Sure, you won’t be staying in the lap of luxury, but think of all the stuff you can do with the money you’re saving on lodging.
So if you’re considering giving the world of hosteling a try, here’s some reasons why you’ll enjoy doing so:
- Cheap Beds. It’s kind of hard to argue with the impact a $15-$30 a night bed will have on your travel budget when nearby hotels are charging 5 times that or more. Even private rooms at a hostel will usually save you about 50 percent versus a hotel room in the same city. Granted, you’re pretty much getting a bed, a storage locker and a host of communal facilities (bathroom, kitchen, wifi, etc), but how much time were you planning on staying in your room anyways?
- Meet Fellow Travelers. If traveling is about learning about the world around you, you won’t find a better way to do this than sharing accommodations in a hostel full of international travelers. Some friendships last just for the duration of the stay and others last a lifetime. But there’s no doubt you will have the chance to party with people you might have otherwise not met…and share costs for any excursions or dinners out. This is especially beneficial to solo travelers.
- Location, Location, Location. Hostels aren’t going to be in the swankiest parts of town, but they will most likely be very conveniently located to public transportation, including buses and rail.
- Knowledgeable Locals. Many people working at the hostel are locals who are more than happy to help you out with itineraries, restaurant recommendations and can even sometimes arrange discounts on sightseeing or other activities. Some will even include things like classes in the country’s language or cooking. How would you like to learn French staying in Nice, France for only 60 Euros a night, including your accommodations in a private room?
- A Communal Spirit. Some hostels will arrange group activities at the hostel, like movie night or a weekend pool party to encourage getting to know each other. Hey, it’s better than trolling the clubs trying to meet people.
- Unusual Lodging. Though many hostels are housed in converted buildings, some locations offer a truly unique lodging experience. You can stay in a tree house in Turkey, a tent in a Hawaiian jungle near the coast, a railroad car in Florida, a boathouse in Amsterdam, or a traditional bure on the beach in Fiji. Now imagine the stories you can tell when you get back home.
As you can see, hostelling offers a different experience than staying in a traditional hotel or motel room. But while a lot of budget travelers will thrive on the experience, staying in a hostel isn’t for everyone. In the next article in this series, I’ll cover reasons why you might not want to book a hostel for your accommodations.
If you have different reasons why you use hostels, or want to comment on the reasons listed, please join in on the discussion forums.
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