12 Methods to Keep away from Staying in a Dangerous 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 best ways to fulfill individuals and the most affordable lodging choice in a lot of the world.

However what makes a good hostel?

And the way do you keep away from a dangerous hostel?

After staying in over a thousand hostels since I first began touring the world, I’ve change into adept at determining in a short time if the hostel house owners know what they’re doing or if they only randomly awakened someday and mentioned, “Let’s open a hostel. It feels like enjoyable.”

Whereas hostels are all in regards to the individuals, administration can do just a few issues to make their hostel the proper 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 favourite hostels share widespread traits that make them among the greatest on this planet.

Right here’s a breakdown of what I’d search for in a hostel that can assist you decide the very best one on your subsequent journey:

1. Is There a Widespread Room?

I like assembly new individuals after I journey. Since I normally journey solo, I have to exit of my solution to meet individuals if I need to be social. Widespread rooms in hostels make that straightforward. They assist me discover individuals to talk with, get suggestions from, do actions with, and even journey with.

Plus, they’re good for simply having enjoyable. They normally 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 a good widespread room (or a number of). It’s the very best place to simply join with different vacationers.

In hotter locations, a typical space exterior can also be an enormous plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social outside area is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Positioned?

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 purpose, I at all times be certain my hostels are in a central location and that they’re near public transportation. That method, I can get round simply and don’t want to fret about having to waste cash on taxis.

That is particularly necessary in massive cities the place issues are unfold out and if you’re on a shorter journey and time is of the essence. Sure, they may value more cash, however you’ll get monetary savings on transportation. Plus, the extra centrally-located hostels are normally the extra widespread ones, making them higher locations to fulfill individuals.

Don’t waste your trip in transit; ebook someplace central!

3. Is It Clear?

Certain, price range vacationers like issues low-cost — however that doesn’t imply we like issues soiled. Whereas hostels have come a great distance in recent times, there are nonetheless many which can be poorly maintained and in want of an intensive scrubbing. Because it’s straightforward to get sick on the highway, keep away from soiled hostels. Gross bogs and showers (in addition to the elevated danger of mattress bugs) aren’t well worth the danger — even when the hostel is reasonable. Put money into your self. You deserve a clear room!

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

4. Did You Learn Evaluations?

At all times 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 possibly can normally reply all of those questions (and lots of extra) by studying opinions.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Reserving.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 relating to choosing the very best hostel. Be sure to depart opinions too — good opinions assist hostels develop and dangerous opinions can warn your fellow vacationers so that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, be sure to solely keep at inns with a lot of opinions. A hostel may need a excessive score on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 opinions then I’ll seemingly keep away from it (it’s straightforward to pretend rankings like that). Nevertheless, if a hostel has a whole lot (or hundreds) of opinions and nonetheless has a score of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s a great signal it’s a stable place to remain.

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

5. Do they Arrange Group Actions?

If you happen to plan on staying at a social hostel and need to meet individuals, select a hostel that provides group actions. These could possibly be strolling excursions (my private favourite exercise), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking lessons, or BBQs. These occasions are an effective way to fulfill different vacationers and study your vacation spot.

My favourite hostels are at all times social hostels that manage occasions. It simply makes your keep rather more enjoyable and vigorous!

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 flawed a couple of hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

Bars will not be deal breakers and there are plenty of fantastic hostels with out them, however they make for an incredible place to socialize with different hostel visitors. Normally if a hostel has a bar, they put a powerful emphasis on ensuring the individuals staying there are having enjoyable, interacting, and being festive.

If you happen to’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 truly been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. Nowadays, lockers needs to be customary. 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 nicely, so you should utilize 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 associates. Nothing binds individuals nearer collectively than a shared meal (and some glasses of wine).

10. Do They Supply Breakfast?

Search for a spot with a good breakfast (i.e., greater than bread and cheese) or a minimum of one which begins and ends when individuals are truly awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am normally go late). Breakfast can also be an effective 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, steel bunks. Each time doable, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present a lot better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you’ll be able to sleep higher. They normally have curtains too, that are at all times an enormous 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 lightweight. Not solely will this guarantee you’ll be able to cost your units with out having to battle for area, however it means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as an alternative of the room’s major mild. (I hate it when individuals flip the lights on in the midst of the night time. Use your mattress’s lamp or a flashlight!)

I don’t want a hostel to have all this stuff, however a very fantastic hostel that understands what vacationers are searching 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. If you happen to’re a distant employee, these hostels are nice locations to remain as they’ve quick Wi-Fi and make it straightforward to attach and community with different digital nomads. Nevertheless, for those who’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 for those who’re not doing it too. As an alternative, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. Will probably be rather more satisfying and also you’ll have a neater time assembly individuals.

Ultimately, what actually makes a great hostel are the individuals and even the worst hostels shall be nice for those who 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 reinforce your journey expertise, not merely take cash from you in alternate for a mattress. I’d slightly keep at a spot that’s wanting to verify I’ve a great time.

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