Swanky Mint, your Summer Hostel in Zagreb – Former Dry-Cleaning Factory with Swimming Pool

Swanky Mint Hostel in Zagreb - The Dry-Cleaning Factory Hostel with Swimming Pool

Located on one of Zagreb's main streets, the Swanky Mint Hostel is almost certainly unlike any other hostel you've ever seen. The 5 Star Hostel Swanky Mint does come in an industrial design;ย aย unique hostel in more than one way. Can you guess theย most recent upgrade? The Swanky Mint Hostel opened its own Swimming Pool - Shabang!!

The infobox on Swanky Mint Hostel โญ

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  • Location Advantage and Neighborhood of Swanky Mint

    The Hostel Swanky Mint is right in Zagreb's city center. You have a tram station right next to the hostel, and in the case you are planning to come with a car, close to this area are many parking spots. The hostel also has its own parking. Swanky Mint is a quick 5-10 minute walk away from the main train station in Zagreb, and there are plenty of bars and shops nearby. But don't worry about noise - as this is an old industrial building, no noise from the street (whether it's cars, trams, or happy bar-hoppers) can penetrate these walls.

    The hostel location could not be any better. Also, as mentioned above, we recommend to get a bike or longboard from the hostel. In no time you will be all over Zagreb, and can visit the Poet who refuses to leave, the botanical garden, and other beautiful hidden gems in Zagreb!

    Full Address: ๐Ÿ“ Swanky Mint Hostel, Ilica 50, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
  • All room types at Swanky Mint Hostel ๐Ÿ›Œ๐Ÿพ

    Private Room Types available: Single Room, Double Room Studio for 2 or 4 Adults, Family Studio (3 Adults+3 children)

    Shared Room Types available: 4-Bed Mixed Dorm, 6-Bed Female Dorm, 8-Bed Mixed Dorm, 11-Bed Mixed Dorm

    Not sure what room to pick? Our guides will help you to decide:

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โ€œSwankyโ€ might not be the first word youโ€™d associate with anything housed in a former industrial factory, but once youโ€™ve stepped inside here, youโ€™ll see why itโ€™s the perfect word for this hip Zagreb hostel.

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Read: 3 best hostels in Zagreb compared โ€“ any why Swanky stands out!

Time to have fun in a pool - in ZAGREB!

Weโ€™ve actually put together an ultimate guide to the 24 best hostels in Croatia!

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Swanky Mint Hostel in a FULL review

With cheeky nods to its industrial past combined with very modern conveniences, this superb hostel is the ideal place to stay when youโ€™re visiting Zagreb.

Thatโ€™s not to mention the beautiful sunny terrace overlooking a garden, the cool art dotted around the Swanky Mint Hostel, the exceptionally friendly staff โ€“ and thatโ€™s just to start.

And oooooh, waitโ€ฆthe swimming pool!

The Swanky Mint Hostel recently got an upgrade and now have their very own pool.

On that note, should we load our water guns, and get started with the 5 Stars of the Swanky Mint Hostel?

Fun Things to do in Zagreb plus a cosy Double Room

1. Sustainable Upcycling and Solar Panels

The Swanky Mint Hostel is all about sustainability, from the rooftop to the ground.

The building the hostel is in has actually been upcycled โ€“ it used to be a dry cleaning factory!

The former factory has been carefully restored to make sure itโ€™s up to hostel standards.

That means the windows have been caulked and the walls have been proofed to protect against noise and weather.

Itโ€™s not often you get to stay in a hostel with so much history!

Before you go, make sure you check the ultimate packing list.

Weโ€™ve also included some ways to stay online in Europe: The Hippocket Wifi in a review.

Dorm at Swanky Mint Zagreb - super cool, right?!

Itโ€™s not just the building thatโ€™s been upcycled though.

The furniture from the lounge has been sourced from other places, so take a close look.

Youโ€™ll be able to see everything from old hood dryers from barbershops to a mix of tables from all kinds of places.

Weโ€™ve also rounded upย 13 creative hostel design ideas you can steal borrow.

The bedrooms follow the same philosophy, with all the beds being from OSB wood.

You can really feel the buildingโ€™s history when youโ€™re in here.

Read: 46 things that make a hostel awesome

In addition to all this upcycling, the Swanky Mint Zagreb also has a bunch of modern-day sustainable practices in place.

They have solar panels installed, and they recycle as much as they possibly can.

On top of that, the hostel is managed by a young team of local staff.

Breakfast Buffet at Swanky Mint, the 5 Star Hostel in Zagreb, Croatia

Double Room at the BEST hostel for Couples in Zagreb

If youโ€™re looking to get in on the eco-friendly fun yourself, they couldnโ€™t have made it any easier.

You can rent a bike or a longboard directly at the hostel to get around the city center.

As the hostel is right in the bike-friendly city center, youโ€™ll be able to enjoy Zagreb like a local.

2. Authentic Style & Design

Like we talked about earlier, the stylish Hostel Swanky Mint used to be a dry cleaning factory.

It actually dates all the way back to 1888.

But even though everything here is decidedly 21st century, there are touches that go back to the 1800s.

Follow the signs towards the building (itโ€™s a bit tricky to get into), and as you get there youโ€™ll already be able to see the huge factory windows.

The hostel sign is etched on an old piece of metal as a throwback.

Read: +110 design hostels to admire (and fall in love with)

In reception, youโ€™ll find an old rolling machine with an illuminated globe decorating it.

The walls have been left bare and stripped back, and the monkey bar is filled with fun industrial touches like multicolored metal chairs and wooden pallets strung with bright mini lanterns.

Itโ€™s all authentic and reflects the cityโ€™s hip artistic vibe.

creative-hostel-zagreb-swanky

An old rolling machine with an illuminated globe - impressive Hostel Reception!

But while the bedrooms are still industrial-inspired, you wonโ€™t feel like youโ€™re sleeping in a factory.

The sleeping areas are all completely modernized, and the walls are painted white and adorned with colorful travel quotes.

The hostelโ€™s bunk beds are made out of chipboard, while the private room has mattresses placed on pallets (just like the ones in the bar and kitchen) and have refurbished bed lamps by them.

All the private rooms and studio apartments have A/C, free WiFi, and much more.

Why not check out our overview of all different hostel room types youโ€™ve got to know about?

The best Hostel in Zagreb - no doubt!

3. Industrial Rootsย and Swimming Pool

Just in case the message hasnโ€™t come across by by now, the Swanky Mint Hostelโ€™s unique history is still part of its identity today.

Youโ€™ll come across pieces of industrial machinery scattered all around the hostel.

The eco-friendly atmosphere and modern style is mixed together with nods to the hostelโ€™s historical roots, making it a really special place to visit.

Hereโ€™s our full guide to Hostels in Europe.

Swanky Mint in Zagreb

The history: The story starts in the later half of the 19th century, when the three Ondruลกek brothers moved from their hometown in whatโ€™s now the Czech Republic to seek their fortunes.

Vilim Ondruลกek settle in Zagreb, where he opened a dry cleaners.

Later, he met his future wife, Ana, who also ran a dry cleaners.

After the couple wed, they joined forces and bought the land where they would create their joint dry cleaners.

Later on down the line, they expanded into textiles and steam-operated dyeing.

Thatโ€™s the factory that today is the Swanky Mint Hostel.

While you wonโ€™t find a dry cleaners here anymore (sorry, fancy travelers, youโ€™ll have to launder your suits elsewhere), there are all sorts of touches around the hostel that pay homage to the buildingโ€™s unique history.

And what about the swimming pool?

Since 2016, this 5 Star Hostel comes with a super cool swimming pool.

There is nothing much more to add here,is there? Okay, how aboutโ€ฆthe hostel pool rules!

Hereโ€™s a list of 28 boutique hostels youโ€™ll instantly want to stay in.

Book Exchange at Swanky Mint Hostel

Swimming Pool in Zagreb? The Swanky Mint Hostel got it all

What's cookin'? the Cookbook at Swanky Mint

4. 7-Day Social Scene

It doesnโ€™t get much more social than the scene at the Swanky Mint Hostel!

There are events all 7 days of the week, including relaxing events like free dinners and movie nights to drinking games for the more party-happy crowd.

Wednesdays are especially cool with live music and DJs.

As if that wasnโ€™t enough, they also have occasional extra events like flea markets.

Are hostels safe? Hereโ€™s an overview on hostel safety.

So thereโ€™s more plenty to keep you busy, and the staff make sure that the guests are participating and joining in.

Theyโ€™ll lure you in with voucher for a free first drink, which, unsurprisingly, many guests choose to take advantage of, so the bar is generally buzzing.

More questions about hostels?

Hereโ€™s our full guide to hostels.

Thereโ€™s also a terrace with a bar which is often frequented by locals who love to meet other people whoโ€™ve caught the travel bug.

This terrace bar is called the Swanky Monkey Garden, a lounge bar locals also love so you can have a completely Croatian experience.

Even if the bar scene isnโ€™t your style, it isnโ€™t hard to be social here with the cozy living room with shared board games and a book exchange.

Swanky Monkey Garden in Zagreb, ready for a drink?

Fun Things to do in Zagreb plus a cosy Double Room

Summer Things to do in Zagreb? Have a great time at the Swanky Monkey Garden at Swanky Mint Hostel

On top of that, the staff make you feel very welcome in the hostel, and they create a cozy Croatian vibe that will make you feel like youโ€™ve found a little piece of home in Zagreb.

It goes without saying that the Swanky Mint, just like all 5 Star Hostels, has a fully equipped kitchen.

Here, and in the lounge, you can get free coffee all day long.

5. Sharing is caring โ€“ the staff

With all the work staff put into ensuring that you have a nice stay here, itโ€™s no surprise that they get consistently fantastic ratings on major hostel rating websites.

Youโ€™ll see words like โ€œhelpfulโ€, โ€œfriendlyโ€, โ€œfunโ€, and โ€œsuper-niceโ€ used to describe them by guests who have stayed at the hostel.

Lots of love by the Swanky Mint Hostel Team

Theyโ€™re also multilingual, and are more than happy to share their best-kept Zagreb secrets with you.

Ask them for a recommendation for somewhere to go โ€“ whether thatโ€™s a cafรฉ, a restaurant, or a bar โ€“ and theyโ€™ll let you in on their local secrets.

They also have special ID cards that include a map of Zagreb with great recommendations.

To make sure that they keep attending their guestsโ€™ needs, they also have a suggestion box thatโ€™s open to everyone.

If thereโ€™s anything they can improve, theyโ€™ll be completely open to hearing your feedback.

Planning your further backpacking Croatia trip?

You have found the coolest hostel in Zagreb, for sure.

We have written up even more guides for you to travel around Croatia:

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Promo Code for Swanky Mint Hostel

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Now, there is no easy way to say this: Currently we do not have a valid discount for Swanky Mint Hostel. We are working on getting more promotional codes for Swanky Mint Hostel in Zagreb, Croatia and all the other top hostels we reviewed for you.

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