Whether you class ‘flashpackers’ as tech-savvy backpackers, high-flyers on a career break, or independent travelers wishing to see the world in style, they have all led to the same thing – the unstoppable rise of the ‘boutique hostel’, where private rooms, stylish interiors and cool bars come as standard.

These hostels are the last word in cutting-edge chic, springing up in the hippest cities and along the well-trodden backpacker trail. Sleep in style with this selection of hostels for flashpackers that boast top-rated guest reviews alongside the designer furniture.

Stay Hostel, Los Angeles, USA

This 81-year-old hotel has been renovated into Stay, a hostel for ‘the hip and spendthrifty traveler’ that offers a dose of California cool in glitzy LA. The pop-art palette, in-house art gallery and common room with 42-inch TV mean the private rooms are snapped up weeks in advance. Luckily the inexpensive shared quarters are equally chic, with hand-shaped chairs and abstract art on the walls.

Located on up-and-coming Main Street (when Johnny Depp moves in next door, you know you’re hip and happening), the hostel is close to the Museum of Contemporary Art and Little Toyko for some late night sushi. Next along is Tuck, a comfort-food restaurant and room service for mac-and-cheese and milkshakes.

Pfefferbett Hostel, Berlin, Germany

If you want to take ‘having a pint’ to a whole new level, you can actually stay in this 19th century brewery on the Pfefferbett complex; a ‘cultural centre’ with cutting-edge art galleries, beer garden and concert venue on your doorstep.

Inside, the private and shared rooms are spacious and modern, with vaulted ceilings, wooden floors and silver steel furniture adding an industrial edge to the historic architecture. Right in the heart of Berlin’s coolest district, the hippest nightspots are just streets away, but there’s also a lively outdoor terrace at the hostel for flashpackers looking to just sit back with a beer and check out the scene.

Albergue Juvenil Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Repeatedly named one of the best hostels in Europe, the Albergue is an ultra-modern hostel with hotel facilities – how many hostels do you know with a room full of exercise bikes and Audrey Hepburn prints on the wall?

The shared rooms are a minimalist mix of black bunk beds and bright red lockers, and there’s an artsy common room with pool table and wall murals, and a line of high-tech computers for your ‘e-postcard’ home. With a central location close to all the main sights (and the odd lively Tapas bar), this is a spot of urban cool tucked away in Madrid’s historic streets.

YHA London Central, London, England

London isn’t known as the cheapest of cities, so flashpackers all over the world rejoiced when the YHA chain gave their original outpost a slick makeover. With an enviable West End location, the hostel is on the doorstep of cosmopolitan Soho, the buzz of Oxford Street and one of London’s most popular nightlife hubs, crowded with pubs, bars and clubs.

Stay here for the ultimate in ‘flash’ packing, with private ensuite rooms, a cool café with giant street signs plastered over the walls, and a minimalist bar which serves coffee in the day.

Base St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia

Backpackers flock to Melbourne for its beautiful beaches, lively bars, and laid-back Aussie lifestyle. But the Base puts all other hostels to shame with its state-of-the-art design, minimalist-chic interiors and own ‘Red Eye’ Bar – a super-cool drinking den with a futuristic bar and bright red walls.

Located in the cosmopolitan suburb of St Kilda’s, it’s close to the beach and the lively bars and clubs of Melbourne’s newest hip spot. The private rooms are like a trendy New York loft apartment, and the shared rooms offer comfortable bunk beds with huge under-bed drawers. The icing on the cake is the ‘Girls Sanctuary Rooms’, a pampering paradise for female travelers with free towel hire, hair products and champagne every night between 6 and 7pm.

This blog post was written by Lauren Smith. When she’s not flitting around the world, Lauren Smith is one of the authors of the new Hostel Bookers blog – the insiders’ guide to hostels and budget travel.

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The auld days the common area of hostels offered as “entertainment” a telly, some board games, a couple of deck of cards and some old crappy book left by backpackers who wanted to travel a pound or two lighter. Things are changing lately as technology and Flashpackers change the concept of entertainment and that feeling of “being home” while travelling.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my books and deck of cards while travelling, but if there’s something that make an old Flashpacker like me feel at home it’s an hour or two in front of a video game. As long as that doesn’t mean spending your time playing rather than exploring the place of course. It just reminds me of the times where after a day at the office (or any work place) you go home and while playing you have that comfy feeling of figuratively “taking your shoes off”.

Well a few hostels were ready to re-create that feeling offering free Xbox or Playstation for their guests. You might argue that the hardcore Flashpacker doesn’t need that as she/he will bring along a PSP (and with a GPS receiver too!), but we’re talking average Flashpackers here.

The trend apparently started with some funky minded hotels but now, thanks to the younger and more tech savvy customers, is spreading through hostels as well. Or at least Flashpackers Hostels.

Wherever you’re travelling you might be able to find one, from Medellin to Sydney, from Boston to Krakow.

And here’s just a few to get you started (more details available in brackets if not on official site).

Tiger Paw Hostel, Medellin, Colombia (Xbox)

Hostel 70s, Krakow, Poland (Playstation 2)

H.I. Boston Downtown, Boston, USA (Xbox)

Hostel Bekuo, San Jose, Costa Rica (Xbox)

Jacobs Inn Hostel, Dublin, Ireland

Jolly Swagman Backpackers, Sydney, Australia (Xbox)

Let us know your thoughts in the Comments Section below and kill that Level 3 monster!!

A while ago TimesOnline published a list of Europe Top 10 Boutique Hostels. The list is based on ratings on HostelBookers.com.

Few ratings may have changed meanwhile, but here’s the list as of last June:

Lisbon Lounge, Lisbon

Red Nest Hostel, Valencia

Miss Sophie’s Hostel, Prague

Mandragora Hostel, Budapest

Mleczarnia Hostel, Wroclaw

Greg Tom Hostel, Krakow

La Controra Flashpackers Hostel, Naples

Langholmen Hostel, Stockholm

St Christopher’s, Berlin

Centric Point Hostel, Barcelona

Mleczarnia Hostel, Wroclaw

The first thing to notice is that more and more hostels are catering for flashapackers. The one in Naples has the word “Flashpackers” even in the name. The old days to stay in an hostel meant to go for the cheapest accommodation, no frills, no privacy, and of course no luxurious extras like a flat screen TV. The Flashpacking phenomenon is really growing, and hostel owners are aware of it.

To me it was striking also how many of the best hostels are located in East Europe. Out of 10 hostels 2 are in Poland, 1 in Prague and 1 in Budapest.

While Prague and Budapest are acknowledged tourist capitals, Poland is not often mentioned as a tourist destination. That means that while Prague is already boosting with tourists and prices are getting more expensive, Poland still offers a lot of jewels virtually tourist free and with very affordable prices.

Wroclaw, Market Place

Warsaw, Krakow Gdańsk and Wroclaw just to mention the most known destinations, still offer luxury for the flashpacker at very reasonable rates. There’s plenty of culture, architecture, history and gourmet food to be discovered. Have a look at few cities here for example, and get ready to discover one of Europe’s best kept secret.