Forget “bleak dormitories with creaking iron beds and draughty communal spaces”, said Georgie Duckworth in The Guardian. A new generation of UK hostels offer a comfortable place to stay – without the hefty price tag that often comes with cabins, cottages and lodges.As staycations boom in the face of uncertainty over the war in the Middle East and soaring airfares, holidaymakers are looking for affordable places to stay closer to home. But in prizing “seclusion” so highly, “have we lost the very essence of travel: the pleasure of meeting new people; sharing stories; hearing word-of-mouth tips; and stepping outside our familiar routines?”

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