I’m not gonna lie, if you had asked me three years ago if I had or would ever stay in one of the infamous hostel dorm rooms notorious for sex, debauchery, and thievery, I probably would have laughed in your face and walked away.
To me, hostel dorm rooms were for the dirty backpackers- those who never showered, people who were eating food off the streets, and for people who only wanted to party and have sex with total randoms in dorm rooms.
While some of those things may still be true for backpackers, there are also SO much more to these comfortable abode’s that often get looked over.
They may not look as appealing as the ‘Silo Hotel’ or ‘The Plaza,’ but when you’re booking a bed for the night, do you really need that fancy 5- star comfort? Hostel dorm rooms have a lot more to give than they are ever given credit for. From comfort to the activities offered, to the shiny coin that will still be left in your pocket after you book your holiday, you’ll be guaranteed to fall in love with hostels as much as I have!
Here are 6 reasons why I absolutely LOVE staying in hostel dorm rooms and why you will too.
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1. You get to meet great people from all around the world
If you’ve ever travelled solo, you probably know that it can get lonely at times. Hostels are the perfect places to meet fellow travellers from anywhere around the world. Whether you meet people you have interesting conversations with, people to go on adventures with, someone to drink with, or maybe even someone that will join you for parts of your travels, you’re sure to meet a bunch of friendly people that will add to your trip.
While I am not overly sociable when I travel, often choosing to keep to myself, I have met some very interesting and incredible characters just from staying in hostel dorm rooms. Some of which I still talk to today!
2. It’s wayyyyy cheaper than a hotel
Emphasis on the ‘way!’
Hostel door rooms are usually the cheapest form of accommodation you’ll find out there. Even cheaper than Airbnb’s.
Depending on where you’re travelling, you can usually find decent hostel rooms located in the city centre, right near the action, at a much cheaper rate to hotels will be in the same areas.
I have stayed in hostel dorm rooms for as little as $10 a night, or as much as $70 (I’m looking at you Scandinavia). And yes- my $10 hostel room was still a well-rated, super cozy, and clean hostel!
Hostelworld is the best hostel website to book your hostel dorm and I wouldn’t really trust any other site to be honest.
They have a great tool with a map to see where the hostels are located, what is near them, and how much they cost. They also have a review section, a list of where the people staying there tonight are from, and many other cool features.
3. There are so many activities to do in a hostel
Along with having game rooms, media rooms, nightclubs, and cafes, many hostels also offer organised activities for their guests. City walking tours, pub crawls, language exchanges, yoga classes, dance classes… these are only a couple of options of what you might find at your hostel.
If they don’t have their own activities, they usually have a wealth of information and pamphlets on what to do in the city and where to book your own tours, so they are incredibly helpful in helping you make the most out of your travels.
4. Access to a free kitchen!
Virtually every hostel dorm room you’ll stay in, has a kitchen with a community fridge, pots, pans, utensils, etc. This is great if you want to cut out on the eating out budget, try to cook a local dish from the cooking classes you’ve been taking while abroad, or sit down to share a meal with your new friends.
5. The general vibe is awesome
The vibe of staying in a hostel is generally very different than what you will find in a hotel.
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a young, hip, solo or adventure backpacker, most people staying in hostels are fun travellers that are there to connect with others and have a good time.
There are lots of backpackers coming and going from all over the world.
Some hostels might be more about partying, some might be super into the bar and drinking life, while others can be much more relaxed, with games and vouchers and movie rooms.
The best part about travelling is, you can choose where you want to go!
6. Hostels are actually SO comfy!
I’ll admit, you may not be staying in a luxurious king-sized bed with a blanket so fluffy it devours you whole, but have you ever thought about the comfort of a king- single in a private little cocoon fitted with a flat-screen, Netflix, private lockers, a personal aircon, powerpoints, free coffee and breakfast, and a lamp?
To me, that is everything and MORE than I could possibly need in my accommodation AND you can have all this for just $10 a night. Every hostel I have stayed in has been exactly as described above and so much more. You really must check it out!
I love staying in hostel dorm rooms. They are a great way to connect with other travellers and discover the city in which you are staying. They’re cheap, you can cook your own food and the vibe is always awesome!
Travelling soon? Here are my must-have’s for each trip!
Camera gear I can’t live without:
Travel items I can’t live without:
Packing cubes (with laundry bags and shoe bags)
Need Travel Insurance? I highly recommend getting travel insurance before ANY international trip. World Nomad’s offer the most flexible worldwide cover that I have come across, and you can purchase a policy online, even if your trip has already commenced.
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Booking Flights?
To book flights, I always use flight search engine, Skyscanner. I find it the easiest way to compare flight prices across airlines and get the best deals.
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