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In Croatia, I spent most of my nights on a boat. The few that I spent on land, however, impressed me.

I spent time in Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik: the main tourist destinations in Croatia. The hostels and guesthouse I stayed in were clean, modern, reasonably priced and offered free, fast Wifi: highly recommend all of them as you make your way through this beautiful country.

The House Hostel, Zagreb

• It really feels like you’re crashing at a friend’s house, not a hostel. The owners are young and super friendly, always keen for a chat over a beer or to help you sort out your travel plans. They’re super passionate about Croatia and can definitely recommend
• The free breakfast is quite good (particularly by European hostel standards): apricots off the neighbor’s tree, toast, yogurt, granola, cornflakes, juice, coffee and tea.
• There’s a lovely backyard and patio area that’s perfect to soak up a bit of Zagreb sunshine.
• The location is super convenient: it’s an easy walk to the bus station (where the $4 bus from the airport arrives), a quick walk to the nearest tram stop, about a 25-minute stroll to the train station and either a quick tram ride or a 30-minute walk into the center of Zagreb.

Tchaikovsky Hostel, Split

• Tchaikovsky has simply the BEST bunk set-up I’ve ever seen: each bunk has its own large locker, deep shelves behind the pillow, outlet and a curtain for a bit of privacy. Bonus: no squeaking!
• The cozy lounge area has a small kitchen space and provides free coffee, tea and espresso all day long.
• There are a few balconies scattered about: perfect for some fresh air, and also key for plenty of fresh air and natural sunlight in the dorm rooms.
• Located right outside of the old city walls, it’s a quick walk to the shopping district and port. The neighborhood itself is quite cute, with plenty of shops, cafes and an outdoor market.

Anica Rooms, Dubrovnik

• The setup is like your own little apartment: we had a room with a queen bed, TV, vanity, two nightstands, armoir–and plenty of room to spread out our stuff that connected to a kitchen with a refrigerator, sink, stovetop and a bathroom with a washing machine. There was also a cute little patio area with a laundry line and tables.
• Honestly, I was obsessed with the shower. After 7 days of using a shared boat shower on the Busabout Sailing Croatia, it was just so nice to be in a proper shower. But this one also had a detachable shower head, rain-like showerhead and massaging shower heads all down the side. Probably the most luxurious shower I’ve ever seen!
• Located about a 20-minute walk outside of the Old Town and up about a million stairs, it feels ages away from the streets overrun with tourists disgorged from cruise ships. We loved feeling like we were staying in a real neighborhood, complete with little bars filled with old Croatian men drinking beer and watching soccer and bakeries that simply smelled divine.
• Anica, the owner, is super sweet and accommodating. She gave us cold juice as soon as we arrived, helped me sort out the washing machine (so that I could do my laundry free of charge!) and arranged for her brother to take us to the airport at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m.

Note: The House Hostel and Tchaikovsky Hostel graciously offered me complimentary accommodation, but all opinions are my own.