HI announces the HI-5ives! (The best hostels in the world)

Hostelling International (HI) has announced the best hostels in the world according to their customers. HI’s annual meeting for hostel managers has just taken place in Vienna, Austria and as part of that meeting the prestigious HI-5ives! awards ceremony took place to celebrate the top hostels in the HI network.

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Hostellers who left ratings on the website hihostels.com during 2011 have now had their say and awards have been handed out in the following five categories: Friendliest Hostel, Most Efficient, Most Comfortable, Best Overall Hostel and Best Hostel Country. Mikael Hansson, CEO of Hostelling International says of the HI-5ives! ‘These awards are a great opportunity for us to celebrate the very best in the HI network, but in essence it’s a chance to reflect on the great work that all hostel managers and their teams manage to achieve wherever they are in the world, that is to help people of all ages and nationalities to enjoy the experience of global travel that goes beyond just sleeping in a bed’ The results of the HI-5ives! hostel awards are as follows:

Best Hostel 2011: Lerwick Hostel (Shetland Isles), Scotland

The most prestigious award of ‘Best Hostel’ is given to the hostel with the highest overall rating in all categories. HI customers love its location with close proximity to local amenities, the beautiful grand mansion house with fabulous views, and commented particularly on the friendly and efficient staff. Keith Legge, Chief Executive Officer of SYHA Hostelling Scotland said: “Congratulations Lerwick Hostel! This is a fantastic achievement for Lerwick and for Scotland. The Hostel is an SYHA Affiliate and we are delighted to see them win such a well-deserved accolade. Our affiliate hostels account for around a third of our hostelling network and they play a key role in offering visitors a diverse range of high quality budget accommodation in some of the most stunning locations in Scotland. We are proud to be associated with Lerwick Hostel and look forward to seeing them go from strength to strength.”

Friendliest Hostel 2010: HI - Martha's Vineyard, USA

This year’s winner Martha’s Vineyard win customers over with their delicious pancake breakfasts, but what also shines through are the comments about hostel staff who are continually described as kind, attentive and extraordinarily helpful.

Most Comfortable Hostel 2011: Utano Youth Hostel, Kyoto, Japan

This super-modern hostel rates highly because of the spacious feel of the hostel, comfortable furniture and a peaceful atmosphere in a quiet neighbourhood. This hostel is also conveniently close to sites of interest such as temples and museums.

Most Efficient Hostel 2011: HI Baan Dinso, Bangkok, Thailand.

This boutique hostel is described as an oasis of calm in the bustling city of Bangkok. It is praised for the exceptional service and cleanliness once again, but what really makes a difference are the staff, who are always prepared to go the extra mile to make everyone enjoy their stay.

Best Hostel Country 2011: South Africa

This is a fantastic accolade for a network which was formed just one year ago. Ranging from fantastic beach side retreats to gateways of some of the best safari parks in the whole world, every SA hostel has something very special to offer an adventurous traveler.
All award categories were based on ratings received during a 12 month period, from 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2011. During those 12 months, a minimum of five customer ratings in average per month was required to qualify. A hostel can only win one award category each year.

07 December 2011 RSS-Feed