Outside, mostly

The yard

A brick courtyard with a reed roof pitched over most of it, a bar counter along one side, a long table down the middle and enough potted plants to make it feel like a garden that got built over.

The brick courtyard at Himara Downtown Hostel, with a reed pergola carrying the hostel's painted sign, potted plants and a long picnic table — the courtyard, the reed pergola, the hostel's own sign and the picnic table under it

A green cushioned bench and round timber tables under a reed roof on the terrace at Himara Downtown Hostel — the shaded terrace, the long green bench and the tables

A long dark picnic table and benches under a reed pergola at Himara Downtown Hostel, with planters of flowers and the mountains behind — the long table in the yard, the planters and the hills above the town

The reed pergola over painted benches and a long table at Himara Downtown Hostel against a clear blue sky — the pergola frame, the painted stools beneath it and the sky above

A bar built from salvaged planks at Himara Downtown Hostel with four hand-painted stools in yellow, purple, red and turquoise — the bar counter, the painted stools, and the reed screen behind them

Pallet sofas with floral cushions around a blue and a purple painted pallet table at Himara Downtown Hostel — the pallet seating, the painted tables and the reed screen

Indoors

The lounge, and the board on the wall

A timber-lined room with kilim-covered benches, a shelf of books, two guitars and a board of house rules brushed by hand.

The timber-lined indoor lounge at Himara Downtown Hostel with kilim-covered benches, two guitars on the wall and a shelf of books — the indoor lounge — kilim benches, two guitars, a shelf of books and board games

A whitewashed corridor at Himara Downtown Hostel with a tall mirror, painted doors and the hand-painted rules board on the far wall — the corridor between the rooms, the long mirror, and the rules board at the end of it

A hand-painted black board on a grey wall at Himara Downtown Hostel reading Wellcome, Hostel's Rules, No anti-social behaviour, aggression, smoking — enjoy your stay — the hand-painted rules board, and through the doorway beside it, a dormitory

Breakfast

On a steel tray, every morning

Breakfast is free. It arrives on a compartment tray: cut fruit in one well, bread or a croissant in another, tomato and cucumber, egg and cheese, with tea or coffee alongside.

The free breakfast at Himara Downtown Hostel on a steel compartment tray: cut fruit, croissants, a bread roll, tomato, cucumber, boiled eggs, cheese and sausage — the free breakfast, laid out on the steel compartment tray it is always served on

A breakfast tray at Himara Downtown Hostel on a plank table: fruit, a croissant, toasted bread, tomato and cucumber, with tea and coffee alongside — a breakfast tray on one of the yard's plank tables

Facilities

What the yard runs on

Free breakfastlisted
Free Wi-Fi throughout, dormitories includedthe hostel
Shaded terracethe hostel
Outdoor lounge with a TVthe hostel
Basic kitchenettethe hostel
Security locker at every bedthe hostel
Fresh linen and towelsthe hostel
Three shared bathroomsthe hostel
Free internet accesslisted
Bicycle parkinglisted
Adaptorslisted
Wake-up callslisted
Reception, limited hourslisted

The paint

Where the colours came from

Every colour on this site was taken off a photograph of something in this hostel. None was chosen.

#d6e737the yellow rope spelling the name on the sign
#c05b51the red bar stool
#1c7c81the turquoise bar stool
#2869b4the blue pallet table in the lounge
#4b6d2bthe planting in the courtyard
#a87f5ethe salvaged pine the whole yard is built from