Did you know that other than Taipei MRT stations, Taoyuan Airport, and train stations' luggage storage centre — with costs ranging from NT10 per hour to NT70 per day — there are FREE lockers in Taipei city, operated by SOGO departmental stores, located just minutes away from prominent MRT stations?

I did an online search before writing this post. While most blogs document the lockers in Taipei MRT stations and Taoyuan Airport, various train stations' luggage storage centre or the new initiative Lalalockers (with Lalalockers, you can store your luggage with store owners for greater convenience) there are little to no recommendations about the SOGO's free lockers for luggage storage in Taipei.

To be honest I was initially sceptical when I first read about them in Taiwanese forums. Free luggage storage with no terms and conditions? Sounds too good to be true. I had expected to be pressurised to buy something in SOGO in exchange for the luggage storage services, or show proof of purchase before I can store my luggage with them.


Imagine my surprise when I realised the free lockers, tucked into a small corner, were unmanned! There was even ample space for me to unpack and repack my luggage so I could fit everything into the locker.

As you can tell from the size, the biggest locker should a piece of 24-inch luggage comfortably. I used a 20-inch one and still had ample space above to fit my soft toy LOL.

Instructions for the free lockers

Don't worry even if you're a non-Chinese speaker as there are instructions in English as well. It's pretty straightforward and fuss-free. If you're afraid of forgetting which locker you used, just snap a photo of your locker with the locker number after locking it like I always do!


There are four SOGOs around Taipei, but only two that offer the free lockers for storage. the lockers are usually tucked away in a quiet corner so look out for that hint of lime green, or ask the shopkeepers. If you're utlising SOGO's free lockers, it'll be nice to purchase something from the stores as well :)

SOGO Fuxing Store (SOGO復興館)

Address: 

No.45, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan
(106台北市忠孝東路三段300號)

Level: 

Basement 3

Operating hours:

9am to 9:30pm daily | 9am to 10pm on eve of public holidays

SOGO Zhongxiao Store (SOGO忠孝館)

Address: 

No.300, Sec. 3, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan
(106台北市忠孝東路四段45號)

Level: 

Basement 2

Operating hours:

9am to 9:30pm daily | 9am to 10pm on eve of public holidays

Amsterdam is one of Europe's most walkable cities so the location of your hostel shouldn't be an issue. We stayed in Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam as it was a mere 2-minute walk away from Museumplein (museum quarter), where Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Moco Museum and Stedelijk are located. Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam is also only a 30-minute direct bus ride from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Room

We booked an 8 Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite that came with a mini-safe, a cabinet for our belongings, a reading light and a plug. Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam was constricting and the lack of a privacy curtain made it worse. It didn't bother us too much since we were hardly in the room except to sleep anyway but it could be a deal-breaker for some, especially since it's a mixed-gender dorm.

(Photo from Hostelworld)

Toilet

The toilet, attached to the room, was clean with free shampoo and body soap. One of our roommates smoked what I believed to be weed inside the toilet LOL but he was polite and allowed us to use the toilet when we needed to so we didn't bother him during his weed sessions either wtf.

Common Area

(Photo from Hostelworld)

As the name suggests, Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam has murals of Vincent Van Gogh on their walls although the murals were limited. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.

(Photo from Hostelworld)

Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam has a dining area for breakfast but other than that, there is no common area for guests to hang out. 

Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam allowed us to leave our luggage in a room before checking in so that was a plus.

Service

The front desk had an attitude that would make Squidward's seem pleasant. Questions were not answered, we were constantly ignored. He might as well have adorned his clothes with Squidward's I really wish I weren't here right now badge so at least I'd know to not bother him.

He was the grumpiest person I encountered throughout my trip in Europe — so much that Cheryl and I found the need to Google for reviews of Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam to confirm that it wasn't personal. Most of the reviews echoed our sentiments; it seemed like it was acceptable to hate your job at Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam, and it wasn't just that one staff we encountered.

Will I return to Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam?

I'll probably look at other options within the vicinity first.

Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam

Address
Van de Veldestraat 5, 1071 CW Amsterdam, Netherlands

Contact
info@hotelvangogh.nl  |  0031 20 2629200

Price
€34 ($54.40) on weekday nights, €55 (S$88) on weekday nights

Booking
I booked the room in Hostel Van Gogh Amsterdam on Hostelworld.

Wombats City Hostel Berlin is easily one of the most centrally located hostel in Berlin. Located only a short 10-minute walk from Alexanderplatz, the heart of Berlin, Wombats City Hostel Berlin's prime spot helped us save on transport costs.

Room

We stayed in a 6 Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite in Wombats City Hostel Berlin. The bed came with a little shelve to put your belongings (which proved useful when I had to charge my camera), a nightlight and plug. This photo as taken as soon as we checked in and, as you can see, you'll need to insert the sheets yourself and remove them when you check out.


The room was spacious with a corner with a wooden table and chairs for socialising. The Italians whom we shared our room with used it for drinking although Wombats City Hostel Berlin explicitly banned drinking alcohol in the room LOL. We had no problem with that because they weren't creating a din anyway.


The lockers Wombats City Hostel Berlin provided were sufficient for each guest. Although the lockers were tall enough to fit a 24-inch luggage, they are not wide enough even for a 20-inch luggage. The hostel was, after all, designed for backpackers.

Toilet

Booking an ensuite room meant that six of the guests needed to share one toilet that is attached to the room. The toilet was clean although, expectedly, some of us needed to use the toilet at the same time (us washing up before bedtime and them, showering before they head out wtf #Asiannerds). We were fortunate that we shared the room with a group of gentlemanly Italian guys who insisted that we use the toilet first despite our protests that we girls would take longer to shower.

Common Area

Wombats City Hostel Berlin had a common area complete with beanbags and charging ports for its guests.


Wombats City Hostel Berlin also presented us with one drink voucher at their rooftop bar, WomBar, which had pretty darn amazing views.


WomBar is a rooftop bar situated above Wombats City Hostel Berlin that overlooks several houses, and Berliner Fernsehturm (Berlin TV Tower) — what more can I ask for?


We could leave our luggages at Wombats City Hostel Berlin before check in and after check out. The area is monitored by a CCTV and guests only have limited access to it (you need to register and be given a pin code to enter) so leaving our belongings there felt safe enough.

Service

Wombats City Hostel Berlin provided city maps curated by them featuring tourist attractions, local delights and tips on getting around Berlin. I loved their customised map!

Unfortunately, Wombats City Hostel Berlin's conceige put a damper on my love for the hostel. I accidentally booked the hostel for a day before I was due to arrive in Berlin. That was entirely my fault, I get it. What was unacceptable, however, was the front desk's attempt at tricking us to book a more expensive room.

The guy at the front desk told us that because we did not check in the day before (due to my mistake), the hostel had cancelled our booking entirely. Overnight, they sold out their 6 Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite and were only left with private rooms (that are almost four times the price of a mixed dorm). He then convinced us to confirm the rooms immediately.

Fortunately, Cheryl was quick-thinking and told him if that's the case, we would stay in the private room for a night then move out when there are beds in the mixed dorm. The guy quickly responded that he'd check on the dates of availability for the dorm and immediately told us there were free beds in the dorm we intially booked.

Boo. Not cool.

Safety

The streets were quiet but seemed pretty safe to me.

Will I return to Wombats City Hostel Berlin?

Eh, maybe not. Although I had a great experience at Wombats City Hostel Berlin, the checkin experience left a bitter taste in my mouth. Wombats City Hostel Berlin would probably be my last few options the next time I go to Berlin solely because I felt that they were dishonest. Honesty is an important factor that I prioritise because how else would I feel safe in the hostel?

Wombats City Hostel Berlin

Address
Alte Schönhauser Str. 2, 10119 Berlin, Germany

Contact
bookberlin@wombats.eu  |  +49 (0)30 847 10820

Price
€20.60 (S$33) for a weekday night, €30 (S$48) for a weekend night

Booking
I made all of my Europe hostel bookings on Hostelworld as the platform allows us to only pay a deposit instead of the entire room price. I would have lost more money on my mistake booking otherwise.

We booked a Standard 10 Bed Mixed Dorm at Dizzy Daisy Downtown, a hostel that is within walking distance from the main square of the Old Town in Kraków.

Room

The Standard 10 Bed Mixed Dorm was one without frills — it came with everything you see in the photo above: a reading light, a plug, a pillow and a blanket. The wifi was a little wonky and disconnected at certain parts of the room. If you're travelling in summer, you should note that there's no air conditioner in this room. I found it stuffy and almost unbearable even at 23°C in early May.

(photo from Hostelworld)

The room was huge for a hostel's standard and Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel even had a sitting area for guests to mingle in their room. It's probably a great place for you to meet people from all over the world but you'd have to be mindful of your voice later at night as some guests need their rest.


Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel provided lockers in the room for usage but the lockers are only sufficient for a backpack or small luggage.

Toilet

Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel's toilet was detached from its Standard 10 Bed Mixed Dorm. It wasn't troublesome getting there though, and they had ample cubicles. The toilets were also clean.

Common Area

Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel provided free coffee and tidbits but you have to pay if you want a proper breakfast.



We could left our luggage in Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel's storage area while we explored Krakow. Their storage area had a CCTV to put our hearts at ease.

Safety

I felt that Krakow as a whole was a safe city even at night, and Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel didn't give me a reason to believe otherwise.

Service

The staff at Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel were amazing! They were still at the counter when we checked in late at night and they helped us print our bus tickets for free.

Will I return to Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel?

Yes, but I hope to not travel to Krakow nearing summer again.

Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel

Address
Pędzichów 9, 31-148 Kraków, Poland

Contact

krakow@hostel.pl  |  +48 12 2920171  |  +48 506221646 

Price
34.20 złoty (S$12.50) for a weekday night

Booking
I made my booking for Dizzy Daisy Downtown on Hostelworld (this post is NOT sponsored).

We wanted a hostel near Brussels city center since we'd spend the bulk of our time there, and  MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center was a natural choice for us considering it's only a 15-minute walk away from tourist attractions such as Grand Palace, Manneken Pis etc.

Room

We booked the Standard 10 Bed Mixed Dorm Ensuite. MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center's beds were a bit small but I'm quite tiny (154cm) so it wasn't much of a problem but you might want to take that into consideration if you're taller or bigger. There are a plug and a reading light for every bed, which was sufficient. There really isn't much to complain about except my roommate's snored sounded like the earth rumbling and kept me up all night but that's out of the hostel's control.

On the left of the photo, you can spot a yellow cabinet — not sure why I didn't take a proper photo of it but that's the lockers for guests to use. The lockers fit 20-inch luggage or a backpack so if your luggage is bigger, you won't be able to utilise them.

Toilet

MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center's toilet is attached to the room, which posed a bit of a problem considering 10 people were sharing one toilet but nothing civilised people can't handle.

The shower area was a bit like a shallow bathtub. I found the drainage extremely slow — my feet were soaked in water within 2 minutes of my shower. It took approximately 15 minutes for the water to completely drain, which meant I either had to stand in the toilet for 15 minutes after I was done showering or exit immediately and have the next person enter the toilet to my shower water wtf. Neither was a good choice.

We tried approaching the service counter for help but was ignored. Oh well.

Common Area

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Since MEININGER is a chain hostel/hotel, its common area was beautifully done up and perfect for socialising. MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center had a photobooth for guests to utilise (€2, or S$3.2) and they serve breakfast as well although it's not free.

Service

As I mentioned, we were kind of dismissed when we approached them regarding the toilet drainage system. Our request to stay in the same room as our friend was ignored as well.

Safety

The streets near MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center are perhaps the safest I felt in the entirety of my Europe trip. In fact, I never once felt unsafe on the streets of Brussels even late at night.

Will I return to MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center?

I might look at other options but I'm not completely shutting down the idea of returning.

MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center

Address
Quai du Hainaut 33, 1080 Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium

Contact
qh@meininger-hotels.com  |  003225881474

Price
€28 (S$44.80) for weekend nights, €32 (S$25.60) for weekday nights.

Booking
I made my MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center booking on HostelWorld. My stay was not sponsored and everything written here is based on my experience and opinion.

We stayed at St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord, which is just a short 3-minute walk away from Paris’ Gare du Nord international station (where you alight if you come to Paris by train from London).

Room

As you can see from the picture, our 10 Bed Mixed Dorm was pretty clean and also had a personal cage for you to put your belongings. I liked that there was a curtain to every bed for some privacy.


There was also a sink in the room for easy washups.


St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord also provided a reading light, two plugs and two USB ports for charging. Super useful for those travelling with phone, portable charger, camera etc which are required to charge daily.

Toilet

I don't have photos of the toilet but it was a shared toilet located outside of our room. Each floor has its own toilet of 4-5 cubicles. I didn't have to queue to use the shower cubicles when I was there but if it's peak season, I guess you can always try going to the toilets on the other floors.

Common Area

St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord has ample lockers in varying sizes for all their guests. You'll have to bring all your luggages two storeys down to a basement where the lockers are located so remember to pack light!



St Christopher's Inn is a chain hostel across Europe so their common area was very well furbished. They also have a myraid of activities planned so if you're looking for a hostel to build your social life, St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord is perfect for you.

If you're a lightsleeper, take note that St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord is located beside a club so it gets a little noisy at night although it shouldn't pose much of a problem. I'm a lightsleeper myself but I found it managable.




St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord's breakfast spread (not free-of-charge). The breakfast spot is located in the nightclub so it evitably smells a little like stale alcohol. You can grab the food and sit on the outside section, which is a bar slash burger joint at night, so it's not a problem.

Service

I have to admit I was blown away by St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord's service. Their staff always had a smile on their face, no matter how busy the hostel was. Tarek chatted with us a little and asked how long had Cheryl and I been friends (almost a year at that point). He then told us he'd present us a little surprise if we could prove that we've been friends since 2017 (not too difficult considering I had more than 20k photos in my phone wtf).


We got two free breakfast vouchers! That's the story of how two budget travellers got to enjoy free breakfast in Paris.

Safety

Google autocompletes 'Gare du Nord' with 'safety' and 'safe at night' so that's obviously a huge concern. I found it managable in the day — a few scammers loitering around the station but that's how Paris unfortunately is and since St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord is located within the proximity of a major train station, that's unavoidable. Just ignore anyone who approaches you and you'll be fine.

I have to admit it's a whole new different ball game at night. Pardon me, maybe I'm speaking from an ignorant perspective since the streets of Singapore are safe to roam at 4am, even as a girl. I found Gare du Nord station intimidating at night. I spotted someone wearing knuckle dusters when we were exiting the station at around 11pm. Whether it was an fashion accessory or worn for other purposes, I'm unsure but the fact remains that big groups of people hang out outside the train station at night.

Just be smart and vigilant when walking around the area (and throughout Paris) and I think you'll do fine. Cheryl and I are both petite Asian girls and we survived so safety shouldn't be a big issue.

Will I return to St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord?

Yes, definitely!

St Christopher's Inn Gare du Nord

Address
5 Rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris, France

Contact
gdnreception@bedsandbars.com  |  0044 2086007505

Price
€26.90 (S$43) on Thursday, €32.90 (S$52.60) on Friday

Booking
I made my hostel booking on Hostelworld, where they have a free cancellation policy so you can change your mind anytime.

I stayed at Destinations at The Rose & Crown, a short 5-miute walk away from London Bridge station for three nights in April 2018. Roads leading to the hostel are a little quiet but the hostel located above a pub, also named The Rose & Crown, so there would always be people around even if you're returning to the hostel late at night.

Room

We stayed in the 6 Bed Mixed Dorm. The room was clean throughout our stay there. Each bed came with a plug and there was a cage below our beds for our luggages or personal belongings. Padlocks aren't provided (and usually isn't throughout Europe) so remember to bring your own if you wish to utlise them.


Every room in Destinations at The Rose & Crown was named after London's tourist attractions, how cute!

Toilet

Destinations at The Rose & Crown has a shared toilet with two showers which, admittedly, isn't enough during peak season but we worked our way around it by waking up earlier and showering later so it didn't pose too much of a problem. The toilet was clean throughout our stay as well.

Common Area

Destinations at The Rose & Crown is situated atop a bar so it's pretty happening at night but in the morning, the space is converted into a common area with a wide array of breakfast items. Destinations at The Rose & Crown is one of the few hostels that provide free breakfast!




We made full use of the free breakfast everyday LOL.

Service

The owner attended to our worries and made small talk with us. I don't have anything to complain about.

Safety

I felt that Destinations at The Rose & Crown was located in a safe estate. Although it doubles up as a bar at night, we did not witness any uncontrollable drunkard or drunk fights.

Will I return to Destinations at The Rose & Crown?

Yes!

Destinations at The Rose & Crown

Address
65 Union Street, Borough, London, England

Contact
destinationshostels@hotmail.com  |  (44) 02074079717

Price
£22.40 (S$40.30) a night

Booking



I found and booked a room with Destinations at The Rose & Crown on Hostelworld. (Not a sponsored stay, in case you were wondering.)