St Christopher’s Inn at the Bauhaus
Also part of our national list, St Christopher’s Bruges edition draws Belgian beer lovers in like moths to a flame. Located above the Bauhaus, an authentic Belgian beer bar of 30 years that’s usually pleasantly packed with locals and travelers alike, there are over 25 types of beer to taste at any given time right below your bunk. Upstairs, St Christopher’s – smartly using their tons of experience in the hostel business – has equipped their pod-style bunk beds with slide-around curtains for extra privacy. Plus, their flashy green bikes are a great option if you want to explore Bruges’ green countryside.
Langestraat 133-137, 8000 Bruges, Belgium, +32 50 34 10 93
One of St. Christopher’s main assets is its downstairs bar with many Belgian beers and an eclectic, warm style | Courtesy of St. Christopher’s
Snuffel Backpacker Hostel
With a friendly and convivial atmosphere as their top priority, Snuffel has a habit of attracting locals in search of a casual beer as well as international backpackers. Exotic strangers soon become exotic friends on the hostel’s spacious patio that’s home to a pop-up bar serving a mean sangria and hosting live concerts during the summer months. Sleeping in their simple dorms comes easy knowing you’ll be treated to a complimentary fair-trade breakfast when the sun rises.
Ezelstraat 42, 8000 Bruges, Belgium, +32 50 33 31 33
Snuffel boasts modern facilities a mere 500 meters away from Bruges’ historic Belfry and main square | Courtesy of Snuffel Backpacker Hostel
HI Europe Bruges
One of Bruges’ most pocketbook-friendly hostels – rates are known to dip below 15 euros – has its own quiet patch a fifteen-minute walk from the city center. Dorms may be simple and the place might sport a ‘back to basics’ vibe, but the breakfast is free, the staff is friendly and a brisk walk towards the city center will not only wake you up but also give you a glimpse at Bruges’ lovely countryside to boot.
Baron Ruzettelaan 143, 8310 Bruges, Belgium, +32 50 35 26 79
Spacious, clean and located on a quiet patch just outside the city center, HI Europe Bruges offers beds at unbeatable fares | © Vlaamse Jeugdherbergen
Hostel de Passage
What you’d call a boutique hostel if there were such a thing, Hostel de Passage is just a tad more luxurious and intimate than your typical crashing den for nomadic 20-somethings. The pastel blue townhouse, not even half a kilometer away from the main market square, has ten rooms that are all limited to two, three or four beds. The pièce de résistance is its downstairs bistro Gran Kaffee de Passage, where Flemish comfort food is served in the most charismatic of Art Deco interiors.
Dweersstraat 26, 8000 Bruges, Belgium, +32 50 34 02 32
Hostel Lybeer
They’re a tight-knight family of their own at Hostel Lybeer, which is exactly why we’ve featured them before in our list of Belgium’s best hostels. With a staff dedicated to making you feel at home and fellow guests from every walk of life, the atmosphere is intimate and cosmopolitan at the same time. An especially fancy bar downstairs with high ceilings, chandeliers and red velvet drapes awaits when you return from your free walking tour in time for the nightly happy hour.
Korte Vuldersstraat 31, 8000 Bruges, Belgium, +32 50 33 43 55
A strong family-minded atmosphere pervades Hostel Lybeer, a go-to home away from home for people of any age | © love trotters.net/Courtesy of Hostel Lybeer