the nearby Moreda, where there were places open for dinner even though it was quite late. The next morning my boyfriend Raul and I were delighted with the delicious breakfast which included a superb fresh-baked cake for us and the other guests.
We stayed only one night and were very sad to leave but we were in a hurry as the next overnight stay was in the Hostel Ruiloba. I wish that many travellers would have the opportunity to visit Bustiello and stay at the hostel …you will enjoy it!
– Graciela
