Hostel Uppelink

Hostel Uppelink is a budget hostel at Sint-Michielshelling 3 in the centre of Ghent, in the Flemish Region of Belgium, overlooking the Graslei and Korenlei quays beside St Michael's Bridge. The address is one of the most scenic available at a hostel price: the medieval guild houses, the canal and the towers of St Michael's Church and St Bavo's Cathedral are visible from the surrounding streets, and Gravensteen castle and the Patershol district are close by. Ghent-Sint-Pieters railway station is reached by tram in about fifteen minutes. The building has a distinctly historic and slightly rough-edged character, and the atmosphere is social and informal, aimed at backpackers, students and travellers on a tight budget. The hostel offers dormitory beds and private rooms, and the listed amenities are wifi, a shared kitchen and a bar. The shared kitchen lets guests prepare their own meals, which helps keep costs down in a city where eating out can be expensive, and the bar serves as a gathering point in the evening. There is no spa, pool or fitness centre. Service is relaxed and peer-oriented rather than formal, and the hostel is not designed for guests seeking quiet or luxury. Nightly prices run from about €25 for a dormitory bed to about €75 for a private room, depending on season and room type. Because the hostel sits in the most visited part of Ghent, evening noise from the quays can carry into rooms, and light sleepers should pack earplugs. The location makes it ideal for visitors who want to see the main sights on foot without paying central hotel prices, and boat tours leave from the quays only steps away. Booking ahead is wise for summer weekends and for the Ghent Festivities in July, when budget beds in the centre fill quickly.