Budget travel: Why you should stay in a hostel.
For many people, the word “hostel” conjures up images of dirty rooms, sharing with dodgy strangers and having to keep both eyes on your belongings. Not a very positive image! However whether travelling alone or in a group, staying in a hostel can not only be the cheapest option, but also the most fun. Don’t believe me? Read on to find out why…
Among the many reasons to go for hostel accommodation, the social aspect has to be a clear frontrunner. Where else can you find such a wide variety of interesting people, all willing to make friends, meet new people and make the most of their time in wherever you may be?! If travelling alone this is a particular bonus as you can quickly find potential travel buddies, or just someone to go out for a drink with. So many hostels organise pub crawls, events, movie nights, dinners…the list is endless and the aim is to make sure you have the time of your life!
Hostels want their guests to have an amazing stay, whether you want to party until the wee hours or spend the days sight seeing and the evenings catching up on valuable beauty sleep. This means that hostels provide so much more than just a place to rest your head. The staff are on hand to give you advice on where to go and what to see, coming from a local and experienced viewpoint in many cases, especially in smaller hostels, they’ll even be happy to go with you! They’re likely to be travellers as well, and want to share their love for the location with their guests, giving insider tips and knowledge along the way.
With so many hostels increasingly competing for business, standards are raised alongside this – you can find hostels with their own pools, gyms, bars and restaurants, without having to pay the earth for these little luxuries. I’ve stayed in hostels in which the only thing really differentiating them from a hotel is the fact you don’t have your own room/en suite!
Speaking to friends, a few common worries cropped up again and again…
Will my stuff be safe?
A common worry about staying in hostels is whether, with so many people around, your belongings are going to wind up in someone else’s pocket. Whilst there are no guarantees, in my experience this is extremely unlikely! Hostels have lockers, sometimes even safes, in which to keep things secure, and most importantly: the people you’re staying with are likely to be fellow travellers, in the same boat as you and so the furthest thing from their mind is ruining someone else’s trip for personal gain.
What about noise, will I actually get any sleep?
There are no guarantees and this always depends on fellow hostel guests, however when choosing a hostel it’s often clear what type of place it is: party hostels live up to their names and as a rule you won’t catch much shut eye in them, whereas other hostels pride themselves on a quieter and more calm atmosphere.
Sharing with strangers creeps me out a bit though!
Sleeping in the same room as 5 other people you’ve never met before isn’t everyone’s idea of a great holiday but they will probably end up being your friends/travel buddies. And if not, they’re unlikely to bother you.
And the total lack of privacy?!
With hostels becoming more and more popular, there are so many more choices about how much or how little privacy you can get. Many hostels will offer private or 2 person dorms – add into this the fact that some places will offer individual bed curtains, and it becomes clear that there are so many more options to have a tiny bit more privacy.
Hostels don’t seem like the cleanest of places…
Whilst it can be true, the overwhelming majority of hostels are cleaned daily if not more regularly. Crucial for getting that all important positive review, hostel cleanliness is generally a focus for staff and they will try their utmost to maintain a pretty high standard.
So with all of that considered, here are a few tips to make sure you choose the best possible hostel for you. Firstly, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into! Don’t book a party hostel if you don’t want to be kept up all night; equally, if you plan on going out, make sure there is no curfew or noise limit. Check if breakfast is included, and whether or not there is a kitchen you can use to make food. If you want an all girl dorm, make sure to book one and if not – ask on arrival as staff are always happy to make rearrangements if possible. Check Hostelworld and Hostelbookers for reviews, as these are really so representative of a place and generally pretty accurate. Don’t be put off by one bad review, but if there are quite a lot…there’s probably a reason for that!
Hostels can make a holiday – through meeting new people, experiencing a different culture, or staying somewhere quirky and unique. Exercising common sense and keeping an open mind are key, and before you know it you’ll wonder why you ever stayed anywhere else!
Photo credits: http://www.traveldudes.org/node/30576/gallery
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