Tips for Staying in Backpackers Hostels

On our world travels, we’ve personally used Backpackers Hostels for the majority of our accommodation needs.

Hostels are a great option for budget travel, and staying in a backpackers provides an easy way to meet other travelers and learn some backpacking tips about the local area.

Rooms in backpackers hostels can consist of dormitory style (both same sex and unisex), private single, and private double rooms. Hostels can be independently owned establishments, or part of a large network that may require a membership fee.

And they can be geared towards all traveler types: young, old, single, couples, male and female.

When booking a hostel, you need to consider your budget, personality, and needs. Here are some important points to consider about hostels…

The Benefits:

1. Location….Hostels in urban areas are generally very well located close to main public transport lines and tourist sites, and within walking distance to other necessities and desires such as a beach.

2. Sociable…. Great places for meeting fellow like-minded travelers. Particularly helpful if you are solo and need some company and sometimes emotional support. And you don’t need to stay in a dorm to get a good conversation going or to get advice, most hostels have common rooms and notice boards.

…if you want to know the road ahead, ask someone who has walked it (your fellow travelers).

3. Cheap Services….Hostels generally have cheap and sometimes free services such as WiFi, laundry, luggage storage, fully-equipped kitchen facilities, local tours, live music, pool tables, and sometimes free meal night.

4. Friendly Staff….In our personal experience, staff in hostels have ‘generally’ been very friendly and helpful. Not always, but generally. More often than not the staff are either ex-travelers who now own the hostel, cash-strapped backpackers working for free board, or a local who enjoys the interaction with the traveling community.

5. Supporting Amazing Local People….We once stayed for a week in a local families guesthouse in a rural area of Laos. It was a very simple establishment with only three bungalows on stilts with no electricity and just a bed with a mosquito net hanging over it.

This family had actually lived inside a cave for 10 years during the Vietnam War, only coming outside in the daytime to risk their lives to tend to their crops.

They were amazing people. It was a great feeling to support their family business! Experiences like this give you a whole new perspective on life and really makes traveling what it is!

6. Cafes and Bars….We really enjoy hostels that have built-in cafes and bars, as long as we are not sleeping directly above it! It’s just another way to get to know others socially, and generally they have great drink specials. And after a hard day of exploring, it’s nice to just come home and not have to go out again searching for drink options.

Just bare in mind that some hostels can be real party places, where the music and revelers can find you wherever you are in the building, so just know what your style and tolerance level is!

The Drawbacks:

1. Personal Space….Generally, if you stay in a dorm, things can get pretty cramped. Your “personal space” is pretty much limited to your bed and locker! That’s the trade off for getting cheap! Just understand and tolerate this. Hey, if you’re traveling in a group of say 4 or 6, you may even get a dorm to yourselves.

2. You Probably Won’t Meet Many Locals….Don’t become a “Permanent Resident” of your hostel. Some travelers literally hang there 24/7 and drink, sleep, watch TV, play pool, gossip and what not. You may as well save yourself a bunch of money on flights because that’s something you can do with your friends at home.

I don’t know about you, but we love to get out and meet the locals, mix in with the day to day living that goes on in the town, and experience the culture.

3. Can Be Party Houses….If you are young and looking for a rock-in good time, hostels can be a blast! We’ve been there done that, and whilst we still love a good time, it’s preferable at a local bar/pub that’s more of a traveling experience in that town and interacting with the locals.

So if you’re looking for a hostel, just bare that in mind and look at the reviews and feedback concerning the atmosphere and character of a place! There are many hostels and guesthouses which are very chilled and serve the purpose they’re intended for!

4. Interrupted Sleep….If you’re staying in a dorm, just consider the fact that people will be coming and going due to late or early flights and tours, they may be out clubbing, or they may be sleep talkers or snorers (nothing worse).

Also, if you have an en suite attached people showering at all hours can be quite annoying also. Once again, just be prepared to tolerate and deal with this…investing in some ear plugs and an open mind can do wanders.

Important Points to Consider When Booking

1. Location….Being located somewhere that is practical is SUPER important. Make sure you have easy access to airports, public transport, attractions, and personally, we love to be able to get out and walk to most things.

Also, make sure your hostel is located in a safe neighborhood – there is nothing worse than feeling trapped inside your hostel because the area seems unsafe!

2. Reviews….Most sites will have reviews from previous travelers. By all means read them, and generally they will help you get a feel for a place, but in the same token some people have nothing better to do than to complain for the sake of complaining.

Go with your gut instinct – it’s usually correct!

3. An Independent Hostel or an Organization?…Personally we have mostly stayed in independently owned hostels and have really enjoyed them. However, on occasions we have stayed in a YHA or HI (Hosteling International). With these you may have to join their annual membership which allows discounts and privileges.

4. Dorm Size….Obviously, the larger the dorm, the more potential annoyances but the cheaper the bed. Try to stay in smaller dorms if your budget allows? Just consider the trade off between money, personal space, and a decent nights sleep!

5. Are The Dorms Segregated?….Some hostels only allow male and female type dorm situations. On two different occasions we found ourselves separated by this rule – once in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe, and another time in Santa Monica in LA.

As a married couple, this was quite annoying, and considering we like to travel light and share things, also unpractical. So if you are a couple, just double check to see the  hostels rules and regulations.

6. What facilities?….On the top of our priority list has been cooking facilities! Does the hostel have an equipped kitchen to cook your own meals, and also refrigeration space to store any items you purchase personally at a local store. This can save you a bunch of money!

7. Any Other Extras?….Does your nightly rate come with free breakfast, wifi, bedding, towels, transport to and from the airport/bus station, complimentary dinner’s etc. All these are nice little bonuses but not always included.

Ok, with all that being said, we have had more positive experience’s than negative one’s. At the end of the day, it’s like everything really, you get what you pay for. Just remember to invest in an open mind and if you do have a bad experience, it usually makes for a good story later on.

How to Book:

For the Lowest prices guaranteed, and with no booking fees, go to Hostel Bookers who have locations world wide.