If sophistication had a standard, Wildflower would take the place. Refined style and built with such an excellent taste, Wildflower hall would comprise anything for their guests stay. Towered by pine and cedar forests, the hotel gives a matchless view to its guests. Teak flooring, splashy baroque furnishing, and handmade rugs imitate British India. Eighty-seven suits to suit your stay, including three deluxe suits and a grand Lord Kitchener suit. Twenty four hours laundry, room-dinning and butler services along with Wifi around the premises are provided.

Not to forget the superior spa services. The spa pavilion provides its stressful guests a luxury filled treatments ranging from Ayurveda to western therapy. Yoga, massage, steam, sauna, heated indoor pool lit with crystal chandeliers,’ and an open-air Jacuzzi is like a cherry on the cake. Moreover, it is a great place for trekking, rafting, horse riding, and mountain bike riding.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS INSIDE THE HOTEL:

1. The cavalry bar – The woody Bar of wildflower hall, takes us back in time to the British décor of the 1800s. Not to forget the display of fine spirits.
2. Lutyens – Serves authentic India cuisines.
3. The Wildflower restaurant – offers Pan Asian and continental cuisines to its guests.
4. Coffee shop

Things to keep in mind before visiting wildflower hall:

Situated 8250 feet above sea level, the hotel doesn’t accept children below the age of ten.

Shimla is known for its extreme monsoon, so it is advisable not to visit during that time as landslides take place now and then. The winters are also extreme here; the best time to visit is from October to November and March to May.

How to get here?

There is a direct flight from Delhi to Shimla daily, and the wildflower is 90 minutes from the Shimla airport. A limousine pick will be arranged for the guests. If you like vintage, then consider exploring one of the most exotic heritage hotels in India.

I stayed at a travelers hostel in Mumbai; I met a smart photographer who was in his 50s, another filmmaker who was in his 40s, and people from diverse demographics and nationalities.

What exactly is a backpacker hostel?

If you have ever lived in a residential school, you will understand the concept. A residential school or college has a vast dorm room with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. This same concept has been extended to travelers, and there are even start-up hostels. Start-up entrepreneurs who are traveling on business want a place that is budget friendly with opportunities to meet new people.

Why a backpacker hostel?

The first thing that comes to mind is the price. An average cost of a backpacker hostel in Bangalore is $8 per bed for a night. Compare that to a budget hotel in a similar neighborhood that costs at least $20 a night.

A friend of mine from Europe stayed at an Airbnb for a couple of nights. He then moved to a hostel. I asked him, “Was it the price?” He said, “No, I want to meet new people.”

Being friendly on your pocket is great, but the real opportunity lies in meeting new people from all over the world.

If you are like me, I don’t travel for the place but for the people. I like meeting new people and have interesting conversations. I am more of a conversationist. I may not get excited by museums or unusual places of interest. But I do get excited by beautiful conversations with people from all over the world.

About a year ago, I visited Goa; I met people from Russia and other parts of the world, and I still remember the late night conversations.

My stay in Mumbai got me connected to people from France, India, US, and many other countries.

Some of these hostels even have parties, board game nights, and so many exciting activities. One thing is for sure; you will never be lonely. There are hostels in almost every city in the world. Even America is coming up with hostels. But yes, Europe has probably the highest number.

Not every hostel is the same. Each of them have their own vibe, ambiance, and feel. If you are a digital nomad and have the luxury of working from anywhere in the world, you could live your desired lifestyle on a budget by just traveling from place to place.

Summary

The reason you stay at a travelers hostel is – for the price and for the people.  If you prefer solitude and don’t want to be bothered, then this is not for you. But if you are an adventurer and want to meet new people, then you should try this out.

The biggest challenge when traveling is the cost of accommodation. If you can bring down the price of housing while meeting new people, that’s a fabulous deal.

Tell us about your hostel experiences in the comments section below.

After arriving in Bangalore, I stayed at an Airbnb location for a few days before moving to the Cuckoo Hostel in Koramangala, Bangalore.

A friend drove me over to the Cuckoo Hostel; it was a one hour drive from my Airbnb place.

I booked the place online. Most hostels in Bangalore were full during this time. So booking online and reserving a spot was necessary.

After arriving at the hostel, a young Nepalese guy welcomed us. He was friendly, and his English wasn’t really good. My Indian friend had to translate some of the stuff for me.

After I paid my dues and signed in the register, the hostel guard showed me my bed and gave me a tour of the entire hostel.

The place was smaller than most hostels I’ve been. It had two common areas, one near the kitchen on the ground floor, and another on the first floor.

The first floor had some exciting things like a guitar, punching bag, some books to read, and a floor mat for people to sit.

There was artwork on the walls, and the place gave you an artsy vibe. Most guests at the hostel were Indians with a few from South America and the US. It looked like some of them were staying there for a long time.

The place would get a lot of inquiries, but they wouldn’t take offline bookings, everyone had to book online. It looked like some of the guests who’d been staying there for a long time were doing staff duties. They would give information and instructions to any walk-in inquiries and new guests.

I loved the people at the Cuckoo. Even after I moved out, I would go back there just to party. I’ve made so many friends there who I am still in touch with.

I planned to stay at the Cuckoo for a few days before I went on my tour to other cities in India. However, I extended my stay in Bangalore. So I had to book again online. Unfortunately, there were no beds available at the Cuckoo. I had to look for other options, Construkt was my next best option. It was slightly more expensive, and it was located in Indiranagar, which is about six kms away.

The next two days, I stayed at the Construkt. It was cleaner than the Cuckoo, but it didn’t have the same vibe. Most people at Construkt were entrepreneurs and freelancers, who were a bit older and not much into partying. There were very few travelers there. Location wise Indiranagar was even better. It has far more bars and a better nightlife than Koramangala.

I liked both Cuckoo and Construkt. But my first choice is the Cuckoo commune because it had a community feeling, an artsy vibe, and I made better friends there.

Have you stayed at either of these places? What’s your opinion?

Address
Cuckoo Commune: No. 561, 6th Main, 6th Block, 6th F Cross Road, Koramangala, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560047

Construkt Startup Hostel: 097A, 6th A main, 13th cross, 2nd stage Indiranagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560038

After I checked out the Travellers Hostel where my friend stayed, I thought it was a great concept which is very popular in Europe but still catching on in India.

When I chose to visit Mumbai, I thought why not try out a backpackers hostel Mumbai. It would be an excellent opportunity to meet new people.

It was my first stay at a traveler’s hostel ever.

I booked my stay from hostelworld. And the price was lower than any hotel room around.

It took me a while to find the place. But once I did find the place, it didn’t look great from the outside. At least, not like in the pictures. Since I had purchased my stay already, I walked in. I was pleasantly surprised.

It was a beautiful Portuguese house transformed into a hostel. I love the old world architecture.

The guy who received me at the reception was warm and welcoming. His name was Imran. I was early, and my check-in was at 12 pm. But I sat down and had a long conversation with Imran who seemed like a friendly guy.

Before I realized, it was 12, and Imran showed me my bed.

I kept my stuff in the room and headed for a shower. The bathrooms were nice and clean, very well-maintained.

I then dressed up and headed out for my work.

In the evening, I got back to the hostel. I met a lot of interesting people. There were a bunch of kids from the US. There were quite a few Americans, and people from all over the world – Russia, France, and many others.

I then got out some of the local liquor I had purchased at the store and shared it with my new roomies. Everyone seemed to be socializing and having a great time. We drank, partied, and danced till like 2 am in the morning.  It was a beautiful experience.

The location is also fantastic, in Bandra West, close to all the pubs and nightlife.

Overall, I would give the place 5/5 for cleanliness, 5/5 for hospitality and friendly staff, 4.5/5 for the quality of guests, and 4.5/5 for the vibe and experience.

If you are considering staying at a backpackers hostel Mumbai, this one’s a good bet!