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 one of the simplest ways to fulfill folks and the most affordable lodging possibility 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 turn out to be adept at determining in a short time if the hostel house owners know what they’re doing or if they simply randomly wakened sooner or later and mentioned, “Let’s open a hostel. It seems like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all concerning the folks, administration can do a couple of issues to make their hostel the right 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, basic filth, unknowledgeable employees).

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

Right here’s a breakdown of what I’d search for in a hostel that will help you decide the perfect one to your subsequent journey:

1. Is There a Widespread Room?

I really like assembly new folks once I journey. Since I normally journey solo, I must exit of my solution to meet folks if I need to be social. Widespread rooms in hostels make that straightforward. They assist me discover folks to talk with, get suggestions 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 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 also be an enormous plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social outside house is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Situated?

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

That is particularly vital in massive cities the place issues are unfold out and while you’re on a shorter journey and time is of the essence. Sure, they may value more cash, however you’ll get monetary savings on transportation. Plus, the extra centrally-located hostels are normally the extra common ones, making them higher locations to fulfill folks.

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

3. Is It Clear?

Certain, finances 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 highway, 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. Spend money on your self. You deserve a clear room!

Because the photographs hostels put up on their web site and social media might be deceptive, be certain to particularly learn opinions on websites like Hostelworld for hints on cleanliness. If only one individual complains, perhaps it’s not an enormous deal. But when quite a few opinions point out the dearth of cleanliness, take that as a cue.

4. Did You Learn Critiques?

At all times learn opinions 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’ll be able to normally reply all of those questions (and plenty of extra) by studying opinions.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Reserving.com have tons of opinions that will help you discover the hostel that most closely fits your wants and finances.

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

Moreover, ensure you solely keep at lodges with a lot of opinions. A hostel might need a excessive score on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 opinions then I’ll possible keep away from it (it’s straightforward to pretend rankings like that). Nonetheless, if a hostel has a whole lot (or hundreds) of opinions and nonetheless has a score of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s a great signal it’s a stable place to remain.

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

5. Do they Arrange Group Actions?

In the event 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 find out about your vacation spot.

My favourite hostels are all the time social hostels that set up occasions. It simply makes your keep far 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 highway 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 usually are not deal breakers and there are loads of great hostels with out them, however they make for a terrific place to socialize with different hostel friends. Normally if a hostel has a bar, they put a robust emphasis on ensuring the folks staying there are having enjoyable, interacting, and being festive.

In the event 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 truly been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. These days, lockers needs to be normal. It is best to by no means pay for safety. This can be a deal-breaker for me (particularly since I journey with electronics). At all times carry a lock with you as effectively, so you need to use the lockers when they’re offered.

9. Is There a Kitchen?

Attempt to search for hostels with kitchens since you possibly can then put together your personal meals, decrease your meals finances, and share a meal together with your new pals. Nothing binds folks 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 normally go late). Breakfast can also be a good way to load up on snacks for the day, reducing down your meals finances.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, metallic bunks. Every time potential, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present a lot better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you possibly can sleep higher. They normally have curtains too, that are all the time an enormous plus in my ebook.

12. Are There Particular person Lights & Shops?

Earlier than you ebook, discover out if the dorm bunks have their very own outlet and lightweight. Not solely will this guarantee you possibly can cost your gadgets with out having to struggle for house, however it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as an alternative of the room’s most important gentle. (I hate it when folks 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 these items, however a very great hostel that understands what vacationers are on the lookout 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. In the event 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, in the event 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 type of boring in the event you’re not doing it too. As a substitute, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. It is going to be far more pleasurable and also you’ll have a neater time assembly folks.

Ultimately, what actually makes a great hostel are the folks and even the worst hostels might be nice in the event you meet good folks. However eradicating the folks 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 trade for a mattress. I’d relatively keep at a spot that’s trying to ensure I’ve a great time.

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