If you’ve seen the movie Hostel, and written off the idea of staying in one out of fear of losing an organ, I’m here to dismiss any misconceptions you may have (understandably) developed. Side note: I’ve seen Hostel more than a handful of times and it has not deterred me – I love horror movies. But seriously, I’ve shacked up in close to 30 different hostels around the world and am a big proponent of this travel accommodation style. If you have never stayed in one, I can assure you that there are many more perks than there are negatives… like:
Affordability– If you are mindful of your spending – or if the frequency of your travel requires you to keep a strict budget (as has been the case for me) – you must pinch your pennies where you can. Staying in a hostel can cut your cost down to a fraction of the price for a hotel. Note that the larger your dormitory hostel room, the lower your price. On the flip side, private rooms in hostels can run you close to the amount of a hotel.
Location– Hostels are generally located in centralized, safe, and walkable locations. They often have security on-site, as well. I also try to book the ones with killer views!
Socialization– Hostels are the number one way I’ve discovered to make new friends while traveling, especially if I’m trekking by myself. I’m not one to go to a bar alone, so if I can connect with a few people at my hostel, I automatically have a group to venture out with – which not only feels more comfortable but is safer in general. In addition, the better hostels may offer free city walking tours, cooking classes, discounted happy hours, or guided pub crawls – just to name a few!
As for the negatives you may encounter? You may occasionally have to deal with raucous, drunk travelers. Some people get extra boozy while on vacation. I always research my hostels ahead of time and read reviews to make sure I’m not entering a no-sleep zone. You also run the risk of living alongside smelly people. I once shared a room with a few Aussie dudes who had been living out of their backpacks for months and clearly had not done their laundry for a hot minute. Another tidbit to address is that hostels are often frequented by travelers in their early 20s. However, I’ve learned this really varies by location (e.g. while travelers in Europe and Australia are much younger on average, South America and New Zealand were closer to my current age of 30). With that said, age doesn’t really matter. I’ve befriended some super mature younger travelers – and older – so it’s really all about personal connection.
I’ve never felt threatened or scared in a hostel situation. For those who can’t handle the idea of going off the grid, most hostels provide wi-fi so you can still touch base with friends and family back home when needed… and of course, update your Instagram feed with bad ass travel photos. All things considered, I’ve met some great people and made fantastic memories while sharing space with other like-minded travelers.
My favorite resource for hostel booking is hostelworld.com. Here you can sort your searches by price, rating, and distance. After almost every hostel stay, I complete the optional survey emailed by hostelworld, to help provide feedback for future travelers. Based on my responses, I thought it would be fun to share some of my highest ranked hostels.
My top 10 favorites:
10. Kayun Hostel, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia- This past January, I stayed in a large, deserted dorm room. Deserted in that I think I was the ONLY person in there. It was quiet and amazing as I entered my fourth week in a row on the go. Also, the beds had privacy curtains, the a/c was on and working- a necessity in southeast Asia in the summer, and the hostel had a swimming pool and complimentary breakfast. Price: $12.82/night. Rating: 9.1
9. Bumbles Backpackers, Queenstown, New Zealand- view, view, view. I slept like a baby here for four nights this past January and it was nice waking up to Lake Wakatipu, directly outside my window. My 6 person dorm was incredibly diverse, i.e. an Australian mother and son pair, a 50-something English man, a Spanish guy my age traveling between work gigs, etc. The general location was good as well – an easy 5 minute walk to the main park of Queenstown. Price: $29.04/night. Rating: 9.7
8. Home at the Mansion, Melbourne, Australia- I was amazed to discover that I was the only “floater” backpacker in my 6 person dorm room, meaning that everyone else basically lived there, and my bed was the weekly rotating traveler spot (don’t worry, cleaning crews wash and switch out sheets between guests). Australia is heavily sprinkled with gap year travelers, who stay in hostels for extended periods of time while they find work and/or other accommodations. Because of this, the hostel truly felt like a home. Long term guests were already close friends but were still very inclusive and welcoming to me as the newbie. While I was there, the hostel had their weekly free wine and cheese night (score)! The hostel was also extremely walkable into the city of Melbourne or a short walk to a Yarra tram stop. Price: $27.28/night. Rating: 9.7
7. Secret Garden, Quito, Ecuador- I’m not going to lie, while Quito is absolutely breathtaking, something about walking around alone, even during the day, made me slightly uneasy. I only had a weekend in the Ecuadorian capital so I acknowledge that I did not have enough time to truly feel it out and learn the streets, but what I can say is that the Secret Garden hostel was wonderful! I was so content here that I elected to spend my first night at the rooftop bar, chatting and drinking local beers with new international friends. As my second night kicked off, the city lights were so stunning to see, that I had to force myself to venture out and explore the nightlife of La Mariscal (which was a blast, by the way). Price/night: $11. Rating: 9.7
6. The Hideout, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam- I loved this District 1 hostel so much on my first visit, I stayed in its eight-person sleeper again one year later. I don’t know what it is about this place because there’s not THAT much to speak of – but it’s just comfortable and inviting in all the right ways. The hostel does pub crawls most nights which kick off with free beers, trivia, and instant new friends. The views are great (see below), fellow travelers are super nice, and free breakfast is always a plus. Price: $8/night. Rating: 9.7
5. KEX, Reykjavik, Iceland- Some places just leave ever-lasting memories and happy feelings in your heart, and KEX is one of them. The hostel is funky, with a mishmash of antique furniture and books, large windows in the dorms (with glimpses of the snowy skies outside if you’re lucky), and an incredible restaurant and bar in-house, attracting the likes of both tourists and locals. I happened to be there over Christmas and while a winter storm kept everyone inside, it set us up for one heck of a X-mas party. Price: $24/night. Rating: unsure because I forgot to write a review. But I can guarantee it would’ve been close to a perfect 10!
4. Good Morning Hostel, Libson, Portugal- This is the hostel that inspired me to dive deeper into backpacker culture. It’s conveniently located in the historic city center and the hostel offers free pancake breakfasts and sangria happy hours. My 27th birthday coincided with my stay and it was one for the books. For just 10 Euros, we partook in a six course tapas dinner with 50+ hostel-goers, during which they brought me cake and made me chug a beer. This was followed by a crazy pub crawl through Bairro Alto. The only negative was not having a/c in the middle of summer, but we were having so much fun that it was the least of our concerns. Price/night: ~$28. Rating: I neglected to review this as well but definitely upwards in the 9’s!
3. Loki, Cusco, Peru- This hostel was recommended to me by a friend, and it did not disappoint. Cusco is an absolutely gorgeous city and lucky for me, my room overlooked the main plaza and surrounding mountains. There’s a full restaurant and bar in the hostel, with staff from all over the world, and theme parties every night. Best of all, I was able to sign up for my three day Machu Picchu trekking tour directly through Loki’s travel desk and it was such a great deal and experience! Loki also offers free city walking tours (which really helped me get acclimated to what may have been an intimidating city to wander otherwise). Price/night: $23. Rating: 10.0
2. Casa Gracia, Barcelona, Spain- So my travel buddy Steph was nervous about staying in a dorm room and sneakily booked us a private (and much more expensive room) behind my back. It was TOTALLY worth it in this case. Our room on one of Barca’s main drags had views of the Mediterranean sea and was less than a mile from the iconic Sagrada Familia. The hostel gives out free champagne during happy hour, and on our first night we went on their guided pub crawl, which was so much fun! I always recommend this hostel to friends visiting Spain because I had such a fab experience. Sometimes private rooms are the way to go! Price/night: since Stephany booked it, I’m not sure but I think close to $100. Rating: No official rating by me but it deserves a 10.
1. Cranky Croc, Bogota, Colombia- I’m so excited that the Cranky Croc came out at the top of my list! Bogota is a challenging city to fall in love with. If you’ve paid attention in history class seen the Netflix hit Narcos, you are aware of Colombia’s arduous past. The good news is that Colombia has come an incredibly long way and is a fascinating and generally safe place for tourists. There are many hostels welcoming backpackers and capitalizing on the recent years’ influx of visitors, and the Cranky Croc truly sealed the deal as far as experience. The common room has a great kitchen and fire pit to keep you warm during the chilly nights, and there are tons of tours to choose from. I joined an excellent free walking tour and also went to the Zipaquira salt cathedral through the hostel. Two thumbs up for Cranky Croc! Price/night: $20. Rating: 10.0
Takeaways? Hostels are great! If you do your homework properly, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into before arriving. While some people like to book upon arrival, I tend to plan my accommodations in advance because I’d rather not spend already limited time hostel-hunting, but to each their own! Now that I’m thirty I think I’ll be more inclined to book private rooms which will give me the personal space I need but will still connect me with other social travelers. I also like to occasionally mix in an Airbnb or hotel every couple days just to take a quiet breather, and I definitely recommend doing that if it makes you feel better, physically and/or mentally.
Don’t be afraid to experience hostel culture while you’re still young (or young-spirited)! Shout out to all the awesome people I’ve met these past few years! Are there any hostels you just loved and would recommend for future trips? Share away!
