The Art Hostel has been one of the most hotly anticipated additions to the city, and although we took a sneaky peek whilst it was being built, we couldn’t wait to see the finished thing!
After enjoying their amazing launch event and our sore heads from the free bar had settled, we thought we would pop back now that the doors are open and the bunk beds have been made.

Having only been open since 2016, the hostel has already been a roaring success, drawing people from across the globe who want to stay within its unique, friendly and most importantly, affordable four walls, as hostel volunteer, Rachel Rea explains.

“We’ve been chock-a-block. It’s doing very, very well especially on the weekends. Last weekend we were fully booked out by various people, international and local. We largely get a lot of people who are travelling. People who want to see a part of Britain that’s not London.”

With people checking in coming from a range of destinations, from Spain to Australia, China to Pakistan, the hostel is truly becoming a multicultural portal for visitors to come experience Leeds and all it has to offer. Even the volunteers have come from far and wide.

“We have a volunteer called John, he’s from Georgia and he is volunteering to stay as well as work here which is lovely,” says Rachel as she points out John happily tucking into toast and jam in the kitchen.
Rachael and John make up part of the team of volunteers, around ten strong, who look after  general things like cleaning, making the beds and making sure everything is up to a generally really high standard. Their drive to keep the hostel feeling homely, with guests respecting the space is what sets this place apart from some of the less than appetising experiences of hostels we have had in England. Instead the Art Hostel reflects the feel of their European counterparts where hostel isn’t seen as a dirty word.

As you might expect, the hostel typically attracts a different kind of crowd from the Ibis Budget just down the road but it isn’t just artists who are coming to stay. Yes, there have been artists pass through the doors, utilising the space when visiting for projects and events but guests come from all over, for all sorts of reasons. However, no matter the reason for staying whether pleasure or business,  if the comment book is anything to go by, everyone is leaving with a smile of their face.

“Any of the commissioned rooms by the various artists have all had a lot of people staying in them,” explains Rachael.  “I suppose it’s quirky and chic, it is something you would think of in London or Manchester but the fact that it is in Leeds, it gets it a lot of respect from people. A lot of people want to stay here and we have been getting really good feedback.

Its reading and hearing peoples amazing feedback which makes us slightly jealous of the fact we have no use for the hostels facilities as a place to stay. But don’t fear, us locals aren’t being left out. Events and workshops will be taking place in the hostel, giving you a great reason to go along and have a nosey around.

It also means we no longer have to weigh up in our heads how extravagant it would be to temporarily up-sticks from our flat and stay for the night.

Whether local or international, the appearance of this humble, yet innovative hostel on Kirkgate is an exciting prospect and it will be interesting to see how it grows.