David Seng certainly found his visit to Generator London life-changing when he visited back in May 2007. Little did he know that within just a few years he’d have gotten married, moved to the USA and become a proud parent to young Vincent. All thanks to the charms of a certain lovely lady he met in the Generator bar!

David’s Story

My brother and I came to London when I was 25 to celebrate his birthday. We were both living in Boise, Idaho (USA), at the time but he had spent a couple of years living in London back in 2001 and was keen to go back. He therefore booked us into the Generator as he remembered it from his previous time in the city.

We were given drink coupons when we checked in and, sitting with my brother in the bar, we soon started chatting with the people at the next table about where everyone was from and what had brought them to London. The conversation moved on to who had heard the most ridiculous national stereotypes and, upon hearing I was American, a table of neighbouring Canadians were eager to point out they’d heard many more American stereotypes than I had!

When it was my turn to list those I’d heard about people from Canada, the ears of one of their group pricked up and quickly joined the conversation.

Her name was Eliane, she was also 25 and as soon as she joined our table we got on famously.

Eliane (far left) takes advantage of the Generator bar on her 1st night in London

By now our group had grown to include several tables pushed together with people from all over the world bonding as they eagerly shared their American jokes.

I soon learnt that this French Canadian / Portuguese beauty was travelling through the UK on a month-long backpacking trip on her own. She’d booked into the Generator because she’s seen it recommended on a backpacking website as she was doing her research. Her intelligence and great sense of humour shone through as we chatted (she tells me it was the same qualities in me that she became most attracted to) and it was little surprise to learn she was taking a well-deserved break from working on her PhD in Social Psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario (Canada).

The day after meeting at the Generator bar Eliane invited me to join her on the next stop on her backpacking trip, Bath. I happily ditched my brother and his anti-sightseeing ways for the day and headed West. We had a great day and I caught one of the last trains back to London. As soon as I got back to Generator I quickly stocked up on Internet usage so I could keep in touch with Eliane – I have fond memories of spending an hour or so each evening sitting in the computer room messaging and emailing her for the rest of my time at Generator.

Back on US soil I quickly bought an international calling card so I could hear Eliane’s voice again. We spent the next few months talking everyday, sometimes for over five hours at a time! While she finished her PhD and I completed my studies, we used every holiday and long weekend to travel to see each other. As I finished my Secondary Education certification first I stayed with Eliane in Canada until she’d completed her doctorate and we decided where we would go from there.

Eliane & David Seng – married

Eliane was offered a position at the University in Odessa, Texas (USA) so we decided to postpone a Canadian wedding so we can move there. Despite the culture shock of life in Texas, we managed to plan and celebrate our wedding in July 2010 on the beach in Waldport, Oregon.

The next chapter of our story arrived in October 2010 with the birth of our son, Vincent, and last summer we had the enormous good fortune to move to Providence, Rhode Island, forever leaving Texas behind!

With our third anniversary coming up this summer, we’re hoping to return to Europe – and to Generator London – in a few years time when Vincent’s a bit older to celebrate our fifth anniversary.

Eliane & David Seng with their son Vincent, aged 2yrs

And David has a final word for anyone worried about travelling alone.

Eliane and I both really enjoyed how easy it was to meet people at Generator and, given our subsequent stays at other hostels, we both feel that Generator is definitely one of the most welcoming properties. It’s great for those travelling alone as well as groups thanks to the friendly staff, clean and safe building and numerous places to hang out and meet people. We would 100% book at any of Generator’s hostels when travelling in the future.

You can’t beat a London love story. A heart-felt congrats to David and Eliane on your upcoming anniversary celebrations from all at Generator and thanks for sharing!

At Generator we love nothing better than hearing back from our guests with heart-warming tales and serendipitous stories of how we helped bring them together so if you’ve got one of your own, please do drop us a line via social@generatorhostels.com. And if we use it on the website we’ll even send you a goodie bag as a thank you.

I lived in Dublin for several years, and now visit frequently; I’ve 3 top tips for you.

1. Stay in a hostel with a great location
2. Find the inexpensive- but tasty!- places where locals eat
3. Go to the many free museums & galleries

Tip 1- Hostel

I know, I know- some people think Dublin hostels are only for 20-somethings visiting for the Guinness, but that just isn’t true! People of all ages use hostels- especially the new breed of hostels like Generator’s, and people of all ages like to immerse themselves in culture- and not just drinking culture. If you’d like to see more on what I thought of Generator’s Dublin hostel, you can read my blog on it here.

Tip 2: Eating

On my last Dublin visit I ate delicious food, but didn’t break the bank. I had dinner at Boojum in ‘The Italian Quarter’- 2 LUAS stops (at Jervis) from Generator. You can also easily walk to Boojum & save the €1.30 LUAS fee. I had a massive burrito & a sparkling mineral water for under €8. They’ve a nice range of tasty fillings & sauces, and you’ll be full as a tick after!

For breakfast I went to Brother Hubbard on Capel Street, about 10 min walk from Generator, or 1 LUAS stop (4 Courts) & a shorter walk. Brother Hubbard is a great little cafe with good coffee, fresh baked goods, a gluten free selection, & wonderful lunch. They plan to do early dinner, too, but hadn’t started as of my visit Jan 2013. You can get a lovely lunch for around €10.

3. Freebies

Dublin is full of free museums & galleries! The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA,) is free, and there is a lovely garden at their site in Kilmainham, too. The National Gallery, The National Museums of Ireland and the RHA gallery are also free. ( Note: I had a very good lunch of tortellini stuffed with pork for €10 at the RHA’s cafe- not your usual bland gallery fare!) There are plenty more free places, too; Visit Dublin has extensive listings. Also check out places like Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar for less expensive theatre or dance performances. I saw a lovely show there, & had a nice glass of wine in their theatre bar as well!

One museum that isn’t free, but is well worth a visit, is The Little Museum of Dublin (€5) Do take tour- the interesting & humorous stories bring the fascinating array of items in the museum to life. Everything here was donated by the public- it really is the people’s museum. The Little Museum is special place that you shouldn’t miss if you’d like to get a real feel for Dublin. I found Generator Hostel well located for many places of interest, the LUAS, Dublin bikes, or walking- with the added bonus that the Smithfield area is not nearly so noisy as Temple Bar! Have a great time & enjoy Dublin!

This guest post has been written by Susan FitzGerald , who is a keen traveller and has lived a few years in Dublin. Susan now frequently travels to Dublin and also writes for vibrantireland.com.

Like most cities these days, the meat-packing district is quoted as being the place to visit, if being at the heart of the hip scene and immersing yourself in the current haunts of the in-crowd is top of your list and for the locals in Copenhagen, it is no different. ‘Kødbyen’, translated as ‘meat-packing’ is literally just that; in the day, the area is a ghost town, functioning as a meat-packing and warehouse based section of the city. By night, the area, in particular Flaesketorvet, is transformed into a night revellers haven. Kødbyen exists within the larger district of Vesterbro, which can be seen as an extended night time playground, particularly with the array of bars and restaurants down Istegade. Once the red-light district of Copenhagen, the area still bears some more seedy aspects of its past near Central Station but further down the road, a vast mix of modern eateries and alternative shops have breathed fresh life into the area.

1. Drink at Bang & Jensen.

Coffee by day, cocktails by night. This is a favourite local hangout and in the evenings, the place is perfect for a drink or two before (and after!) a meal. Serving a menu of tasty food throughout the day, this carries on in the evening making it a perfect spot to grab a bite to eat to set you off for the night ahead. However, Saturday night has to be championed as the best night for a drink, as after 20:00 the kitchen closes for the cocktail bar to take over. With a mix of some of the best cocktails on the menu (try the Frozen Margarita) and an upbeat soundtrack to accompany it, it’s one place not to miss out on. Drinks from 40Kr.

Istegade 130. Cafe Bang & Jensen

2. Eat at Mother or BioMio.

Stroll down Istegade and head to the ‘Kødbyen’ area and grab a bite to eat at ‘Mother’ or ‘BioMio’ (I can’t decide which is better). BioMio is an organic restaurant housed in an old 1920’s Bosch warehouse, adding to the eclectic vibe the place gives out. Perch in a row, part of the 200 seater restaurant and watch the chefs prepare you food right in front of your eyes. It doesn’t get much fresher than this! Expect meals packed with vegetables alongside tasty fish and meat dishes. Average 200kr per meal (with drink).

Halmtorvet 19; BioMio

Alternatively, if organic veg doesn’t tempt you, visit ‘Mother’ restaurant for some of the tastiest and freshest pizzas I have ever sampled. With a focus on its famous sourdough base pizzas, even the plainest toppings will taste good with that base accompanying it. The restaurant has a clean, modern interior intertwined with a kitchen feel; their tagline ‘Feed me mother’, highlights a focus on home cooked rustic food. Handwritten menus and scrubbed surfaces only further add to this, making you feel very much as being in a better version of your own kitchen. Tourists and locals alike grab a bite to eat before hitting the town. I recommend the ‘Salamina’ Pizza washed down with a blood orange vodka mixer – delicious doesn’t quite cover it.

Hokerboderne 9-15; Mother

3. Party at Jolene Bar.

Round off the night with a trip to one of the bars and clubs within Flaesketorvet at the very heart of the meat packing district. The current hotspot and favourite place to be seen being ‘Jolene’, where crowds can enjoy a mix of live music and beats spun by a combination of both underground and popular DJs, mainly electronica in the week with a change up to more hip hop sounds when the week finishes and everyone comes out to play. Look out for the circus themed DJ booth and the hanging Dolly Parton LP’s decorating the wall (supposedly where the owners got the name of the place from).

Flæsketorvet 81-85; Jolene Bar

Written by Anna Machell and Eleanor Luker

If you would like to write a guest review or city guide on your Generator Copenhagen experience and city life, then get in touch: social@generatorhostels.com

Fran, my work colleague and friend, and I decided it was time to head north and find out what the fuss was about and it wasn’t long until we found out. Walking through the infamous markets instantly put a smile on our faces and a spring in our steps. There are heaps of jewellery stalls, food outlets and trendy sixties chic stalls to search through. I was in heaven in seconds and did not want to leave. I could have spent the whole day browsing through bargains, but settled on two watches, a pair of sunglasses and a cap for just £30 and Fran picked up glasses and a hat for a cheap 15 quid.

What makes Camden so special is the people. It’s a really friendly mix of tourists and locals who are more than happy to offer helpful tips of the best places to eat and drink. I’m half Swedish, half Finnish and when I was there I met loads of people from back home which was amazing.

The thing about Camden is that you won’t get bored as there is always something to do or see; even the houses have funky décor to look at. As the food smelt amazing, Fran and I decided to try out the Chinese food stall by the Stables Market. The chilli noodles with chicken were just £4 but fit for a king. After good food, we decided it was time to hit the pubs Camden is so famous for.

Bar Fly is a five minute walk from the market and you cannot miss it. The outside wall is painted with a huge Jack Daniel’s Bottle against an orange background. A pint of limited edition cold beer and fun bar staff was a great start to the evening. We then headed to The Hawley Arms, the local pub of the late Amy Winehouse. We enjoyed another pint at a table upstairs by the terrace in the sunshine, enjoying good company and some great tunes.

We spent the whole evening there and had a wild time. I can’t tell you why so you will have to go there yourself to find out the true colours of Camden.

The highlight of my day was finding Cyberdog, a really cool rave shop where I bought my cap. Whether it is neon tutus or hard-core leather outfits, anything can be found and this is a true techno-tastic shop from the future. Oh and did I mention we met Darth Vader???

Written by Hannah Hintikka and Francesca Turner, two guest bloggers who stayed at Generator London hostel.

If you want to have a look through some of the cool photos on Generator’s Facebook page.