About Us – Stay Different
The association behind the youth hostel in Frankfurt am Main was founded in 1926. What began as a historic vision, that young people from Frankfurt could encounter the world here, has evolved into a reality where people from all over the world can meet at this hostel, located directly on the Main River, and stay overnight under fair conditions.
Under the motto “stay different,” everyone is welcome to stay overnight, hold meetings, and enjoy a good time together. With currently 364 beds in more than 100 rooms and around 70,000 overnight stays per year, the Haus der Jugend is one of the largest youth hostels in Germany. With 13 conference rooms, the hostel also offers the opportunity to host seminars, conferences, and meetings in a central location near the main train station. The Skyline Deck provides a panoramic view of the city.
Nonprofit status
The Frankfurt Youth Hostel is operated by the Haus der Jugend e.V. association. The association’s purpose is to promote youth welfare. The association fulfills its purpose in particular by operating the Haus der Jugend as a youth hostel, conference center, venue for cultural events, and educational facility. This includes promoting international youth exchanges and conveying, in particular, the historical values and cultural offerings of the city of Frankfurt am Main to the guests of the facility. The association’s work is carried out in cooperation with the City of Frankfurt am Main and its youth authorities, with the Frankfurter Jugendring and its member associations, and with the German Youth Hostel Association, particularly the Hesse Regional Association. The association operates on a non-profit basis; it does not primarily pursue its own economic interests. The association’s funds may only be used for purposes specified in the bylaws.
Accessibility
We are proud that 95% of our facilities are accessible. All meeting rooms are fully accessible via our elevator, and even the Skyline Deck is accessible to people with limited mobility via a separate special elevator.
Nine rooms are largely equipped to DIN standards, and even a nurse call system is installed. Many groups, including those with electric wheelchair users, have already visited us on school trips. Thanks to our central location, people with limited mobility can quickly reach the city center or museums.
The dining room is furnished in such a flexible way that there are no space issues for wheelchair users.
History
Beginnings on Hansaallee
The roots of Frankfurt’s Haus der Jugend date back to the 1920s. At that time, the first youth center was established on Hansaallee in the Dornbusch neighborhood, serving as a meeting place for the newly founded Frankfurter Jugendring.
However, the situation changed drastically when the National Socialists came to power: All independent youth organizations were banned; only the Hitler Youth was allowed to continue. As a result, the Youth Ring also lost its foundation, and the building was repurposed during World War II – among other things, as quarters for the fire department.
The Postwar Period and Reconstruction
After the war, a new beginning took place in 1947: the Frankfurt Youth Council was reestablished. In the 1950s, it moved into a new home right on the banks of the Main in Sachsenhausen, now known as the Haus der Jugend. The old building on Hansaallee remained standing but was initially used by the U.S. Army, which operated cultural and social facilities there.
The future of the house on Hansaallee
When the Americans withdrew, the building was returned to the Haus der Jugend e.V. association. In the 1990s, the Frankfurter Jugendring moved back in. At the same time, the Anne Frank Education and Community Center was established in the building, and it continues to this day to carry out important work in historical and political education.
At the same time, the Haus der Jugend on the banks of the Main developed into a vibrant hub for young people from all over the world. To this day, it offers overnight accommodations, spaces for events and seminars, as well as open recreational activities. In recent years, the building has undergone extensive renovation to prepare it for the future. With its 100th anniversary in 2026 on the horizon, it continues to stand for internationalism, intercultural exchange, and the strengthening of democratic values.
Renovation Today
