About Us
Beds & Bars is a leading operator of tourist accommodation and entertainment venues in Europe, with backpacker hostels, bars and traditional British pubs in 12 cities and eight countries.
We’re the only hostel group with standalone bars attached. Open to locals and hostel guests alike.
Our product is the best price for an unforgettable hostel experience.
Our teams are made up of travelers with local knowledge & insight. the extra mile to create a welcoming environment.
We’re the original backpackers hostel group in both the UK & Europe, offering a consistently good experience for over 30 years.
With a network of venues across major capital cities across Europe, we’re the best place for transport and exploration.
Every guest that stays with us becomes part of our community. Our venues and teams create moments and connections that last a lifetime.
“At the core of what we do are the four cornerstones of the experience we strive to deliver – one that is safe, secure, fun and value for money.
“Our leadership team together have over 150 years of experience in the hospitality industry. In the beginning we identified a niche in the budget accommodation market and focused on the backpacker sector. Over the last three decades we have taken the original model of 50 beds above a pub and evolved it into a concept that involves bespoke buildings with more than 500 beds.”
– Keith Knowles, CEO, Beds and Bars
Live Your Life
At Beds & Bars, people are at the heart of our company and what we do. Our motto ‘Live Your Life’ is a true reflection of that. We care about the people who work with us, the customers who stay in our hostels and those who eat, drink and party with us.
We’re all about experiences and creating life long memories and we believe travel is a big part of that. Our brands are all about experiences: people living for themselves, creating, memories and making the most of their lives. So where did our motto come from?
When we first started the business, our motto was ‘hostels with attitude’ which was rather meaningless… A few years later, one of our founders Franca Knowles sat in the basement of our Shepherd’s Bush hostel with her team and came up with a new company motto.
That’s when “Live Your Life” was born.
Franca believed in ‘Live Your Life’ with all of her heart – and was quickly adopted company wide. Franca passed away in 2014, but her love for people, her compassion and her tireless work remains the heart and soul of the business; and so her motto still stands stronger than ever to this day.
Whether it’s staff training, running charity events, or greeting guests into our hostels we always remember to live our lives to the fullest for Franca.
Live Your Life – it’s what we do.
Latest News
Murray Roberts, Managing Director of Beds and Bars, Announces Retirement
Beds and Bars Ltd, the leading operator of backpacker hostels, bars and pubs across Europe, announces the retirement of Murray Roberts after nearly 3 decades with the group, the last 10 as Managing Director, where his industry knowledge, commitment to excellence and management style has seen Beds & Bars thrive in the cyclical world of…
4 weeks ago
Beds and Bars Celebrates Its 60th Birthday
2024 marks 60 years since the birth of Beds and Bars. The business, still primarily a family-owned and run organisation, has developed from just one site on Goldhawk Road, West London, into a leading operator of tourist accommodation and entertainment venues in Europe, with backpacker hostels, bars and traditional British pubs in 12 cities and…
5 months ago
Interview With Rocio Alba, Group Sales Agent, Beds & Bars
We talked to Rocio Alba, Group Sales Agent at Beds & Bars, to find out more about her experience on the Rising Stars programme. Rocio has applied to be involved in the course twice, so is very familiar with the idea and structure of the four-week programme – but she says that nothing could have…
1 year ago
Interview With Chance Fisher, Head of People, Beds & Bars
We sat down with Chance Fisher, Head of People at Beds and Bars, to chat about the award-winning Rising Stars course. Chance now leads the programme, having taken part as an employee when he worked as a Bar Supervisor, and has helped to develop its offering in recent years. Rising Stars takes 12 selected applicants on a four-week journey…
1 year ago
The Beds & Bars Rising Stars Programme
We reflect on the hugely successful Beds & Bars Rising Stars programme, and round up the highlights from the 2023 campaign so far.
1 year ago
St Christopher’s Inns Barcelona wins prestigious HOSCARs award
As travellers across the world dust off their backpacks and gear up for new adventures, Hostelworld, the leading platform for hostel travel, announces St Christophers Barcelona, Spain as a winner of the 2023 Eco-Warrior HOSCAR award
2 years ago
Beds & Bars Partners With SafeUP
Beds & Bars has partnered with safety social network SafeUP to create a more secure, accessible environment for women in venues across Europe. Belushi’s Bars and St Christopher’s Inns hostels will become ‘Safe Places’ for women using the SafeUP app, and both customers and staff will be encouraged to join SafeUP’s growing community
2 years ago
Paris Gender Pay Gap Report 2022
The 2022 Gender Pay Gap report for Paris has been declared.
2 years ago