Introduction
It’s getting closer and closer to the 5th European Hostel Meeting in Krakow, and we can’t wait.
If you are reading this page for the first time, then enjoy, and don’t forget to register! If you are coming back to see what’s new, well we have finalised the names of the workshop leaders and the presentations, and there is a participants list so you can see who else is coming to Krakow.
One important note: If anyone is interested in the trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau on the Sunday (2nd April), it is important that we get your registration by the 23rd March at the latest. This is because this is a busy period of the year at the Auschwitz Museum and Memorial, and the tour company needs the number of participants at least two weeks in advance. There is more information on the tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau below.
See you in Krakow!
Schedule
Friday 31st March
Welcome Drinks at Nathan’s Villa
Hopefully we’ll see everyone on the eve of the meeting at www.nathansvilla.com for a couple of drinks and a chance to catch up with some old friends and new faces. Nathan has kindly offered the use of his new bar, Old St Nicks, which can be found in the basement of his hostel for the welcome drinks, and he promises there will be some special offers for everyone coming to the meeting. It promises to be a great start to the weekend!
The Welcome Drinks are being kindly sponsored by Nathan’s Villa and Packed Magazine (http://packedmag.com). Cheers guys!
Nathan’s Villa and the Old St Nicks Bar
ul Sw. Agnieszki 1, Krakow
Website: www.nathansvilla.com
Saturday 1st April – Day
5th European Hostel Meeting at the Manggha, Centre for Japanese Arts and Technology
Location
The 5th European Hostel Meeting will be held at the Manggha Centre, on the banks of the Vistula River, opposite the Wawel Castle. The Manggha was opened in 1994, funded partly by the money won by Polish director Andrzej Wajda for the Kyoto Prize for lifetime achievement in 1987. The Centre was designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, and is one of the most stunning ‘modern’ buildings to be found anywhere in Krakow.
The permanent exhibition at the Manggha includes the collection of Feliks Jasienski, a 19th Century Polish art lover whose collection was donated to the National Museum in Krakow when he died, and was the inspiration behind Andrzej Wajda’s donation. As well as the permanent collection, the Manggha also houses temporary exhibitions of Japanese art and technology, and is a unique location for the 5th European Hostel Meeting.
We have some pictures here, but you can see more, and read about the Manggha and its history in more detail, on their website at www.manggha.krakow.pl.
Timetable
The Meeting will begin with Registration from 9am and a chance to have a tea or coffee, before taking the following schedule. Please note the times are approximate and may change closer to the date!
10.00 – Welcome and EHC Review of the last 12 Months (Auditorium)
11.15 – Workshops I and II (Auditorium and Gallery)
12.30 – Workshops III and IV (Auditorium and Gallery)
13.30 – Lunch in Manggha Café
15.00 – Afternoon Presentation (Auditorium)
16.00 – Workshop V (Auditorium)
17.00 – Forum and Discussion (Auditorium)
The Flyer Exchange will take place in the Manggha Gallery from 15.00 on, after lunch, and will be in place throughout the whole afternoon programme.
Although there will also be breaks, coffee, tea and other refreshments will be available all day in the Manggha Café, with great views over the river to the Wawel Castle!
Details
Here are some details of the content of the presentations, workshops and forum…
Welcome Presentation
Presented by Oriol Badia, Equity Point Hostels (Barcelona and Madrid) and Director of the European Hostel Cooperation will introduce the meeting, provide an overview of the days activities, before the European Hostel Cooperation takes the opportunity to explain what has been going on over the last 12 months, for the EHC and GOMIO.COM, and what future activities are planned for 2006.
Workshops
The order of the five workshops has yet to be decided, but here are the themes to be explored throughout the day:
Hostel Expansion
Workshop leaders: Eric van Dijk, Generator in Berlin and Romain Viennois, St. Christopher’s Group in London
This workshop will be of interest to hostels that are looking to expand beyond their home market. It will be led by hostels that have experience of this topic, and will discuss the benefits, as well as the potential problems that can arise, such as legal, financial, cultural and standards issues.
Ecological Tourism and Hostels
Workshop leader: Sebastian Wieczorek, European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism (ECEAT)
This workshop will discuss developments in ecological tourism in Europe and will go on to discuss how this will influence the hostel scene. The workshop is being led by the European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism (ECEAT) and will explore the possible benefits for hostels that wish to take an ecological approach to the running of their business, and how this can be done, including issues of possible funding and other strategies that can be employed.
Communication and Media Strategies for Hostels
Workshop leaders: Gerald Reisecker (Publisher) and Dave Long (Editor), Packed Magazine in Salzburg
This workshop is being led by Packed Magazine, and they will lead an open discussion on how hostels can best communicate with potential guests, and how to develop an effective advertising strategy.
This overview will include the different advertising possibilities there are (web, magazines, flyers, etc), what techniques can be used, and how to build a brand identity for your hostel.
Quality in Low Budget Tourism
Workshop leaders: Catherin Quirin, Swiss Backpackers Interlaken and David Buehler, Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof in Interlaken
This workshop will discuss the idea of a ‘seal of approval’ for hostels, as is currently used in Switzerland. The Swiss Backpacker Network will explain how this works, and lead a discussion on how a general idea of ‘quality’ can be brought to independent hostels, and communicated to the guests.
Coping with Sudden Catastrophes
Workshop leaders: Anne Dolan, Ashlee House in London; Carles Gras, Equity Points Hostels in Barcelona and Madrid; Amur Svoboda, Traveller’s Hostel in Prague; and Ralf Schweder, Mondpalast Hostel in Dresden
This workshop will bring together hostels who have been in locations affected by sudden catastrophe (floods, terrorism etc), to discuss their experiences, how they coped, and strategies for dealing with the immediate situation and the aftermath – what can be done for the guests, and what the hostel can do for themselves.
Afternoon Presentation
Introducing ‘Youth Accommodation Providers’ (YAP)
Susan Goldstein, the acting Director General of the Federation of International Youth Travel Organisations (FIYTO) will introduce a new aspect of FIYTO’s work, the ‘Youth Accommodation Providers’ (YAP) project.
Flyer Exchange
Flyer Exchange
The flyer exchange will run throughout the afternoon session and will be the chance to meet with different hostels and exchange flyers and other promotional material. Following the experience of last year, we decided to have a dedicated time for this part of the meeting, and the flyers will be collected at registration. The Gallery room, which will be used for workshops in the morning, will be transformed into the flyer exchange during the lunch break. So bring some goodies!
Forum and Discussion
Forum and Discussion – Yield Management, Price Wars, All inclusive vs. Pay your way – Different aspects of pricing as a main source of income
Increasingly there are a number of different models hostels can use for pricing their beds and rooms. One of the hot topics of discussion recently has been the idea of yield management, supply and demand model influenced by budget airlines and the hotel market. Added to that there is the issue of price wars in individual destinations, all inclusive models versus pay as you go…all of this points to an interesting debate on pricing and how hostels manage this most fundamental aspect of their business.
Saturday 1st April - Evening
Hostel Party at the Midgard Club
The Midgard Club is in the heart of Krakow, and is one of Krakow’s newest clubs. Despite its relatively young age, it has already built a reputation as one of the most happening places in Krakow’s lively nightlife scene, with many of the city’s leading DJs already taking to the Midgard’s decks. The guys behind the club have kindly agreed to be our hosts for the Hostel Party on the Saturday evening after a long day of workshops and presentations.
There will be DJs to get you dancing, as well as free drinks to get everyone in the mood, and hopefully we’ll get a glimpse of who are the real top movers and shakers in the European hostel scene as they take to the Midgard’s ample dancefloor.
Their website is in Polish, but even if you can’t read the text, there are some great pictures of the venue on their website at www.klubmidgard.pl.
Sunday 2nd April
The Any Time Hostel & Pension, opened June 2005, is the only hostel located in the very heart of Krakow's old Jewish district Kazimierz- Plac Nowy - known as one of the best places in Krakow. This will also be the pick-up point for the two Sunday activities we have arranged which you can choose from:
Activity One: GOAL-Mio! Five-a-side Football
It may be the 5th European Hostel Meeting, but this year in Krakow will also be the 1st European Hostel Football Championships, which will be taking place on the Sunday…the perfect way to sweat out those hangovers. The five-a-side football competition has been arranged by our friends at the Dizzy Daisy Hostel, and anyone who wants to is welcome to take part.
If you can organise a team of five, either before you come or during the party on Friday, you can enter that way, or if you can’t get your mates out of bed, come along in ones, twos, threes, or fours, and we’ll sort some teams out at the venue. Oh, and try and think of some entertaining names for your team…
Activity Two: Guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau
A trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau is a distressing, but for many people important, part of any visit to this part of the world. The museum at Auschwitz I tells of story of the crimes committed here by the Nazis in graphic detail, whilst Auschwitz II (Birkenau) is haunting in its scale, being as it was the largest part of the biggest concentration-extermination camp the Nazis built. Since 1947 the grounds of Auschwitz I and II have been open as a memorial to the murder of millions of people.
The museum and memorial website can be found here:
www.auschwitz-muzeum.oswiecim.pl
For those that would like to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, we have organised a bus and a guided tour in English that will be leaving from the City Hostel on the Sunday at 1.30pm. The tour includes a documentary film about the camps, as well as a guide around both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II (Birkenau).
We have been advised by the tour company that we will need to let them know the numbers in advance, as April is a very busy time for the museum and the guides need to be booked. If you are interested in the tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau, it will cost 80 Zloty, and you should let us know on the registration form if you are interested. The company needs the numbers by the 23rd March, so to take part in the trip you will need to register for the meeting before then!
If you would like to go to Auschwitz-Birkenau, but would rather go alone than in a group, here are the details for getting there by public transport: The town of Oswiecim is 75km from Krakow and you can get there by bus (1.5 hours, 10-15 Zloty) which leave frequently from the city centre. Some of them will stop at the Auschwitz Museum, whilst others will stop at the Oswiecim train station where you can catch a local bus. Entry to the museum is free, although there is a small charge to watch the informational film. Auschwitz II (Birkenau) is about three kilometres from the museum at Auschwitz I, and there are hourly buses between the two.
Registration
If you want to participate in the 5th European Hostel Meeting, please click here.
If you have any questions concerning the meeting please contact the office at
info@gomio.com
We are looking forward to seeing you.
Accommodation
Important: Many of the people in Krakow have told us that the beginning of April is an extremely busy time in the city, especially due to the number of visitors to Auschwitz in this period. Therefore we recommend that if you are interested in coming to the hostel meeting, that you book your accommodation as soon as possible.
The following hostels have beds available over the period of the hostel meeting, and have been kind enough to offer a discount. Please book with them directly, and make sure that you mention that you will be in Krakow for the hostel meeting when you make the booking:
Any Time Hostel
Estery 16 str.
Tel.+48 12 432 30 70
Email: info@anytime.com.pl
www.anytime.com.pl
Bling Bling Hostel
ul. Pedzichow 7
Tel: +48 12 634 05 32
Email: info@blingbling.pl
www.blingbling.pl
City Hostel Krakow
ul. sw. Krzyza 21
Tel: + 48 12 424 03 08
Email: cityhostel@hotel-classic.pl
Corner Hostel
Ul. Zyblikiewicza 9
Tel: + 48 12 628 6999
Email: office@cornerhostel.pl
www.cornerhostel.pl
Dizzy Daisy Pedzichow
ul. Pedzichów 9
Tel: +48 12 292 01 71
Email: krakow@hostel.pl
www.hostel.pl
Dodo Hostel
Szlak 32
Tel: +48 12 6337523
Email: book@dodohostel.com
www.dodohostel.com
Fern Flower Hostel
ul. Westerplatte 13/5
Tel: +48 12 4312 846
Email: info@fern.pl
www.fern.pl
Gardenhouse Hostel
Ul. Florianska 5
Tel: +48 12 431 28 24
Email: bookings@gardenhouse.nazwa.pl
www.gardenhouse.nazwa.pl
Hostel Konsul
Rynek Debnicki 14
Tel: 48 606 913 214
Email: hostelkonsul@1gb.pl
http://www.hostelkonsul.com
Mama’s Hostel
Ul. Bracka 4
Tel: +48 12 429 59 40
Email: hostel@mamashostel.com.pl
www.mamashostel.com.pl
Momotown Hostel
28 Miodowa Street
Tel: + 48 12 429 69 29
Email: info@momotownhostel.com
www.momotownhostel.com
Nathan’s Villa Hostel
ul Sw. Agnieszki 1
Tel: +48 12 422 35 45
Email: krakow@nathansvilla.com
www.nathansvilla.com
Oasis Hostel
ul.Dluga 27
Tel: +48 12 6313 131
Email: axet@axet.pl
Premium Hostel
Pomorska St. 2
Tel: +48 12 292 01 71
Email: krakow@hostel.pl
www.hostel.pl
Sky Hostel
Dunajewskiego 6 St
+48 12 4261 115
Email:biuro@skyhostel.com.pl
http://www.skyhostel.com.pl
The Stranger Hostel
ul. Kochanowskiego 1 / 3U
Tel: +48 12 634 25 16
Email: krakow@thestrangerhostel.com
www.thestrangerhostel.com
For those of you looking for a hotel, our friends in Krakow have recommended the following hotels as a good place to start in your search for accommodation:
Hotel Classic
Ul. Sw. Tomasza 32
Tel: +48 12 424 03 03
Email: hotel@hotel-classic.pl
www.hotel-classic.pl
Irbis Hotel
Ul. Ks. Jozefska 24 a
Tel: +48 12 427 84 90
Email: biuro@irbishotel.pl
www.irbishotel.pl
Getting to Krakow
A number of international airlines fly direct to Krakow, including many of the so-called ‘budget airlines’. Our friends in Krakow recommend that you also check out LOT, the Polish national airline as they often have deals comparable to their supposedly cheaper competition:
LOT – Polish Airlines: www.lot.com
Sky Europe: www.skyeurope.com
Easyjet: www.easyjet.com
Germanwings: www.germanwings.com
Aer Lingus: www.aerlingus.com
Central Wings: www.centralwings.com
Norwegian: www.norwegian.no
Snowflake: www.flysnowflake.com
For those slightly closer to Krakow, or indeed do not wish to fly, the Polish railways website can be found at http://www.pkp.pl/english/index.php, and the German railways website is also excellent for international rail travel details: www.bahn.de.
Arrival and Useful Info
From the Airport: The airport is about 15km from the centre of Krakow. You can either take bus 192 or 208 into town, or there are shuttle buses to the international bus station run by a company called Radtur (www.radtur.pl ). A taxi to the centre should cost around 40-60 Zloty.
Trains and Buses: The train and bus stations are just beyond the northern tip of the old town, and a short walk will bring you into the heart of the city.
City Map: Here’s a map of Krakow from cracow-life.com, which is also a useful entertainments guide for the city: www.cracow-life.com/map/map.php
More Information: If you want to read up some more on Krakow, the official tourism website can be found at www.krakow.pl/en/, whilst www.inyourpocket.com has an interesting city guide with some articles and recommendations for the city.
List of Participants
Hostels and friends that have already registered for the 5th European Hostel Meeting in Krakow include:
| Country | City | Hostels |
| Austria | Bad Gastein | Euro Youth Hotel |
| Austria | Vienna | Hostel Ruthensteiner |
| Austria | Vienna | Hostel Wombats |
| Belgium | Bruges | Lybeers Travellers Hostel |
| Belgium | Bruges | Snuffel Backpacker Hostel |
| Belgium | Brussels | George Petch International |
| Croatia | Split | Al's Place |
| Croatia | Zaghreb | Ravnice Youth Hostel |
| Czech Republic | Brno | Janska Hostel |
| Czech Republic | Cesky Krumlov | Hostel 99 |
| Czech Republic | Cesky Krumlov | Snail Hostel |
| Czech Republic | Prague | Hostel ELF |
| Czech Republic | Prague | Old Prague Hostel |
| Czech Republic | Prague | Czech Inn |
| Czech Republic | Prague | Sir Toby's |
| Czech Republic | Prague | Miss Sophies |
| Czech Republic | Prague | Traveller´s Hostel |
| Czech Republic | Olomouc | Poet´s Corner Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | Amstel House |
| Germany | Berlin | A&O Hostels |
| Germany | Berlin | Circus Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | CityStay Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | East Seven |
| Germany | Berlin | John's Cozy Little Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | Generator |
| Germany | Berlin | Heart of Gold Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | Lette'm Sleep Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | Meininger Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | Odyssee Hostel |
| Germany | Berlin | Sunflower Hostel |
| Germany | Cologne | Station Hostel |
| Germany | Dresden | Hostel die Boofe |
| Germany | Dresden | Lolli's Homestay |
| Germany | Dresden | Mondpalast Hostel |
| Germany | Erfurt | OPERA Hostel |
| Germany | Leipzig | Central Globetrotter Hostel |
| Germany | Leipzig | Sleepy Lion Hostel |
| Germany | München | Easy Palace City Hostel |
| Germany | München | Euro Youth Hostel |
| Germany | München | Wombat's City Hostel |
| Germany | Nuernberg | Lette'm Sleep Hostel |
| Germany | Stuttgart | Jugendgästehaus Stuttgart |
| Great Britain | London | Ashlee House |
| Great Britain | London | Generator |
| Great Britain | London | St. Christophers |
| Great Britain | London | SmartBackpackers |
| Greece | Athens | Athen's Backpackers |
| Hungary | Budapest | Aboriginal Hostel |
| Hungary | Budapest | Grand Hostel |
| Hungary | Budapest | Hungaria Guesthouse |
| Hungary | Révfülöp | Hullam Hostel |
| Ireland | Cork | Kinlay House |
| Ireland | Galway | Sleepzone |
| Italy | Catania | Agora Hostel |
| Italy | Ischia | Ischia Hostel |
| Italy | Neaples | Hostel of the Sun |
| Italy | Neaples | Hostel and Hotel Bella Capri |
| Italy | Rome | Hostel Beautiful |
| Italy | Rome | Hostels Alessandro |
| Italy | Rome | M&J Place Hostel |
| Italy | Rome | Yellow Hostel |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | Bulldog Hostel |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | Flying Pig Hostels |
| Northern Ireland | Derry | Derry City Independent Hostel |
| Poland | Krakow | Cybulskiego Guest Rooms |
| Poland | Krakow | Dizzy Daisy Hostels |
| Poland | Krakow | DoDo Hostel |
| Poland | Krakow | Flamingo Hostel |
| Poland | Krakow | Hostel Konsul |
| Poland | Krakow | Hostel Rynek7 |
| Poland | Krakow | Nathans Villa Hostel |
| Poland | Krakow | Sky Hostel |
| Poland | Krakow | The Stranger Hostel |
| Poland | Warsaw | Helvetia Hostel |
| Poland | Warsaw | Okidoki Hostel |
| Slovakia | Bratislava | Patio Hostel |
| Spain | Barcelona | Barcelona Mar & Barcelona Dream Hostels |
| Spain | Barcelona | Enjoy Barcelona |
| Spain | Barcelona | Hosteria Grau |
| Spain | Barcelona | Kabul Backpackers Hostel |
| Spain | Barcelona | Centric Point, Gothic Point, Sea Point |
| Spain | Madrid | Cat's Hostel |
| Spain | Madrid | Mad Hostel |
| Spain | Madrid | Metropol Hostel |
| Switzerland | Gimmelwald | Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald |
| Switzerland | Interlaken | Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof |
| Switzerland | Vevey-Montreux | Riviera Lodge |
| Switzerland | Zürich | City Backpacker - Hotel Biber |
| Ukraine | Lviv | Hostel Afena |
| Ukraine | Lviv | Youth Hostel Banking Academy |
| Ukraine | Kiev | Hostel Kiev |
| Ukraine | Kiev | Youth Hostel for Groups Karavan |
| Ukraine | Kiev | International Youth Hostel Olympic Backpackers |
| Ukraine | Kiev | International Youth Hostel Yaroslav |
| Ukraine | Kiev | International Youth Hostel Balaclava |
| Wales | Cardiff | Cardiff Backpacker |
| Country | City | Company |
| Australia | Sydney | Online Systems |
| Austria | Salzburg | Packed Magazine |
| Belgium | Bruges | PHOTOhype BOOKS |
| Belgium | Bruessel | George Petch International |
| Belgium | Gent | USE-It |
| Canada | Thunder Bay | Backpacker Hostels Canada |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | FIYTO |
| Germany | Berlin | Brewer´s Berlin Tours |
| Germany | Berlin | DaPhi |
| Germany | Hamburg | Backpacker Network Germany |
| Great Britain | Derbyshire | Independent Hostels UK - Backpackers Press |
| Great Britain | London | Bugbitten.com |
| Great Britain | London | Hostelbookers.com |
| Great Britain | London | Tim The Tourman |
| Korea | Seoul | KISES Travel |
| Poland | Krakow | Restauracja Pod Baranem |
| Poland | Krakow | Cool Tour Company |
| Switzerland | Interlaken | Swiss Backpackers |
| Ukraine | Lviv | Youth Hostel Association of Ukraine |
| USA | New York | SunSplash Tours |
| Europe | | European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism (ECEAT) |
Looking forward to seeing you there!