Forget images of decrepit buildings, dirty mattresses and mouldy showers – As more travellers explore the world on a budget, the quality and choice of hostels continue to rise, rivalling hotels and costing much less.
It can be difficult and overwhelming in deciding which hostel to choose from.
A combination of factors can make or break your accommodation experience and even your overall experience and memory of the place you’re visiting. That’s why it is important to find a hostel that’s right for you. Cheapest is often not the best but neither is the most expensive.
Since you’re a savvy and budget-conscious traveller, you want to get the most bang from your buck.
To help you save money and have an enjoyable hostel experience, here are the recommended top essential and general things you should look for or do when deciding which hostel to stay in.
Eye Mask
Any respectable and decent hostel should have decent wifi that you can use to research, plan and book your immediate and future travel adventures, along with checking your emails.
The eye mask often goes hand in hand with…
Ear plugs
Reduce th
Sandals
They are appropriate footwear for the beach and a comfort saver when you use shared showers, especially in hostels where there are no bathmats; just puddles of water.
Trust me, your feet will thank you for not giving them some fungus.
First Aid kit
They are appropriate footwear for the beach and a comfort saver when you use shared showers, especially in hostels where there are no bathmats; just puddles of water.
Trust me, your feet will thank you for not giving them some fungus.
Security padlock
Some hostels allow the hiring of a padlock. Some hostels require you to buy a padlock!
Also, it is best to have more than one padlock to not only keep your backpack secure but also at the hostel locker.
Dry bag
Anything that can be multi-purpose is a fantastic and practical thing.
A dry bag, often waterpoof, is lightweight and more durable than the average plastic single-use plastic bag. They are versatile, being able to be used in numerous useful ways such as laundry bag (put dirty laundry inside it; put clean laundry it by making the bag inside out), food storage, swim wear, miscellaneous trinkets, shoes, hopes and dreams, and so on.
Sewing kit
Don’t throw out any clothing that has rips in it – simply repair it.
Does the hostel have a kitchen?
For any budget-conscious traveller, having a decent kitchen at the hostel is a must; It is cheaper making a meal at the hostel than dining at a restaurant or buying already made meals at a supermarket.
Stay at a hostel with a kitchen, especially f you are staying multiple nights, – You will save more money in the long term since you don’t have to spend more money than you have to on dining out.
HOT TIP:
Always look at the hostel’s photo gallery to see what the kitchen looks like; Some hostels only have a kettle or toaster or microwave, counting such appliances as making up a ‘kitchen’. I once stayed in a hostel where the ‘kitchen’ consisted of just two microwaves and a kettle!
Security and Lockers
Your backpack is your mobile home and you must always keep your home safe at all times.
A decent hostel should, at the very least, have large lockers to secure your backpack and valuables, or at the minimum have a small locker to keep your valuables safe. This is alongside with having CCTV and/or a lockable dorm or room and restricted entry to inside the hostel, whether entry is via pincode, physical key or keycard.
As a traveller, you should always have a padlock or two with you as not every hostel provides a padlock for you to secure a locker (some hostels may have padlocks for rent or sale).
Have one padlock with a thick shackle or two thin-shackled paddocks that, when combined, act as one thick shackle.
Some lockers have lockholes (for your padlock shackle) that need to have shackles with a thick millimetre diameter (such as 8 or 9mm) – This means your paddock shackle(s) must be as thick or more to secure the locker.
Why does does having a thick enough padlock shackle matter?
If the padlock shackle diameter is not thick enough to secure the lockhole from turning, anyone can fully turn the lockhole and open the locker!
Special mention: Consider social atmosphere
Depending on the type of traveller you are, solo or with others, introverted or extroverted, working or relaxing, it’s also good to think about if the hostel has has a great social atmosphere and planned social activities so you can meet and chat with fellow travellers!
Summary
When are you are researching for hostel accommodation that suits you, consider the following things:
- Late check-in: If you’re arriving late at night, make sure the hostel is open late for check-in or allows pre-arranged entry.
- Decent wifi: Wifi should be good enough for you to do research and plan your travels.
- Dorm room sizes: Do you want a dorm with minimal people or more?
- Cleanliness: A clean hostel makes for a more comfortable stay.
- Location: Is the hostel to where you want to go or within walking distance?
- View hostel photo gallery: Look closer at the hostel’s amenities (or lack of).
- Read hostel reviews: Get an idea of what the hostel is like from other travellers.
- Kitchen: Save money by cooking at the hostel instead of dining out.
- Security: The hostel should have lockers to secure your valuables.
That’s all the recommended essential and general things you should look for when deciding on hostel accommodation. Have I missed anything?
Let other travellers and myself know what you look for in a hostel.
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