If you want to travel the world but don’t have a lot of money to spend on travel, hostels are a great option! They are typically cheaper than hotels or AirBnbs, and many have added features like working areas, free activities, or even bars! Hostels are a great option if you are solo traveling, as you can meet other travelers. I have spent hundreds of nights in hostels, and this is a complete list of everything you need to know before booking your first hostel.
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Different Types of Hostels
There are many different types of hostels. If you want to meet other travelers, you can stay in a social, party hostel. If you are a digital nomad who wants a quiet place to stay with more privacy, you can check out a pod-style hostel. By asking yourself the following questions, you can pick a hostel that perfectly matches the vibe you are going for!
Party Hostel or Chill Hostel?
Some travelers love to meet other travelers and party every single night. Others like to wake up at 6 AM to explore the city. Some travelers just had a red-eye flight and want a quiet place to catch up on some sleep. And some travelers like to switch things up in different destinations!
This is the most important thing you should figure out before booking a hostel. This decision will determine how much you will sleep, which is very important.
If you are looking for a party hostel, keep an eye out for these things on the information page and reviews:
- Does this hostel have a bar or club attached? (Yes, this is a thing!)
- Hostels with a bar or club attached are for those who love to party and don’t mind hearing loud music until 2 AM.
- Does this hostel have organized activities?
- Many hostels will have organized activities throughout the week that you can join to meet other travelers! These may include things such as yoga, a bar crawl, a walking tour of the city, group dinners, and more!
- Does this hostel have privacy curtains or pods?
- Hostels with privacy curtains and pods tend to be quieter, as you can close yourself off from the room. I like to choose these hostels when I am burnt out from socializing or have an early flight that I need to catch. If you aren’t sure what a pod-hostel is like, keep reading!
Private Room or Dorm?
Many people don’t realize that you can still book a private room in a hostel. These rooms are fully private, like a hotel room, but at a much more affordable price. If you are traveling with a group, it can be the same price to split the cost of a private room rather than each reserving a bed in a dorm!
Sometimes, the room will be private, but you will still use the shared bathroom in the hall. Otherwise, you will have your own bathroom in the room as well!
Open Room or Privacy Curtains?
To go more into privacy, different types of room setups offer more or less privacy. If you care about privacy but still want to stay in a shared dorm with an affordable price point, look for rooms with privacy curtains! These beds typically have a curtain or shade that will close you off from the room. It doesn’t block noise as it is very thin, but it feels much more private. Many of these beds will also have a light inside, which is very convenient if you like to stay up late!
On the other hand, many hostels are just bunk beds in an open room. There is almost no privacy in these rooms, but they can be very social and are great if your goal is to make friends! Pod hostels are typically less social.
The photo below is a hostel a stayed at that was a fully closed off pod with a door and a key! It suprisingly wasn’t as claustrophobic as it looks and is one of my favorite hostels that I’ve stayed at to this day.
Shared Bathroom or Private Bathroom?
Something else to look for is if there is a shared bathroom in the hall or a private bathroom inside the room. This decision is all based on personal preference. This is typically not a huge deciding factor for me when choosing a hostel, but this can be very important to some people.
There are pros and cons to each setup. If there is a shared bathroom in the hall, it can be annoying to carry your toiletries to the bathroom every time you need to brush your teeth, shower, etc. It can also be inconvenient to change after you shower as there isn’t always a ton of private space in the stall showers. On a more positive note, there are typically many showers, toilets, and sinks that are available at the same time.
On the other hand, having a private bathroom in your dorm can be convenient, but you may have to wait your turn to shower, access the bathroom, etc. This can be stressful if you have a specific time you need to be somewhere, and you may need to wake up extra early to account for any wait for the bathroom. A good thing about this setup is that it is much easier to bring your toiletries around, and you typically have a more private area for changing.
Again, the bathroom isn’t the biggest deal for me, but it’s important to consider if any of these things strongly outweigh the other!
Mixed Dorms or Gender-Specific Dorms?
Another thing you should decide before booking a hostel is if you are comfortable staying in a mixed dorm or prefer a gender-specific dorm. If you are a woman, I think it is always best to stay in a female-only dorm for your first time in a hostel, but I haven’t had a problem in a mixed dorm either!
Sometimes, female-only dorms are slightly more expensive, but usually only by a few dollars.
How Many People in a Dorm?
Hostels typically have many options for the number of people that sleep in a room. It typically gets more expensive as the number of people decreases. This is something that can make or break a hostel experience. Some hostel rooms sleep as little as four people, while others can sleep 30 (or more)! I typically like to stay in rooms that have 4-8 people.
However, if I am staying in a mixed-gender dorm, sometimes I will choose a dorm that sleeps more people to increase my chances that another woman will be in the room with me. I always feel most comfortable that way!
Does This Hostel Allow Long-Term Stays?
If you are only visiting the area for a few days, you might want to look into this before booking. Some hostels allow people to stay long-term. People who are on a working holiday are usually the ones who do long-term stays, versus backpackers who are only there for a few days. I stayed in a hostel in Australia that allowed long-term stays, and my roommates were 95% girls on working holidays. The room had a lot of clutter in the bathroom and in the main room itself. I also found that this hostel felt a bit more cliquey as the girls had a lot of friends in working holidays.
I would stay in a hostel like this again, but it is something for you to consider. You can typically determine if a hostel is like this by reading reviews.
Staying in a Hostel as a Solo Traveler
Hostels are amazing options for solo travelers. Hotel rooms can be expensive if you have no one to split the cost with, and hostels minimize that! The group activities are always a great way to meet other travelers as well. If you are planning a solo trip, make sure to check out my article, “How to Prepare for Your First International Solo Trip.”
Where to Book Your Hostel
There are two websites that I use when finding hostels. They are called Hostelworld and Booking.com. I like to search for hostels on Hostelworld, but I have found that it is typically cheaper to book the hostel directly or on Booking.com.
Follow these steps to find the perfect hostel!
Hostelworld
Hostelworld is an amazing resource because it shows you the distance from the city center and many reviews from other travelers! I do not stay anywhere that has below an 8-star rating on Hostelworld. I want to stay somewhere with good reviews and somewhere that is clean. This is my exact process of finding a well-rated and affordable hostel that is close to the city center.
- Type in your destination and dates, and adjust the number of people.
- Sort as “Best Rated”
- Optional: add the filter “female dorm” if you prefer
- Find a few options that are close to the city center (less than 1 km preferably)
- Compare prices and read reviews
- Select your favorite option
- Compare prices on Booking.com and the hostel’s website (more on Booking.com below)
- Book the best price.
Booking.com
I book on Booking.com 90% of the time. I have found that it is usually the cheapest option. Booking.com also has a great loyalty program. After booking through Booking.com, I have reached their top tier level – Genius Level 3. If properties are part of the Genius Program, you can get 20% discounts if you are on their top tier. That’s amazing! Even better, you only have to reach the top tier once and then you have lifetime access.
Here is a breakdown of the levels:
Level 1: You are automatically Level 1 when you sign up. This gives you 10% discounts on applicable properties.
Level 2: Earn Level 2 after completing 5 stays within 2 years. This level gives you 15% discounts, free breakfast on select stays, and free room upgrades on select stays.
Level 3: Earn level 3 after completing 15 stays within 2 years. This level gives you 20% discounts and priority customer support on top of the previous perks.
This is an awesome loyalty program! Keep in mind that this does not apply to all properties. After finding your preferred hostel on Hostelworld check out Booking.com to compare the price.
Key Takeaways
- There are many questions to ask yourself to find a hostel that is within your comfort level.
- You can stay in social party hostels or a more laid-back hostel.
- Book a private room if you would prefer to have a more private experience while saving money.
- Look for privacy curtains if you would like more privacy in a dorm room.
- Decide if you would prefer a bathroom in your dorm room or a bathroom in the hallway.
- Figure out if you would be more comfortable in a mixed-gender dorm or a private dorm.
- Decide if allowing long-term stays is offputting to you or if you don’t mind.
- Use Hostelworld and Booking.com to find a hostel, but always compare prices before booking!