Beginners Guide to Hostels
This Beginners Guide to Hostels is not meant to be an exhaustive collection of facts, but rather a gathering of ideas and information to help you to branch out in the locations you stay, and the experiences you have while traveling.
Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure policy here.
What
Hostels are a great place to stay the night, often at better prices than a hotel. They are meant as a place for travelers to meet other travelers, build a community and connect in a supportive, communal environment.
Where
When searching for a hostel to stay in you can do a general search for the town you’ll be in and hostels in that town, or area.
Or you can use websites like HostelWorld where lots of different hostels are featured and linked for easy searching and booking.
General info
Often hostels have a kitchen space available for general use. The equipment varies, but typically you can find a way to prepare something to eat.
Bathrooms are shared.
Private doesn’t always mean private. The definition may be a bit fuzzy.
Typically hostel beds come with bottom and top sheets and pillows with pillow cases. Some also have blankets. This varies from hostel to hostel and location. You can find out from the specific hostel you book, or bring your own.
Some hostels offer other resources for you to use. The hostel we stayed at in Belize had canoes we could borrow.
Youth hostels and backpacker hostels
While in Belize I discovered that there is a difference between these two generalizations of hostel types. We stayed at two different backpacker hostels and learned a life lesson: backpacking hostels attract those who want to have fun and have it loudly, late.
If you are into late nights and the “party scene” backpacker hostels are the place to stay.
I am a bit of a curmudgeon and like to go to bed early, sleep well, and get the adventures started early. So backpacker hostels were a stretch in the comfort department for me.
When researching hostels consider what type of experience you are looking for. If you want to meet new people, have fun, stay up late, and live slow then look for terms like “loud,” “party,” “good time,” or “lively” when doing your hostel research.
Terms like “chill,” “peaceful,” “quiet,” and “relaxing” are geared more towards travelers wanting a place to stay in order to go out and do their traveling and exploring.
Katie, creator of The Hostel Girl has great information about staying at hostels. And she specifically covers the differences between youth hostels and backpacker hostels.
Things to pack
Padlock
Some places have lockers you can use to store your belongings safely. Bring your own padlock to use these lockers.
Earplugs
The sound-canceling device is even better. In dorm-style rooms, you could be sleeping in a bunk next to four to thirty other travelers.
Travel towel
Some hostels have towels to use or to rent. If in doubt, pack a compact travel towel like this one:
Sleep mask
Travelers arrive late; the lights get flipped on, so much for sleep. Bring a mask to avoid some of the sleep struggles of sleeping in a community space.
Sandals
The bathrooms are usually shared throughout the hostel. Using sandals in the shower is both sanitary and socially encouraged.
Power bank
Power outlets are often limited in hostels. Filling a power bank with which to charge devices limits frustration with finding time to charge up multiple devices along with all the other travelers trying to use the outlet.
Here’s the one we use:
Flashlight or headlamp
So that you’re not the one flipping the light on after everyone else is sleeping.
Sleeping bag
This is optional, depending on where you are staying and whether the hostel has sheets and blankets. While traveling in Belize, I found it nice to have my own sleeping bag to use as the night got colder.
Resources
What others are saying about hostels
The Hostel Girl– So much information about hostels, staying at hostels, hostel reviews, and travel tips.
Etiquette
When staying at a hostel you are surrounded by people. There is a bit of etiquette to live by when staying in a hostel in order to help make everyone’s experience pleasant. Hostel World has a helpful guide on how to stay at a hostel for the first time.
Couples
Staying at hostels as a couple, as opposed to solo traveling, adds a unique twist to the experience. Sarah Bence shares her experience of staying in a hostel as a couple, she enjoyed the experience. Nick and Dariece of Goats on the Road write about their experience staying in a dorm room sleeping situation as a couple. For a cute and fun list of reasons to stay in a hostel as a married couple, visit Shraddha Gupta’s website Street Trotters.
Ways to search for hostels
Note: These websites show the price of a hostel based on your currency. To set the page to your currency, or to search a different currency find the tab in the top right corner that shows the currency sign, or the country you’re from.
Hostel World is a search engine for hostels as well as a booking site. Find a place to stay wherever you’re going by doing a search of that area and read descriptions and reviews. You can book right from there.
Hostel Bookers allows you to view a map of a country, choose a specific city and explore descriptions and reviews for each hostel represented. Book from this site.
Hostels.com another hostel search engine with descriptions and reviews for hostels around the world. Book from this site.
Our related posts
Vacations: To Plan or Not to Plan, That is the Question
The Beginners Guide to Flight Comfort
Tipping Etiquette: Are You Confident or Confused?
Have you ever stayed in a hostel? Share your experience in the comments below.
