Staying In A Hostel | What You Need To Know

Hostels are a blessing for solo travelers on a budget. The hostel experience can be one of the best memories you’ll take with you on your globetrotting adventures. Below are some tips and tricks to guide you in finding the BEST hostels and how to make the most of it.

I’ve been lucky, every guided tour I’ve done where I stayed in a hostel was always a very pleasant experience. When I say pleasant it wasn’t some dump with a murder room in the back. Frankly, I really don’t know where to begin because there are thousands of hostels around the world. The trick in finding a good hostel is one where you feel safe, it’s clean, fun and of course cheap. You’re about to learn how hostels are actually better than hotels in so many ways!

I need to be very upfront with you, I’m currently booking trips that are aimed at a more mature audience seeking a laid-back trip. Those trips don’t set you up in hostels but rather hotels. The last time I stayed at a hostel was in 2018 and that was in Phuket, Thailand. I won’t lie it was an amazing experience and I had a blast.

Why stay in a hostel?

It’s Cheap! – the #1 reason should be obvious is because they’re cheap! If you’re on a tight budget then I highly recommend staying at a hostel. If you book a hotel you’re paying a lot there’s no escaping that reality. Going with an Airbnb isn’t a terrible idea but those too can be costly and some Airbnb’s can be really sketchy. My experience with the last hostel I stayed in was great it only cost me $45 a night for a private room. While a dorm with 3 other people was only $17 a night. This is why hostels make so much sense to budget travelers.

Meet new travel buddies – this is really for those that don’t mind being around other people and are willing to socialize. You’ll be meeting other like-minded people all looking to travel and have fun. Also meeting fellow backpackers at the same location can make your trip that much more fun. You can really amp up your trip and travel together and do activities as a group. You never know you may find your future best friend at a hostel.

Hostels are fun! The hostels I’ve been to are insanely fun. The advantage hostels have over hotels is the common area. That space is meant for people to interact and click. You can connect with so many other travelers with the events going on, the activities they offer, the pool party and the pub crawl.

What should I look for in a hostel?

The below 10 tips are a great starting point in guiding you to the best hostel for you. These tips apply to pretty much any hostel in the world.

• Needs to be in a good location: When I’m traveling, I want to be close to all the attractions I want to see. I’d rather be in town than in the boonies because it was a little cheaper. That cuts down on spending money on public transportation or Uber rides.
• Make sure they have lockers: This is where bringing a combination lock or padlock comes in handy. The last thing you want is someone helping themselves to your belongings.
• Is the wi-fi free? Most of these places have free internet access allowing you to stay connected for either fun or work.
• Do they have a bar? Don’t lie to yourself you’re staying at a hostel because you want to have fun. Hostel life does indeed involve lot of drinking so many of the larger hostels will have an on-site bar. Some even have a mini-club as well.
• They have a common area: Any hostel will have a common area and this is where you come to connect and hang out. I think this is one of the most important parts of any hostel. These are meant to share stories, laugh and make friends.
• Do they have organized activities? Many of the youth-oriented hostels want to make sure their guests have a great time. They’ll organize group tours, pub crawls, beach parties etc… Always say yes to activities so many of them are free and they’re are a great way to meet people.
• They have laundry facilities: Depending on where you plan to travel to most will have laundry facilities. In case you’re wondering they charge by weight.
• Is the staff helpful? The staff will help you with almost anything, getting directions, and organizing events, they are there to make sure your stay is pleasant. Always check the staff reviews to see if they are helpful.
• Don’t be tempted to go super cheap: you may see some dirt-cheap hostels but it’s far from the city center, have no lockers, in bad areas are all a big NOPE.
• They have good reviews! Always check the reviews on the hostel you plan to stay and look at the photos other travelers have uploaded. A little research before going will go a long way. When reading reviews look at how many there are. NOTE: If a hostel only has about 20 reviews but it’s rated 5 stars stars, those are probably from friends and family. If a hostel has hundreds or thousands of reviews with an average rating of 4.5 or higher then that’s a solid place to stay.

It’s worth mentioning for female travelers there’s the option for female-only dorms. There are several reasons but the most obvious is that you will be with other women, easier to get changed, avoid random guys hitting on you, and men tend to snore more often than women. The major downside if seen is that female-only dorms are a little more expensive.

Tips on a well-run hostel

Free breakfast + kitchen: Having a free breakfast is clutch for strapped travelers. Many hostels do have facilities of some kind. You can also go to local farmers’ market and cook your own meals in the kitchen. Just be mindful of leaving the space clean after using it, don’t be that person and leave a mess for the next person to clean up after you.

Great Staff: A great hostel will have a helpful and friendly staff that will make your stay that much more fun. I’ll never forget the Canadian working at a hostel whose job was to make sure the backpackers were having a great time in the common area organizing drinking games and pub crawls. Keep in mind the staff is there to help so be respectful.

House Rules: There are rules in place in any hostel. Many will not allow boozing inside the rooms and any party going on in the common area party ends at around 10 pm or even earlier. They don’t want loud party-goers disturbing anyone trying to sleep.

It’s Clean! This is a must for ANY hostel anywhere in the world. Luckily, we have the internet where you can look up the hostel and read the reviews.

2 Best hostel directories I highly recommend:

If you want to research some of the best hostels in any city then below are two directories you MUST check out. They come with reviews and pictures making it easy for you to choose. They came in clutch when I traveled to S.E. Asia.

Hostel World is a phenomenal resource for any globetrotter seeking a great affordable hostel pretty much anywhere in the world. Where ever you plan to visit they pretty much have it covered; you’ll have access to over 16,000 hostels in over 180 countries. The best part is they come with reviews! This for me is a HUGE plus when using Hostel World because of the reviews from fellow backpackers. Visit Hostel World for your next trip anywhere!

HostelPass is a great resource for hostels in Europe. If you’re seeking affordable travel in over 40+ cities in Europe then HostelPass will be your best bet. They have specials with hostels running all over Europe with savings up to 20% off, and students can save an extra 15% using Hostelpass! What sets them apart is that you’re saving big time with HostelPass so make sure you visit them for the best deals! If you find a great hostel but can see any reviews then hop over to Hostel World find the hostel you’re looking at and bingo…you can read what other travelers had to say.

If you ever plan to visit Phuket, Thailand and need to find cheap but fun accommodations then I highly recommend the Lub D hostel. This was the same hostel I stayed in 2018 and had a great experience. My tour started and ended in this hostel and I was blown away with how well run this hotel was. Not just how cool the other travelers were but the activities they also offered. Take a look at some of the photos below to get a better idea on the Lub D:

If you checkout out the rates you’ll see the that a mixed dorm (4 beds) will be about $25 USD a night (at time of publishing). Currently on the Lub D website it looks like that on Sundays they have pool party’s. It was voted as ‘best hostel in the world‘ in 2017 and currently with 9.3 rating with over 2500 positive reviews. If you’re looking for fun times and 3 minute walk to the beach then I suggest checking out this awesome hostel!