Online booking is not offered for this Hostel. Contact them for availability and reservations (any contact info we have is listed below).
Please see Braga for other available Braga hostels and accommodations.
Please see Braga for other available Braga hostels and accommodations.
The Hostelz.com Review
HI - Braga Hostel is cheap, empty, and reminiscent of an orphanage. You may find yourself alone in a ten-person dorm room, going for days without talking to another soul. On the plus side, you'll get a good free breakfast.
The Location
A quiet, residential neighborhood surrounds the hostel. The main historical square and tourist information center are a ten-minute walk away. The hostel does not provide arrival directions, and there are no maps or useful signs at the train station, so one possible route is posted below this review. Be warned that the streets in Braga are confusing! You can walk from the train station to the hostel in about thirty minutes (assuming you don't get lost).
Rooms and Bathrooms
The dorms are clean, but have an institutional, tile-floor atmosphere that would probably seem dingy no matter what. The rooms are big and lined with four or five bunk beds. Shelves are provided, and some upper bunks have a reading light. The bathrooms are essentially long rows of sinks and showers. The showers have no changing area, but they are frequently cleaned and the water is warm.
Common Spaces
There is a vast hang-out/dining area. Hardly anyone seems to hang out there, though. This is definitely not a party hostel. Even non-partiers may find it a little too quiet, except when other guests come down for the free breakfast. This full meal includes bread, ham, cheese, yogurt, cereal, hot drinks, and juice. The hostel's internet machine is expensive. Better to use the internet at the James Dean Bar (Rua de Santo André 85).
Summary
After a night or two, the emptiness of the Pousada de Juventude can be unsettling. On the other hand, it is inexpensive, costing half as much as comparable hostels in Spain. You can reserve online through the Pousada de Juventude's own website. Rather than take a deposit, they will charge your credit card for the full price immediately. This policy makes it hard to change plans, particularly since no refunds will be given for early departures.
The Location
A quiet, residential neighborhood surrounds the hostel. The main historical square and tourist information center are a ten-minute walk away. The hostel does not provide arrival directions, and there are no maps or useful signs at the train station, so one possible route is posted below this review. Be warned that the streets in Braga are confusing! You can walk from the train station to the hostel in about thirty minutes (assuming you don't get lost).
Rooms and Bathrooms
The dorms are clean, but have an institutional, tile-floor atmosphere that would probably seem dingy no matter what. The rooms are big and lined with four or five bunk beds. Shelves are provided, and some upper bunks have a reading light. The bathrooms are essentially long rows of sinks and showers. The showers have no changing area, but they are frequently cleaned and the water is warm.
Common Spaces
There is a vast hang-out/dining area. Hardly anyone seems to hang out there, though. This is definitely not a party hostel. Even non-partiers may find it a little too quiet, except when other guests come down for the free breakfast. This full meal includes bread, ham, cheese, yogurt, cereal, hot drinks, and juice. The hostel's internet machine is expensive. Better to use the internet at the James Dean Bar (Rua de Santo André 85).
Summary
After a night or two, the emptiness of the Pousada de Juventude can be unsettling. On the other hand, it is inexpensive, costing half as much as comparable hostels in Spain. You can reserve online through the Pousada de Juventude's own website. Rather than take a deposit, they will charge your credit card for the full price immediately. This policy makes it hard to change plans, particularly since no refunds will be given for early departures.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2007
Their Description
HI - Braga Hostel Details
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Map
Location/Contact| Address | Rua de Santa Margarida, 6, Braga, Braga, Portugal |
| Location | |
| Website | www.pousadasjuventude.pt |
| Telephone | +351 253 616 163 |
| Fax | +351 253 616 163 |
How is HI - Braga Hostel rated on other websites?
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Ok hostel in a splendid region of Portugal The Braga HI Hostel is just north of the city center (Praca da Republica), but the lack of any signposting makes it a little hard to find. There's only a small, weathered Pousada de Juventude sign on the outside of the building, so make sure you have a map of the hostel's location before you're heading to Braga. The staff isn't always as friendly they could be and their administration seems to be a little messy, but they are generally willing to help (they arranged an early breakfast for me at 7:15 a.m. when I wanted to leave early one day). The kitchen facilities are a bit poor -- the fridge is way too small for the size of the hostel, the number of pots and pans is limited, and most kitchenware looks a bit dodgy (including plates, cups). However, the common room is ok and they have a nice (though bit outdated) noticeboard with information about the area. Beds look old-fashioned but are actually really comfortable, though the space between upper and lower bed was pretty small (couldn't sit up straight without banging my head). Unfortunately, there are no lockers in the rooms. Similarly, bathrooms look a little old-fashioned but they are clean and the showers ok. It's not the best of the Portuguese hostels I've stayed in, but the region of Braga makes this place definitely worth visiting. Braga and Guimaraes (forty-minute bus ride) are great historical places, while the Peneda-Geres national park (one-and-a-half hour bus ride) is a guarantee for great hikes and fantastic natural scenery. — Desiree , Netherlands (2009-08-13)