The world's coolest hostels

Hostel-Inn Iguazu Falls Argentina: this stunning hostel near the falls has a gorgeous swimming pool surrounded by palm trees. There are barbecue nights and pool tables. It has a great atmosphere and is ideal for chilling out (and partying) at the swimming pool bar.
• hostelworld.com; dorms from £7 Photograph: PR

Floating House, ArkaBarka Hostel Belgrade, Serbia: Water, water everywhere … all rooms have views of the river Danube, the lounge has balconies over the water and you can plunge in for a dip. The hostel is set next to a beautiful park in the centre of the city.
• hostelworld.com; dorms from £12.50 Photograph: PR

Jumbo Hostel near Stockholm, Sweden: probably the world’s first Boeing 747 to be converted into an upmarket hostel. Fittingly the Jumbo is only 10 minutes’ walk from the check-in counters at Arlanda airport. It has 25 comfortable rooms with two or three beds and a four-bed dorm room. There’s even a bedroom in the cockpit.
• hostelbookers.com; dorms from £30, doubles from £90 Photograph: Lioba Schneider/PR

The Backpack and Africa Travel Centre Cape Town, South Africa: football and South Africa will be forever linked following this year’s World Cup, and this hostel has its own footie agenda, offering soccer camps in the townships of Cape Town where guests coach local children.
• hostelworld.com; dorms from £11 Photograph: PR

Zhangzhou Wei Qun Lou Inn, Zhangzhou, China: originally built in 1802, this amazing classical building, with four circular structures around a central square one, is an example of a Fujian Tulou, literally earthen structures. A series of these buildings, in the hills outside the city, were declared Unesco world heritage sites in 2008.
• hostelbookers.com; doubles from £10 Photograph: PR

Sepilok Jungle Resort Sandakan, Malaysia: the resort is set within tropical virgin rainforest near Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary and has its own beautiful landscaped gardens. There are huts with private balconies, a restaurant, pavilions, camping sites and a pool with a spa. Jungle treks to see monkeys and boat trips on lagoons are available.
• hostelworld.com; dorms from £7 Photograph: PR

Marrakech Equity Morocco: amazing attention to detail and exquisite furnishings, sofas, mirrors and paintings mark out this riad, just 300m from the Djemaa el Fna, Marrakech’s main square. There are impressive common areas, en suite rooms and fab views from the rooftop cocktail bar.
• hostelworld.com; dorms from £12 Photograph: PR

Traveller’s Cave, Goreme, Turkey: this fab hostel is a classic cave hotel in Cappadocia, with good-value rooms sleeping three, as well as standard doubles.
• hostelbookers.com, doubles from £30 Photograph: PR

Stoney Creek Resort, Sabeto Nadi, Fiji: set on a tranquil hilltop near the west coast, with panoramic views of the Sleeping Giant mountain range, Stoney Creek Resort is a boutique hideaway. Guests can hike up to the waterfalls or take the local bus up to the village and then walk through the rainforest at Sabeto to mud pools and hot springs.
• hostelbookers.com; dorms from £11 Photograph: PR

Favela Receptiva, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: this excellent hostel is on the edge of the Vila Canoas favela. Guests can do volunteer work with local organisations, from getting involved in construction projects to educating children.
• hostelworld.com; dorms from £19 Photograph: PR