Hello, hello!

Welcome to my guide to one of the best travel experiences in existence – hostels. AKA backpackers’. What’s a hostel anyway? Are they clean? Do I have to share a room/sleep in a dorm? Are they just for drunk people on their gap years? And what's up with that Hostel Movie?

Well I'm here to answer those questions for you! I'm a real hostel fan and have worked in 3 different ones. There are so many varieties of hostels and you might be surprised at the quality, comfort and most of all the ambience you can enjoy staying at one.

So. What is a Hostel?

A hostel is generally defined as offering budget-oriented accommodation where a guest will usually book a bed in a dorm/shared room rather that a room like they would in a hotel, although most have private rooms available to book too.

They often have a bigger focus on socializing and communal areas such as lounges, kitchens, terraces, libraries, etc. Many hostels will invest a lot in being quirky and unique be it in their design, entertainment facilities or guest activities such as beach days, pub crawls, tours etc. organized and run by staff.

Hostel vs. Hotel

The main differences between hotels and hostels are the price/price range, interaction between guests and generally a more flexible/less traditional approach to hospitality on the part of hostels

Check out the infographic below and pin for later!

FAQ’s: Are Hostels Safe / Clean / Noisy / Peaceful / Fun?

Like any hotel, guest house or AirBnB there is a whole range of hostel vibes. They can be in any type of neighbourhood, offer different amenities and are privy to honest online reviews! So look up the top hostels in the area you’re traveling to on a booking website (personally I use Booking.com a lot) or with a quick Google search and take your pick judging from the general info, reviews, photos and the exact location.

1. Are they safe? Short answer, yes. A big majority of hostels will have lockers in the room for your valuables, options of female-only or mixed dorms, cameras or security personnel at the entrance and other standard measures to ensure the safety of their guests. 

2. Are they clean? Hostels have cleaning staff to freshen up the rooms, bathrooms and communal areas – some daily, some not, but they’ll definitely change the sheets once someone checks out, for example. It’s basic hostel etiquette to clean up after yourself and not leave a mess behind in the shared areas, particularly the self-catering kitchens. Yes, that includes doing your own dishes.

3. Are they noisy and full of drunk backpackers? Real talk, some of them definitely are. However for every hostel with a busy bar there's one with a beautiful library or in-house cinema, some with no-alcohol policies, some are more nature-focused and there is everything in between. That’s where checking reviews and doing a little research go a long way because every hostel has its own vibe.

4. Can I stay in a hostel if I’m over 30/40/100? Absolutely. Age is but a number and while having your roughing-it years behind you means you (might) want more luxury and less rowdiness, once again, there will be something for every taste. I've met someone older than their 20's in every single hostel I've stayed at, from first-time travellers to people on their 50th country. They're just trying to live life and make friends like the rest of us.

5. Do I have to share a room? No. Although you can be blessed with the most interesting and fun characters as dorm-mates, there are private rooms available to book in every hostel I’ve ever come across so if you really don’t want to share a room with strangers but want all the other perks of a hostel, go for that instead.

You can have the best of both though, because you may end up with a dorm all to yourself during a quiet tourist season or during the week as opposed to on weekends. Sometimes if I’m in the hostel for a week or longer, I’ll pay a little extra for a private room on my last couple of nights when I’ve already made a bunch of friends but still want to chill alone in my own space for some time. Win-win.

Top Hostel Hacks for Comfort, Privacy & Safety

1. Bring your own:

• Towel

• Padlock for the lockers (although you can buy/rent this and a towel from some hostels)

• Eye-mask and ear plugs (especially if you’ll be sharing a dorm. Snoring is a reality of life)

• Groceries/snacks (confirm that they have a kitchen, although most do)

2. Look out for hostels that have/offer:

• Female-only dorms if you’d rather not be booked into a co-ed dorm. I’ve done both and not had any problems thus far though :)

• Safe parking if you’re driving

• Curtains or other bed divisions (some have pod beds) – this can be a plus if you’re still nervous about privacy in the dorm

• A restaurant/bar if you want the choice to dine in-house when you’re not in a cooking mood

• Guest activities to make it easier to socialize and meet people

3. Be a good guest/roomie:

• Everyone hates that person who leaves their food, dirty dishes or cutlery lying around in the kitchen like it’s their mother’s house. Don’t be that guy.

• You're on vacation but don't be a slob. If your shoes are stinky, leave them outside. Keep your bags/clothes off the floor where people will be walking. Clean up your hair/toothpaste/water etc. when you're done in a shared bathroom. Be cool.

• Introduce yourself to the people sharing your room, for goodness’ sake.

So are you convinced? Will you be trying out a hostel on your next getaway (or even in your hometown)? Drop a comment with your own hostel experiences and keep in touch:

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