Hoscars take on the Oscars
DUBLIN – Those Hollywood awards ceremonies may be in strife due to the writers strike, but the Hostelworld Customers Annual Ratings — or Hoscars – went off smoothly in Dublin last week.
The Flamingo Hostel in Krakow, Poland was the overall winner this year, distinguishing itself as the world’s best hostel, according to more than 600,000 hostelworld.com users worldwide.
More than 15,000 properties listed on the website were eligible for Hoscars.
Krakow boasted the world’s No. 1 and No. 2-ranked hostels (the Flamingo and Mama’s Hostel) as well as the “Most Secure Hostel” and “Best Small Hostel” (the Greg-Tom).
Last year’s overall winner, the Jetpak City Hostel in Berlin, dropped to fourth place but drew kudos as “Cleanest Hostel.”
Only one hostel in Asia made it into the Top Ten – Backpacker Hostel K’s House, Tokyo.
Voting customers, who booked their hostel stays online, were surveyed after their stay and asked to grade their accommodation based on character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness.
The Top Ten were:
1. Flamingo, Krakow, Poland
2. Mama’s Hostel, Krakow
3. Clarence Castle, Toronto
4. Jetpak City Hostel, Berlin
5. Hostel Estoril, Buenos Aires
6. Hilux Valencia Feetup Hostels, Valencia, Barcelona
7. Hostel of the Sun, Naples
8. Travellers House, Lisbon
9. Backpacker Hostel K’s house, Tokyo
10. East Seven Berlin Hostel, Berlin
The awards took place in Temple Bar’s Button Factory in Dublin and were attended by more than 300 hostel owners and managers.
Hostelworld.com provides online reservations to the budget, independent and youth travel market. It offers confirmed online reservations for over 15,000 hostels and budget hotels in 166 countries worldwide.
Ian Jarrett
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