Don't let the phrase "South American hostel" conjure nightmarish images. The WE Hostel is anything but a grubby, backpacker's last resort—though the charm of bunking with a rogues gallery of twentysomethings and dealing with a surly staff in the south of France has its own charms to be sure. No, the WE Hostel in São Paulo, Brazil is chic, friendly, and affordable, but still qualifies as a hostel in its six shared dorm rooms. It also has one private room, an en suite for women only and one room for couples available. It sleeps 48 guests in total.
The converted 1910s mansion was recently renovated with an interior by young architect Felipe Hess—it blends modern and mid-century furnishings with the building's vintage features as well as the contemporary in Ana Lucia's chandelier of fluorescent tubes.
It's neither spartan nor inconvenient, as it's close to bike rental, Parque do Ibirapuera and buzzing Joaquim da Távora Street. But like a good hostel, it's cheap. A bed in the mixed dorm starts at only $24 (R$ 48).