A city known for its history and partying, Budapest is abundant with hostels for travellers of all ages to rest and recuperate from their various holiday antics.
I visited Budapest for four nights in June 2022 with a group of friends from university. There were 11 of us in total with eight having booked a different hostel compared to myself and two other friends. I was slightly annoyed by this, however it would truly be a blessing in disguise.
The three of us managed to find Avenue Hostel just off the Oktogon Metro station.
The entrance was shrouded by signs of various cafés and restaurants, with our walk up to the hostel being like a step back in time.
We escalated the stone staircase which wrapped around an elevator that appeared to have been out of order for decades.
Admittedly a rather anxious welcoming, but we were pleasantly surprised to find a bright open lobby with a vibrant bar and kitchen.
Whilst checking in we were asked to place a deposit down, to further add to the ease of our stay the hostel thankfully accepted multiple currencies in cash.
We opted to stay in an eight-bedroom hostel, with the cost totalling at a reasonable £23 per night.
The room came with a storage box for your belongings, as well as a smaller one in your bunk, leaving full certainty my belongings would be safe and sound.
With assurance that my hostel was secure and clean, the defining feature of Avenue was the social aspect.
A standout feature was the option to purchase a €3 drink (alcoholic/non-alcoholic); with the inclusion of a food token that enabled you to a serving of food from the kitchen.
The meals were basic enough, but they were a necessity with the nights of drinking ahead, one would shudder to think if I did not take advantage of this deal.
It would have been easy to opt for a cost-effective meal of something quick and light, but the ability to have a drink and a hot meal for such a low price certainly set me up for the nights ahead.
Making use of such a meal, this also encouraged social interaction with other hostel guests.
Eating a meal with people of varying nationalities and ages was an enriching experience for me, and simultaneously brought out a confidence in me that I didn’t know I had.
I would always find a commonality of sport; and learning about different fan cultures made this hostel experience even more unique.
Before I travelled to Budapest, I assumed my time spent in the hostel would be brief and essentially somewhere to rest, but that was further from the truth.
Avenue Hostel certainly provided me with an eye-opening experience, although this getaway could be classed as a ‘lads holiday’, I am always grateful that I had the opportunity to meet countless of people from a multitude of cultures.
