The first time I learned about hostels, I was in middle school, taking a standardized test. It was the Reading section, where you’re supposed to read a short paragraph and answer comprehension questions. The paragraph was about the reasons why the author liked staying in hostels.
“Hostels?” I thought to myself, a kid with an above-average vocabulary and knack for finding typos in everyday life. “Do they mean hotels?” But as I continued reading, I realized that the experience the author described was unlike any hotel I’d ever stayed in, rooms full of people from every walk of life. I conceded to the idea that there were some things that my 12-year-old self did not know.
Eight years later, I found myself staying in hostels regularly. I was studying abroad for a semester in London as a junior in college. When I took fall break or weekend trips with my friends, I couldn’t afford to stay in hotels. Since then, I’ve continued to stay in hostels when I can — even though I now have a salaried job that gives me a higher budget for that sort of thing.
If you’ve never stayed in a hostel before, you’ll notice they’re quite different from hotels, despite their similar spelling.
What Is a Hostel?
A hostel is a type of short-term lodging that is typically lower in cost compared to a hotel or Airbnb. But here’s the catch — you’ll likely be sharing a room, or at least a bathroom, with other people. Hostels are popular with backpackers, solo travelers, and the younger crowd. Because hostels are about shared spaces and shared amenities, they can be a good place to make friends and meet new people.
Hostels are also sometimes known as “youth hostels,” though most hostels are open to travelers of all ages. But every hostel is different, so there are things you’ll need to keep in mind when booking your next hostel stay. For example:
1. Hostel Room Types
When booking your hostel, you’ll first need to decide which type of room you want. While private rooms are sometimes available, dormitories are more common (and much cheaper). Next, if you choose a hostel with dorms, how many beds in the room? There could be as few as four beds, or as many as 16. Then, do you want your room to be mixed gender or all female travelers? Do you need air conditioning? Typically, mixed-gender dorm rooms with a higher number of beds and no air conditioning will be the cheapest, sometimes as low as $6 a night in some countries. One or several rooms may share one bathroom, or bathrooms may be community-style.
2. Typical Hostel Amenities
It’s hard to say what amenities your hostel will have, as they are all different. Luckily, most are happy to store your luggage early in the day if you arrive before your check-in time, and some will even let you take a quick shower. Most, but not all, provide sheets. Most have towels available to rent or buy, as well as locks for lockers in the rooms. Some may even offer breakfast or light snacks. You should be able to find out this information in advance of your stay.
3. Are Hostels Noisy?
Hostels are generally very noisy. Whether it’s fellow travelers in the lobby playing a game or getting ready to go out, or your bunkmates not-so-quietly sneaking into bed in the middle of the night, you cannot realistically expect an uninterrupted night of peaceful bliss. And even if you do find yourself with a more subdued crowd, one of your 7 roomies will definitely snore. (I guarantee it.)
4. Are Hostels Safe?
Many hostels are generally safe, but it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings. Here are a few tips for staying safe at hostels:
- Choose a hostel with a 24-hour reception desk
- Never leave your passport or other personal belongings alone, unless they are securely locked up
- If you’re a female traveler, consider booking an all-female dorm room
5. Types of Hostel Guests
You can meet all kinds of interesting people at your hostel. Most of them will probably be relatively young. Depending on the time of year, you may find small groups of students traveling together on weekend trips from study-abroad programs. You will also probably meet lots of backpackers and solo travelers. I’ve also encountered families with teenage children or older couples, but this is rare.
6. Privacy at Hostels
When you choose to stay in a hostel, you essentially choose to give up some of your privacy. As I mentioned, there’s a good chance you’ll be using a shared bathroom/shower for your room, or even a community bathroom/shower down the hall. On the topic of privacy, there’s one major difference that I’ve noticed when it comes to hostels in Asia vs. Europe. In Asia, many beds in hostels come with a curtain you can pull across the front of your bed when you’re ready to go to sleep. This is much less common in Europe.
7. Do Hostels Provide Activities?
One of the best things about hostels is the activities they offer — free walking tours, food tours, bar crawls, movie nights, trivia nights, game nights, etc. It’s a great way to get to know your fellow travelers, make new friends, and even learn about the culture of where you’re staying.
My Favorite Hostels:
I’ve stayed in quite a few hostels during my travels. Here are some that stand out (in a good way!):
- Brussels, Belgium: 2Go4 Quality Hostel City Center
- Copenhagen, Denmark: Generator Copenhagen
- Mexico City, Mexico: Suites DF Hostel
- Madrid, Spain: Way Hostel
- Sevilla, Spain: Oasis Backpackers Hostel
- Stockholm, Sweden: City Backpackers Hostel
- Bangkok, Thailand: Bed Station Hostel
Or, find your new favorite at Hostelworld.com!
What are your favorite hostels? What do you wish you’d known before staying there? Let me know!
-Cathy
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Originally Published on May 17, 2017.
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