12 Ways to Avoid Staying in a Bad Hostel in 2025

I really like hostels. Even after over nineteen years touring the world, I nonetheless keep in hostels as a result of they’re the easiest way to fulfill individuals and the most cost effective lodging choice in a lot of the world.

However what makes a good hostel?

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

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

Whereas hostels are all concerning the individuals, administration can do a couple of 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 a few of the finest on the planet.

Right here’s a breakdown of what I might search for in a hostel that can assist you choose one of the best one to your subsequent journey:

1. Is There a Widespread Room?

I really like assembly new individuals after I journey. Since I normally journey solo, I must exit of my approach to meet individuals if I wish to be social. Widespread rooms in hostels make that simple. They assist me discover individuals to speak 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/motion pictures (good for wet days), foosball, ping pong, and comfortable couches (comfortable couches are a should!). If you wish to be social, be sure you keep someplace that has a good widespread room (or a number of). It’s one of the best place to simply join with different vacationers.

In hotter locations, a standard space outdoors can also be a giant plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social outside house is a should.

2. Is It Centrally Positioned?

Location, location, location. Each time I’m on the lookout for a brand new hostel I ensure that it’s close to the issues I wish to see. I don’t wish to spend all my time commuting after I get someplace new. For that motive, 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 essential in giant cities the place issues are unfold out and while you’re on a shorter journey and time is of the essence. Sure, they could 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; guide someplace central!

3. Is It Clear?

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

For the reason that images hostels put up on their web site and social media may be deceptive, be certain to particularly learn evaluations on websites like Hostelworld for hints on cleanliness. If only one particular person complains, perhaps it’s not a giant deal. But when quite a few evaluations point out the dearth of cleanliness, take that as a cue.

4. Did You Learn Critiques?

All the time learn evaluations earlier than you guide. 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 may normally reply all of those questions (and plenty of extra) by studying evaluations.

Web sites like Hostelworld and Reserving.com have tons of evaluations that can assist you discover the hostel that most closely fits your wants and funds.

Whilst you’ll wish to take them with a grain of salt (individuals like to complain), they’re undoubtedly useful on the subject of choosing one of the best hostel. Be sure to go away evaluations too — good evaluations assist hostels develop and unhealthy evaluations can warn your fellow vacationers in order that they don’t make the identical mistake.

Moreover, be sure you solely keep at inns with a number of evaluations. A hostel might need a excessive ranking on Hostelworld but when it solely has 10 or 20 evaluations then I’ll seemingly avoid it (it’s simple to pretend rankings like that). Nonetheless, if a hostel has lots of (or 1000’s) of evaluations and nonetheless has a ranking of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s an excellent signal it’s a stable place to remain.

Usually, I attempt to solely guide hostels with a ranking of 8 or increased on Hostelworld.

5. Do they Arrange Group Actions?

In the event you plan on staying at a social hostel and wish to meet individuals, select a hostel that gives group actions. These might be strolling excursions (my private favourite exercise), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking lessons, or BBQs. These occasions are a good way to fulfill different vacationers and study your vacation spot.

My favourite hostels are at all times social hostels that set up occasions. It simply makes your keep far more enjoyable and full of life!

6. Is There Late Checkout?

By no means keep at a hostel with a checkout time earlier than 10am. The perfect hostels have 11am checkout instances, and the actually good ones allow you to try at midday. Sleep is efficacious on the highway since you’ll hardly ever get sufficient of it. Hostels with late checkout instances perceive this and are sometimes extra relaxed environments. There’s simply one thing incorrect a few hostel asking you to be packed and out so early within the morning.

7. Is There a Bar?

Bars are usually not deal breakers and there are quite a lot of great hostels with out them, however they make for a fantastic place to socialize with different hostel friends. Often if a hostel has a bar, they put a robust emphasis on ensuring the individuals staying there are having enjoyable, interacting, and being festive.

In the event you’re seeking to be social and meet individuals, you’ll wish to keep someplace with a bar.

8. Do They Have Lockers?

It’s stunning, however I’ve really been in hostels that don’t present lockers or will cost you for them. This present day, lockers must be customary. You need to by no means pay for safety. It is a deal-breaker for me (particularly since I journey with electronics). All the time convey a lock with you as nicely, so you should use the lockers when they’re supplied.

9. Is There a Kitchen?

Attempt to search for hostels with kitchens since you may then put together your personal meals, decrease your meals funds, and share a meal along with your new pals. 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 persons are really awake (breakfasts that begin round 8:30am normally go late). Breakfast can also be a good way to load up on snacks for the day, reducing down your meals funds.

11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?

Gone are the times of sleeping on creaky, steel bunks. Each time attainable, search for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds present significantly better privateness and dampen the noise round you so you may sleep higher. They normally have curtains too, that are at all times a giant plus in my guide.

12. Are There Particular person Lights & Shops?

Earlier than you guide, discover out if the dorm bunks have their very own outlet and lightweight. Not solely will this guarantee you may cost your units with out having to struggle for house, but it surely means your fellow vacationers can activate their very own small lamp as a substitute of the room’s foremost mild. (I hate it when individuals flip the lights on in the course of the evening. Use your mattress’s lamp or a flashlight!)

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I don’t want a hostel to have all this stuff, however a very great hostel that understands what vacationers are on the lookout for has the vast majority of the issues listed above.

Moreover, as increasingly more individuals shift to distant work, hostels have began to accommodate long-term vacationers who work on their laptops. In the event you’re a distant employee, these hostels are nice locations to remain as they’ve quick Wi-Fi and make it simple to attach and community with different digital nomads. Nonetheless, if you happen to’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 sort of boring if you happen to’re not doing it too. As a substitute, keep at a hostel that caters to backpackers. It is going to be far more pleasurable and also you’ll have a better time assembly individuals.

Ultimately, what actually makes an excellent hostel are the individuals and even the worst hostels can be nice if you happen to meet good individuals. However eradicating the individuals from the equation, I search for hostels which have a few of 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 might fairly keep at a spot that’s wanting to ensure I’ve an excellent time.