Charlie Rockets Hostel, Brugge

Charlie Rockets has re-injected life into a former movie theatre right in the old centre of Bruges. It's party central for young backpackers with pool, darts and table football in the bar and DJs spinning vinyl at weekends.

A mini-motorcyle over the door, American street signs and a gigantic movie projector welcome you into the main bar-cafe area which doubles as reception. Rooms are above, accessed by lugubrious blood-red stairs. As hostel rooms go the six-bed dorms are particularly attractive, with neat aubergine duvets and attached toilet-shower room (the four-bed dorms have only communal facilities).

There are no individual over-bunk lamps and there are not enough power points for all guests to simultaneously charge phones or camera batteries. Twins share bathrooms - one for each pair of rooms. The appealing bar has Internet computers and lockers in a selection of sizes, the largest holding a fair-sized napsack. However there's no guest-only sitting area or kitchen. Technically there's a 04:00 curfew, but good luck finding anything to do in Bruges that late.

The Charlie Rockets cafe-bar has lots of atmosphere. With blues posters, '60s filmstar pin-ups and old newspapers pasted to the ceilings it's rather like a personable, slightly down market Hard Rock Café. There are other cheap eateries if you head east along Langestraat and a Smatch Supermarket at no 55 for self-catering.