Hostel Skippy

Hostel Skippy occupies a charming, two-hundred-year-old house right on the bank of the Vltava river. The atmosphere here is more home than hostel, with lots of personal attention from Skippy, the Czech-Cubana resident owner who is also a musician, and you'll undoubtedly receive invitations to see her perform locally during your stay.

The best feature of the hostel is the roomy riverfront terrace with plenty of seating. Other than that, however, the cramped kitchen is the only common area, and Skippy is often using it to give English lessons or entertain her friends. So while you may have a hard time making your breakfast, you may also have the opportunity to meet some interesting locals. We ran into some of Skippy's friends at a crowded gypsy restaurant one night, and never would have gotten a seat if they hadn't ushered us over. The cozy, rustic kitchen is amply equipped, and there is a microwave and fridge in the hallway. You can drink tea and Turkish coffee that is supplied by the hostel, but you will have to pay for it.

The dorms and beds are comfortable and clean, and the foot-level windows give interesting views of passersby. The one bathroom is clean and attractively decorated with a skylight, and bath towels are provided free of charge, one per customer. The bathmat on the floor next to the shower/tub combination makes for a cozy bathing experience. A second toilet is located on the first floor.

Other features of Hostel Skippy include Skippy's three dogs (ask before petting, because one of them is quite touchy and needs to develop a relationship with you before she'll allow you to touch. The other two are more outgoing). There is also a book swap or lending library under the stairs. On arrival, you'll be given a hand-drawn map with Skippy's recommendations for restaurants, pubs, and the like. We were extremely pleased with her selections.

Although the hostel is not terribly near the center, it's not terribly far, either, and the supermarket is quite close. You'll have an easier time walking downstairs toward the center than upstairs back to the hostel, but if your legs are weary, use the map and learn to circumvent the uphill climb.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review