Tourists baffled after realising their hostel is inside a branch of Ikea – and they say it’s like Night At the Museum
IKEA lovers may find their ultimate holiday destination is waiting for them in Austria – inside the world’s first inner-city branch of the popular furniture store.
A group of travellers were left baffled after stumbling upon it themselves in Vienna during a two-and-a-half-week backpacking trip across Europe.
TikTok creator Jess Braun, 28, and two of her friends had made reservations to stay at Jo&Joe Hostel.
But it wasn’t until they arrived at the address provided for the accommodation that they realised its unusual location: inside an Ikea.
In a 14-second clip shared to TikTok, Jess and her friends – laden with large backpacks – travel up an escalator to the shop’s top levels.
A zoomed-in shot reveals a neon orange sign which reads: “Jo&Joe bar restaurant hostel.”
Jess, who is from Canada, told Business Insider: “We got some looks when we were walking in with our big backpacks.
“It looked like we were moving into Ikea.”
She described the hostel as being “very spacious” and “industrial but chill”, with glass walls that expose Ikea shoppers below.
When the store closed at night, Jess said the hostel gave off “Night At The Museum vibes”, referencing the movie series in which museum artefacts come to life when all of the visitors leave the building.
The experience was “weird” but not “creepy”, she said, and the hostel was certainly the “most unique” she’d ever stayed in.
Jess joked on TikTok about its ideal location, writing: “Honestly being one floor above the ikea food court is 10/10 rating from me.”
Others agreed it seemed like a nice place to stay.
One person wrote: “honestly, it’s a great hostel at a good price. right by the train too.”
Another said: “This would make me feel safer lol.”
And another: “spent way to much time in the ikea instead of exploring vienna but not mad about it.”
The trio of friends paid just 341 euros for three nights at the hostel and were able to access the Ikea cafeteria for cheap meals.
Jo&Joe, which opened in 2021, is owned by French hospitality giant Accor and Ikea.
It is located on the fifth and sixth floors of the world’s first inner-city Ikea and features a beer garden on a roof terrace with bars in converted shipping containers, according to its website.
The furniture retailer also operates a 250-room hotel and restaurant in Älmhult, Sweden, where the company originated, across the street from an Ikea museum.
All of the rooms in the hotel are furnished with products from the retailer, so guests looking to revamp their own homes will leave feeling inspired.
And holidaymakers will be pleased to know the restaurant serves all of the classic dishes Ikea is famous for, including its meatballs.