Hostels: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
If you've never lived in a dormitory, you likely can't grasp the experience of sharing a single room with multiple strangers and not having a bathroom all to yourself. But that's exactly what staying at a hostel is like—shared spaces with little to no privacy. What, then, makes people choose them over other accommodations? Let's unpack it here and dive into 10 things people hate about hostels—and 10 perks that make up for it.
1. No Privacy
Unless you book a private room, you're most likely stuck in a dormitory with four to eight other travelers whom you know nothing about. There is no space for privacy in these close quarters, and you'll just have to pray you room with decent people.
2. Shared Bathrooms
If you prefer to do your business privately, you probably won't be able to stand sharing a bathroom with everyone on your floor or in the entire hostel. Worse of all, these bathrooms aren't the cleanest places (considering you're sharing with numerous guests), so you're almost always standing in filth.
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3. Snoring Roommates
Are you a light sleeper? Then that's another reason you likely wouldn't be too fond of hostels. As we mentioned earlier, it's a gamble who you'll room with. Sometimes, you might get the quiet sleepers; other times, you get the people who snore like a broken vacuum cleaner. You'll probably want to bring along a good pair of earphones to drown them out.
4. Dirty, Uncomfortable Beds
Not only are the beds at hostels uncomfortable, but they're often extremely dirty. Sure, you might not see anything off at first glance and with the naked eye, but you might want to shine a blacklight on your pillows and covers before you tuck yourself in at night. There's no telling what questionable stuff others have done on that same bed.
5. No Security
No privacy means no security. Staying in shared rooms at a hostel means you'll probably need to keep one eye open at all times and make sure all your valuables are locked up and close by. You might not want to immediately think ill of others and assume that they'll steal, but you never know.
6. Unreliable Wi-Fi
Hostels typically don't provide the best Wi-Fi since you're sharing it with about everyone in the building. This technically isn't that big of a problem if you won't be in all the time or if you have your own data SIM, but it's a dealbreaker if you're working while traveling.
7. Not Enough Outlets
Shared bedrooms also mean there are usually never enough outlets to charge your devices. If someone's snagged a spot before you or you're sleeping on a bed without one nearby, tough luck. You'll probably have to wait until the next morning to power up your phone.
8. Inconsiderate People
Another con about staying with various people crammed in one single room? You'll most definitely have at least one inconsiderate person, who will turn on the lights at 4 a.m., invite strangers in, or make loud noises when everyone's asleep. Whatever is your worst nightmare, it could probably happen (and has) at a hostel.
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9. Lack of Ventilation
Being crowded into one single room with strangers means there's likely not enough ventilation going on to air out unpleasant smells. Tack on people who are too lazy to shower after a whole day of adventure and you've got a room reeking of body odor.
10. Overcrowded Common Areas
Having common areas to eat, cook food, and hang out with everyone else should be a good thing. But when you have large groups that take over these common spaces like they own the place, it's not such a great perk. You can't even peacefully get a coffee or find a place to sit.
All that said, hostels aren't always the worst place to be. After all, there's a reason why they remain an attractive option to many travelers. Here are 10 perks they offer that make up for everything.
1. Affordable
Most people still pick hostels over other accommodations because they're cheap. Why spend so much on where you're staying and sleeping when you'll be out exploring most of the time, anyway? And because you save money by staying at a hostel, you can instead splurge on other experiences.
2. Opportunities to Meet New People
Despite all the negativity that you might think comes with staying with various strangers, hostels provide an incredible opportunity to meet new people from all around the world. If you're there solo, you'll most likely find a group to explore places with. Who knows? You might even make lifelong friends with some of them.
3. Free Breakfast or Snacks
Many hostels not only offer free Wi-Fi, but also free snacks, drinks, and other amenities. This means instead of having to go out for breakfast or lunch, you can always grab something from the canteen or a snack to take with you on the go.
4. Close to Popular Attractions
Though this mostly depends on what hostel you book, they're usually located around popular spots in the city. And if these attractions are just a short walk away, you don't need to spend money to take the bus or subway to get there!
5. Private Room Options
All is not lost if you decide to stay at a hostel but prefer having your own space: private rooms exist. Sure, you might have to shell out a little more money for it, but they're typically still cheaper than staying at a hotel or an Airbnb.
6. Local Tips & Recommendations
Staying at hostels also means you'll likely form great connections and relationships with not only other travelers, but the owners as well. And with this advantage, you can ask them for local tips and recommendations instead of having to rely on your own research.
7. Sense of Community
As we just mentioned, staying at hostels means you'll probably become relatively close to all the other people lodging there. You might go on excursions, join tours, take day trips, explore landmarks, and more together. The sense of community you'll experience will feel like no other.
8. Friends to Go Back To
What's more is that if you keep in contact with all the new people you meet at your hostel, you'll have different friends from all over the globe to visit. If you decide to travel to their country or city, then can be your local guide, and vice versa.
9. Unique Experiences
It's not just the sense of community you'll experience that's unique—everything will be. Even the bad things; maybe especially the bad things. All of it will become a great travel story—and memory—to tell your friends and family even years later.
10. Part of the Adventure
At the end of the day, choosing where you stay is part of the adventure, and it just so happens that a hostel is the best place for unique experiences you won't find anywhere else. It's up to you how your travel unfolds, but trust us—it's when you step outside your comfort zone that the journey begins.
