The first time you decide to travel backpacker-style in Europe, the thought of staying in a hostel can be a little daunting. If you’re not used to it, imagining sleeping in a room with strangers and bringing all of your own amenities isn’t all that appealing. Plus, ridiculous films and random horror stories about getting robbed make things even worse.
However, if you have limited funds, want to meet interesting people and have an exciting social experience, staying in a hostel while traveling is generally a great option. I’ve stayed in an interesting variety of hostels in various parts of Europe in the past few years and will offer a guide for finding a hostel and dealing with the unknown aspects of these temporary residences.
The basics
How is a hostel different from a hotel? Hostels are classically used by the strapped-for-cash traveler who needs a bed for as cheap as they come. So that’s all that you pay for–a bed. I have heard that some hostel beds come so sparse you have to rent your own sheets, or bring your own, but I have never experienced this personally. Sometimes hostels require a small amount of money to rent a towel or a padlock for a locker. Most hostels have a common room, and many have a bar, or at least a refrigerator where you can buy beer.
About the shared rooms
In a hostel you choose your own room, so you can get one as large or as small as you wish. Yes, there are hostels which cram together upwards of 20 or 30 beds in one large room. However, most hostels I have stayed at have rooms only as large as eight beds per room. Often there is also the option of a single-sex room. Personally I’ve found the co-ed rooms to be more interesting because it’s easiest to meet people who are on the bunk across from you. Many hostels have lockers in each room where you can store your bags. Shoving your things under or over your bunk isn’t a bad option either. Generally, the more beds in the room, the less expensive it comes.
The single-room is actually one of my favorite options, as you still get the social atmosphere of a hostel without the annoying drunk British men waking you up at 3 a.m. Some single rooms also come with bathrooms attached, but often you pay more for them. If you travel with several friends often you can book entire rooms, so you’re not sharing it with any strangers.
Finding a hostel
With sites like hostelworld.com and hostels.com, finding a decent hostel is easy. Many guidebooks also offer suggestions of good hostels that can be good finds. I prefer to check out the Web sites, though, as you can book rooms directly on the site with as little as half-a-day’s notice. On sites like hostelworld.com, you can read reviews other travelers wrote. I’ve found these to be fairly accurate, although it is always hard to tell how your experience at a hostel will be until you arrive.
Prices and social environment
It depends on where you are in Europe, but you can generally find a bed in a hostel for about $20-$25 (or less.) Prices for beds fluctuate greatly per country and season. Generally, the further East you go, the cheaper the beds gets. The price of hostels does not compare with the quality of the beds you will find there. Often hostels have amenities like hairdryers lying around that are availiable for use, and most provide you towels and sheets either for free or a small charge. Most hostels also have at least one computer that patrons can use and almost every hostel I’ve stayed at gives you a map of the city and points out interesting destinations.
Some hostels have bike rentals and group bike tours, and other cultural excursions such as flamenco dancing or cooking classes. These can be pretty cool and inexpensive. I once rented a bike for a whole day for $5 in a town in the Czech Republic. It was the best part of the trip. However, there is one “cultural excursion” offered by many hostels that I have to warn about: the pub crawl.
Pub crawls
These really make me shudder. Not because I don’t like going to a lot of bars in one night, but because of the homogenous, Americanized aspect of them. A lot of pub crawl companies in European cities have deals with hostels and come around several times a week to offer a deal like “One free drink at every bar for 10 Euro.” It sounds like a good deal. However, what they don’t tell you is that the drinks are small, the bars are all the same and it’s just an excuse to get drunk enough to hook up with someone else on the bar crawl. You’ll end up spending more money on actual drinks at the tourist bars and completely miss the obscure, much more interesting local bars.
If you really want to get drunk without worrying about where you are and how you’re going to get home, I suppose the pub crawl is a fine option. But isn’t trying to find your way home part of the fun? Just kidding. It really is important to be aware of your surroundings in foreign settings. In Madrid, Rufalin was slipped into my friend’s drink. A whole slew of bad things can happen if you lose your purse or passport as well. It is best to wear a money belt or lock things up back at the hostel.
important Questions
Horror Stories? | I have not personally witnessed any murders or rapes, and it’s incredibly unlikely in such a social setting (despite what you may have learned from Tarentino films.) I admit, a friend and I did have to skip out on a hostel in Italy once, but it was due to the lack of upkeep and a creepy owner. Although that hostel wasn’t a total loss, we did meet an extremely cute pair of Australian guys who hung out with us at the Colosseum in Rome on our last night.
Issues like theft, not sleeping and bizarre roommates are more likely to trouble you while staying in a hostel, which is why the following are important questions to ask when seeking out a hostel:
How large is the Hostel? | Generally, the larger the hostel, the more party-oriented. This can obviously be good and bad depending on your mindset. Sometimes it’s easier to meet people in a large setting, but I’ve found the smaller hostels are just as fun and welcoming.
Where is the hostel located and how easy is it to get to/from the train/bus station or airport? | It’s pointless to stay in a cheap hostel if you have to take a 50 euro cab ride to find it. Look for hostels centrally located so it’s easy to find by public transportation and by foot.
Safety? | If you have valuables, make sure the hostel has lockers. Book the single-sex dorm or single-room if you are anxious about the mixed. It’s all about being comfortable in your surroundings while being open to new experiences.
Are there hostels in the States? | Yes, we DO have hostels here! I stayed in one once in Chicago and had a great time. Most major cities have at least a few, but they are usually over-looked by U.S. citizens. You can backpack across the States too! (And of course, around the world, though I can only give advice on Europe as of now.)
To read more of Vodvarka’s insights on travel visit her blog Travel Chat .