The Independente Hostel, Lisbon
We know this is a family holiday and it’s meant to be all about adventure playgrounds and water parks but just take a quick look at The Independente’s bar menu: beer €1, house wine €1.50, Lisbon ice tea cocktail €3.50 – with drinks served on the building’s breathtaking terrace… It also has really cool design features, like chipboard bunk beds. But for those travelling with the brood, it’s all about the suites, which are incredibly welcoming and comfortable, and where kids aged six and older are welcome.
Suites from £29, Rua de Sao Pedro de Alcantara 81, 1250-238 Lisboa, Portugal; +351 21 346 13 81; theindependente.pt

Casa Gracia, Barcelona
Just north of Las Ramblas (Barcelona’s best-known boulevard, cutting through the city centre and leading down to the beach), Casa Gracia offer – in their own words – a home away from home. But that’s only if your home has beautiful Parquet flooring, fashionably worn brown leather armchairs, retro light fittings, mismatching dining room furniture and an arty wall of mirrors.
Private rooms for two to six people from £31; Passeig de Gràcia, 116, 08008 Barcelona, Spain, +34 931 87 44 97; casagraciabcn.com

Cocomama, Amsterdam
Before setting up shop, owners Anika and Lotje spent time travelling for work, staying in luxurious hotels – and for pleasure, staying in hostels. Appreciating the clean, boutique-style of the former and the open-use kitchen and hangout areas of the latter, they decided to open Cocomama as a mix between the two. In-house cat Joop will welcome you with open, err, paws.
From £75 for a family room; Westeinde 18
1017 ZP Amsterdam,
The Netherlands; +31206 272 454; cocomama.nl

The Beehive, Rome
Hailing from the US, eco-conscious owners Linda and Steve opened The Beehive in 1999, offering budget accommodation without compromising on comfort. There are 12 spacious private bedrooms, as well as self-contained apartments and the vegetarian café serves up delicious breakfasts: smoothies, pancakes, eggs in the courtyard to set you up for a day of sightseeing.
Family rooms from £81; Via Marghera, 8 00185 Roma, Italy; 06 4470 4553; the-beehive.com

 

Miss Sophie’s hostel, Prague
You’d be forgiven for mistaking Miss Sophie’s for a swanky boutique hotel – what with the sparkling chandeliers and glass hand basins. But with private apartments from as little as £37 per night (towels and toiletries provided) you are most certainly paying hostel prices. Breakfast is a continental all-you-can-eat buffet affair or a selection of hearty hot food: eggs, French toast, pancakes, bacon.
From £37 per night for a private apartment; Melounova 2-3
120 00 Prague,
Czech Republic; +420 246 032 62; miss-sophies.com

Generator, Paris
This ex-office block in the 10th arrondissement has been transformed into a trendy hostel, with Scandi-style rooms and a chill-out area furnished with colorful Moroccan cushions and throws. There is no ‘family room’ as such, but they welcome children and have either a private room with four singles, or a room with two doubles. You can check out the city’s skyline from the rooftop terrace, or your own balcony.
Private quad room with four single beds from £24; 9-11 Place du Colonel Fabien, Paris, France, 75010; +33(0)170988400; generatorhostels.com/en

Langholmen hostel, Stockholm
For novelty factor, the kids will love Langholmen hostel, which is housed in the old Crown Prison. The contemporary design pays homage to its former use, with rooms retaining a distinctly cell-like feel (high windows, cell number stamped above the door) and the prison corridors remaining intact. But fear not, it’s all a lot lighter and airier than it would have been back then. And a hell of a lot cheaper than most bolt-holes in this city.
From £65 per cell, sleeping two adults and two children; Långholmsmuren 20
117 33 Stockholm, Sweden; +46 8 720 85 00; langholmen.com/en/vandrarhem