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17 Comments. Leave new
I am a retired USA teacher who enjoys solo travel but must watch my budget so a hostel works for me. Usually I opt for the private room. It is a good compromise since I still have more social interaction than I would in a hotel. I use the common areas and enjoy sharing food in the kitchen Young people treated me with great respect in Slovenia and Dresden ( Germany) at the hostels. I was willing to share travel tips/ maps and guide books. Other times I used airbnb and again had a room in someone’s apartment so I had a chance to “pick the owner’s brain” for travel tips.
Hey,
Thanks for suggesting some great ideas to live in a hostel instead of a hotel.
I really try not to stay at hostels because I’m quite the introvert. But, they’re really a good choice when you’re on a budget.
This is a great post to save/bookmark especially those like me who are planning to step outside my country. Been traveling in the Philippines for a long time now but this post is also an added information for travelers like me who also haven’t been to other countries yet.
I also agree with choosing the upper bunk 🙂
Nice post. keep them coming
We love and hate staying in a hostel. Love, I bet you had already mention the reasons. Hate as there are people who doesn’t understand about being civil and consideration.
By the way, Great tips Aleah!
I always go for the lower bunk, but that’s an interesting point about the upper bunk being less attractive to thieves, and also further away from any chaos!
Thanks for these tips, Aleah! I’ve always wanted to try traveling solo or go backpacking but I don’t know how it is to share rooms with strangers. All the tips are very helpful.
Enjoy!
I loved this post because as a veteran solo travellers I can relate to many of the things you listed. I can add my tip with packing my own silk sheets (just in case), a travel robe, very handy when sharing dorms and showers.
These are good tips Aleah though I haven’t tried staying in a hostel.
Nice tips there, Aleah! We are fans of hostels, inns, B&Bs, and homestays. We stay in those affordable places because are out the whole day exploring places and engaging in adventures. We only return to our room to sleep, relax, take a shower, and answer the call of nature.
We also bring lightweight sarongs in our backpacks. We don’t usually know if the bedsheets in low-budget places are changed regularly, so we use our sarongs as bedsheets.
You can also use the bedsheets as a sarong (or a wrap round dress for females) . I have done this many times while in India. Also once in Boracay too 🙂
I agree with Dave to bring your own extension lead to charge electronic devices. I’m also thinking of getting one of those portable chargers so that I can keep in contact with people for plans.
I love staying in hostels for meeting new people and usually the front staff is very helpful with booking tours and giving food and bar recommendations.
If traveling in groups or solo, hang out with other travelers in the hostel.
Sometimes it’s nice to get a hostel in a nice area, but it’s a little off the beaten path. You can rent a bike, or car to use to travel around. There’s also Uber, Lyft, and taxis of course.
When in a hostel you always need to share. Bathrooms, sleeping areas and charging points/sockets. Charging electronic devices is always a problem. I always carry a 4 way extension lead, so if for instance there is only one sockets in the room i can easily remove a phone thats being charged, plug in my extension lead, replace same phone into extension and add my devices.
Yes it is an extra piece of kit to carry but a very useful one.
I have no qualms about staying in a hostel per se. For sure I thought that I would have my first hostel experience in Venice last year; however it was not meant to be. Because hostel price for a 6-bed room was $90 near the main canal. Instead we decided to widen our search and pick a hotel in Mestre with all the privacy and conveniences for only $70/night and the bus to Venice (20 mins) stops infront of the hotel!!