TIPS WHEN SEARCHING FOR A HOSTEL

WHAT IS IT?

Hostels are cheap accommodations, usually geared towards travelers or backpackers. Think of it as renting a bed in a dorm (actually, that’s exactly what it is). If you don’t mind sharing living quarters with strangers, they’re a great alternative to hotels. Guests rent out a bed/bunk in a room, the price and amount of people per room varies depending on the hostel.

I’ve stayed in my fair share of hostels. Some, I’ve had a great time, while others I wanted to check out as soon as I could. Here are some tips I’ve learned to keep in mind when booking a hostel.

LOCATION

The most important aspect when I am choosing a hostel is its location, specifically its proximity to public transportation. I heavily rely on public transportation when I am traveling. Since I don’t want to walk a long distance to the closest station, or spend the majority of my budget on taxis just to get to where I want, staying close to a transport hub is a must.

There are many online sites to book hostels, I use hostelworld.com (not sponsored, I just like using the site), even though a description of the property is provided, it is important to do your own research. The people working at the hostels are the ones writing the descriptions, they can post whatever they want. I’ve had several properties state that it is a five-minute walk away from the closest subway, it might be a five-minute walk for them, but when I plug in their address in google maps, it says it’s closer to a fifteen-minute walk.

AMENITIES

After finding a hostel with an acceptable location, I review their amenities/facilities. By amenities, I mean Wi-Fi, air conditioning (AC), laundry machines, hair dryers, etc. I’m generally a low maintenance person, but I do enjoy some modern comforts. Do your research on the season you’re traveling and what you absolutely need. I travel very light (just a carry on and backpack), so when traveling for extended periods, I make sure to book a place with laundry facilities at least once, so that I get chance to clean my dirty clothes.

One time when I was traveling to Japan in late July and August (which are the hottest months); my friend chose the cheapest hostel that came up. When looking through their amenities, they didn’t have AC. No AC during one of the hottest and humid months of the year…? no thanks. Other hostels close by had air conditioning along with other facilities for two dollars more. Sometimes spending the extra dollar is worth it.

REVIEWS

Once I have found a hostel in the right location with all the amenities I need, it’s time to look at the ratings and reviews. Generally, I gravitate towards listings with higher and more ratings, but an average rating isn’t a deal breaker for me. You have to be skeptical of some reviews, since most people wouldn’t bother writing a review unless they’ve had a bad experience. I make sure to look through reviews on different sites such as travel advisor and yelp to ascertain the atmosphere (quiet or party), general attitude of the staff (friendly/helpful/professional or rude/bored), room and bathroom cleanliness, and neighborhood safety.

Video tours/reviews that people post on YouTube are particularly useful. Pictures are a great reference as well, but make sure to look through all the photos and not just the first few. The first couple of photos are usually posted by management, those photos look almost nothing like the actual rooms (you would be surprised how much more spacious a wide-angle lens can transform a cramped room). This is why I like looking through traveladvisor.com, there’s an option to look at photos submitted by travelers.

PRICE

After I find a suitable location, with the amenities and services I want, and see that it is a legitimate place then I look at the prices. At times, the hostels cost as much as a hotel. If that’s the case, I would rather just book the hotel for the privacy and comfort.

TLDR- My criteria looking for which hostels to choose: location, amenities, reviews, and price.