ArkaBarka Floating Hostel and Apartments

For a budget stay with a story, sleep on the river. ArkaBarka is a two-storey floating house anchored on the Danube in New Belgrade, in the green Park of Friendship near the confluence of the Sava and Danube, and it has welcomed travellers for more than a decade. Inside, the style is Scandinavian-simple with warm wood, and big windows frame the water and the green island opposite. Accommodation ranges from a shared dormitory and simple doubles to family rooms and studio apartments with balconies over the river, so it works for backpackers and families alike. There is a cafe, a terrace a few metres from the water, a sauna, free bikes for riding along the riverside paths and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Breakfast is included in all prices, a rarity at this level. Expedia rates it excellent, at 8.6 from more than eighty reviews.

Location and getting around: the houseboat is moored at Ušće in Block 14 of New Belgrade, inside the Park of Friendship. The old town is about a 20-minute walk across the Branko Bridge, or a short taxi ride, and the Ušće Shopping Centre is about ten minutes away on foot. The riverside paths lead west to Zemun in about an hour, which makes the free bikes especially useful. Nikola Tesla Airport is around a quarter of an hour by car, and the hostel can arrange a transfer for a fee.

Rooms: the shared dorm and economy doubles are basic; the standard doubles, family rooms and studio apartments have Danube views and balconies and are worth the small step up.

Who it suits: backpackers, budget-minded couples and families who like the idea of waking up on the river, and cyclists and nature lovers who prefer parkland to city streets.

Good to know: free parking is available, check-in runs until late evening with no after-hours check-in, and in summer you should expect some mosquitoes by the water. It is quieter at night than the hostels in the old town.