Essential Guide to Choosing the Best Accomodation for you - Part 1: Hostels

In this series, I will share all the kinds of places we have stayed during our travels, providing detailed information about each one, along with their pros and cons, so you can make an informed decision on where to stay.

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Hostels play a crucial role in our travel journey. They not only offer an affordable place to stay but provide an excellent opportunity to meet new people. I had seen a lot of videos of people staying in hostels and they looked fun, but could i really share where i sleep with a room full of strangers? We decided to give it a go...

The first hostel we stayed at was in Dublin. This was on a 2 day trip while we had the weekend off from work. We chose this on purpose before actually packing our bags on a one way flight so we could actually know if hostels could work for us, individually and as a couple. We had picked a place to stay where we would sleep in single beds and only share a room with 2 other people. The beds were like small pods that have a curtain on the end for privacy. We had thought that we would start off with less people in the room and in a country that also speaks english very well. Those things were comforting to us. The hostel itself was pretty big but they had lots of door that had codes, so the security of the hostel felt safe. We barely saw our other roommates and when we did they were nice, had a little small talk and that was really it. Nerve racking at first but after spending the night here and having a good experience, we decided that it wasn't that bad! Since that, we would be choosing hostels as our main source of accomodation while travelling. So, what is so great about them and what do you have to look out for?

How to choose a hostel

We have mainly used an app/website called Hostelworld to chose our hostels. They are a travel booking platform but they specifically focus on hostels, which are typically low-cost, shared accommodation options, often with a social atmosphere. They have hostels all over the world so has been a great platform for us.

Whatever platform you decide to use, make sure you follow these 3 rules:

1. Check the location - It's all well and good if you have found a great deal on a hostel, just take a minute to see why it might be so cheap. The location of the hostel may be really out of the way of the city (you might want that, so great), however, it may also be in a sketchy area. The best way to check the area that you will stay in is to use Google Maps to get a further idea of the area. Then go to the next rule.

2. Reviews - Hostelworld will give you reviews about the accommodation, but so will Google. Check what other people have said about the sleeping area, staff, and also the area it is in. Reviews can also have images, real things that customers have experienced. They are a great insight into what the place is really like.

3. Pick a place to fit your vibe - If you want a place to be social and party, there are plenty of party hostels that will be a great fit. If you just want a place to get your head down for the night then pick a hostel that doesn't host party events. This is crucial because ending up in a hostel that plays loud music till 3am, when all you want to do is sleep is going to be a disaster.

   
   

Hostel Facts

Usually sleeping in a hostel means sleeping in the same room as other people. This could be a room as small as 4 beds or as big as 12 beds. They sometimes have the option of a private room to book, this would more than likely just be the room where you sleep and have to share the other facilities. What about a hostel is attractive?

• Affordability - Accomodation is going to be one of your most expensive things when travelling, up there with transport and food. So to save, share that room with others. Example of a Popular Hostel in Mexico for 1 night is £10, where you get:

  • Free wifi, Bedding, Towel, Locker, Late Checkout, Fridge/Freezer, Microwave

  • Standard 6 bed dorm with ensuite. Your bed also has its own reading light and a curtain for privacy (as shown in image)

  If you then went for a private room with ensuite, you are now looking at £47.

  Then if you look at a hotel room in the same area, that would be £70+

When you lay it out in numbers like that, i think you can really see the difference.

Naturally, a drawback of sharing a room is dealing with other people. It may seem obvious to some that when you share a room, you should make an effort not to disturb the others. Well, that's not the case for some, as they dont mind being loud in the early hours or leaving lights on when it is supposed to be dark. Some people may not leave things clean and tidy, it all depends on who you are with. In order to prepare for these possibilities, i always bring with me a good sleep mask that blocks out all light and ear plugs.

• Sociability - Sharing accomodation with other like-minded individuals can be amazing! You all have a story about where you have been and where you might be going. You can use the shared social areas to meet new friends or just get ideas on where you might want to travel. We found that making friends in hostels can really make your experience in that place better. You can make plans to go on hikes, connect on social media or just go for a drink so you have company for the night.

  The best thing about it is that you put in what you want to get out. If you want to meet new people you can easily do so, on the other hand if you are just looking for a night in to yourself, that is also possible.

Things you might not have thought of when booking a hostel

When booking a place in hot countries, air-conditioning is a must. Check that they offer air-conditioning in your room and that it is for the right time period. Some only put it on for the day, others during the night. You want to make sure that you are comfortable in your sleeping space.

Making sure you travel with a flexible combination lock; for a locker to store your stuff, a towel; most don't have them for free and you have to rent them, and a portable charger; for the night when your phone charger cannot reach your bed or the plug is being used by someone else.

Overall view

Overall, staying in hostels have been the best experiences for us. They have allowed us to interact with a lot more people, join in events we wouldn't have if we were in a hotel, make connections with people from all over the world and nicest of all, save money. By following the 3 rules, we never had a bad experience from a hostel that we booked.

Hostels are not something we have exclusively lived in. As a couple who share a bed 9 times out of 10, staying in single bed dorms was very different for us. Though it saved us money, it was nice to book a double bed every now and then when we could afford to do so. It all depends on your situation and how you feel.

Stay Tuned for our Hostel Reviews