The hostel market in Europe is becoming increasingly popular as well as competitive. Outperforming the broader hotel industry in terms of market value growth, the market is recovering from the crisis at a fast pace. One of the leaders in the race for creating the coolest city hostel is of course Generator, a subsidiary of Patron Capital, which sets itself apart from other hostels with its multiple locations across the continent. After the first Generator opened its doors in 1995 in London, others have followed suit all over Europe. Now, Generator Hostels can be found in the very heart of seven major European destinations (including Copenhagen, Dublin, Hamburg and Venice), with two new hostels planned to open in 2014 in Paris and Rome.

The overall creative direction and design language for Generator Hostels has been crafted by The Design Agency, led by partner and Generator’s Creative Director, Anwar Mekhayech. Each hostel has its own unique style that reflects the local spirit and culture of its host city whilst also maintaining a common aesthetic with an emphasis on bold and exciting social spaces. Generators are designed as spaces for direct social interaction and exchange, offering their visitors not only a comfortable place to stay, but also a portal to each city’s unique lifestyle and character. And the location of each Generator is crucial for this: Generator Hostels’ ''bang central'' locations are indeed a selling point much sought after by urban travellers. 

By combining competitive prices with a product that deploys cutting edge design, art, music, fashion and a strong social media presence, Generator Hostels cater towards a younger clientele seeking hip accommodation in central locations in busy and exciting European cities. This trend has also shifted towards an older and savvier clientele: a new kind of traveller, dubbed as ''flashpackers'' (ex-backpackers who are now older but still enjoy staying in hostels), and even business visitors who are looking for a more trendy and socially stimulating accommodation option. In fact, budget hotels are losing ground to boutique hostels like Generator – as a result, and fortunately for us, the standards of affordable accommodations in Europe are rising at a quick pace.

[YatzerTip] If you want an insider’s view of Generator hostels and their locations, follow Justin Close and Jeremy Regimbal, the founders of The Lab Magazine, as they are now touring Generator Hostels around the continent, posting daily updates about their journey on the magazine’s Instagram account!