12 Ways to Avoid Staying in a Bad Hostel in 2025

I really like hostels. Even after over nineteen years touring the world, I nonetheless keep in hostels as a result of they’re one of the best ways to satisfy folks and the most cost effective 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 develop into adept at determining in a short time if the hostel homeowners know what they’re doing or if they only randomly awoke sooner or later and stated, “Let’s open a hostel. It appears like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all in regards to the folks, administration can do a number 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, common filth, unknowledgeable workers).

All of my favorite hostels share widespread traits that make them a few of the greatest on the earth.

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

1. Is There a Widespread Room?

I really like assembly new folks after I journey. Since I often journey solo, I have to exit of my method to meet folks if I need to be social. Widespread rooms in hostels make that simple. They assist me discover folks 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/films (excellent for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and comfortable couches (comfortable couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, be sure to keep someplace that has an honest widespread room (or a number of). It’s the most effective 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 outside house is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Situated?

Location, location, location. Each time I’m searching for a brand new hostel I ensure that 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 make sure that my hostels are in a central location and that they’re near public transportation. That means, I can get round simply and don’t want to fret about having to waste cash on taxis.

That is particularly essential in giant cities the place issues are unfold out and while you’re on a shorter journey and time is of the essence. Sure, they may value more cash, however you’ll lower your expenses on transportation. Plus, the extra centrally-located hostels are often the extra widespread ones, making them higher locations to satisfy folks.

Don’t waste your trip in transit; e-book 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 are poorly maintained and in want of a radical scrubbing. Because it’s simple to get sick on the highway, keep away from soiled hostels. Gross bogs and showers (in addition to the elevated threat of mattress bugs) aren’t definitely worth the threat — even when the hostel is affordable. Spend money on your self. You deserve a clear room!

For the reason that images hostels publish on their web site and social media could 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 shortage of cleanliness, take that as a cue.

4. Did You Learn Evaluations?

At all times learn evaluations earlier than you e-book. 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 evaluations.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Booking.com have tons of evaluations that will help 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 (folks like to complain), they’re undoubtedly useful on the subject of choosing the most effective hostel. Be sure you go away evaluations too — good evaluations assist hostels develop and unhealthy evaluations can warn your fellow vacationers so that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, be sure to solely keep at accommodations with a lot of evaluations. A hostel may need a excessive ranking on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 evaluations then I’ll probably keep away from it (it’s simple to faux rankings like that). Nonetheless, if a hostel has a whole bunch (or 1000’s) of evaluations 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 e-book hostels with a ranking of 8 or larger on Hostelworld.

5. Do they Arrange Group Actions?

For those who plan on staying at a social hostel and need to meet folks, select a hostel that provides 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 way 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 try at midday. Sleep is efficacious on the highway 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 couple of hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

Bars are usually not deal breakers and there are lots of great hostels with out them, however they make for a terrific place to socialize with different hostel friends. Often if a hostel has a bar, they put a powerful emphasis on ensuring the folks staying there are having enjoyable, interacting, and being festive.

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

8. Do They Have Lockers?

It’s stunning, however I’ve really been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. Nowadays, lockers needs to be normal. 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 convey a lock with you as properly, so you should 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 buddies. Nothing binds folks 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 not less than one which begins and ends when individuals 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, slicing down your meals price range.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, metallic bunks. Each time potential, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present a lot better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you may sleep higher. They often have curtains too, that are all the time a giant plus in my e-book.

12. Are There Particular person Lights & Retailers?

Earlier than you e-book, discover out if the dorm bunks have their very own outlet and light-weight. Not solely will this guarantee you may cost your units with out having to combat for house, however it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as a substitute of the room’s fundamental gentle. (I hate it when folks flip the lights on in the midst of the evening. Use your mattress’s lamp or a flashlight!)

I don’t want a hostel to have all this stuff, however a very great hostel that understands what vacationers are searching for has the vast majority of the issues listed above.

Moreover, as an increasing number of folks 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. 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. It will likely be way more fulfilling and also you’ll have a neater time assembly folks.

Ultimately, what actually makes a superb hostel are the folks and even the worst hostels shall be nice when you meet good folks. However eradicating the folks from the equation, I search for hostels which have a few 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 change for a mattress. I’d relatively keep at a spot that’s wanting to ensure I’ve a superb time.

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