12 Methods to Keep away from Staying in a Unhealthy 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 satisfy 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 dangerous 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 homeowners know what they’re doing or if they simply randomly awoke someday and mentioned, “Let’s open a hostel. It seems like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all concerning 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 (widespread 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 widespread traits that make them a number of the finest on this planet.

Right here’s a breakdown of what I’d search for in a hostel that can assist you choose the perfect one on your subsequent journey:

1. Is There a Frequent Room?

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

Plus, they’re good for simply having enjoyable. They often have pool tables or online game consoles, TVs/motion pictures (excellent for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and comfortable couches (cozy couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, ensure you keep someplace that has a good widespread room (or a number of). It’s the perfect place to simply join with different vacationers.

In hotter locations, a standard space exterior can be an enormous plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social out of doors house is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Positioned?

Location, location, location. Every time I’m searching for a brand new hostel I make it possible for 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 purpose, I all the time ensure that my hostels are in a central location and that they’re near public transportation. That manner, I can get round simply and don’t want to fret about having to waste cash on taxis.

That is particularly necessary 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 may price extra money, however you’ll get monetary savings on transportation. Plus, the extra centrally-located hostels are often the extra well-liked ones, making them higher locations to satisfy individuals.

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

3. Is It Clear?

Positive, finances vacationers like issues low-cost — however that doesn’t imply we like issues soiled. Whereas hostels have come a good distance in recent times, there are nonetheless many which can be poorly maintained and in want of a radical scrubbing. Because it’s simple 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!

For the reason that images hostels put up 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, possibly it’s not an enormous deal. But when quite a few critiques point out the shortage 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 often reply all of those questions (and plenty 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 finances.

When you’ll wish to take them with a grain of salt (individuals like to complain), they’re undoubtedly useful in relation to choosing the perfect hostel. Be sure to go away critiques too — good critiques assist hostels develop and dangerous critiques can warn your fellow vacationers in order that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, ensure you solely keep at inns with plenty of critiques. A hostel may need a excessive score on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 critiques then I’ll seemingly avoid it (it’s simple to pretend scores like that). Nonetheless, if a hostel has a whole lot (or hundreds) of critiques and nonetheless has a score of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s a great signal it’s a strong place to remain.

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

5. Do they Manage Group Actions?

In case you plan on staying at a social hostel and wish to meet individuals, select a hostel that provides group actions. These may very well be strolling excursions (my private favourite exercise), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking courses, or BBQs. These occasions are an effective way to satisfy different vacationers and study your vacation spot.

My favourite hostels are all the time social hostels that arrange occasions. It simply makes your keep way more enjoyable and vigorous!

6. Is There Late Checkout?

By no means keep at a hostel with a checkout time earlier than 10am. The most effective hostels have 11am checkout occasions, and the actually good ones allow you to take a look at at midday. Sleep is effective 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 incorrect a couple of hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

Bars aren’t deal breakers and there are quite a lot of fantastic hostels with out them, however they make for a fantastic place to socialize with different hostel visitors. Often if a hostel has a bar, they put a powerful emphasis on ensuring the individuals staying there are having enjoyable, interacting, and being festive.

In case 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 needs to be normal. It’s 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 nicely, so you should utilize 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 personal meals, decrease your meals finances, and share a meal along with your new associates. Nothing binds individuals nearer collectively than a shared meal (and some glasses of wine).

10. Do They Provide Breakfast?

Search for a spot with a good breakfast (i.e., greater than bread and cheese) or no less than one which begins and ends when persons are truly awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am often go late). Breakfast can be an effective way to load up on snacks for the day, slicing down your meals finances.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, metallic bunks. Every time doable, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present a lot better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you may sleep higher. They often have curtains too, that are all the time an enormous 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 light-weight. Not solely will this guarantee you may cost your units with out having to battle for house, nevertheless it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as an alternative of the room’s major gentle. (I hate it when individuals flip the lights on in the course 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 increasingly individuals shift to distant work, hostels have began to accommodate long-term vacationers who work on their laptops. In case you’re a distant employee, these hostels are nice locations to remain as they’ve quick Wi-Fi and make it simple to attach and community with different digital nomads. Nonetheless, in case 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 in case you’re not doing it too. As an alternative, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. Will probably be way more pleasurable and also you’ll have a better time assembly individuals.

In the long run, what actually makes a great hostel are the individuals and even the worst hostels can be nice in case you meet good individuals. However eradicating the individuals from the equation, I search for hostels which have a number of 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’d quite keep at a spot that’s trying to ensure I’ve a great time.

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