hostel 101: a beginner's guide
what to expect & need to know for shared accommodation 💤
The first hostel I stayed in was Flying Pig Downtown in Amsterdam in 2016. Much like everybody else at 18, I embarked on a celebratory post-a-levels adventure before heading off to University in September. My first taste of independence, I was seeking a summer of sunshine and cultural enlightenment (plus plenty of beer).
The first destination was Amsterdam, where I spent a few days with some of my friends before they departed for Rotterdam and my solo adventure began, after which I flew across to Venice for three weeks interrailing Italy. My memory of the trip is a little fuzzy around the edges. My main takeaways were as follows:
That fellow Europeans thought Brexit was ridiculous
I’m not somebody who can smoke weed
Venice isn’t a good holiday destination for single people
Meeting people in hostels leads to brilliant anecdotes
I didn’t know what to expect, and frankly, I wasn’t super bothered about it. The flying pig is exactly what you’d expect in any European capital, small, simple, and full of smelly men. But I was young and carefree.
why hostels?
So you might be thinking, why should I share a bedroom with 4+ other people when I could have a private hotel room all to myself? Well, firstly, it’s cheaper. You spend significantly less on accommodation while staying in a hostel, and if you’re trying to get maximum bang for your buck, this will knock back the cost significantly.
But to continue with my Amsterdam anecdote, after my friends headed off and I was left alone, I sat in the hostel common space with a beer and got chatting with a Spanish guy my age. We proceeded to spend three days mooching about the city, smoking weed, and sneaking onto the roof of the Botel (a giant ferry-turned hotel) to enjoy the views. This introduction pretty much sums up the other reason staying in hostels can be brilliant, they are the easiest way to meet people and make memories.
Another major draw of the hostel is its extra offerings. They are set up for budget backpackers, who are usually younger and keen to get involved with social activities. Meaning they often pair with local tour providers to offer day trips, excursions, walking tours, evening socials, and bar crawls. In many destinations, the hostel’s amenities (location, on-site pool, common spaces, bar) can be significantly better than the budget hotel alternative. For example, my hostel in Florence was super central, and had a rooftop social space, a massive swimming pool, and an cheap bar!
types of hostels
I’ve stayed in hostels in Europe, South East Asia & Africa (Morocco). On the whole, I’ve found that the quality of hostels isn’t as good over here in Europe, typically they are more basic and with fewer amenities. They are also more expensive.
Regardless of location, you tend to have a variety of types of hostels:
budget hostel - Budget doesn’t mean bad. These types of hostels have sometimes been my fave! They are simple, often quite bohemian, and are family-run. They have old-school backpacking vibes, probably with hand-painted murals on the walls, free breakfasts, and a hostel cat sleeping on a sofa. Green Cosy Hostel Phong Nha, Vietnam is a great example - I think I paid about £5 for a dorm room and the owner was incredibly kind, helped me with laundry, scooter rental and cooked up a meal every evening for dinner!
mad monkey, luang prabang, laos party hostel - If you want to play beer pong, meet loads of new people, and party all night, these are for you. In my late teens and early twenties, I stayed in a few, including YellowSquare, Rome which had a 24-hour bar and club in the basement. Honestly, as a sober, 26-year-old, these are no longer my vibe, but they are the easiest way to push yourself out of your comfort zone if you’re a little introverted and make new friends, ESPECIALLY if you’re a travelling solo
chain hostel - *MadMonkey has entered the chat* There’s some overlap here, many chain hostels could easily fall into both the party and the luxury hostel category. Being bigger companies, they tend to have more money and therefore nicer amenities, however, this comes with a price tag to match. They upsell everything (overpriced food, towels, drinks) and host a lot of social events to keep you spending in-house. But on a positive note, you know exactly what you’re getting, regardless of location or country. I stayed in Mad Monkey Luang Prabang, which had just opened at the time meaning it was still pretty empty (thankfully) but the organised fun element from the reps and the western breakfasts made you feel like you could have been on any hot destination package holiday.
luxury hostel - Admittedly, I kinda love luxury hostels. Swimming pools, beds with curtains that are like mini bedrooms, with curtains, plugs, and sometimes lockable safes within them. You’ll probably find the digital nomad type here, taking Zoom calls in the common area while sipping on a flat white. These aren’t normally family-run either and are more expensive. I’d opt for these on a short-haul holiday, as you get more for your money than a hotel, but still save money by sharing a room. I stayed at The Central House, Marrakesh in Morroco and would love to check out their other destinations such as Lisbon. It wasn’t super fancy, but I had the best night’s sleep in BEAT Capsule Hostel in Singapore. The beds were so comfortable and the small common area offered free coffee to enjoy overlooking the entire quay.
how to book
When heading to a new destination, I’ll check on HostelWorld as my first port of call. Once I’ve found the hostel I like the look of, I’ll usually check on booking.com or the hostel’s website to see if I can get a better deal. Deciding what you consider value for money is personal. In Europe, you’ll pay anywhere between £18-50 per night depending on the country and type of hostel. In Central America, I’ve heard it’s around £10-20 then over in South East Asian countries it’s more like £5-15.
considerations before booking
A few things that I would consider before booking your hostel…
woman’s only rooms - Many hostels offer these rooms and they are a personal fave. I hate being in a mixed room with drunk people (if you get my gist) and also, I find women snore less
location - How easy is it to access the main city, and places you want to visit? Is it safe and will you be comfortable getting to and from it at night?
curtains - A big selling point for me is beds with curtains. It’s a little thing but they make me feel safer while sleeping and that touch more private
lockers - As you’ll be sharing a room with strangers, it’s good to opt for a room with lockers (bring a bendy padlock) so that you know your stuff, especially your electronics and passport, is safe while you're out exploring
less people = better sleep - If you’re a light sleeper, opt for a 4 or 6 person room opposed to 8 or even 12. Fewer people will be coming and going in the evening and less likely to keep you awake (and pick up some earplugs, the silicone ones work best)
hostel etiquette
be quiet - Coming in late from a night out? Leaving to catch an early morning flight? be. bloody. quiet. Don’t rustle your bag, talk to your friends, or let your alarm ring over and over again because you keep hitting snooze (there is a special place in hell for the man who let his Lewis Capaldi Somebody You Loved alarm play for AN HOUR in Malaysia) Pack your bags the night before, use your torch instead of turning on the main light and don’t speak until you’ve left the room
be clean and share mindfully - Many hostels have communal living spaces, kitchens and bathrooms. Make sure you leave these spaces tidy and respect the fact that they are shared. Aka, don’t hog the microwave or use the only shower for an hour. Similarly, in the bedrooms you will have a designated bed and locker or bag storage space. Don’t try and take somebody else’s bed or leave your stuff spread across the bedroom floor.
be friendly - Hostels are social spaces, welcome people into conversations, and be polite and friendly! If you don’t want to chat or aren’t down for socialising, just say that. However, if somebody is being inappropriate or making you feel unsafe, please tell the staff immediately
I think that’s the bulk of it! I love staying in hostels and will continue to do so for a long while, especially when visiting places with friends or by myself. Happy travels!
by becca mae x
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So funny! My first ever hostel was also the Flying Pig but in 2009. A great and informative guide to hostels here.