12 Ways to Avoid Staying in a Bad 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 satisfy individuals 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 unhealthy hostel?

After staying in over a thousand hostels since I first started traveling 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 simply randomly wakened at some point and stated, “Let’s open a hostel. It seems like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all in regards to the individuals, administration can do a number of issues to make their hostel the proper framework for making your expertise higher. Sure options make a hostel memorable (frequent rooms, group actions, kitchens) whereas others could make them forgettable — or worse (push-button showers, basic filth, unknowledgeable employees).

All of my favorite hostels share frequent 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 can assist you decide the perfect one to your subsequent journey:

1. Is There a Frequent Room?

I like assembly new individuals after I journey. Since I often journey solo, I must exit of my solution to meet individuals if I need to be social. Frequent rooms in hostels make that simple. They assist me discover individuals to speak with, get ideas 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/motion pictures (excellent for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and cozy couches (comfortable couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, be sure to keep someplace that has an honest frequent room (or a number of). It’s the perfect place to simply join with different vacationers.

In hotter locations, a typical space outdoors can be a giant plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social out of doors house is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Positioned?

Location, location, location. Each time I’m on the lookout for a brand new hostel I make it possible for it’s close to the issues I need to see. I don’t need to spend all my time commuting after I get someplace new. For that motive, I all the time ensure 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 necessary in giant 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 standard ones, making them higher locations to satisfy 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 great distance lately, there are nonetheless many which can be poorly maintained and in want of a radical scrubbing. Because it’s simple to get sick on the street, keep away from soiled hostels. Gross bogs and showers (in addition to the elevated threat of mattress bugs) aren’t well worth the threat — even when the hostel is affordable. Spend money on your self. You deserve a clear room!

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

4. Did You Learn Opinions?

All the time learn opinions 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 may often reply all of those questions (and plenty of extra) by studying opinions.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Booking.com have tons of opinions that can assist you discover the hostel that most closely fits your wants and price range.

Whilst you’ll need to take them with a grain of salt (individuals like to complain), they’re positively useful on the subject of selecting the perfect hostel. Be sure to go away opinions too — good opinions assist hostels develop and unhealthy opinions can warn your fellow vacationers so that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, be sure to solely keep at inns with numerous opinions. A hostel might need a excessive ranking on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 opinions then I’ll possible keep away from it (it’s simple to faux scores like that). Nonetheless, if a hostel has a whole bunch (or hundreds) of opinions and nonetheless has a ranking of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s a superb signal it’s a stable place to remain.

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

5. Do they Set up Group Actions?

When you plan on staying at a social hostel and need to meet individuals, select a hostel that gives group actions. These may very well be walking tours (my private favourite exercise), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking lessons, or BBQs. These occasions are a good way to satisfy different vacationers and study your vacation spot.

My favorite hostels are all the time social hostels that arrange occasions. It simply makes your keep rather more enjoyable and energetic!

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 occasions, and the actually good ones allow you to take a look at at midday. Sleep is effective on the street 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 mistaken a few hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

Bars should not deal breakers and there are a number of fantastic hostels with out them, however they make for an incredible place to socialize with different hostel friends. 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.

When you’re seeking to be social and meet individuals, you’ll need to keep someplace with a bar.

8. Do They Have Lockers?

It’s shocking, however I’ve really been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. This present day, lockers needs to be commonplace. It’s best to by no means pay for safety. This can be a deal-breaker for me (particularly since I journey with electronics). All the time deliver 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’ll be able to then put together your individual meals, decrease your meals price range, and share a meal together with your new buddies. Nothing binds individuals nearer collectively than a shared meal (and some glasses of wine).

10. Do They Supply 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 really awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am often go late). Breakfast can be a good way to load up on snacks for the day, reducing down your meals price range.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, metallic bunks. Each time attainable, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present significantly better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you’ll be able to sleep higher. They often have curtains too, that are all the time 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 light-weight. Not solely will this guarantee you’ll be able to cost your gadgets with out having to combat for house, however it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as an alternative of the room’s predominant mild. (I hate it when individuals flip the lights on in the course of the evening. Use your mattress’s lamp or a flashlight!)

I don’t want a hostel to have all this stuff, however a really fantastic hostel that understands what vacationers are on the lookout for has nearly all 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. When you’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. Nonetheless, when 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 when you’re not doing it too. As a substitute, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. Will probably be rather more fulfilling and also you’ll have a better time assembly individuals.

Ultimately, what actually makes a superb hostel are the individuals and even the worst hostels will likely be nice when you meet good individuals. However eradicating the individuals 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 boost your journey expertise, not merely take cash from you in alternate for a mattress. I’d quite keep at a spot that’s wanting to verify I’ve a superb time.

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