My hostels are all chosen: any last minute warnings?

I think that mostly sounds pretty good. The amount of time you're spending in each city is reasonable. The only hostel I might do differently is Ostello Santa Fosca. That one is sort of ok, but there are several better hostels in Venice. Did you just use Hostelworld to find them all? You can often find cheaper prices elsewhere. Use Hostelz.com to check all the booking prices, and it's also good for finding the best rated hostels from all the sites as well, and it's recommended in the Rick Steves books (see the Venice hostels list). But overall, I think you have a good plan and most of the hostels sound like good choices.

Used several sites, but mostly Hostelworld and tripadvisor. Just put all Hostelworld links because they seem to be very informative and I like the layout. For actually booking I'll use the best prices I can find in reliable booking sites.

Do you recommend a specific other one for Venice? It's my least favorite of them all, but also the only one I found inside the isle near this price.

Hi,

Unless you want to be more central, the choice of Vintage Hostel in Paris is good. I'm familiar with it, checked it out a few times since it is relatively close to where I stay in Paris, ie the Gare du Nord area. Vintage Hostel. is on the border line between the 10th and 9th arrondisments en route to Montmarte. Exit the hostel, turn right, Gare du Nord is ca 15 mins or so walk down. Your YHA hostel in London.. I don't know. There is a YHA hostel at St Pancras, also one I've checked out, it's across the street from Kings Cross station where 3 Tube lines link up....very convenient. True, it is less central than your choice.

Psyche,

A few thoughts.....

• London - the location looks good with a few Tube stops nearby, and I've found that HI Hostels are usually good. Were you planning to get an HI Hostels membership? Having one usually provides slightly cheaper prices and in one case I found in Switzerland that was compulsory.
• Lauterbrunnen - Camping Jungfrau is not actually "in" Lauterbrunnen so not as convenient a location in terms of transportation. Have you also considered the Valley Hostel?

I'd just warn you against staying in any hostel dorm that has more than 6 beds. When you start getting over that number of beds, your sleep quality starts getting crappier. Now it doesn't really matter if you are a night owl and plan to be out partying til the wee hours, but if you are hoping to be productive during the day with your sightseeing, you might actually want to get a decent night's sleep. It just gets harder when you have more bunk mates snoring or coming in and out of the room at different hours - and I've been in hostels where other people have come into the room in the middle of the night and flipped on the overhead light to find something in their pack.

Have you looked into any other lodging besides hostels? Patronato Salesiano Leone XIII is a monastery that offers tourist lodging. It's only about 4 Euro more than what you chose but the rate includes breakfast. It, too, is located on the main island and not off in a nearby suburb or remote island that will have you needing to take water taxis or buses regularly. It also does not have a curfew (some other monastery stays have curfew times around 11PM or Midnight - those ones I would avoid as you don't really even go out to dinner in Italy until about 8 or 9PM). With all monastery stays, just expect a very basic, simple room - clean, quiet, but nothing flashy like some of the boutique, independent hostels that are out there.

take earplugs

Fred:

You are right, St Pancras YHA seems better. What lines do the station have though? On Google Maps it looks like it's 6. I see brown, yellow, pink, blue, dark blue and black all crossing at the same point. If I could take any of those it would be fantastic.

Ken:

Valley Hostel looks good and affordable, and closer to the station. I guess I was hypnotized by the pictures and views from camping Jungfrau. I already sent an e-mail inquiry. This is when I do my laundry, so I asked them some details on that too.

As for the membership, does it cover the hostels I've listed? This is not a kind of trip I plan to do again any time soon, so unless this membership saves me money on this trip I'm not sure I should buy one.

Ceidleh:

Good point about the number of beds, I hadn't even thought of that.

About the monastery, do you recommend a website to book with them? I've seen one called Monasterystays, but it only showed rooms that cost 65 euros per night minimum.

Thank you everyone.

I forgot to include the Cinque Terre hostel!

Mar-Mar - 2 nights

http://www.5terre-marmar.com/

Located at Riomaggiore

30 euros per night

Also a 10-bed unfortunately, but really well located compared to any others I've seen, which are all outside the 5 towns.

@ Psyche...To get to the St Pancras YHA Hostel at 79-81 Euston Road the Tube station is Kings Cross. The Piccadilly line is one of the three lines converging at Kings Cross/St Pancras, (these two stations blend/connect to each other by walking from one to the other) I don't remember the other two Tube lines, one of them goes to Stansted airport. From Heathrow it's a direct shot to Kings Cross by the Tube, takes close to one hour but it's the cheapest way to go. For convenience my point is that the St Pancras YHA isn't bad since it's a direct shot to Buckingham Palace, the Theater area, Chinatown, Paddington, etc. The British Library is opposite the St Pancras hostel. (not directly).

If you choose to stay at St Pancras YHA, Kings Cross is also the junction point for numerous bus lines, so there is a choice between the Tube or the bus, eg, going out to Paddington from Kings Cross.

That's awesome, thanks! I think I'll stay at St. Pancras then. Just need to check my London itinerary again to see if there will be any issues for the activities I have planned, but it should be fine.

"...any last minute warnings?"

http://italy.usembassy.gov/acs/security.html

A bit more information on the transportation options at Kings Cross/St Pancras.

In addition to the tube lines mentioned by Emma, it is possible that Fred in the previous message was thinking of Luton Airport instead of Stansted. Stansted is reached by the Stansted Express from Liverpool Street Station, or connecting by Victoria Line Tube onto the Stansted Express at Tottenham Hale.

Luton Airport is super easy from St Pancreas by Thameslink. Thameslink use the lowest level of the train station, using platforms A and B. Thameslink is not a tube line, it is an above ground normal commuter train which travels at up to 100 mph. It is only in tunnel from St Pancras to City Thameslink, and serves all the way from Brighton on the south coast, and Gatwick Airport south of London, to Bedford in the Midlands (with discussions ongoing about going further north). It also serves Wimbledon and Sutton for tennis fans, and many districts in the south including Elephant & Castle and London Bridge. It has a fabulous brand new station at Blackfriars which goes completely across the Rover Thames, and is fully glassed in with a glass roof. Incredible views of St Pauls and all the waterfront to Tower Bridge from that bridge.

To the north, Thameslink serves the ancient city of St Albans and has a dedicated station for Luton Airport, known as Luton Airport Parkway.

Also from St Pancras are the Eurostar to Paris and Brussels, and the high speed (300 kph) Javelin trains to Kent and the Kent coast.

Kings Cross has the trains to Edinburgh, York, Cambridge and Hull, via Peterborough, Grantham (where Lady Margaret Thatcher was from) and Lincoln, and trains throughout parts northeast and north of London.

Nigel, it could have been. I recall (maybe , not sure now ?) seeing one of lines going from Kings Cross to Tottenham, thought that was Stansted. I should have written it down. Tottenham rang a bell. That was where the DC 5 came from...1964, the "British Invasion"

Psyche,

I've used Mar-Mar for room rental before, and would certainly recommend them based on that experience (although that was a few years ago). If you want to look at other hostels in the area......

• http://www.hostel5terre.com/ENG/index.html (this is the somewhat "official" Hostel for the Cinque Terre. Note that they have a strict lockout for several hours in the afternoon).
• http://www.ostellocorniglia.com/index2.html (Corniglia is not as popular as it's located high on a bluff, but I'm sure it has its charms as well, and some people quite enjoy the quieter atmosphere of Corniglia).

Booked all places except London and Cinque Terre. Still deciding which YHA is best for me and still didn't hear back from my inquiry to Mar-Mar. I can't even book in advance, I HAVE to wait for them to answer me back. This is kinda frustrating as it's the only good option I've found at CT.

Ken:

Both are interesting, but the first one won't allow me to book a 2016 date, and the second one shows this message:

"There is no availability for the selected period or a longer stay is required. Please try different dates or get in touch with the accommodation directly"

Tom_MN:

Can you further explain what you mean? Rome's metro doesn't put you at a walking distance from the major sights? I still haven't done research on it but I thought it was a given that it did.

Rome's metro doesn't put you at a walking distance from the major
sights? I still haven't done research on it but I thought it was a
given that it did.

Nope, he's right.

There are a few, like the Colosseum (only on line B) or walking distance from Vatican City (only on line A), but it is a fairish way from almost everything else. Buses and on foot is the best way in Rome.

Since Mar-Mar is taking so long to answer my inquiry I went ahead and booked at Hostelworld with a 12% deposit. It's safe to assume my room is guaranteed with this, right?

This was the only reasonably priced hostel left inside the 5 towns, everything else is full. I figured I should have done something.

I'm also still struggling to decide between YHA Central, St. Pancras or Oxford. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. St. Pancras is the most convenient and closest to a Metro, but reviews say it's not very social at all, and there's a lot of noise from the streets. Central is somewhat far from a metro, 10 minute walk, but seems very quiet and it's closer to a nice district. Oxford is even closer, but it's more expensive and crowded.

Psyche,

"I went ahead and booked at Hostelworld with a 12% deposit. It's safe to assume my room is guaranteed with this, right?"

I've never dealt with Hostelworld so don't have any information. However, generally speaking I always try to book directly with the hotel or hostel, as that avoids the "middleman".

It's not unusual that you haven't received a reply from Mar-Mar, as they may have closed down for the season (that's typical at this time of year in the Cinque Terre).

I wanted to suggest that in addition to Hostels, you could also consider some of the Affitacamere or private room rentals, as those exist in all of the Cinque Terre towns. Some will serve breakfast and some just provide the room. You may find that the price isn't much different from a Hostel, and you'd have more privacy. Have a look at this website.....

http://www.prolocomonterosso.it/eng/sleep.asp?tip=Room%20rentals

Emma:

3 nights and 3 full days (the plane arrives a 7:00).

I asked them about the possibility to choose a room with fewer beds and/or ensuite on their website. Booking with them provides better rates, but offers no options to choose other than gender.

Ken:

I had already booked on Hostelworld and paid a deposit (that I couldn't get back If I canceled) but thanks for the info. Not long after the booking Mar-Mar replied to my inquiry with the following message:

"Hello, If you would like to instantly book a dorm bed, please go to www.hostelworld.com (search for Cinque Terre and Mar-Mar).

,IIf you prefer to book directly with us via email, please keep in mind that while we message one another back and forth it is possible that someone will instantly book the property on the Hostelworld website, thus rendering the apartment no longer available.

We have one large mixed sex dormitory for students and budget travelers. The dorm is actually a very large apartment that sleeps ten persons and is composed of a sit-in kitchen, two bathrooms (each with a shower), the main room (where there are five single beds), a room with three single beds, another room with two single beds, and a terrace with nice village views. The price per night is 30,00 euro per person (breakfast included). Please note: We do not have a curfew or lock-out time. However, we do ask that you keep noise to a minimum and that you are respectful of your neighbors and fellow travelers.If you would like to instantly book a dorm bed, please go to www.hostelworld.com (search for Cinque Terre and Mar-Mar). Ciao Mario"

So in the end it was probably a good thing I didn't wait for their reply. Rates and room options are exactly the same.

I did book directly with all the hotels except Mr. Rome, which didn't offer such option, and of course Mar Mar for reasons already stated.

Only London left! Thank you all very much!

Psyche,

Great to hear that everything is sorted with Mar-Mar Rooms. Riomaggiore is one of the smaller towns, but it's very pleasant and there's usually a lively crowd at Bar Centrale in the evenings (they get more lively after imbibing too many Mojito's).

London booked. Decided to go with Oxford St, it's more expensive but better located and I could specify a 4-bed room, as opposed to 6 in Central and St Pancras. Also the only way to choose the number of beds was via a third party site. On their site it can be anything from 4 to 10 beds based on your own luck. You pay a couple of quid extra for each night using Hostelworld but I prefer to know what my room is like in advance.

Thanks!

Americans do love to abbreviate location names like that. After a cruise ending in Harwich a while back, I would hear Americans say they were going to Liverpool, when they meant Liverpool Street Station in London. Let's hope none of them asked the train staff what time they were getting to Liverpool.

@ Psyche...Good that you have the reservation made for the hostel in London. At private independent hostels I've had to pay 10% on-line to hold the room, ie, the bed. But, as pointed out above, that was done on-line with the hostel directly.

Since you went through a "third-party" it's best to print the print out indicating that the reservation was made on-line, bring it along, just in case you are challenged on having really reserved. Whenever I make a reservation on-line, be it ranging a 6 bed dorm room in a hostel to a 4 star hotel, the Reception has never challenged it...always in order.

I think that mostly sounds pretty good. The travel experience you are getting is much more beneficial.

Yes, Rome is not well served by their metro. There are only two lines and they don't cover much - plus they are prone to unscheduled closures. Make sure you have enough cash on hand to get a taxi when you need it.

The biggest piece of advice is take a good gym lock. All the hostels I've stayed in offered a locker but you need your own lock. Hostels can be horrible for petty theft. Never leave anything unattended that isn't locked up, even for a quick trip to the bathroom. I've seen people lose laundry off a clothes line when they weren't present - and God knows how many small electronic products go missing.