12 Methods to Keep away from Staying in a Dangerous Hostel in 2025

I really like hostels. Even after over nineteen years touring the world, I nonetheless keep in hostels as a result of they’re the easiest way to fulfill individuals and the most cost effective lodging choice in a lot of the world.

However what makes a good hostel?

And the way do you keep away from a unhealthy hostel?

After staying in over a thousand hostels since I first began touring the world, I’ve grow to be adept at determining in a short time if the hostel house owners know what they’re doing or if they only randomly awakened sooner or later and mentioned, “Let’s open a hostel. It seems like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all in regards to the individuals, administration can do just a few issues to make their hostel the proper framework for making your expertise higher. Sure options make a hostel memorable (frequent rooms, group actions, kitchens) whereas others could make them forgettable — or worse (push-button showers, common filth, unknowledgeable workers).

All of my favourite hostels share frequent traits that make them among the finest on the planet.

Right here’s a breakdown of what I might search for in a hostel that can assist you choose the most effective one to your subsequent journey:

1. Is There a Frequent Room?

I really like assembly new individuals once I journey. Since I normally journey solo, I must exit of my solution to meet individuals if I wish to be social. Frequent rooms in hostels make that straightforward. They assist me discover individuals to speak with, get ideas from, do actions with, and even journey with.

Plus, they’re good for simply having enjoyable. They normally have pool tables or online game consoles, TVs/films (excellent for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and cozy couches (cozy couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, be sure to keep someplace that has an honest frequent room (or a number of). It’s the most effective place to simply join with different vacationers.

In hotter locations, a standard space exterior can be a giant plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social outside house is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Positioned?

Location, location, location. Each time I’m searching for a brand new hostel I guarantee that it’s close to the issues I wish to see. I don’t wish to spend all my time commuting once I get someplace new. For that motive, I all the time ensure that my hostels are in a central location and that they’re near public transportation. That means, I can get round simply and don’t want to fret about having to waste cash on taxis.

That is particularly essential in giant cities the place issues are unfold out and once you’re on a shorter journey and time is of the essence. Sure, they could value extra money, however you’ll lower your expenses on transportation. Plus, the extra centrally-located hostels are normally the extra widespread ones, making them higher locations to fulfill individuals.

Don’t waste your trip in transit; ebook someplace central!

3. Is It Clear?

Certain, funds vacationers like issues low-cost — however that doesn’t imply we like issues soiled. Whereas hostels have come a good distance lately, there are nonetheless many which might be poorly maintained and in want of an intensive scrubbing. Because it’s straightforward to get sick on the street, keep away from soiled hostels. Gross loos and showers (in addition to the elevated danger of mattress bugs) aren’t definitely worth the danger — even when the hostel is reasonable. Put money into your self. You deserve a clear room!

Because the images hostels submit on their web site and social media may be deceptive, ensure that to particularly learn critiques on websites like Hostelworld for hints on cleanliness. If only one particular person complains, perhaps it’s not a giant deal. But when quite a few critiques point out the dearth of cleanliness, take that as a cue.

4. Did You Learn Opinions?

All the time learn critiques earlier than you ebook. Is the hostel quiet or noisy? Is it a celebration hostel or extra laid again? Are the mattresses cozy? Are the bunk beds squeaky? You may normally reply all of those questions (and lots of extra) by studying critiques.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Reserving.com have tons of critiques that can assist you discover the hostel that most accurately fits your wants and funds.

When you’ll wish to take them with a grain of salt (individuals like to complain), they’re positively useful in terms of choosing the most effective hostel. Ensure you go away critiques too — good critiques assist hostels develop and unhealthy critiques can warn your fellow vacationers so that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, be sure to solely keep at accommodations with numerous critiques. A hostel might need a excessive score on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 critiques then I’ll possible steer clear of it (it’s straightforward to faux scores like that). Nonetheless, if a hostel has lots of (or 1000’s) of critiques and nonetheless has a score of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s an excellent signal it’s a strong place to remain.

Typically, I attempt to solely ebook hostels with a score of 8 or greater on Hostelworld.

5. Do they Manage Group Actions?

When you plan on staying at a social hostel and wish to meet individuals, select a hostel that provides group actions. These could possibly be strolling excursions (my private favourite exercise), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking lessons, or BBQs. These occasions are a good way to fulfill different vacationers and find out about your vacation spot.

My favourite hostels are all the time social hostels that manage occasions. It simply makes your keep way more enjoyable and full of life!

6. Is There Late Checkout?

By no means keep at a hostel with a checkout time earlier than 10am. The very best hostels have 11am checkout occasions, and the actually good ones allow you to take a look at at midday. Sleep is efficacious on the street since you’ll not often get sufficient of it. Hostels with late checkout occasions perceive this and are sometimes extra relaxed environments. There’s simply one thing improper a couple of hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

Bars are usually not deal breakers and there are a number of fantastic hostels with out them, however they make for an incredible place to socialize with different hostel friends. Normally if a hostel has a bar, they put a powerful emphasis on ensuring the individuals staying there are having enjoyable, interacting, and being festive.

When you’re seeking to be social and meet individuals, you’ll wish to keep someplace with a bar.

8. Do They Have Lockers?

It’s stunning, however I’ve truly been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. These days, lockers must be commonplace. It is best to by no means pay for safety. This can be a deal-breaker for me (particularly since I journey with electronics). All the time deliver a lock with you as effectively, so you need to use the lockers when they’re supplied.

9. Is There a Kitchen?

Attempt to search for hostels with kitchens since you may then put together your individual meals, decrease your meals funds, and share a meal along with your new buddies. Nothing binds individuals nearer collectively than a shared meal (and some glasses of wine).

10. Do They Provide Breakfast?

Search for a spot with an honest breakfast (i.e., greater than bread and cheese) or at the very least one which begins and ends when persons are truly awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am normally go late). Breakfast can be a good way to load up on snacks for the day, reducing down your meals funds.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, metallic bunks. Each time attainable, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present significantly better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you may sleep higher. They normally have curtains too, that are all the time a giant plus in my ebook.

12. Are There Particular person Lights & Retailers?

Earlier than you ebook, discover out if the dorm bunks have their very own outlet and lightweight. Not solely will this guarantee you may cost your units with out having to combat for house, however it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as an alternative of the room’s important mild. (I hate it when individuals flip the lights on in the midst of the night time. Use your mattress’s lamp or a flashlight!)

I don’t want a hostel to have all this stuff, however a very fantastic hostel that understands what vacationers are searching for has the vast majority of the issues listed above.

Moreover, as an increasing number of individuals shift to distant work, hostels have began to accommodate long-term vacationers who work on their laptops. When you’re a distant employee, these hostels are nice locations to remain as they’ve quick Wi-Fi and make it straightforward to attach and community with different digital nomads. Nonetheless, should you’re not working on-line whereas touring, keep away from these hostels since most individuals will simply be on their laptops working and that’s sort of boring should you’re not doing it too. As a substitute, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. It will likely be way more pleasing and also you’ll have a better time assembly individuals.

In the long run, what actually makes an excellent hostel are the individuals and even the worst hostels will probably be nice should you meet good individuals. However eradicating the individuals from the equation, I search for hostels which have among the above qualities in them. Hostels that know what you need as a traveler are there to reinforce your journey expertise, not merely take cash from you in change for a mattress. I might fairly keep at a spot that’s wanting to verify I’ve an excellent time.

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