Staying at a hostel can be quite the experience especially if it’s your first time. Keep reading to know the pros and cons, tips, and everything about staying at a hostel!
Hostels, many love them, many hate them, so who’s right? Well, if you want to know if a hostel is the ideal choice for you and hear the point of view from someone who stayed at one for the first time at the start of 2020 keep reading, because here’s a beginners guide to hostels and all that I have so say about them! No filters, just facts.
Why Travelers Stay At Hostels
There are several reasons that can influence you to stay at a hostel, perhaps you are on a budget or maybe you want to experience a holiday where you share literally everything with many other guests.
They Offer Cheap Prices
Hostels around the world usually offer better prices than hotels and sometimes even Airbnb’s. You can get a shared room starting at $20 USD per night or a private one starting at $60 USD.
Most of the time hostels offer weekly and monthly rates, which makes them great options for those seeking longer stays.
You Meet Lots Of New People
If you’re a social butterfly or someone who’s trying to turn into one then staying at the hostel might be a great option if you’re looking for an easy way to meet new people and make new friends.
Socializing at a hostel is probably one of the easiest things ever, at least for me it was. Travelers are usually friendly and open to other fellow adventurers since they’re also looking to meet new people.
Pro Tip:
If you’re traveling solo, especially as a woman, never be too friendly with people, especially with men, because as you already know there are a lot of creeps out there.
Always stay safe by never disclosing personal information and if you feel uncomfortable with another guest's attitude, let the management know so they can do something about it, and if they don't, change hostels and leave a bad review.
Items You Need If You’re Staying In A Hostel
When I was at a hostel for the first time the only essentials I carried with me were a padlock for the lockers that hostels usually offer and a laptop lock to tie my laptop to my bed every time I left but I wish someone had told me to also bring the following items with me:
-Pillow
For the love of God please bring your own pillow, especially if like me you’re a tidy person and a little germophobic hahaha. No, but seriously, I volunteered a the hostel I stayed at and I had to do one week of housekeeping, and let me tell you, the pillows HORRIFIED me.
The sheets, pillow covers, and duvets were constantly washed but the pillows and mattresses nope, so you can imagine the awful color they had, and that’s where you put your freaking face every night for 8 hours!!! So yes, bring one with you. Maybe your hostel will have actual clean pillows but if it doesn’t then you’ll save yourself the horror of stained and dirty pillows.
-Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones
If your hostel has thin walls like mine had and/or your roomies are very noisy at night then having something to cover your ears from the noise will be a lifesaver. For me, earplugs weren’t really that helpful even though I got a good brand so I had to play music at night with my good old EarPods.
-Bed bug repellent
My worst nightmare after staying at a hostel? Oh yes, bed bugs.
I was highly traumatized at one of the other hostels of the same company where I spent the night when I woke up to mysterious bug bites which I was told by a friend were bed bug bites!!! AHHHH. I didn’t see anything when I went to bed so I had no idea that it was an issue at the hostel and the staff never mentioned it (which says a lot about the place).
Of course, the best way to avoid getting yourself and your things plagued by bed bugs is to check your bed thoroughly and the ones around, but if you don’t find anything but still want to be extra careful then spraying a homemade or store bed bug repellent in your bed will give you peace of mind and prevent you from anything.
In case you are unfortunate to catch them get out of the place ASAP, wash everything you took with you, and then put it in the dryer at the highest temperature possible before going home.
-A shower bag
Again, if you’re a very clean person like me you’ll probably want your personal shower items to avoid touching any bathroom surfaces and also because of the practical aspect of not having to carry everything on your hands.
-Padlock and laptop lock
As I previously mentioned I took a padlock and laptop with me and you should too. This will be very helpful to keep your belongings safe in a locker and tied to your bed.
Pros And Cons Of Staying In A Hostel
Now here's the segment you've all been waiting for, the pros and cons of hostels.
Hostel Pros:
✦Cheap prices
✦You socialize and make a lot of friends
✦They usually have great locations
✦You can save money by cooking your meals there
✦Some hostels allow pets
✦If you're a digital nomad or remote worker you can work from the hostel
✦There are hostels that offer free breakfast and/or dinner
Hostel Cons:
✦You won't have privacy unless you stay in a private dorm
✦Sometimes cleanliness won't be that great
✦There might be creepy, sketchy, or dangerous people (for example drunks, borderline homeless, etc.) staying there.
✦You might not like your roomies
✦You have to share everything at all times
✦There is no privacy ever
Final Thoughts
Personally, I'd think it twice before staying at a hostel. Even though I made many new friends and even met my first boyfriend ever there, my experience staying at a hostel for the first time wasn't that great: I was stalked by an old guy, there were many people with dr*ug and alc*ohol issues, some of my roomies were dirty, I don't like sharing every space 24/7, etc.
But hey this is my personal experience, it can be totally different for you, just keep in mind the pros and cons on this list and experiment it for yourself, contrary to me you might actually enjoy it!
I'd like to hear from you! Have you ever stayed at a hostel? Did you like it or not? Feel free to share your experience in the comments of this post. Thanks for reading.
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