We have stayed in both youth hostels and hotels. Hollywood has caused people to get a bad taste in their mouth when they hear the word "hostel," but they are not as dangerous and creepy as the movies make them seem. I will be giving my point of view about both options.
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| Notice the lockers here, Big plus! |
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| 8 person room in Hostel Alessandro in Rome (2 of 2) |
Youth Hostels are definitely for the social traveler. I love meeting everyone in my room, and those roomies become instant mates to go experience nightlife. Many hostels give options for how many roommates you would like to have. Rooms with 4, 6, 8, 12, your choice.
The more the merrier in my opinion!
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| Pizza Dinner with Hostel in Florence |
For a traveler on a budget, the more roommates you have, the cheaper the bed. There will be all female/male rooms if that appeals to you more. Most of the time you will be given a locker to put your backpack in (yet another reason to ditch the massive bag and travel with only a backpack!), a set of bed clothes (sheets/blanket if you don't know what bed clothes are), and a bed. Many youth hostels host nightly events, such as pub crawls or pizza dinners. Several youth hostels have kitchens with large refrigerators to store food, if this is the budget-friendly route you would like to go. Most have free wifi and computers to use if you need one. Many times hostels are situated in the hotspots of big cities at a WAY cheaper price compared to surrounding hotels.
Some things to consider: You don't have as much privacy (obviously) in a room with 11 other people, and most of the time you share an all female or male community bathroom/showers. If you are a light sleeper like me, you will hear your roommates coming in from the bar at 4 am or leaving to catch a train at 5 am. You hear the snoring, farting, and shifting of the others. All roommates I have encountered have been as courteous as possible about their noise level.
Things to know before you go: It is normal for the hostel to require your passport to make a copy (I silently freaked out in my head the first time this happened). Bring a lock to put on your locker, if you forgot yours, most places sell some. Pack a small hand towel for baths, and on that subject. Don't expect long, hot showers, plugs with converters, or lots of mirrors to get ready. Be respectful of others. I sleep with my purse under my pillow or against my body (I'm a light sleeper so I could hear a person before s/he could touch my stuff). RESEARCH the hostel. Look on
tripadvisor or a similar website to read the reviews. If the website has many typos, poor sentence grammar, crappy pictures, don't choose that place!!!!! Many of the chain youth hostels are very reliable.
I have never felt unsafe or scared in a youth hostel. Don't put yourself in a situation to be a victim and you won't regret choosing a hostel!
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| Not all are pretty - Hostel my brother and I got in Amsterdam |
Hotels are a great escape for those travelers who want privacy. Once again, RESEARCH the hotel before you book it. Hotels are more expensive than hostels. Many (especially in SE Asia) boast breakfast buffets, have comfortable beds, wifi, your own shower, mirror, etc. Some may even have their own exercise room and hotel pool which can all be enjoyable! If you land a crappy hotel, you didn't do your research. With the World Wide Web making everything available at your fingertips, there is no excuse to stay in a bad hotel. Many hotels are in strange neighborhoods, far away from any attractions, so be aware of the surroundings. If we book a hotel outside the city, it will be near a train station or metro station for easy access. Use discount websites like
expedia or the Aussie version
wotif.
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| Relaxing by the pool in Bangkok! |
Some things to consider: If you are the type of traveler who likes to sleep late, lounge around the hotel, and rest, then hotels are for you! If not….I wouldn't waste my money if all you will be doing is sleeping for 5 hours (who sleeps when there is so much to see and do!) and taking a quick shower. Your idea of breakfast may differ from the hotel's idea of breakfast. Never use the comforter….EVER…in ANY country.
Things to know before you go: The concierge will ask for your passport to make copies. Lock bags before leaving hotel. Be courteous and it will be returned. Speak up! If the room isn't clean…say something!
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| Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel Bath |
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| Angkor Pearl Hotel making our Honeymoon special! |
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