gottacaseofwanderlust

for souls aching to explore

Budget Travel 101: Save Money with Hostels

Everything you need to know about staying in the cheapest form of accommodation

Day trip on Maui with volunteers at Howzit Hostel 

  1. Introduction 
  2. What exactly is a hostel?
  3. Why would I stay at a hostel?  
  4. Notes for more introverted people (like me)
  5. Where to Book to a Hostel
  6. How to Find the Best Hostel
    1. Location, location, location. 
    2. Sociability 
    3. Amenities
    4. Other factors
  7. Hostel Myths Debunked 
    1. Hostels are unsafe
    2. Hostels are just for young backpackers
    3. There are no hostels in the United States 
  8. Considerations Before Your Hostel Stay 
    1. Packing list 
  9. Basic Hostel Etiquette 
  10. My favorite hostels I’ve stayed at by region 
    1. USA
    2. Europe
    3. Mexico
    4. Morocco
  11. Conclusion

Introduction 

Have you ever become best friends with someone you just met? The weird but wonderful phenomenon of spending one day with a person but feeling like you’ve known them for years? When suddenly, you feel more connected with a stranger than most of your friends back home? 

That feeling is the everyday reality of staying at a hostel. 

I have stayed in dozens of hostels worldwide, and it is my favorite type of accommodation when traveling. 

Not only is it typically the best way to save money, but it’s the easiest way to meet other travelers.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned after solo traveling to over a dozen countries is that what makes a trip special isn’t what you see or what you do; it’s the people that you meet. 

From carpooling to a volcano and getting lost in a rainforest to singing late-night karaoke and experiencing chaotic pub crawls, the memories that I’ve made with people I met at hostels are treasures I will store within my heart for a lifetime.

Partying with new friends from the hostel at my first ever club in Seoul

As a solo female traveler on a budget, I couldn’t recommend staying at hostels enough. 

What exactly is a hostel?

A hostel is a type of accommodation that offers private and shared rooms.

If you opt for the shared room, you’re essentially staying in a dorm room with multiple beds, most often in the form of bunk beds, with other travelers. 

Why on Earth would you want to do that, you ask? 

A hostel is likely the cheapest place to stay if you’re solo traveling than any other form of accommodation, which is usually the most expensive part of any trip. 

Unless you want to try work exchanges (volunteering in exchange for free accommodation) or chance it with couchsurfing (covered in a future article), hostels are the ultimate budget travel hack.  

In addition to a shared room, other shared spaces also include bathrooms, the kitchen, and any common spaces. 

Why would I stay at a hostel?  

Good question. 

I’m a girl who likes her own private space –something that is pretty nonexistent in hostels. 

Besides the reduction in travel expenses, what’s the appeal? 

The tradeoff with sharing your personal space with strangers: you get to meet strangers (introverts keep reading).

Many hostels offer free or discounted social activities, such as walking tours, day trips to historical sites, or nightlife outings. 

These are great opportunities to make new connections or see places that you could not on your own. 

For example, when I traveled to The Beach Waikiki Hostel by ALOH on Oahu, Hawaii, it was so easy to make new friends by joining their daily hostel tours. 

Do you know how easy it is to make an instant connection with someone you just met? 

Stay at a hostel, and you’ll surely find out. 

Hanging out with a group of girls,s I met an hour ago at the hostel

Notes for more introverted people (like me)

For those of you who feel uncomfortable talking to strangers, or prefer to do your own thing when you travel — I get it. That was me too when I first started solo traveling when I was 19 years old. 

I have a few things to say. 

First, the beautiful thing about meeting someone new is that you have no obligations to them.

If you are bored with the conversation you’re having, you can leave. 

If you don’t like the event you decided to join, you can leave.  

If you are not vibing with another person, you can leave. 

You are not held captive in a social interaction with someone you just met. 

You always have the option to go your own way. 

But why not give a stranger a chance first? You never know if they’ll become lifelong friends…

Second, it may seem more appealing to explore on your own. 

That’s why you’re solo traveling after all, so you can do whatever you want, rather than be at the mercy of others. 

But I would ask you to consider that giving up full autonomy may be worth it for the irreplaceable value of human connection. 

There have been countless times when, while solo traveling, I’d originally planned to go somewhere alone, but had someone else I met at the hostel join me. 

At the worst, it was pleasant company. At best, it turned out to be a soul-to-soul connection that completely transformed my trip. 

But never have I regretted having someone I just met join my plans for an hour or two. 

Third, if you want to become more confident in your social skills, there is no other way around the practice of talking to strangers. 

Talking with people of all different backgrounds and cultures has dramatically decreased my social anxieties and childhood shyness. 

Whereas before traveling, I would be terrified of going up to someone and striking up a conversation, I now am someone who can confidently go up to anyone and start talking to them — all thanks to meeting strangers in hostels. 

Where to Book to a Hostel

Hostelworld is the best search engine website/app to book hostel accommodations. 

I have found it’s the most user-friendly, allowing travelers to easily find hostel-only accommodations for the best prices. 

The best way to judge a hostel is based on its reviews. 

Hostelworld identifies reviewers based on their demographics so users can see to what extent past travelers’ reviews align with their interests. 

I love how reviews on Hostelworld are broken down by specific components such as a hostel’s 

  • Security
  • Location
  • Staff
  • Atmosphere
  • Cleanliness
  • Facilities
  • Value for Money

Scroll down to see my favorite hostels on Hostelworld.  

I also love how Hostelworld has a group chat feature so travelers can message each other and make plans on the app!

Simply send a, “Hi, I’m a solo traveler here. Anyone want to meet up?” message in the chat forum to make effortless connections. 

How to Find the Best Hostel

Okay, sold. 

Now how to choose a hostel? 

Like hotels, hostels vary widely. Before selecting the first or cheapest one that you find, there are a few important considerations. 

Location, location, location. 

What part of the destination do you want to be in? 

If it’s a city, how far away are you wanting to be from the city center? 

If you’re not renting a car, how accessible (and safe) is the area to walk around, during the day and at night? Is there 24/7 public transportation nearby? 

Hostels conveniently located in the city center or near major tourist attractions are usually at a higher price. 

On the contrary, hostels farther from the main parts of the city are usually cheaper — while this may be attractive for budget travelers, keep in mind that transportation costs to and from the hostel add up quickly. 

Sociability 

It’s admittedly easier to make friends at some hostels than others.

If meeting other travelers is a priority for you, look for a hostel that offers at least one of these (bonus points if it has all three!): 

  • A common space (a dining room, game room, lounge area, a bar… etc)
  • Tours, events, and/or outings for guests 
  • A family meal for guests (breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner) 

Hostelworld allows travelers to break down their review of a property by its atmosphere, partly referring to its sociability. 

The best way to know is to read the reviews of other travelers, especially those in the same demographic as you. 

Free hostel walking tours is an easy way to meet people 

Amenities

What kind of spaces do you need or want your hostel to have? 

Consider if your hostel has: 

  • A kitchen
  • A gym
  • Computers for use
  • An outdoor area, such as a pool
  • A rooftop   

Other factors

Every traveler places different priorities on these factors:

  • A hostel’s cleanliness
  • Is free breakfast included
  • Is there strong, reliable wifi
  • Do the beds have privacy curtains
  • Are there female-only dorm options 

Look specifically for reviews that mention these factors during your research. 

View from Riad Baraka Hostel’s rooftop in Chefchaouen, Morocco 

Hostel Myths Debunked 

Hostels are unsafe

Let me start by firmly stating: no, real-life hostels are completely unrelated to the movie. 

The people that stay in hostels book for similar reasons as you: to save money and/or to meet other travelers. 

Yes, you share spaces with strangers, but in my experience, everyone minds their own business. 

I have never felt unsafe at a hostel. 

In fact, I feel safer, as a solo female traveler, staying with other travelers versus alone in a hotel or Airbnb, knowing there is someone there to assist if needed. 

Hostels are just for young backpackers

Firstly, “young” is just a mindset. Your mindset can be as young or as old as you want! 

Secondly, anyone can stay in a hostel. While most hostels host younger travelers on a budget, they are by no means exclusive to this demographic. 

Guests come from a wide range of different countries, ages, and professions — this is the beauty of a hostel. 

There are no hostels in the United States 

The United States’ hostel culture may not be on par with other countries, with less than 300 hostels, but most major cities have at least one. 

In Chicago, the HI Chicago Hostel, located a short walk South of Millenium Park, is a great option for travelers. 

They offer free group activities throughout the week, such as hot dog welcome parties, museum tours and cultural outings. 

I lead weekly dinner outings for guests as a volunteer, and I love interacting with travelers from all different cultures.   

Hosting a tour in Chicago’s Chinatown for HI Chicago Hostel guests

Considerations Before Your Hostel Stay 

Packing list 

unchecked Shower shoes (showers are communal. flip slips, sandals, swim shoes… whatever. Protect yo’ feet)

unchecked Ear plugs

unchecked A towel (some hostels will charge you for towels… save yourself the trouble and get a travel towel)

unchecked Sleeping mask or earplugs (I sleep well no matter the circumstances but if you are a light sleeper then consider these)

unchecked Chargers (it can be helpful to have a power strip to charge multiple devices at once)

unchecked A shower bag/kit (it can even be a strong grocery bag… super useful to grab and go when you need to use the shower that’s down the hall)

unchecked Socks specifically for the hostel (sometimes hostels have a “no shoes” policy, so it’s nice to have something on your feet so you’re not barefoot)

unchecked A lock (dorms often have locker storage available, but without the locks. hostels will charge you for borrowing their locks, so bring your own to protect your stuff when you’re out and about) 

Basic Hostel Etiquette 

  1. Don’t be antisocial

You don’t have to be a social butterfly, but at the very least, be friendly to other guests

  1. Be kind to the staff 

Hostel staff can be your best resource for finding things to do or places to eat at in your destination. Remember to be as friendly and patient with them as possible, they’re there to make your stay enjoyable, after all. 

  1. Clean up after yourself

Communal spaces means that you should be mindful that others will be using the spaces after you. Leave somewhere as clean as you’d want to find it. 

  1. Don’t be a noisy roommate 

Be courteous to your fellow roommates and be as quiet as possible when others are in the room, especially at night when they’re trying to sleep. 

And please — DON’T turn on the lights when others are sleeping. 

  1. Don’t steal other people’s things

This may sound absurd, but I’ve had my labeled food stolen from the communal fridge at a hostel more than once. 

Let’s not be that person. 

My favorite hostels I’ve stayed at by region 

USA

Europe

Mexico

Morocco

Conclusion

I hope this article convinces you to try a hostel on your next trip or at least sheds some light on a new way of traveling. A meaningful travel experience is not limited to exploring a destination; it is also built from the random hostel-facilitated interactions that lead to life-changing connections. 

Please let me know what your hostel experiences have been like, or if you have any questions at all, feel free to comment below or shoot me a message on my Instagram!

    Dinner with hostel volunteers at Howzit Hostel on Maui 

For more guides like this, join the Wanderluster community! We’d love to have you 🙂

Leave a comment

Lydia

, , , ,

Leave a comment