Top 10 Must Haves for Choosing a Hostel
Choosing the right hostel can be stressful, especially if you're a newbie! I’ve made every hostel mistake in my travels and have had to learn the hard way how to make sure you’re choosing a hostel that is safe, comfortable, and has everything a traveler needs. That's why I’ve made my Top Ten Must Haves checklist to make sure you’re fully prepared and aren’t caught off guard while traveling.
When I book a hostel, I use hostelworld.com, they’re fabulous and have a handy dandy filter so you can make sure you’re only looking at hostels that fit into what you want.
#1 Mixed dorm/single room/gender only
When you’re choosing a hostel this will be your first choice to make. Do you want to stay in a single room (they’re always more expensive, but still cheaper than a hotel!)? Do you care if you stay in a mixed dorm or do you want it to be just your gender? You have to make the right choice for you and do what you’re comfortable with!
#2 Lockers
This one is a biggie now, you want to be able to leave your hostel in the daytime and spend hours exploring your destination while not having to worry about carrying your luggage around with you (believe me you don't, I've done it) or worrying that something will be stolen when you get back to your room. Even if you carry your own luggage locks with you, which you should in general, having a locker in your room to store your belongings will give you the peace of mind you need while starting your next adventure!
#3 24hr surveillance/front desk
Say you miss your train and you’re now arriving in Barcelona four hours later than you expected and what you said your approximate check in time would be and now the front desk is closed and there is no way for you to check in to your hostel and you’ve called the number to try and talk to the manager but oh no you dont have wifi or cell phone service. You’re stuck. This has happened to me and let me tell you it’s no fun. That's why I now make sure that in all the hostels I stay at there is a 24hr front desk to help you with any and all needs. As well as 24hr surveillance just as a precaution.
#4 Location
Choose a hostel that is near enough to the train station so if you’re arriving late in an unfamiliar city you're not lost in the dark or where you know you can get easy transportation to. Next look at where the hostel is located in walking distance to the city center, is it close to the museum you’re wanting to visit or near where the bus tour pickup location is? One thing most people don't realize when they travel is how much walking they actually do, you’ll want to make sure your hostel has easy access when your worn out from a day of exploring.
#5 Early check in bag drop/luggage storage
What happens if you arrive earlier than you thought you would and you’re carrying around a 60lbs backpack and you can’t check in until 3pm? As I've said before, it's not fun to carry around your luggage for anymore time than you have to.You can always make sure or ask the front desk if they have an early arrival bag drop. Hostels know how traveling works and I have found that they are prepared (if you choose the right hostel) for anything to happen because it already has happened before you came. Now not all hostels have this little gem for free, you may have to pay a few Euros in order to store your luggage in what usually is just a big back room that only the employees have a key to.
Pro Tip: If you’re city hopping and wanting to walk around and explore a city for the day but aren't staying there and still have all your luggage with you, look for the nearest hostel! Ask them if you can leave your luggage there for the day and set a time to come back and pick it up. Stopping to do this and paying a few Euros is WELL WORTH doing over trying to carry your stuff with you in and out of every place you visit before heading off to the next place.
#6 Wifi
If you’re traveling without an international phone plan, wifi is your lifeline. Quite literally your lifeline to almost everything. Unfortunately not all hostels have wifi, or more importantly, free wifi. So before you choose the cute little hostel with the adorable cafe next door, make sure you can connect to wifi that works.
#7 Reviews & Ratings
I have learned to never stay at a hostel with less than a 4 star rating, no matter how cheap it is when you’re on a budget. You should always check the ratings with whatever you’re purchasing, but the most important thing about ratings with hostels is the customer reviews. More specifically look for one thing in the reviews: bedbugs. You do not want bedbugs. I have gotten bedbugs from three different hostels from my toes to my face, they are horrible, hard to get rid of, and unfortunately common in the hostel world. Skim through the comments and make sure you’re staying in a hostel with at least 4 stars and positive reviews!
Pro Tip: Carry lavender essential oil, among many other useful essential oils, with you and place a drop on the four corners of your mattress. Lavender repels bed bugs and will help you relax after a long day of traveling! Ever since I started doing this, I've never had another bedbug!
#8 Price
The best thing about hostels, next to the community, is the price. Hostels are cheap and for travelers that's almost as good as hearing “free food.” BUT remember, just because you can stay in a hostel for $10 a night doesn't mean you should. It's much better to pay $25 a night and actually be able to sleep in peace without a million worries going through your head.
#9 Free breakfast & heating & air & bedding
If you’re used to staying in hotels, you’ll probably expect things such as a complimentary breakfast and working heating and air units and bedding in your room. With the cheapness of hostels comes less luxuries. Most European countries don't use air conditioning in the summers and their heating units are much different than ours especially depending on how old the hostel is. Some hostels may require you to have your own pillow, sheets, and blankets. It's good to keep these things in mind no matter where you’re staying.
#10 Payment in currency/exact cash/credit cards accepted
Before you book and arrive bright eyed and bushy tailed, double check on the website or make a quick call to make sure that your hostel takes credit, debit, or currency cash only. You’ll pay a reservation cost online to book your bed that's usually a couple of dollars, but you’ll have to pay for your room when you arrive to check in. Outside of the US, most countries use their paper and coin currency as the main money transaction, which means getting if you’re planning to stay and explore around, hitting the local atm is a must. Some hotels don’t accept credit or debit cards as a form of payment, so make sure you know before you go!
Pro Tip: If you’re traveling in Europe some hostels accept Euros as an acceptable form of payment even if their currency is different.