12 Methods to Keep away from Staying in a Unhealthy Hostel in 2025

I 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 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 unhealthy hostel?

After staying in over a thousand hostels since I first began touring the world, I’ve turn into adept at determining in a short time if the hostel homeowners know what they’re doing or if they only randomly awoke at some point and stated, “Let’s open a hostel. It feels like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all concerning the individuals, 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 a number of the greatest on the planet.

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

1. Is There a Widespread Room?

I like assembly new individuals after I journey. Since I often journey solo, I have to exit of my method to meet individuals if I wish to be social. Widespread rooms in hostels make that simple. They assist me discover individuals to talk with, get suggestions 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/films (good for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and comfortable couches (comfortable couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, ensure you keep someplace that has an honest widespread room (or a number of). It’s one of the best place to simply join with different vacationers.

In hotter locations, a typical space outdoors can also be a giant plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social out of doors area 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 after I get someplace new. For that purpose, I at all times make sure that 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 whenever 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 often the extra fashionable ones, making them higher locations to fulfill individuals.

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

3. Is It Clear?

Positive, price range 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 an intensive 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!

Because the images hostels publish on their web site and social media will be deceptive, make sure that 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?

At all times learn evaluations earlier than you ebook. Is the hostel quiet or noisy? Is it a celebration hostel or extra laid again? Are the mattresses comfortable? Are the bunk beds squeaky? You possibly can often reply all of those questions (and lots of extra) by studying evaluations.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Reserving.com have tons of evaluations that will help you discover the hostel that most accurately fits your wants and price range.

When you’ll wish to take them with a grain of salt (individuals like to complain), they’re positively useful in terms of selecting one of the best hostel. Be sure you go away 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, ensure you solely keep at accommodations with a number of evaluations. A hostel might need a excessive score on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 evaluations then I’ll probably avoid it (it’s simple to pretend rankings like that). Nevertheless, if a hostel has a whole lot (or hundreds) of evaluations and nonetheless has a score of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s a very good signal it’s a stable place to remain.

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

5. Do they Arrange Group Actions?

For those who plan on staying at a social hostel and wish to meet individuals, select a hostel that provides group actions. These could possibly be strolling excursions (my private favourite exercise), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking courses, or BBQs. These occasions are an effective way to fulfill different vacationers and find out about your vacation spot.

My favourite hostels are at all times social hostels that set up occasions. It simply makes your keep rather more enjoyable and vigorous!

6. Is There Late Checkout?

By no means keep at a hostel with a checkout time earlier than 10am. One of the best hostels have 11am checkout instances, and the actually good ones allow you to take a look at at midday. Sleep is efficacious on the street since you’ll not often get sufficient of it. Hostels with late checkout instances 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 a number of fantastic hostels with out them, however they make for an excellent 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.

For those who’re seeking to be social and meet individuals, you’ll wish to keep someplace with a bar.

8. Do They Have Lockers?

It’s shocking, however I’ve truly been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. These days, lockers ought to be commonplace. It’s best to by no means pay for safety. It is a deal-breaker for me (particularly since I journey with electronics). At all times carry a lock with you as nicely, so you need to use 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 price range, and share a meal together with your new pals. Nothing binds individuals nearer collectively than a shared meal (and some glasses of wine).

10. Do They Provide Breakfast?

Search for a spot with an honest breakfast (i.e., greater than bread and cheese) or at the very least one which begins and ends when persons are truly awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am often go late). Breakfast can also be an effective way to load up on snacks for the day, slicing down your meals price range.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, metallic bunks. Every 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 often have curtains too, that are at all times a giant 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 may cost your units with out having to battle for area, but it surely means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as a substitute of the room’s important mild. (I hate it when individuals 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 these items, however a really 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. For those who’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 sort of boring if you happen to’re not doing it too. As a substitute, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. It will likely be rather more pleasing and also you’ll have a neater time assembly individuals.

In the long run, what actually makes a very good hostel are the individuals and even the worst hostels shall be nice if you happen to 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 boost your journey expertise, not merely take cash from you in alternate for a mattress. I’d fairly keep at a spot that’s wanting to ensure I’ve a very good time.

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