Choosing a hotel is always stressful, but choosing a hostel is even tougher. With a hostel, you sacrifice the luxury of full-service you expect from a hotel, but you save a lot of money that is crucial when solo traveling on a budget. However, I have found several hostels throughout my travels that will set the bar high, which makes me especially picky.
On my last European adventure, I spent months trying to find the BEST hostel to stay at during my time alone in Seville. Safety, cleanliness, location, and demographic are my main priorities and requirements when choosing an accommodation. With hostels, I feel like you really have two types: the party hostels, and the come to sleep hostels. Party hostels being where all the young, foreign students come to stay and drink every night; quite reminiscent of the dorm days in college. On the other hand, you have “come to sleep hostels,” that cater to older adults, young professionals, or families who all are just looking to cut travel expenses. For me, I look for a hostel with a happy equilibrium between the two. I want to make friends during my stay, but I am not looking to party every night and get back at four in the morning.
I originally came across Hostel One Catedral during my initial searches as one of the top rated hostels in Seville. From that moment, all of my further research kept leading me back to them. With a central location literally a few minutes walking distance to main sights, such as the Cathedral and Alcazar, I knew I couldn’t find better. 24-hour kitchen, free wifi, FREE NIGHTLY DINNERs, free morning snacks, free morning walking tours, and free night tours…. The word “free” just continued to multiple, so value was not even a question here. Hostel One also offers an awesome rooftop bar with a DJ, lights, and comfortable vibe. 
Finally, I settled and booked my room: a four bedroom female dorm. The bathroom was not en-suite, which I was a bit worried about, but it didn’t turn out to be a problem at all. The fourth floor had about five rooms (all female) and one shared restroom with two toilet stalls, two sinks, and two shower stalls. I never had a problem with this because it
was literally three steps from my room and never crowded. The bunkbeds were comfortable and each guest had a HUGE locker for storing luggage. My first night, I was freezing, but the staff was happy to provide me an extra thick blanket for the remainder of my stay, which solved the problem! Everything else about my stay was perfect, and I cannot imagine a more convenient, affordable, or flawless hostel for travelers of all ages in need of a place to stay. 
What really stood out about Hostel One, though? The people. Everyone, from the staff to the guests, were so welcoming, friendly, hospitable, and down-to-Earth. I am so thankful to have found and chose Hostel One Catedral for my first accommodation and experience in Spain. If you are ever traveling to Spain, you must 1) go to Seville, and 2) stay at Hostel One Catedral.
For more information, check out their great reviews on HostelWorld here!
Sauce Boss Shelby 