What It’s Really Like to Stay In a Hostel.

I’ve stayed in hostels all over the world and believe me when I say I’ve seen the good the bad and the ugly! It can be kind of scary thinking about staying in a hostel for the first time. A room full of random people you’ve never met and you have to sleep with them! Well, let me tell you it’s not as bad as it sounds. Read on to find out what it’s really like to stay in a hostel.

Staying in hostels is really a must for any traveller. You will meet so many cool people, have so many laughs and save yourself a small fortune as opposed to staying in hotels.

Meeting New People.

Whether you like it or not, you’re going to meet a lot of people staying at hostels. For me, this is the best thing about staying in hostels. For a solo traveller staying in hostels is the best way of finding people to hang out with! I mean where better than a building full of people doing the exact same thing as you. Read why I think you should travel solo here.

You will share stories, travel tips and probably a fair few alcoholics beverages with these newfound friends. I always stay in hostels purely for the fact I know I will meet people there. Not just any people either, people that are like-minded usually super friendly and just really interesting. If you want to meet new people I can’t recommend hostels enough. Even if your shy you will make friends, I guarantee it!

You should also take advantage of activities and day trips put on by the hostels. Most hostels will have some kind of free activity or daily excursion that you can do, and it’s a great opportunity to chat with new people and find some friends! I have written an extensive post on making friends in hostels you can read here.

Safety.

I have never felt unsafe in a hostel. But that doesn’t mean I’m not diligent in terms of security. You will hear horror stories about hostels everywhere. But with the technology we all possess nowadays, it’s so simple to vet a hostel through online reviews. I always go for hostels with 4/5 stars and above as a rule. I have scrimped on the price and booked lowly rated hostels before, and it has usually been a mistake.

Keep your belongings secure in a locker if one is provided for peace of mind. Most Hostels do provide lockers although some don’t. If I’m being completely honest I rarely worry about my belongings going missing but I do still secure/hide them where possible. I have never had anything stolen (apart from toiletries I’ve left in the communal bathroom) whilst I’ve been staying at hostels. But that isn’t to say it doesn’t happen. Just use your common sense and keep your belongings secure. You can also carry a small padlock to put through the zippers of your backpack to deter any opportunists.

In regards to personal safety hostels usually have doors unlocked by keycards. Some do have dorms that can be entered by anyone but usually, the main entrance will be locked with a keycard as well. People are generally really friendly in hostels but if anyone is making you feel uncomfortable notify the staff and they should rectify the issue by moving you to another room. Remember if you don’t feel safe just pack up and leave there are plenty of other alternatives.

For women, a lot of hostels also offer female-only dorms. Now I’ve not come across many creeps in hostels, but if you do feel uncomfortable sharing a room with the opposite sex, this is a nice option to have! For more information about safety in hostels read my post here.

Privacy.

Let’s face it. Privacy goes out of the window in a hostel. If privacy is really important to you it may be better to book a private room in a hostel. But I would recommend staying in a shared dorm to see that it’s not that bad. Most people will get changed under the covers of their bed. Well, at least their underwear! You should try and be courteous of other guests in this sense, even if you feel comfortable bearing it all, others might not want to see that just before breakfast!

Some hostels have curtains around the beds so you can have some privacy, I like the idea of these and if I see rooms that have them I will sway towards booking it. It’s really no big deal though, after a little bit of climatisation you soon won’t care. Everybody is in the same boat and if you want some alone time, put your headphones in and people won’t bother you.

Hostel Etiquette.

Hostel etiquette, the unwritten rules of staying in a hostel. Don’t get me wrong not everyone follows them, but people will appreciate it if you do! You’re at a hostel to make friends, not enemies try not to annoy people, you all have to share the space together. Follow these simple rules and everyone will love you for it. Just be warned others may not, and you will see how annoying it is!

• Keep quiet after midnight – In my experience it’s an unwritten rule that midnight is lights off, people will be asleep before this time and you might not want to sleep yet! That’s fine but if you want to chat with other guests or FaceTime your friends, probably best to move to the common area.
• Keep your space tidy – It really irritates me when I’m staying at a hostel and I find a pair of dirty boxers laying on the floor next to my bed. I’m not saying you have to keep your things immaculate. But you should make some effort to keep your things neat. As I said before everybody is sharing the space. Try and be considerate.
• Pack your bags the night before – You know what I love to hear at 5 am someone scrunching a plastic bag up into their backpack. Seriously it’s not hard to just pack up the night before, and it saves you the stress of doing it in the morning.
• Don’t turn on the light! – I don’t know why people do this, it honestly baffles me. If you’re going on a hike at 6 am good for you! You don’t need to turn on the light and wake everyone else up. Honestly, we can be grouchy in the morning especially if were hungover, save yourself the abuse and keep the light off!
• Try and clean the bathroom after yourself – Now this one is kind of difficult to follow because we don’t usually carry cleaning products in our backpacks. But if you have a shower rinse your remnants away and leave it fairly clean for the next person.
• Coming in drunk – Now were all guilty of stumbling back into the dorm room in the early hours at some point. But if you do everyone else would appreciate it if you got straight into bed and went to sleep. If you do decide you want to carry on the party do it in the common areas. Not everyone’s on your level!
• Take short showers – Everyone in the room needs to shower in the morning, don’t take ages just wash and let the next person use it!
• Turn off your alarm – I’m the kind of person that snoozes my alarm 5 times before I actually get up, but please don’t do this in hostels! We all have to set an alarm for something at some point that’s totally acceptable. But you’ve just got to grin and bear it even if you want to go back to sleep. Don’t let it keep ringing or snooze it!

Cleanliness.

Like I said earlier check the online reviews before you book a hostel. I have stayed in some pretty grimy hostels and some squeaky clean ones. For the most part, hostels are clean and well maintained. There are exceptions to this but clean sheets and a (fairly) recently mopped floor are standard across the board. Just check the reviews, any self-respecting hostel will be fairly clean and have daily cleaning of communal bathrooms. Be warned they can be pretty grim by the evening. I recommend you always bring a pair of shower shoes. Unless you like having stranger’s pubic hair stuck to the bottom of your foot.

Another thing hostel goers worry about is bedbugs. I’m not going to lie to you no matter how good the reviews are there is a possibility of bedbugs wherever you go. I have had bedbugs before and I was staying in a hostel that was pretty clean! Bedbugs are not an issue of cleanliness they can hitchhike on peoples luggage and clothing and then into your bed. You can find bedbugs in hotels as well so don’t stress about hostels, it’s more of a travel issue. If you suspect you have bedbugs then notify the hostel staff and wash all of your clothes on a hot wash. Read this guide on how to spot bed bugs.

Which Type Of Hostel Should You Book?

So what hostel should you book? I’ve already mentioned the reviews, that’s a really important deciding factor. But there is so much choice out there! For me I look at a few key factors;

• Location – You will more than likely be exploring the city centre on your travels. It’s going to be more expensive to book a room here but you will save money on travel costs if you can walk and it’s just a lot more practical.
• Price – Now obviously this is completely different from person to person. But I like to book cheap rooms. You really won’t be spending much time at your hostel and as long as it looks clean and comfortable (with a decent common area) then save your money for your day out. Read my guide on saving money for travel here.
• Amenities – Is there anything you require? Are you planning on doing laundry while you’re at the hostel? Do you want to cook your own meals in the kitchen? Are you desperate to swim in a pool? Do you want to play billiards? Check the amenities of the hostel you’re looking at to avoid disappointment.
  • Communal Kitchens – Think about what you will be eating whilst you are staying at your hostel, some hostels have a shared kitchen for you to use. This can be a good way to save money on meals.
  • Doing Laundry – Not all, but most hostels have laundry facilities for you to use. If you do need to do laundry check that your hostel has these amenities, just be aware there will probably be a charge to use them.
• Type of hostel – There are a few different types of hostels.
  • Party hostels – all the rules about etiquette go out the window here, if you’re looking to be up late partying then go here, you won’t get much sleep, but you asked for it!
  • Nature hostels – these are the kind of hostels you’ll find your stereotypical deadlocked guitar playing backpackers at. They are usually eco friendly and have a really cool chilled out vibe and will probably be serving vegetarian meals.
  • Budget large hostels – Personally I hate these hostels. There’s usually no atmosphere and no character to the hostel. It will be a huge building with multiple floors and hundreds of dorms. The staff are just there for a job, whereas smaller hostels are usually staffed by volunteer backpackers who work for free accommodation and meals.
  • Small Independent hostels – The standard hostels most people will stay in. Independent hostels are just your normal hostel. they will have activities for you to take part in, will be full of cool like-minded travellers and have a good common area. Come here for your standard hostel experience with no agenda.
• Reviews – I know I keep banging on about reviews. But just take the time to read through a few before booking. It can save you a headache.

Where Should I Book My Hostel?

There are so many places to book hostels online! There are a few different companies that I use, it really depends on personal preference to which one you use.

• Hostelworld.com – Hostelworld has more than 17,000 hostels across 179 countries and also has great information about the hostels listed. I’ve found it is slightly more expensive than other booking platforms but it is dedicated to hostels whereas the other platforms I use are more aimed at the hotel market.
• Booking.com – Booking.com has plenty of hostels on its website and app. The prices are usually lower than hostel world and they also have the genus programme which means you can receive discounts.
• Trivago.com – I use Trivago on occasion but rarely. It’s almost the same as Booking.com, sometimes a better deal will be on booking and sometimes on Trivago, you just have to shop around.

There are so many other platforms out there to book through but these three are my staple. Just have a look on Google and you will find a lot more.

Finally Some Tips to Staying In Hostels.

• Book a bed in a dorm with a higher amount of beds if you want to meet people! – If you are travelling solo I recommend booking a dorm with a higher number of beds. There will be more people to chat with and can increase your chances of finding someone to hang out with.
• Wear flip-flops in the shower! – Seriously the bathroom floors can get pretty disgusting, just take a pair of lightweight flip-flops or sliders for going into the bathroom. You’ll regret it if you don’t!
• Book one night. – Just book one night at your hostel, then if you don’t like it you can just go somewhere else the next night without worrying about getting a refund or wasting your money. You may have to move beds if you extend your stay but this is rare, if you decide you want to stay longer just let them know at the desk and you may even get a reduced rate to what you paid originally!
• Take earplugs and an eye mask. – This is essential! People are going to be snoring, coming into the room in the early hours and leaving at the crack of dawn. If your sleep is important to you take these two items. You will be disturbed if you don’t! Check out my essential packing list here.

Hopefully, I’ve given some insight into what it’s like to stay in hostels, and you will feel much better prepared! Just remember these tips and you are going to have a whale of a time!