DJH Jugendherberge Born-Ibenhorst mit Zeltplatz

Set in the forest, the place is a bike ride from a lovely sandy beach where nudity is optional. Room sizes range from two to four beds; most have private bathrooms. The mattresses are thin but firm, and the linen is always clean. Reception closes around midday. Breakfast is good, while dinner varies, some nights it's pasta with sauce and others grilled meat and vegetables. Portions can be very different in size.

The place felt cozy in the evenings, especially the fireplace room where you can sit with a drink. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and I was glad I stopped here for a night on my bike trip. It's in a beautiful, peaceful national forest park, 2.5 km from the amazing wild beach at Weststrand. The facilities are simple but very clean, and the crisp white sheets were the best I've had in ages. The food is basic, though breakfast was much better. It felt a little expensive for what you get, since you make your own bed and check out early, but the location made it worthwhile. Bring a HI card, or you'll need to make one for 20€. It's useful for other traditional hostels in Germany. I avoided getting one in the first days of my trip, and later regretted not doing it sooner.

There were so many ants in our room that my daughter got scared. Still, we had a great stay, the food was very good, and the sea is about a 40-minute walk through the forest.

A pleasant hostel on the edge of the national park, surrounded by forest. There’s also a camping area, plus lots of shared rooms and meeting spaces.