How Nest Hostels Turns Solo Travel Into Family

Travelling solo doesn’t have to mean eating dinner on your own. At Nest Hostels the whole place is wired around one thing — getting strangers talking — so most people roll up by themselves and leave with a group chat full of new friends.

Here’s how that actually happens, pretty much every night.

It starts at the dinner table

Our themed food nights are the fastest way to meet everyone in the building.

One night it’s Pasta or Gnocchi, the next it’s Brazilian or Argentinian, then Pizza, arepas, lasagna, risotto, a BBQ. Sometimes a guest pitches a dish from back home and we just run with it — that’s the best kind. You sit down a stranger and get up knowing half the room, because there’s nothing like arguing over the last slice to break the ice.

And most food nights don’t end at the table. They roll into a kitchen dance, then a nearby pub for karaoke, then… well, you’ll see.

Something to do, whatever you’re into

Want adrenaline or calm? There’s usually both on the same day.

On the active side: surfing, diving, beach volleyball, football, spikeball, basketball and ping-pong. On the slower side: yoga, meditation, guided city walks and proper hikes with a view at the end. Whatever your energy and whatever your age, there’s a way in — and nobody gets left sitting in the common room on their own, unless that’s exactly what they fancy that day.

The group chat that runs the show

When you check in, we’ll ask if you want to join the hostel WhatsApp group. Say yes.

It’s where everything actually happens: excursions get organised, plans get made, local tips get shared and questions get answered fast. It’s the easiest way to plug straight into whatever’s going on — from your first night to your last.

Don’t just take our word for it

Artur arrived shy. He didn’t leave that way:

“I walked into Nest carrying not just my backpack but a bundle of insecurities. I was the person who hesitated to start conversations. But the warmth — from guests and staff — started to melt that. The sunrise beach outings turned my silent nods into real conversations. I came in a reserved traveller and left an open, smiling one. Nest didn’t just give me a place to stay; it gave me a family.”

— Artur

Ramazan messaged the whole group chat on his way to the airport, just to say thanks before flying back to Berlin. Rosemary, checking out of El Médano, wanted to thank the staff and “share with everyone my happiness.” That’s the pattern here, not the exception.

Everyone’s welcome here

Nest is for everyone — every background, every orientation, every shade of the rainbow.

Love is our official language and diversity is the whole point. Come as you are, because respect is a given here. It’s not a slogan we printed on a wall and forgot about — it’s just how the place runs.

FAQ: A few quick questions

Come find your people

You bring the backpack; we’ll handle the introductions. Book a bed and you’ll be in the group chat — and probably at a dinner table with ten new friends — before you’ve even unpacked.

Curious how all this spills out into the wider community? Here’s how our sport events connect travellers with locals across Tenerife →