How St Christopher’s Inn Became the Party Destination Hostel of Europe

So you want to travel Europe, go to shows, and meet likeminded party people all while not breaking the bank? You’ve got to stay at St Christophers Inn hostels. Here’s why.

Location

Whether you’re on a solo journey or with a crew, staying at a hostel offers the unique opportunity to connect with kindred spirits from around the world.

What makes the St Christopher’s Inn hostels such popular hubs for people to stay in are their stellar locations. Each of the sites in Europe are centrally located and in close proximity to local attractions, pharmacies, grocery stores, and public transportation.

St Christopher’s Inn youth hostels are located in the following:

• London
• Paris
• Berlin
• Bruges
• Amsterdam
• Prague
• Edinburgh
• Bath
• Newquay
• Barcelona

For those looking to experience the local EDM scene, when we say centrally located, we mean it. The London Bridge Village location, for example, is a mere 10-minute walk from London’s iconic Ministry of Sound Nightclub and within a 15-minute train or bus to XOYO, Fabric, Cargo and Village Underground—all cornerstones of London’s dance music scene.

Belushi’s

Besides the location, the atmosphere at the hostel alone is worth the stay. One of their four key values is fun, and nothing embodies fun more than a Belushi’s Party Bar or a traditional British pub at each location.

Having a hangout spot on location for guests to eat good food and enjoy some drinks really adds to the experience. It’s easy to understand why this would be a great pre-party, after-party, or even a non-stop party destination in Europe.

Food

Speaking of food, while the menu at Belushi’s may seem like standard pub fare, each establishment has dishes specific to the country they’re in. For example, you can try Berliner currywurst and pork schnitzel in Berlin or bitterballen (Dutch meatballs) in Amsterdam along with local takes on pub classics like the El Matador burger with melted manchego cheese, or cured Spanish ham in Barcelona.

Value

Value is another one of the key values at St Christopher’s Inn. As mentioned above, they intentionally keep the cost of food and drinks down to ensure everyone can have a good time without breaking the bank.

Generally, hostels are an ideal choice for youth and backpackers alike as they are an affordable accommodation option. With the option to sleep in either a dorm, shared room or a private room, the cost per night ranges anywhere from €14.00 to €98.00, often including a free breakfast.

Staff

The staff at St Christopher’s Inns varies from city to city but you’re guaranteed to meet welcoming, knowledgeable people to answer your questions and guide you on your journey. Many of the hostel staff are travelers themselves and expats who are used to conversing and working with international guests. Many also work in Belushi’s as servers or bartenders and they are your best resources for personal advice on where to party in your city of choice. 

Cultural Relevance

St Christopher’s Inns have a lasting impact on their surrounding areas, either by taking over historically significant buildings or by creating a new hub for international travelers and local youths alike. Here’s what some staff had to say about the locations they oversee:

Barcelona

“Historically the area used to have low traffic, few pedestrians, most of them coming or going to the cinemas that used to populate the corner, or to cafe Zurich (first opened in 1920) that used to be the main terrace in the whole block. Then in 1998 the Triangle mini-mall opened and the neighborhood started to fill with more tourists, visitors, pedestrians. Being a hostel and having the main bar in the block brought about an influx of young and multicultural energy, making the whole place more visible, bringing in more traffic and, in general, giving it more life.” – Alex De Luca, Marketing Manager in Barcelona

Amsterdam – The Winston

“The building of The Winston has a long history in Amsterdam and was around long before Beds and Bars took over it in 2005. There has always been a bar and hotel on this location which goes back something like 200 years and has developed homogeneously with the neighborhood’s many incarnations. The Warmoesstraat—the street we are located on—was once filled with coffee shops, sex shops, gay bars, night clubs and late-night bars. We were and still are one of the latest venues to stay open on the street, so it’s safe to say over the years we’ve gotten to meet everybody from the local people who live and work in the area to the many clientele and visitors who come to explore the Wallen.” – Keith Wallace, Marketing Manager in Amsterdam

London – London Bridge –  The Village

“St Christopher’s Inns London Bridge opened in 1999 becoming the largest hostel we had at the time. Prior to that, the building operated as a traditional old pub called the Dun Horse which was closed in 1877, it also existed as a warehouse for the South-Western Railway. The area has always been quite busy as it’s a major hub very close to Borough Market and London Bridge, but the arrival of our venues has attracted many more youth travelers and created a hub where ex-pats and locals would come together and meet, thanks to the variety of late-night offers and famous parties. Now the venue continues to attract youth travelers to the area and the bar attracts a lot of sports fans, cocktail drinkers as well as people who love a late-night party with our live bands and DJs.” – Sophie Herbert, Marketing Director at Beds and Bars

Berlin – Alexanderplatz

St Christopher’s Inn opened in Berlin Alexanderplatz on November 1st, 2006. It was actually a hostel even before we took over the building, called Circus Hostel. The area has absolutely changed since our opening, with a lot of new buildings that have popped up around here since then. St Christopher’s Inn and Belushi’s definitely brought a strong party vibe to the area, especially compared to before. In the beginning, the bar never shut so people could walk in at any time to buy a beer, though that’s changed in recent years. We began offering a great central place for locals, tourists, and ex-pats to watch sports. There aren’t any other bars like ours that offer such a wide range of games – certainly not in this area. We also offer a great place for ex-pats to come for their nation’s celebrations. I don’t know any other bar in the city that puts on such a wide range of nation-specific parties in addition to more widely-celebrated holiday events.” – Kate Woods, Marketing Manager, Berlin

St Christopher’s Inn – Berlin – Private Room

Paris – Canal

“The building was originally a warehouse, used throughout the years between 1800-1900 for the storage of fish and meat, wood, coal, sugar and grains. In 1920, the building was taken over by artists who set up their workshops there until a fire ravaged the building. New architects then decided to build a hostel and a hotel in the re-imagined building. Before we moved in, the area was much more of a work hub with lots of residential buildings around and, particularly when the building was inhabited by artists, the area, in general, was a much cheaper place to live. Not a great deal of tourism passed through the canal area as it was in need of renovation, however, when the Science Museum was built in 1986 not too far away, the effort to encourage more tourists into the 19th district began. The building was changed into the hotel and hostel concept which brought a new life to the area.

The opening of Belushi’s and St Christopher’s in 2008 meant hundreds of young tourists flocked to the area every night to party. In turn, countless new bars, restaurants and tourist attractions have opened up in the area, encouraging crowds of international visitors to come through, making it a destination for locals, students and tourists to all blend. The bar has given diversity to the neighborhood with its very anglo feel. Live sports, live music and big events have meant that the area is now somewhat of a destination for people to come out and party.” – Greg Walsh, General Manager of Paris Canal

Safety

Those who are new to the hostel experience and may be weary about leaving personal belongings in a shared space, need not worry. A third key value at St Christopher’s Inn is offered to ensure your belongings are secure. Most of the rooms have lockers located underneath the beds so you can store your stuff in a secure place with a padlock. This offers peace of mind, knowing that all of your belongings will be both tucked away and locked up so you can party worry-free.

As a youth hostel, St Christopher’s Inn pledges to keep their guests safe, “whether you’re drinking in our bars or sleeping in our beds.”

With safety, value, and fun at the core of St Christopher’s Inn values, years of cultural relevance and community support—and the best locations in Europe’s most sought-after countries—St Christopher’s Inns has established itself as the go-to party destination hostel chain throughout Europe.

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