Hostels are the most popular choice of accommodation for solo backpackers around the world. You may have heard friends tell you stories about staying in hostels. You may like the sound of them but still have a question that I’ve been asked a few times, initially catching me off guard. It’s along the lines of “How do hostels work?”.
A rare hostel room to myself in Brest, Belarus
What Is A Hostel?
A hostel is an basic and cheap accommodation provider for people. The people staying there are backpackers in the majority of cases, but you will fund an array of people from all sorts of backgrounds at hostels. There’s no discrimination in who can and cannot stay in a hostel (as always, there’s a few exceptions).
Boutique hostels are still a new concept but are fast becoming popular.
How Do I Book A Hostel
Given you’re reading this, you might not have started your solo travel adventure yet. Therefore I always recommend booking your first hostel in advance on one of the popular Hostel booking sites. My favourite is, HostelWorld.com and Booking.com has become my backup site to look hostels up that aren’t on HostelWorld, HostelBookers or Agoda.
Most of the time, you can book online and will be required to enter your details and make a deposit with a credit card (10 – 15% of the total value) with the rest of the balance due on arrival. Booking.com often has hostel dorm rooms that require no deposit if you don’t have a credit card.
When You Arrive At The Hostel To Check In
Hostels come in all different shapes and sizes but the hostel checkin process is pretty similar worldwide. There will be some form of reception, which may be a bar, or it could be just a random chilling in a hammock.
It will be obvious once you arrive who the person is that will get you set up. Be prepared to hand over your booking reference, passport, the amount you owe from your booking and a key deposit. They’ll go through the paperwork and allocate you a room and may provide you a map.
The staff will be one of your best sources of information going forward.
What Are Hostel Rooms Setup Like
Again, hostel rooms come in all shapes and sizes. In general, dorms will range in size from 4 beds to 20 beds in each room in bunks 2 or 3 high. You will either be guided to your room or told your room number and they or may not allocate you a bed, if not choose the bottom bunk furtherest from the entrance.
The majority of hostel rooms will be for both genders, with a few female only rooms. The price/night decreases the more bunks are in a room. First time in a hostel? I recommend staying in a 6-8 bed dorm so you’re not overwhelmed with a lack of people to talk to but not a pigsty that often happens with 20 people sleeping in a room. You can then adjust your preferred dorm room size from there based on your budget (save cash 116 ways) and availability.
Facilities vary a lot, as you may have gathered with all shapes and sizes of hostel rooms and set ups. Make sure your needs are catered for when you book online under amenities. Don’t be surprised if the Wi-Fi is broken/slow when you arrive regardless of what the booking site says!
How To Act In The Hostel
You may be nervous on your first night in the hostel. It may seem like everyone is friends already and no one is welcoming you openly. Don’t let this slow you down, more people than you think are scared to make the first interaction. Think of an easy question to break the ice such as:
- Hey, do you know any good restaurants nearby?
- Excuse me, do you know the wifi password?
- Hey, how long have you been in (current destination)?
Or, simply: “Hi I’m (your name), how are you today?” and continue a conversation like you would in ‘normal’ life.
Hostel Events
If a hostel has substantial traffic they will likely have various events going on throughout the week, from pub crawls, to walking tours, to movie nights. Definitely attend these events, they are great fun and an easy way to find a whole group of friends in an instant.
Sleeping In A Hostel
Everyone has different sleep schedules but the general ‘sleeping hours’ are from 10pm – 8am, which means quiet time. In between these times, there is likely at least one person sleeping in your dorm room. When the lights are out, be as quiet as possible. No one is likely to complain if you do make noise, but you certainly won’t win any friends by doing so.
My Favourite Hostel?
My all time favourite hostel is Here Be Dragons in Battambang.
Did This Answer The Question: How Do Hostels Work?
If not, leave a comment with your question and I will respond ASAP.
Once you know how dorm rooms work you will not even think twice about the process. You will sometimes book in advance, sometimes you will take a risk and turn up at your destination and try get a bed on arrival. Each person is different and the great thing about hostels is they are all unique. It won’t take long before you figure out what your priorities are before you choose a hostel and you will end up meeting numerous lifelong friends.
