ThePassportPrincess

1. an establishment which provides inexpensive food and lodging for a specific group of people, such as students, workers, or travellers.

   synonyms:

   cheap hotel, youth hostel, YMCA, YWCA, bed and breakfast, B&B,boarding house, guest house, pension; More

   • short for youth hostel.

   Hostel Myths:

   “Hostels are so unsafe with all the weirdos you share a room with”
   No matter where you are in the world, you’re always going to come across someone who may seem a bit strange to you. I always felt while I was travelling that everyone in my rooms were there for the same reason – to explore the city, make friends and have somewhere to sleep. I never came across anyone in my room that made me feel uncomfortable, and if that was the case I would have asked to move to a different room. Hostels are usually really accommodating and if you’re staying at a good one they’ll just want you to feel safe and happy! 🙂
   All the hostels I stayed at I either had my own locker to put my valuables in, a chest-type-thing underneath my bed with a lock on it or some place to put stuff where I could provide my own padlock.
   I’m guilty of being a bit slack with my stuff. I’d leave my phone chargers etc… in my power point all day with my I Pod plugged in. I’d leave my bag open at the end of my bed with my clothes all shoved in it. The only thing I’d lock away usually was my passport, my tablet and my hair straightener in my locker along with all my make-up (What can I say, I’d be distraught if my M.A.C got stolen!)

   

   “Hostel beds aren’t clean – they have bed bugs!”
   The hostels I stayed at, I had to make my own bed. Meaning when you rocked up they’d have a fresh set of sheets folded on top of your bed for you. It was up to you to make your own bed, which was fine as you knew the sheets had been replaced before you arrived.
   I never came across bed bugs or any of that stuff. However, i’m sure if that happened (Which I’m sure it does) I’d say something to the reception. I remember in San Fran a girl had complained there were ants in her bed but she was sleeping right next to the window which was a bit unfortunate. At the end of your stay, you’re usually expected to strip your bed yourself and take your sheets down to the laundry bin/shaft where the hostel workers clean them.

   

   “I’m a female – I don’t want to stay with males!”
   So am I!
   I was a bit funny about sleeping in the same room as guys so I made sure I always booked ‘female-only’ dorms. I haven’t yet come across a hostel that doesn’t give you that option.
   But now that I’ve done the whole hostel-thing, I’d happily book a mixed-dorm room and save myself some money (As Female Only Dorms are usually a bit more expensive)
   You also can choose how many people you want to share a room with. Most Hostels have 4, 6, 8 or 10 bedded rooms to choose from. I always chose 4 or 6 as I didn’t want lots of loud snorers, but I also found I had less of a selection of people to meet in my room by choosing the less full ones.
   Some hostels also give the option of choosing your own room – but you obviously have to pay quite a bit more for this.

   

   

   

   “Hostels are only for solo travelers”
   You’d be surprised how many couples or groups of friends stay in Hostels. I met a couple of girls in LA who were friends and got the same dorm room together and I also met a couple who booked their own room instead of sharing with other people so they could share a bed and have some more privacy. It was kind of like having their own hotel room but with the advantages of meeting lots of other people and joining in on all the day trips the Hostel’s plan.
   

   “Hostels are only for young-people”
   I kind of wish that was true as I’m young and I like being around people of the same age bracket, but you end up meeting people of all different ages. I’m not going to lie, the smaller type hostels usually had people of 18 – 30 year old’s staying in them but I remember in the New York Hostel I stayed at there were ‘older’ people who were on ‘career’ breaks or were just in town for business so stayed in hostels. I remember even seeing a young boy and his dad at one of the hostels. Not that this happens very often but it can!
   The majority of my time was spent with people from ages 20 – 30 years, and Party Hostels especially will have an age limit (18 or 21+ as they allow drinking wherever)
   

   “Hostels are always a party-place”
   Slightly true….but not all of them.
   The Hostel I stayed at in New York they had Bar Crawls every few nights which were great as I met heaps of people that way. The Hostel I stayed at in London had a bar downstairs and dance area etc… which defiantly got used but when you’re upstairs in bed you couldn’t hear a thing. Just review the hostel you want to stay at before you book and you’ll get an idea if it’s a party one or not. If Young-Group tours leave or stay in those type of hostels it will usually end up being a party hostel. I found the places I stayed at that didn’t do bar crawls and stuff ended up being the less-memorable ones anyways.
   

If you do decide to book that room sleeping in bunks with other people, than here are some important rules I really suggest you follow.