Free Room!

During my Bachelor's studies in Linguistics and Educational Sciences in Bielefeld, I embarked on the adventure of studying abroad for six months as part of an Erasmus exchange program in Genoa, Italy. There, I immersed myself in the land of pizza and love. With a modest travel budget, I stayed in a hostel for the first time. "Sleeping in a room with strangers, is it really that great?" I wondered. Well, I wanted to give it a try at least once.

I was surprised when I encountered really funny bunkmates in a four-bed room in Florence (with a pool!!), even though one of them snored terribly. Despite the short night, we enjoyed breakfast together and explored the city. I was amazed at how easy it was to meet people from different countries and cultures. Sometimes language was a barrier, but with hand gestures, feet, or a shared cocktail, we always found a way to communicate.

On weekends, I also traveled to other cities and stayed in different hostels, although not all of them matched the pictures on their booking pages. But there were also small hotels where I was warmly welcomed and which were designed with attention to detail, and I returned multiple times.

The travel bug had bitten me, but my friends in Germany didn't always have time to accompany me. So, as a solo traveler, I visited many more unique hotels and hostels.

But how do you find the best unusual accommodation options?  

I set out to find the most unique and charming rooms and document them in a book for all travelers. For this, I reached out to my new friends whom I had met at these places. They told me about their craziest and most amazing experiences in some hotels or hostels. So, I set out on another journey to discover these places and many more.

Thanks to the Dumont Publishing House , I was able to create this collection so that you too can embark on your next adventure. One thing is for sure: A night in these places will be unforgettable. Enjoy!