Travel briefs: new hotel openings in Europe

Check into a budget hostel in Venice, a disused crane in Denmark or a converted refuge in France

The lobby of the new A&O budget hotel in Venice, Italy. Courtesy A&O Hotel Group

‘Next generation’ hostel offers a modern budget break in Venice

The German A&O group, which owns hostels in more than 20 European cities, has opened a property in Venice, Italy. Located near the main railway station, the modern “next generation” hostel has 300 rooms offering 996 beds. Dorm rooms cost from €12 (Dh52) per person per night, while private single rooms cost from €60 (Dh259) per night. Ladies-only dorms are also available (www.aohostels.com).

Elevate your Danish experience with a stay in a coal crane

For something completely different, visitors to Denmark can now check into a disused coal crane in Copenhagen harbour. The structure, on the edge of Nordhavn at the 0resund coast, has been turned into a luxury two-person private retreat costing €2,500 (Dh10,775) per night. The building includes a hotel room, terrace, living space, meeting room and a spa, and is finished in wood, leather, stone and steel, with views across the water from the Danish capital (www.thekrane.dk/; www.amazing-space.dk).

Stay in a renovated refuge for mountaineers visiting a glacier

Take refuge in the French Alps in comfort at the Terminal Neige – Refuge du Montenvers, a new alpine hotel overlooking Mer de Glace near Chamonix. The original Montenvers refuge was built in 1880 to accommodate the first mountaineers visiting the glacier. It has undergone a complete renovation, with the redesigned interior housing 66 bedrooms, including two dormitories and a selection of family rooms, a restaurant, spa and library. The Refuge du Montenvers is at an altitude of 1,913 metres and is inaccessible by car, but there are regular trains from Chamonix. Double rooms cost from €150 (Dh647) per night on a half-board basis.

Mandalina boutique hotel in Turkey

Mandalina, a luxury waterfront hotel on the Kaş Peninsula, is now open, but only to adults and children over the age of 14. Individual suites feature high ceilings, glass balconies, sea views and hammam-style bathrooms. There are kayaks and mountain bikes to explore the natural beauty of the surrounding area while the hotel menu features family recipes from Izmir. Luxury travel agency Fairlight Jones offers seven nights' B&B from Dh3,500 per person, based on two sharing, including airport transfers and a one-day gulet cruise.