a&o Hostels, Europe’s largest privately-owned hostel brand has launched a new initiative, appointing designated ‘social distancing specialists’ in each of its hostels across Europe to ensure guests feel confident to explore the surrounding areas and know where to go to avoid the crowds.
Using their own insider knowledge, the specialists have each identified a list of the top spots in their respective cities which allow for social distancing. The social distancing specialists are based on the front desk of each hostel and are available for a&o guests to approach upon arrival and throughout their stay to provide information that is updated regularly in line with re-openings of restaurants and venues.
The lists of secret social distancing spots include an abundance of activities such as walking trails away from bustling city centres – including the botanic gardens in Köln – secret cycle routes, secluded picnic spots and even the best location to watch the sun set. For culture vultures, the specialists have incorporated must-see historical landmarks and the best museums, such as the Forum of Contemporary History in Leipzig, that allow for social distancing as well as the best time to see them. The specialists will also be able to share information on the top hidden coffee shops like Mary’s Coffee Club in Munich, restaurants, drinking and dancing spots for social distancing as well as venues to watch intimate gigs once they are open.
Phillip Winter, Chief Marketing Officer at a&o Hostels comments: “We wanted to launch an initiative that would enhance the guest experience and empower our staff members by inviting them to share invaluable insights from each city that travellers would not have access to if they were staying at another property. Understandably, the concept of exploring a city may seem overwhelming following months of lockdown so we have appointed specialists to reassure guests that they can travel safely by exploring off-the-beaten track experiences in each city to avoid the crowds.”
Guests can also feel reassured by a&o’s robust hygiene and social distancing measures that are in place, which include: Plexiglas protective shields that separate guests from hostel staff, hand sanitiser stations in all key areas, a designated hygiene officer in each hostel who is on hand to answer guests’ queries, face masks for all hostel staff, contactless water taps, open doors in public areas so no contact is necessary, and the hostels have implemented a distance of 1.5 metres between all chairs in dining areas. Each room included in the offer has its own private bathroom.
a&o has hostels in the following cities:
Austria – Graz, Salzburg, Vienna | Czech Republic – Prague | Denmark – Copenhagen | Germany – Aachen, Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Dortmund Dresden, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Weimar | Hungary – Budapest | Italy – Venice | Poland – Warsaw | The Netherlands – Amsterdam
To book a stay at a&o or for more information, please visit here.