5 Reasons why you should stay in hostels!

I want to share with you 5 reasons why you should stay in hostels so that you don’t make the mistake of avoiding them for so long like I did. They will 100% enhance your experience!

Hostels are fun!

1. A reason why you should stay in hostels is because they are FUN! Most hold several events from free walking tours to pub crawls to food tasting nights and lots of quizzes. By staying in a hotel you miss out of things like this and are less likely to meet new travellers.

I went on a free walking tour in Berlin and had a fantastic time! I also enjoyed a brilliant Harry Potter movie night with free popcorn while in Oxford.

You meet people!

2. Reason number 2 for why you should choose hostel over hotel. You can meet people from all over the world. Unlike back home, in hostels you are guaranteed an audience eager to hear your travel stories. You can all sit together swapping travel fails and successes while you try out the local food and local drink together.

I got some great tips for Edinburgh Fringe festival events and came across a few people doing acts so I got to know some of the performers! Also, while staying in Iceland I met someone from New Zealand who lived in London and I then went to stay with her just after New year. So by meeting people world wide, you are slowly building up contacts for future places. Free accommodation and free tour guides!

Instant access to plans and tips!

3. Reason number 3 is a great one. You have arrived with no plans, hungry but no idea what you’re doing. Ask the people in your room or communal areas what they’re plans are (maybe don’t ask in the bathrooms though – don’t want them to think you’re weird just yet). Quite often I’ve ended up going out for breakfast and dinner with people who know their way around. Often I’ve had great tips from room mates. Hostels are like a gold mine for information on the area you’re staying in. A real life google!

The best time was when I started speaking to an Australian traveller and it turns out they had hired a car to go round the Golden circle so I got a free car ride for 2 days of Iceland adventures! He took a few of us out to see the Northern lights as well and we ended up 1 – not seeing them and 2 – getting stuck in the snow until 3am. We did see a meteor shower though which was incredible! Moments like these wouldn’t have happened if I’d stayed in a hotel.

Going travelling? Then check out these 5 travel mistakes not to make.

Hostels are both sociable and private!

4. Fourth reason for hostel stays! To be alone or not to be! Remember you can have your own room in a hostel, you don’t have to stay in a shared dorm. You can still meet people in the shared kitchen and communal lounge/bar areas. Even if sharing a room though, you can still decide when to spend time with others and when to spend it hanging out by yourself. Where as in a hotel if you don’t feel like a solo activity, then it’s a lot harder to instantly come across travellers willing to join you or a plan to tag along on. Hostels give you have the best of both worlds.

I become tired being around noise and stimulating surroundings very quickly so I often recharge in my dorm room alone with ear phones on watching an episode of something and then when ready to face the world again, there are people a plenty to join in with if I so wish. Many hostels have curtains around the beds or sliding doors so even the dorms can offer privacy.

Hostels are cheaper!

5. Most importantly, reason number 5 for why you should choose hostel over hotel is because hostels are a lot cheaper! They save you a lot of money which can then be spent on exciting activities as well as food and drink.

I tend to make most of my own food but I enjoy sampling some local options so my saved money often goes towards this and future adventures. I loved the spotted cow lager in Wisconsin, USA! Would go back just for one of those! I was super excited to try my first American burger but to be honest it did not live up to my expectations. The cheese tasted fake and the burger was just a basic boring burger. Sorry but I’ve had far better in Scotland! For a bit of light hearted American bashing (I promise it’s not mean, just meant to be funny) check out my hilariously failed but technically successful attempt at going out for dinner alone.

Hostels over hotels!

When I first went travelling alone, the idea of staying in a hostel terrified me. I thought they would be dirty and full of people who might be horrible or dangerous. I didn’t like the idea of sleeping so close to strangers and was worried about my things being stolen but my experiences have completely transformed my perspective on hostel life.

So there you have it! 5 reasons for why you should choose hostels over hotels. For reasons on why I love to travel click here. When I do future long term travels, I think I will occasionally stay in a hotel or at least a private room in a hostel for a complete solo break. However, I believe that hostels offer an experience like no other.

Share with me in the comments – are you hostels or hotels?

Safe travels,

Girl with the suitcase <3