The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth
Are you a hostel novice looking to book your next trip and you want to know what it's REALLY like staying in a hostel?
Look no further.
We're here to clear up any misconceptions and myths about hostel life that you might have heard. Here's the truth about what it's like to stay in a hostel!
1- You don't have to stay in a dorm
One of the most common misconceptions about staying in a hostel is that you can only stay in shared dormitory-style accommodation, but this is not your only option!
For some, staying in dorm is a really fun experience and a great way to interact with other hostel-goers, but for others, the idea of sharing a room with strangers pushes their comfort zone limits to the max.
Private single or double rooms are great alternatives to a dorm for independent globetrotters seeking out a little peace and quiet or couples who want some alone time.
For girls’ and guys’ weekends away, smaller shared rooms for 3 or 4 people are a perfect way to keep your group together.
For the hosteller whose skin crawls when thinking about using the communal showers, private bathrooms in single rooms or smaller shared rooms are often optional.
2- But if you do, you might have to deal with roomies
However , staying in a dorm might just be your jam. Lots of hostellers love the informality, sense of community and cheaper prices associated with staying in a dorm. And if you don’t mind sharing your space with other people, we’d totally recommend them to you.
But sharing a room comes with its own list of pros and cons: if you’ve read 10 types of people you can find in a hostel you’ll know what I’m talking about! The chronic snorer, the partier who drunkenly stumbles home at 4 am and the lurker who never leaves the room are among the many interesting characters you might come across when sharing a dorm!
However, it's important to remember that these hostellers are harmless and the obstacles they might create are nothing that a pair of earplugs and a sleeping mask can’t fix!
It must be said that the biggest pro about staying in a dorm is also the people. Being able to stay with like-minded travellers who share the same sense of adventure is a priceless experience! So regardless of who you meet in your dormitory, you will certainly return home with happy memories, if not a few funny anecdotes.
3- You don't have to bring your own sheets and towels
Leave your linens at home and save room for that extra pair of shoes that you really want to pack…Most hostels will provide you with sheets and towels so there is no need to bring your own.
If you want to double check what linens will be provided during your stay, you can do this easily when booking your hostel through HostelsClub.com; simply look under the ‘services’ section of the individual hostel webpages to see what you can expect upon arrival.
It’s worth noting that some hostels may charge a small fee or a deposit if you want to use their towels, but it's never particularly expensive.
Contrary to common myths about hostels, the cleanliness of your sheets and towels is not something that you need to worry about. You can collect fresh sheets and towels on arrival and if you’re staying for more than a couple of days you can swap them over for fresh ones, just ask at the front desk.
4 - You will have access to communal facilities that you might not have at a hotel
You can save money by cooking and doing your own laundry!
Most hostels have a communal kitchen where you can store food and cook your own meals for the duration your stay.
Larger hostels often have a laundry room or a laundry service which you can use if you are staying for a longer period of time.
These convenient services will save you the time needed to find a laundromat and the money you'd spend on eating out for your entire trip. That's a win-win situation if you ask me.
Additionally, buying food at local markets and cooking traditional recipes is a great, cost-effective way to get to know the culture of the place you're visiting!
5- But sometimes other hostellers might take the word 'communal' too literally
Just make sure to keep an eye on your leftovers…
Sharing a space doesn’t mean you have to share your food with the rest of the hostel, contrary to what your fellow hostellers may believe.
To avoid having your food pinched you have two options: only buy enough food for one meal at a time and always eat exactly what you’ve cooked OR store your food in a separate bag in the fridge and label it with your name.
Over the top? Maybe a little. But you won’t complain when it saves you tomorrow’s lunch!
If your food is still stolen, you could always resort to the classic passive-aggressive-note-on-the-fridge tactic but we advise that you don’t - you’ll ruin the good vibes. Chances are your food won’t be stolen, but at least now you know what to do if you don’t want your food to be viewed as public property and for it to be left to the wolves, so-to-speak...
6- Hostel staff are super helpful
Consider the hostel staff the guardian angels of your hostel stay…Hostel staff are available, often 24/7, to assist you with whatever you need!
Do you need to check in late? Or directions to your nearest attraction? How about dinner recommendations or a booking for a cab service? Your hostel front-desk manager has got it covered. They’re like the concierge in hotel except friendlier and a lot more helpful!
Use the ‘Great Staff’ icon on HostelsClub property pages to ensure that you pick a hostel with amazing, helpful staff for your next trip!
7- But its still a good idea to plan the logistics of your trip before arrival
It's the little things that can go a long way when it comes to ensuring that you have a hassle-free hostel experience. Planning the little details of your arrival and departure at your hostel will help you out a great deal!
While many hostels pride themselves on 24 hour check-in, it's worth noting that in order to have access to this service, you might need to confirm your check-in time before arrival to ensure that someone is waiting to check you in.
Remember that when booking on HostelsClub you only pay for your deposit online and you must pay for the remainder of your stay upon arrival at the hostel. Before your arrival you can usually find out if your hostel will accept a cash or card payment on their HostelsClub property webpage.
Additionally, it's worth remembering that in some countries, such as Italy, you will be required to pay a small city tax for each night of your stay, although this is normally only a few euros per night.
We reccommend that you are aware of your check-out time at the end of your stay to ensure that the hostel cleaning and laundry services have enough time to prepare your room for their next guests! But don’t worry if you still have lots of sightseeing to do on your check-out day, many hostels have a luggage storage area where you can keep your bags for the day while you’re out exploring.
8- Most hostels are solo- traveller friendly
You don’t have to travel with others to have an amazing hostel experience!
Hostels are completely welcoming and entirely safe for independent globetrotters.
As we said above, private rooms are available in most hostels for the single adventurer who values their personal space.
Alternatively, for solo travellers who want to share a room but aren’t quite comfortable in a mixed male and female dorm, female-only and male-only accommodation is optional in many hostels, often in smaller shared rooms or larger dormitories.
For solo explorers concerned about the safety of staying in a hostel, most hostels provide free lockers to each of their guests. Make sure to bring your own padlock or to rent one from the front desk to secure your valuables in a shared space! Check out the article How to stay safe while travelling alone for more useful solo-travel tips!
It’s also important to remember that just because you’re travelling alone it does not mean that you will be lonely in your hostel, which brings us to our next point...
9- You can easily meet travel buddies in a hostel!
One of the easiest ways to make friends while travelling is by staying in a hostel!
Think about it: everybody in your hostel will be just as enthusiastic about travelling as you are and will probably be interested in seeing the same sights or doing the same activities as you.
These factors make hostels the perfect environment for adventurous souls to meet and become travel buddies for the duration of their trip… or maybe even longer! Hostel-goers backpacking to multiple places on their journey often will meet up again with other travellers who they’ve met in hostels along the way!
Staying in a dormitory, hanging out in the common room or taking part in hostel mixers are great ways to get to know your fellow hostel-mates.
Who knows? You may even make friends for life!
10- You can stay in hostels all over the world!
Contrary to popular belief, hostels are not just a European phenomenon. In fact, HostelsClub has over 30,000 properties in 176 countries, so you can stay in a hostel wherever you choose to travel!
Check out our hostels around the world and book your next trip with HostelsClub.com to ensure that you have the very best hostel experience!
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