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 folks 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 develop into adept at determining in a short time if the hostel house owners know what they’re doing or if they only randomly wakened someday and stated, “Let’s open a hostel. It seems like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all in regards to the folks, 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, basic filth, unknowledgeable employees).

All of my favourite hostels share frequent traits that make them a number of the greatest on the planet.

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

1. Is There a Frequent Room?

I really like assembly new folks once I journey. Since I normally journey solo, I have to exit of my method to meet folks if I need to be social. Frequent rooms in hostels make that simple. They assist me discover folks to talk 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 (good for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and comfortable couches (cozy couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, be sure you keep someplace that has a good frequent room (or a number of). It’s the most effective place to simply join with different vacationers.

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

2. Is It Centrally Situated?

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

That is particularly necessary in massive cities the place issues are unfold out and once you’re on a shorter journey and time is of the essence. Sure, they may 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 folks.

Don’t waste your trip in transit; e-book someplace central!

3. Is It Clear?

Positive, funds vacationers like issues low cost — however that doesn’t imply we like issues soiled. Whereas hostels have come a great distance lately, 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 threat of mattress bugs) aren’t definitely worth the threat — even when the hostel is affordable. Put money into your self. You deserve a clear room!

For the reason that images hostels publish on their web site and social media might be deceptive, be certain to particularly learn evaluations 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 evaluations point out the dearth of cleanliness, take that as a cue.

4. Did You Learn Evaluations?

All the time learn evaluations earlier than you e-book. 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 plenty of extra) by studying evaluations.

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

When you’ll need to take them with a grain of salt (folks like to complain), they’re undoubtedly useful in relation to choosing the most effective hostel. Be sure to depart evaluations too — good evaluations assist hostels develop and unhealthy evaluations can warn your fellow vacationers in order that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, be sure you solely keep at resorts with a number of evaluations. A hostel might need a excessive ranking on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 evaluations then I’ll seemingly avoid it (it’s simple to pretend rankings like that). Nevertheless, if a hostel has a whole bunch (or hundreds) of evaluations and nonetheless has a ranking of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s an excellent signal it’s a strong place to remain.

Usually, I attempt to solely e-book hostels with a ranking of 8 or larger on Hostelworld.

5. Do they Arrange Group Actions?

Should you plan on staying at a social hostel and need to meet folks, select a hostel that gives group actions. These may very well 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 study your vacation spot.

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

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 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 unsuitable a few hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

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

Should you’re trying to be social and meet folks, you’ll need to keep someplace with a bar.

8. Do They Have Lockers?

It’s stunning, however I’ve really been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. At the present time, lockers ought to be customary. It is best to by no means pay for safety. It is a deal-breaker for me (particularly since I journey with electronics). All the time convey a lock with you as properly, 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 individual meals, decrease your meals funds, and share a meal together with your new mates. Nothing binds folks nearer collectively than a shared meal (and some glasses of wine).

10. Do They Supply Breakfast?

Search for a spot with a good breakfast (i.e., greater than bread and cheese) or at the very least one which begins and ends when individuals are really awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am normally go late). Breakfast can also 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 e-book.

12. Are There Particular person Lights & Shops?

Earlier than you e-book, 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 struggle for house, however it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as a substitute of the room’s fundamental mild. (I hate it when folks 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 really fantastic hostel that understands what vacationers are searching for has the vast majority of the issues listed above.

Moreover, as increasingly more folks shift to distant work, hostels have began to accommodate long-term vacationers who work on their laptops. Should 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. Nevertheless, if you happen to’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 type of boring if you happen to’re not doing it too. As an alternative, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. Will probably be way more fulfilling and also you’ll have a better time assembly folks.

In the long run, what actually makes an excellent hostel are the folks and even the worst hostels might be nice if you happen to meet good folks. However eradicating the folks 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 might somewhat keep at a spot that’s trying to verify I’ve an excellent time.

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