If you're planning on taking your next vacation on the cheap, you might choose to stay in a hotel to save money on more important things, like wine. Well, someone came up with the genius idea of combining these two things. Wine hotels are real, legal, you can stay in, and they will make your budget travel experience even more luxurious. Hostels are often the preferred accommodation for young people traveling the world, and adding wine to the experience of staying with a bunch of strangers can certainly make short-lived dorm life less awkward.
A prime example of this is the wine hotel in Porto, Portugal, which has been carefully decorated to celebrate the region's famous Port wine, PopSugar reports. Each floor is named after a wine, and each room is themed around a different type of port. The Wine Hostel claims to have the "longest happy hour ever," and after a magical day in the city, visitors can mingle with other guests on the communal balcony overlooking the Cordoaria gardens while tasting different local ports. You can stay in shared dormitories or book your own private room. “The bar has a great atmosphere,” one traveler is quoted as saying on the wine hotel’s website. "The only problem is you don't want to leave."
Free wine and snacks are more enjoyable than wine and snacks you have to pay for. It turns out there's actually a reason for this. Cognitive and behavioral psychologist Steve Terracciano, Ph.D., tells Food & Wine that getting free stuff triggers your ancient survival instincts. In the past, it was almost unheard of to say no to something because you never knew when you might get something for free. A chance to indulge again. Another reason why you might not be able to turn down free wine is the "fear of missing out." Fewer free cocktails, mocktails and appetizers means you may miss out on meaningful connections with other travelers.
If you're traveling to Georgia, where Europe and Asia meet, you'll definitely want to stay at Wine Hostel Sanavardo, where you can taste local wine from the hostel's own vineyards and have a blast at a Georgian dance class. Located in the Zagarolo-Roma wine region, a 30-minute train ride from Rome, Italy, Wiki Hostel allows you to taste local wines from Wiki's wine cellar without leaving the hostel.
In Ireland, where Guinness and Jameson are more famous than wine, check into Dublin's Isaacs Hostel, a converted 19th-century wine shop. And, while you might not get free wine at this inn, you can join your inn mates for a free weekly pub crawl, then return to your old-fashioned bodega for the night.
If you're staying in Dublin on a Wednesday, Times Camden Hostel is an obvious choice as they serve you all the free wine and cheese you can eat. Free sangria on Fridays and free drink of your choice on Saturdays. Seriously, I'm reconsidering staying in a hotel in Europe again where the rooms are expensive and you have to pay big bucks for wine and cheese when those in the know get it all for free. While staying in hotels in the United States isn't common, especially for locals, a free wine and cheese night at Apple Hostels in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania might change your mind. Because, again, it’s free.
Wine hotels may not exactly call themselves that – but when you’re looking to book a stay you can keep your eyes peeled, especially if you’re planning a trip to wine country, to see if your hotel choice offers any deals on wine, Or whether they can help you organize a wine tasting. Hotels don’t have to be the budget accommodations they used to be – in fact, they can be quite chic.
