Hostel (2005) Ending Explained – Do Paxton and Josh escape?

Hostel Plot Synopsis

Three backpackers, Paxton, Josh, and Óli are in pursuit of pleasure in Europe – where a stranger, Alexei, convinces them to visit a hostel in a Slovak city. Once they arrive at the hostel, their hedonistic dreams start to crumble as the terror of hell looms right around.

How do the three meet Alexie?

The three friends are having the time of their life in Europe. They are drinking and visiting nightclubs and brothels in Amsterdam. Their next stop is Barcelona. However, at night, they can’t get back to their hostel due to a curfew. They meet Alexie who offers them to spend the night at his apartment.

Alexie tells them that instead of going to Barcelona, they should check out a hostel in Slovakia that is full of beautiful women. They’re known to be always ready to let tourists have their way with them. Asserting further, he shows them a couple of pictures from his time in Slovakia. Clueless, the men see nothing but rainbows and make up their minds to go to Slovakia.

Is the way to Slovakia without incident?

No, it’s not. On the train, the three encounter a Dutch businessman who appears to be anything but normal. He is eating his meal with his hands, and later touches Josh’s leg. Josh angrily yells at him. He leaves immediately.

At the hostel, they find exactly what Alexei had told them. Their roommates in the hostel are two local girls, Natalya and Svetlana. They go places together and have fun. In one instance, the Dutch businessman saves Josh from local criminal kids. Thankful, Josh apologizes to the man for his aggressive behaviour on the train.

Everything goes as expected until Óli disappears.

What happened with Óli?

The morning after their wild night, Óli is nowhere to be found. While Paxton and Josh are looking for Óli, they meet a Japanese girl, Kana – who tells them that her friend Yuki also disappeared the same way. The next scene takes us to a horrific location where Óli’s body is shown decapitated and Yuki is being tortured.

Afterwards, Paxton and Josh are tranquillized by the women. And, both wake up to find their world turned upside down.

What happens with Paxton and Josh?

Paxton wakes up locked in a pantry, while Josh finds himself in a bizarre room where the Dutchman begins drilling him with a drill machine. Holes are made, body parts are sliced, and whatnot.

On the other side, perplexed Paxton returns to the hostel and he subsequently finds Natalya and Svetlana. Natalya tricks Paxton into joining her to an old factory where the gruesome realities of the Slovak city are uncovered. After spotting Josh’s decapitated body, Paxton soon realizes he has been entrapped. He knows if he doesn’t do something immediately he would suffer the same fate as his friend.

How does Paxton escape?

A German client prepares Paxton to be tortured. The man cuts off two of his fingers with a chainsaw. Unable to control the saw, the man unintentionally frees Paxton’s hands and falls over with the chainsaw severing his own leg. Paxton kills the man and a guard before donning the factory uniform to subdue suspicion.

After discovering a business card of Elite Business Club, he is certain the old factory is nothing but a playground where people with twisted fantasies come to enjoy torturing and mutilating tourists in return for some payment. Paxton spots Kana who is also being tormented by another client of the club. Initially reluctant, Paxton goes back and kills the man to save Kana. He steals a car with Kana and runs for his life. He is chased by the factory guards. During the run, he runs over Natalya, Svetlana, and Alexei.

Paxton encounters the gang of criminal kids again, but this time he gives them some candies and gum. The kids kill the guards in return for the candies Paxton gave them.

How does Hostel end?

Paxton and Kana reach a train station – where Kana commits suicide after seeing her disfigured face. Paxton continues to struggle for his life. He boards a train – where he hears the Dutch businessman’s voice. Getting off, he follows the man to the restroom – where he tortures and kills him in the way the member of the Elite Hunting Club would do.