Solo Travel – Page 3 – ThePassportPrincess

HI New York City – Hostel Review

February 10, 2016February 18, 2016Sarah2 Comments

Stayed: September 2015, 7 Nights
Room: 4 Bedded Female Dorm
Overall Rating: 9/10 *Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor*

I’ll start off by saying that i absolutely LOVE New York.
It had always been at the very top of my list for places to see before I die and I’d move there in a heartbeat if the USA wasn’t so strict on who can live in America!
I loved seeing The Empire State Building and feeling like I was in a movie, I loved walking through Central Park and thinking of F.R.I.E.N.D.S when Phoebe went jogging (Even though it wasn’t actually filmed there) and I love how it’s just full of people doing everything from singing and dancing on the subway to doing yoga in the park without a care in the world.
I’ve only been to New York in the Summer time but I would absolutely love to go in the Winter and see Central Park covered in snow. Eeeek! It makes my insides all warm just thinking of it.
I was there for a week and there is still so much I want to see and do. I seriously think in my head about making it a yearly or second-yearly place to travel to…

Anyways, on to the accommodation side of things.
If you’ve ever looked for Hotels in New York City, the cheapest you’d find around August would be $75 – $150 a night for a room at a hotel near the airport. (which is a bit of a drive away from everything) I wanted to be as close to the center of things as possible.
I also wanted to stay somewhere safe and close to a Subway so I wasn’t walking the streets in the dark. (Even though that did end up happening but that’s another story)

img32375-HI-New-York-City---Manhattan-Hostel-exterior-view

Hi New York City Hostel is on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and is surrounded by Central Park and Riverside Park. It’s also just a few minutes walk down the road to the subway where you can easily get to Times Square and Rockefeller Center, the High Line, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Empire State Building and the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.
I think I ended up going to Times Square every second day because it was so easy to get to on the Subway.

To get here, you can order a shuttle or take a taxi from JFK but I think they end up costing about $70 (Plus you have to pay for bridge tolls and a tip on top) and that’s no fun if you’re travelling by yourself.
You can take the train which I’ve heard is excellent and very fast.
Amtrak – Penn Station and then take the Subway to the hostel.
When I’d finished my Contiki tour at a hotel, I took the Subway and stopped off at the station nearest to my hostel.

When I arrived, the Hostel outside actually looked exactly like the pictures. It’s so big!
Can you believe they have 667 beds!
There’s lots of different rooms that you can choose to stay in from 12 Bedded Female Dorm rooms to Male 6 Bedded Dorm rooms. The prices range from USD$58 – $68 per night in the Summer Time (Probably cheaper in the Winter) and you may think that’s expensive for a Hostel, but believe me, try looking at the hotels in the Upper West Side. HELLLOO $300 a night for somewhere decent!
I think for my stay I ended up paying about $600-$700 for the week for a female dorm with 4 beds.
It really doesn’t feel cramped at the hostel either. When I arrived, I had to wait in line for awhile to check-in as everyone seemed to be doing it at the same time but there was never any problem with over-crowding or everyone getting in your way as you’d think would be the problem with nearly 700 people staying there.

[[Now a thing to remember is that this hostel is part of an organization called Hostelling International which is the federation of more than 70 National Youth Hostel Associations in more than 80 countries around the world. If you don’t have a membership you have to pay USD $3 per person per night otherwise you can become a member online here.
Being a member gives you at least a 10% saving on the cost of your accommodation and in some countries Membership is compulsory. Apart from giving you discounts on Accommodation, your membership also gives you access to thousands of travel-related savings at home and abroad. ]]

When I took the lift to my room, it was fine. It wasn’t anything overly amazing like most Hostels aren’t.
I had a bed with my own locker and provided my own key. All the doors are swipe-card activated and you also need your card to get into the main building so no randoms can come in.
The only thing which was annoying was putting my swipe card next to my phone every day and it’d get de-activated so I’d continuously be at the Reception getting it re-activated. (Something to do with you phone and the magnetic stuff in the card…)
What I loved about this hostel is the atmosphere. They really want people to get to know one another so they host twice-weekly Welcome Parties in the patio area (with either a $6 BBQ or Live Band) and then you can go and experience the nightlife with one of the hostel leaders and 50 of your new friends. They also do free beer some nights (However as I don’t drink beer I went across the road to the liquor store and bought some other alcohol – Which I think isn’t quite allowed but you maaaay be able to get away with)
If drinking isn’t really your thing, they have things like Salsa Tuesdays, Ice-Skating in Central Park (Seasonal), Magic and Comedy shows in the theater and day-tours which you can sign up for.

If you’re ever hungry too, they have a full cafe downstairs with so many yummy cupcakes and sandwich type goodies in the cabinet! As Breakfast was included in my room price I had a bagel basically every morning with SOOO much cream cheese. Yum!!

Pro’s

Free Wi-Fi everywhere
TV Room
Massive Kitchen downstairs (Not sure how great it is as I never used it)
Open 24 Hours
Has it’s own Cafe with so many yummy things!
Lockers Available
Accepts Groups Of People
Pool Table
Chill-out area where you can charge your phone
Out-door drinking/patio area
Central Park – 3 Blocks away
Self-service laundry facilities
Free linens, towels, and housekeeping service
Hair Driers in Bathroom
Vending Machines
Cycle Storage
Smoking Area (If you smoke obviously than it’s not an advantage)
Friendly Staff
Pub Crawls and Day Walking-Tours

Cons

Waiting for the showers in the morning
1 Slow Elevator so always having to take the stairs (Me just being lazy)
I sleep through everything, but it may get loud on some nights for some people
My card always being deactivated 😦

Overall my stay was fantastic!
I got so drunk on the first night that I can’t even remember my first and only yellow-taxi cab ride back to my hostel.
I went to the Top of the Rock and saw the Empire State Building.

I ate yummy nachos at T.G.I.F’s in Times Square.
I bought my first pair of Levi Jeans.
I went to what I think is the biggest Victoria Secrets Store and bought lots of yoga pants.
I went for a run through Central Park, people-watched and saw Squirrels!

I also made some great memories and met some really fun girls to go to the beach with and out to a roof top bar at night!

And finally I ate sooo much Ben & Jerry’s with this lovely human which made my last few days in America so much fun!

USA Hostels – Hollywood

January 29, 2016February 9, 2016Sarah1 Comment

Stayed: August 2015 for 4 Nights
Room: 6 Bed Female Dorm with Ensuite Bathroom
Overall Rating: 9/10

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Everyone has to experience Hollywood at least once in their lifetime right!?
I knew I wanted to check out Hollywood Boulevard and do the Hollywood Sign when I was in the city of Los Angeles so I chose this Hostel as it was really central and had great reviews!

I read online that this hostel in Hollywood had won the ‘Most Popular Hostel Award’ from LA- Hostelworld.com for 2015 and also the 2014 ‘Certificate of Excellence’ on Trip Advisor so it really is quite a popular hostel for people staying in LA. USA Hostel’s also have hostel’s in San Diego (Downtown & Ocean Beach) as well as San Francisco but I haven’t stayed in them before.

My experience:
When I arrived in California I took a Shuttle from LAX airport to get to the hostel which took about 50 minutes. (Less without traffic but when does that ever happen in LA) Check in didn’t start until 2pm which is usually the norm but I think I arrived in the afternoon so I checked in right away. All rooms have a swipe card so it’s pretty safe, plus you have to show your swipe card before you’re even let past reception into the building so no random people can walk in.

I stayed in a room with 5 other girls and we had our own bathroom which was great. It had a toilet, sink & mirror and shower/bath combo. The only annoy thing was having to wait in the morning if a girl was taking too long (I admit on hair washing day I was that girl) Otherwise there is 2 other common bathrooms in the hostel you can go and use.

sfpImage00001 — Picture off their website, but this is exactly what the bathrooms were like

There are also rooms you can book out for yourself if you have the extra cash. They’re a bit small but you get your own space and they have either one twin bunk bed or one double bed along with cable TV, a mini fridge, air conditioning and a private bathroom.

sfpImage00006 — Private Room in Hollywood

I enjoyed staying in my room, the Hostel provided me with a fresh duvet & sheets when I arrived so I knew my bed was all clean. I was on a lower bunk next to the window and had my own little shelf, reading light and power outlet to charge my phone. The lockers they have also have power outlets in them so you can go out for the day and leave your electronics charging if you need to which was handy. You just have to provide your own lock.

All the room rates included breakfast (With make-your-own-pancakes), free WI-FI, laundry soap and free storage of your things on the day that you check out.

What I really enjoyed about this hostel was all the activities that they had available. In the reception area they had boards where you could write down your name on anything you wanted to do for that week. They also had Comedy nights upstairs in the ‘lounge’ area, Family dinners, BBQ nights and Pub crawls.
I’m kicking myself now that I didn’t join in on more stuff!
They do things on certain nights so maybe that’s why I missed out on some stuff. If you wanted to see Magic Mountain they have a free shuttle that goes there at 9.30am on certain days and provide you with discounted tickets from reception.
They also do a Runyon Canon Hike in the morning which is free and something I wish I did! I think it must have been too hot for me so I never did end up seeing the Hollywood Sign 😦
Check out this link on their website and you’ll find a monthly list of all the stuff they have planned so you can always book your trip based around those days.
I did sign up for one of the free Beach Shuttles to Venice Beach but unfortunately I was one of the last people to sign up so I missed out as the van was full. A few others and myself ended up getting an Uber instead and splitting the fare 4 ways.

There’s actually quite alot to see in LA, you can read what I did here for my 5 days in the Sun 🙂
As this Hostel was right off Hollywood Boulevard I walked down the Hollywood walk of fame pretty much every day. It’s super close to the Chinese Theatre, Madame Tussaud’s and food places so I ate a lot of Pizza! Haha.

Pros:

En-suite Bathroom in the Dorm Rooms
Option of Private Room
So many activities to choose from
Breakfast included in the price
Free Wi-Fi
‘Chill out area’ upstairs with couches and DVD’s
Family Dinner Nights (Good if you’re saving money)
Well equipped Kitchen
Towels & Bedding Provided
Right around the corner from Hollywood Boulevard
Has a beer pong table outside to set up
Great privacy fence from the street

Cons:

I actually can’t think of any major faults with this hostel. Maybe it was a bit noisy when I was trying to sleep as my room was right next door to a car park where homeless people would yell and get drunk some nights but I never felt un-safe or uncomfortable. The only annoying thing about my LA stay was the annoying people on Hollywood Boulevard haha. But I hardly think that’s the hostels fault.
If you’re ever in Hollywood, I’d really recommend this hostel!!

Hostels – Myths & Tips

January 7, 2016November 30, 2016Sarah6 Comments

Before travelling, I’d never stayed in a hostel before!
I imagined them to all be dirty and not well looked after. I thought I had to bring my own sleeping bag or something and all my stuff would get stolen.
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But I was so wrong! Hostels ended up being the best experiences, I don’t think I would have met the people I did if I just stayed in hotels the whole time.
Before I booked accommodation, I looked up reviews on every hostel I was thinking of staying at and went for ones with the best price and the best reviews. Obviously when you’re going to book a hostel, don’t expect room service every day. Just somewhere safe and clean to sleep and hang out in at the end of the night. That way – hopefully you won’t be disappointed.
I use TripAdvisor for most of my reviews

hostel

ˈhɒst(ə)l/

noun

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!)

The lockers at Wombats Hostel in London

“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.

Five Elements Hostel – Germany

“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.

Now hopefully I’ve convinced you to try and stay in a hostel at least once in your life time!

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.

Hostel Etiquette

Be Quiet.

Obviously not 24/7 but when your flight arrives late and you don’t get to your room until 12.30am in the morning, please please don’t turn on the light and start un packing your bags! This is when one of those little torches really come in handy.
The same goes for your drunken nights after the bar crawl. People do actually sleep in the dorms, so don’t sit on your bed with your 2 new friends and have drunken deep and meaningfuls at 3am.
Turn your cell-phone off at night

Or put it on silent! I slept under this one girl who would text away on her phone for hours and all I’d hear is ‘blub blub blub’ from her Bubble keypad she had on. Grrrr.
Don’t steal stuff

It’s common sense, but I feel like I have to write it here. If someone has their bag open, don’t steal their make-up. If you’re waiting for the washing machine and someone’s clothes are in there, don’t take their jeans or their top or whatever else you fancy. Karma will get you.
Use the driers

On the topic of clothes, don’t use your dorm as a Chinese Laundry mat and spread your clothes over all the chairs. Spare the few coins and put your clothes in the drier.
Pack the night before

If you know you’re leaving the next day or you have to leave really early at like 5am, pack all your stuff in your bag the night before. Leave a little torch out and a new set of clothes to change into in the morning. I can usually sleep through someone getting all their stuff together to leave the next day but when you’re banging locker doors open and closed then it gets super annoying.
Stay Clean

Showers are there for a reason. I never came across any smelly Sally’s but I’m sure it does happen. We had this one person on one of the tours who I could smell a mile away. I felt really sorry for whoever they shared a room with because it was so un-pleasant. Same goes for clothes, if your clothes stink than so will you even if you just had a shower.
Don’t have sex in your dorm

You’re probably still going to when you think there’s just no where else to go, but have a little bit of consideration for your room mates. They may act like they’re sleeping but really they just don’t want to make eye contact with you as you’re going cowboy with the guy from room 39.
Be social, make friends!!
I feel this is one of the most important rules. You’re staying in a hostel to meet people (and save money) don’t sit in a corner and message your friends back home for 4 hours. Just be in the moment!
When you’re eating at a table, sit down next to someone and start up a conversation. When you arrive in your room, introduce yourself to the people already in your room, ask them where they’re from, what they’ve seen so far etc… It makes you feel a bit safer getting to know the people you’ll sleeping with and half of the time they’ll usually ask you if you want to join them on some type of expedition or to grab something to eat.
In LA I remember just walking into my room, talking to this girl and then immediately going out to eat at a diner with her. Later on we got more people and we all went out for Gelato!

Very rarely does someone want to be left alone and excluded so if you see someone looking around for someone to talk to then give them a smile and a wave over 🙂