Hostels in Berlin

The Way of Life

Staying at hostels is a good way for young people to travel - you are able to save money, to meet new friends, and, perhaps, to spend the best time of your life. If you come up with an idea to go somewhere, do not sit at home, pack your bag and move on


By CHRISTINA DEMENSHINA (christina.demenshina@wavemagazine.net)
from Yekaterinburg, RUSSIA


- When are you coming? Which day? Yes, we have a free room. Thanks for calling. Bye - says Anja Berkner, the receptionist of the hostel "Eastern Comfort". Almost every day she communicates with future guests in this way.

Many young people travel around Europe visiting their friends or sightseeing, and they often come to Berlin. In order to save some money they prefer to stay not in a fashionable hotel, but in a hostel. It looks like a student dormitory where several people live all together in one room.

- I really enjoy hostels. All necessary things are included: bathroom, shower, wardrobe; and you pay just 29 Euros for the room for four persons - tells Johanne, the tourist from Finland.

The hostel "Eastern Comfort" is a hostel boat. The prices here are much higher than at ordinary hostels, because it is hard to maintain a place on the water. The cheapest rooms are cabins for five people. Each person pays 16 Euros for a night. Plus 5 Euros for bed sheets and 4 Euros for breakfast, in case one has decided to spend money for food. The cabin of the first class is designed for two people and costs 36 Euros for a person.

- Our chief needed a few years to gather all necessary papers to organize a hostel on the water. The bathrooms should be fixed up in a specific way, they should have tanks. We can not pollute the river - explains Anja Berkner.

From the side the hostel "Eastern Comfort" looks like a river tram. Besides that, inside decorations remind guests about faraway voyages. Anja admits there is no additional instruction for tourists, but it is much better if they are able to swim.

The well-known Berlin Wall East Side Gallery is located not so far from the hostel "Eastern Comfort". It is a 1.3km-long section of the wall with approximately 106 paintings by modern artists from all over the world. During the day one can go for a walk and look at these masterpieces. One of the most famous paintings is brother's kiss of Mr. Brezhnev and Mr. Honecker: as a symbol of Damon and Pythias friendship of the Soviet Union and GDR.

The founder of another hostel Tomas Berger shows his place proudly. He tells about advantages which people can get staying at the hostel "X-Berger". First of all, they can prepare their own food, drink free tea and coffee, and use a big fridge. The main thing is to clean up the kitchen.

- It is important to write a name on products which you put into the fridge. It means no one else will take your stuff and eat it - explains Tomas.

Besides that, there is free Internet at hostel, plus a special room where young people are allowed to smoke and drink beer. Tourists can also keep their papers and other valuable things in the lockers. Locks are sold by the receptionist for two Euros, and it is a great tradition to keep them afterwards.

- I think we have a very convenient check-out time. It is 2 p.m. Young people come back early in the morning, so they need to get enough sleep - continues Tomas.

The cheapest room of the hostel "X-Berger" costs 11 Euros for a night. But one should be prepared that another 15 people will share the same spot. In order to find your own bed at night, all beds have numbers. So people will not be confused being a bit drunk or frustrated. The hostel "X-Berger" is international. For example, Dan from the UK came to Berlin to meet his friends he used to study in Spain with.

- It is amazing to stay at hostel. It is rather cheap. We are five friends, we know each other pretty well, so it is very convenient for us to live together in one room - supposes Dan, the tourist from the UK.

The hostel "X-Berger" is originally decorated. There are interesting images and paintings inside, there are cool graffiti outside. Everything is created by Tomas Berger, his brother and his good friend. The founder of the hostel "X-Berger" repeats that he likes working with young people, but sometimes it is not easy at all. Guests are getting drunk, fighting, messing up showers. But hospitality principle is essential for Tomas; he is ready to help young people.

- We allowed staying people free of charge. But in this case we ask them to leave something as guarantee and give time to find money. But we are not able to cross this border every time. Sometimes young people baste up such unbelievable stories, just because they do not want to pay. It is hard to be harsh and socially active at the same time, - says Tomas Berger.

Staying at hostels is a good way for young people to travel - you are able to save money, to meet new friends, and, perhaps, to spend the best time of your life. If you come up with an idea to go somewhere, do not sit at home, pack your bag and move on.


(Published: 09.02.2010.)