Hostel Celica
Hostel Celica operates a single artistic hostel in Ljubljana, Slovenia, inside a converted Austro-Hungarian military prison offering 20 artist-designed cells, rooms, dorms, event venues, bar, restaurant, and guided tours. Owned by the City of Ljubljana via Ljubljana Castle public institution, it serves international backpackers, cultural tourists, and small event clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersLjubljana, Slovenia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hostel Celica does
Hostel Celica operates a single artistic hostel property located at Metelkova 8 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, housed in a former Austro-Hungarian military prison built in 1882 that operated for over 100 years before conversion. The property offers 20 individually designed prison cells — each conceived and built by different international artists from a pool of more than 80 contributors — alongside standard attic rooms, dormitories, and shared amenities including a guest kitchen, bar, restaurant, and outdoor garden. Beyond accommodation, the hostel rents four event spaces (Srečišče Gallery, Western Café, Oriental Café, Summer Garden) for lectures, workshops, conferences, and private functions, and operates a daily bar, a Slovenian-focused restaurant, paid guided tours of the former prison, and a recurring cultural and music events program.
The business is owned and operated by the City of Ljubljana through its public institution Javni zavod Ljubljanski grad (Ljubljana Castle), which assumed management from the Šouhostel Institute in early 2018 ahead of a renovation and reopening on 1 July 2018. Revenue is generated across four streams: nightly accommodation (booked direct via hostelcelica.com and The Booking Button, with promotional code DIRECT10 for 10% off), event venue rental (e.g., Srečišče Gallery at €50/hr, €200 all-day), food and beverage (bar open 7:00-23:00, restaurant 8:00-21:00), and guided tours. The hostel holds Green Key certification — billed as the first certified sustainable hostel in the world — and Slovenia Green Accommodation status, marketed alongside destination partners including Visit Ljubljana, Famous Hostels, and the Metelkova Mesto cultural centre.
The customer base consists primarily of budget-conscious international travelers, backpackers, art-and-culture visitors, and small-group bookings seeking a story-driven stay; event venue clients (corporate, private) are a secondary segment. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the property website, the Booking Button widget, a 24/7 reception desk, and earned-media channels including travel press, Lonely Planet and Rough Guides editorial placements, and active social presence on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. There are no venture or private equity shareholders; the entity is a publicly held Slovenian public institution with 7 reported employees and no proprietary technology stack beyond standard hospitality booking tooling.
Hostel Celica firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hostel Celica
- Legal name
- Javni zavod Ljubljanski grad
- Website
- https://hostelcelica.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Hostel Celica operates a single artistic hostel in Ljubljana, Slovenia, inside a converted Austro-Hungarian military prison offering 20 artist-designed cells, rooms, dorms, event venues, bar, restaurant, and guided tours. Owned by the City of Ljubljana via Ljubljana Castle public institution, it serves international backpackers, cultural tourists, and small event clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hostel Celica industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hostel Accommodation
- NAICS
- Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (7213)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Traditional Dormitory Hostels (THAGAGAA)
Keywords
Where Hostel Celica is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ljubljana
- HQ country
- Slovenia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hostel Celica business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Accommodation: Nightly stays in artistic prison cells, rooms, and dormitories. Booking through direct website and The Booking Button integration.
- Event venue rental: Rental of common spaces including Srečišče Gallery, Western Café, Oriental Café, and Summer Garden for events, lectures, workshops, and parties.
- Food and beverage: Bar and restaurant services including Slovenian drinks and local food products, served daily 7:00-23:00.
- Guided tours: Guided tours of the former prison hostel for external visitors and groups (free for hostel guests daily at 1pm).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Srečišče Gallery rental |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Western Café and Oriental Café rental |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Hostel Celica product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hostel Celica operates an artistic hostel in a converted former military prison in Ljubljana, Slovenia, offering accommodation in 20 individually artist-designed prison cells (Celice), standard rooms and dormitories. The property also runs a Slovenian restaurant and bar, event and gallery spaces, guided prison tours, and a year-round cultural events programme, all managed by Ljubljana Castle (Javni zavod Ljubljanski grad).
Product overview
Hostel Celica is a unique former military prison turned artistic hostel offering a portfolio of 20 individually designed prison cells (Celice) as primary accommodation, complemented by standard rooms (4-5 bed attic rooms) and dormitory accommodations. The hostel provides food and beverage services through its bar (7:00-23:00) and Slovenian Restaurant (8:00-21:00), event venues including Srečišče Gallery (up to 35 persons), Western Café (up to 70 persons), Oriental Café (up to 20 persons), and Summer Garden (up to 100 persons), plus guided tours and a regular cultural events program. Managed by Ljubljana Castle public institution, the hostel reopened after renovation in July 2018.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Celice (Artistic Prison Cell Rooms)
Quantifiable outcome
- 80+ artists transformed the space
Companies that use Hostel Celica
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hostel Celica technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hostel Celica partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ljubljana Castle (Javni zavod Ljubljanski grad)coreHostel Celica is managed by Ljubljana Castle public institution, founded by the City of Ljubljana. Ljubljana Castle took over management in early 2018 after the hostel was renovated and reopened on July 1, 2018. Previously managed by Šouhostel Institute since 2003.
- City of LjubljanacoreCity of Ljubljana established Ljubljana Castle public institution and entrusted it with Hostel Celica management in 2018. The city is the founding authority.
- Visit LjubljanaminorOfficial Ljubljana tourism promotion partner
- Green KeycoreInternational sustainability certification program. Hostel Celica holds valid Green Key Certificate as first certified sustainable hostel in the world.
- Famous HostelsminorInternational hostel network for promotion and recognition
- Slovenia GreenminorSlovenian sustainable tourism certification program. Hostel Celica is certified as Slovenia Green Accommodation.
- Metelkova MestominorAutonomous social and cultural centre located adjacent to Hostel Celica. Former artist squat now a vibrant cultural neighborhood. History of Hostel Celica is closely connected to Metelkova's fight for the space.
- Šouhostel InstituteminorOriginal managing institute from Hostel Celica's founding in 2003 until 2018 when Ljubljana Castle took over management.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hostel Celica competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MEININGER Hotels: European hybrid hotel-hostel brand with 30+ properties in major cities like Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Vienna. Comparable as a budget accommodation operator with multi-bed dormitory and private room offerings in Central Europe.
- a&o Hostels: Largest privately owned hostel chain in Europe with 40+ properties across Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, and Central Europe. Comparable on large-scale budget accommodation targeting school groups, families, and backpackers.
- Wombats Hostels: Austrian-based hostel chain with locations in Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Budapest, and London. Comparable as a multi-city hostel operator serving backpacker and budget travelers with similar amenity sets (common kitchens, bars, social spaces).
- Hostel One: Boutique hostel brand with locations in Prague, Budapest, and Split, known for social events and family-style dinners. Comparable as a smaller hostel chain emphasizing community programming and culturally engaged travelers.
- St Christopher's Inns: UK-founded hostel chain with locations across London, Paris, Barcelona, Edinburgh, and other European cities. Comparable as a network of backpacker hostels with on-site bars (e.g., Belushi's), event programming, and group bookings.
- Generator Hostels: European design-led hostel chain operating in major cities including Vienna, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. Directly comparable to Hostel Celica as a network of branded, design-forward hostels targeting young travelers with on-site bars and social programming.
- Plus Prague: Large hostel in Prague offering private rooms and dorms with on-site bar, restaurant, and event facilities. Comparable as a Central European hostel with mixed accommodation types, F&B operations, and group/event capabilities.
- Kex Hostel: Icelandic hostel housed in a converted biscuit factory in Reykjavik. Comparable as a heritage/industrial building conversion hostel with industrial design, on-site bar/restaurant, and event space — closely aligned with Hostel Celica's artistic adaptive-reuse positioning.
Others
- Famous Hostels: International hostel marketing network that Hostel Celica belongs to. Comparable as a peer organization that aggregates and promotes independent hostels across Europe for distribution and brand recognition.
Broad incumbents
- Hostelworld: Global hostel-focused online booking platform and the dominant OTA for backpacker accommodation. Comparable as a broad incumbent that connects supply (including Hostel Celica) with demand and shapes distribution economics across the hostel industry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hostel Celica social profiles
Digital presenceHostel Celica compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Hostel Celica financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hostel Celica leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Hostel Celica funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hostel Celica M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hostel Celica
What does Hostel Celica do?
Hostel Celica operates an artistic hostel in a converted former military prison in Ljubljana, Slovenia, offering accommodation in 20 individually artist-designed prison cells (Celice), standard rooms and dormitories. The property also runs a Slovenian restaurant and bar, event and gallery spaces, guided prison tours, and a year-round cultural events programme, all managed by Ljubljana Castle (Javni zavod Ljubljanski grad).
Is Hostel Celica a public or private company?
Hostel Celica is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Hostel Celica founded?
Hostel Celica was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Hostel Celica based?
Hostel Celica is headquartered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in the Europe region.
How does Hostel Celica make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Accommodation is the primary driver. The others are event venue rental, food and beverage and guided tours.
Who are Hostel Celica's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MEININGER Hotels, a&o Hostels, Wombats Hostels, Hostel One, St Christopher's Inns, Generator Hostels, Plus Prague and Kex Hostel. Famous Hostels is listed as an others. Hostelworld is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Hostel Celica have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hostel Celica.
What industry is Hostel Celica in?
Hostel Celica's product category is Hostel Accommodation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGAGAA, Traditional Dormitory Hostels. Its NAICS code is 72119 and its SIC code is 7000.