I'm planning a trip to Sweden for spring of 2005. I had a very good experience staying in hostels in New Zealand so would like to find the same in Sweden. I've been searching the Internet but am having a difficult time getting information, esp. in English. Help!

There are lots of helpful sites. First of all you will find that hostels in Sweden are probably rather more expensive than NZ. Start here:

http://www.bugeurope.com and look for the hostel reviews. That will give you a pretty comprehensive list.

Also look at these sites:
http://www.eurotrip.com/forum
http://www.guideforeurope.com (and click on the Message Boards link)
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com

That's odd. I just googled <"hostels" "Sweden"> and came up with 338,000 hits. The first twenty at least, including these:

http://www.hostels.com/se.html
http://www.europeanhostels.com/fall/listings/sweden/

were in English...

Thanks for the websites. I, too, searched on Google. I guess what I'm looking for is information, in English, on price, accomodations, availability, on-line booking. As I recall, booking hostels for a month in New Zealand was very easy on-line.

In Sweden, youth and family hostels are called "vandrarhem" -- maybe search for that (although I can't say how many of the sites you find will have an English version).

Also, try the official site of tourism for Sweden, visit-sweden.com

As WillTravel has mentioned, the thorntree forum will probably have more readers familiar with hostels than this one.

With Swedish hostels, you just find their web pages and go through their booking procedure. It's not complicated.

KS452:

I've been on the visit-sweden.com and it is just what I've been looking for. THANKS!

Check www.hostelworld.com. I've booked through them with no problems.

Try www.lonelyplanet.com and go to their BB similar in style to this one called The Thorn Tree. Post your question there. Tons of folks who extensively travel on the hostel circuit.