Stuttgart Youth Hostel is in the city centre, about 15 to 20 minutes' walk from the central train station. Situated attractively half way up the side of the Neckar valley, when you stand here it seems as though the entire city lies before your feet.

All 94 rooms have a basin, shower and WC. The 309 beds are divided between one single room, 33 two-bed rooms, 59 four-bed rooms and one six-bed room. The main levels of the building are open-plan and eight of the four-bed rooms are handicapped accessible. The youth hostel is open 24 hours a day.

From lunchtime onwards the youth hostel bistro with its own terrace is open for snacks and small meals. Six conference rooms with high-tech media equipment - each named after Stuttgart's twin towns - are available for seminars, conferences and events of all kinds.

Stuttgart Youth Hostel was the first in Germany to be awarded the German Youth Hostel certification "Home again". A decisive factor in this decision was the international focus in the hostel's service and programme. All employees speak several languages, all visitor information is also available in English and the symbols used in notices are internationally understood.

Photo: Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk, LV BW

• Youth Hostel Stuttgart