Beds & Bars > About Us

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.

Bars

We’re the only hostel group with standalone bars attached. Open to locals and hostel guests alike.

Price

Our product is the best price for an unforgettable hostel experience.

Local Knowledge

Our teams are made up of travelers with local knowledge & insight.  the extra mile to create a welcoming environment.

Original Hostel

We’re the original backpackers hostel group in both the UK & Europe, offering a consistently good experience for over 30 years.

Local (1)

With a network of venues across major capital cities across Europe, we’re the best place for transport and exploration.

Community

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.

A street view of St. Christopher's Inn in London Bridge, UK.

Our Success Story

59 years of Beds & Bars.
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Chefs working in a Belushi's kitchen.

Our People

Meet the directors of Beds & Bars.
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Street view of The Bauhaus hostel in Bruges.

Our Partnerships

Joint ventures and partnerships.
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Beds & Bars Rising Stars Programme.

Our ESG

Building a sustainable future for our staff and the planet.
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