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Young or old, everybody’s welcome at the Hostel Celica in Ljubljana, the pretty capital of Slovenia. It’s a hostel that’s become so popular amongst all kinds of travelers that Rough Guides put it on their list of the top 25 ultimate experiences for places to stay, and Celica staff even conduct guided tours of the hostel during the day, for those without the foresight to make an advance booking.

I was one of those. Traveling through Slovenia to Croatia during the summer season, my travel plans had been too vague to be able to make a booking anywhere, and until I visited Hostel Celica, I hadn’t known how much I wanted to stay there. It used to be a prison, and then it was converted into a hostel with each room being individually designed by Slovenian artists. The result is super funky: my favorite room has a bunk bed high above a rough wooden floor, a railway sleeper ladder to get there and a stream of pebbles running down the middle of the room.

Hostel Celica is on an interesting block in Metelkova Street, with nearby buildings used by artists and free thinkers; yet just a few years ago, the area was a base for the Yugoslav army during the local conflicts. With so much to explore, the basic room price of 24 Euro per person (less than US$35), including breakfast (less if you’ll share with more people, or use a bathroom in the hall) is a bargain.