One of the best ways to travel? Hostels.

You know them. You love them. You probably had to sleep next to someone snoring. Or like me having sex. 

But in all seriousness, hostels are great. It is an opportunity to meet fellow travelers, explore a city, get loads of free experiences, and be in prime locations at an affordable price. 

WHAT IS A HOSTEL?

A hostel is budget-friendly, short-term accommodation. Preferred by young and solo travelers. Hostels usually offer dormitory-style accommodation, sleeping 4 to 10 people per room (some have 18-20+). Typically the more people in the room, the cheaper. Most are mixed-gender. However, many offer single-gender as well. There are also cheap hostels with just basic accommodation or more boutique-style and even those that cater to certain interests like surfing or yoga.

Most (if not all) hostels offer restrooms, kitchens, and common lounge areas that are shared. Your hostel should offer secured lockers for your luggage. Some hostels offer laundry facilities, breakfast, bar, and wifi. Many hostels offer tours, parties, communal dinners, and other types of social gatherings.

Staying in a hostel is a great way to meet many different people from all over the world. It truly is an interesting mix of characters. From the student travelers, the long-term travelers, digital nomads, local workers, and more. However, hostels tend to attract a younger crowd, think 18-35 age range.

Different hostels attract different types of travelers. As an introvert and solo traveler, I tend to shy away from the all-night party hostels. Most hostels make a note if they are a party hostel or more laid back! Many hostels hire long-term guests to help (and you can sometimes get free accommodation working at a hostel).

You’ll likely find a hostel in a major city and some smaller towns, too, like rural areas, mountain towns, and beach towns.

So what do you need to when looking for the best hostel?

After staying in nearly 20+ hostels throughout my travels, I want to share with you my must-haves. 

1- A Kitchen or at least a free breakfast

A kitchen is essentially for your travels and one of the easiest ways to save some extra cash. I always recommend cooking your dinner and eating out for lunch since meals tend to be cheaper during the day. 

The kitchen is another excellent communal space to meet others and chat. You’ll always have something to talk about because who doesn’t love food. And you might get to taste some amazing food from other cultures. 

If they don’t have a kitchen, look for a free breakfast or at least a cheap one $5 or lower, allowing you to get whatever you want. 

I got free breakfast in my Amsterdam hostel and would make myself a small sandwich to have during the day. 

One last tip when it comes to the kitchen: check the free bin—usually loads of leftover goodies you can work with. 

2- A Common Room with some extras.

I mean, it sounds like common sense, but my gosh! I stayed in a hostel with no common room, only a bar that was open to the public, and it was miserable. There was nowhere to meet fellow travelers or just hang out and relax. 

The best common rooms have loads of comfy chairs, books, games, and maybe a projector or tv. 

My favorite common room was in Fort William Backpackers loads of couches, some books, and a fireplace. It wasn’t a big hostel, so we all got to know each other and would drink and play games in the evenings. 

3- The Bed Set-Up 

Ahh, the bed, the cozy little sanctuary that feels like a cave. 

I love the expression when traveling, “you can sleep when you are dead.” But that doesn’t mean I don’t want a nice setup. As an introvert, that time is crucial for me to unwind and decompress from the day. 

None of these are dealbreakers, but they make my life and sleep a tad bit better. 

• Privacy curtains are great. Not only to unwind or take a nap during the day, but also for the late-night people and early departures. Privacy curtains save my life but always bring an eye mask because sometimes they don’t block out everything. 

• Outlets are key. I recommend bringing something with multiple outlets so that you can charge multiple devices at once. I love it when I have a personal outlet. But alas, this hasn’t fully caught on yet. Not a deal-breaker, but a bonus to have it.  

• Storage is essential. I prefer standalone lockers in the room instead of under your bed. Can you imagine someone leaving early and then banging your bed around as they try to get their stuff out of the locker under your bed… ugh, I’ll pass. 

Lastly, the bed does matter. Read those reviews for bed bugs, whether you need to bring sheets. I always like a bunk-bed that is oversized— I prefer to sit up fully in my bed a not slouch around.

4- Free Activities 

Ugh, force socialization, an introverts worse nightmare. Kidding! I love a place that has some form of socialization. Whether movie night, pub crawl, a walking tour, pub trivia, or beer bong tournament. Your hostel needs to have some activity planned to create an atmosphere that is welcoming and engaging for all, usually around alcohol––to lower inhibitions, I guess. 

These activities offer opportunities to meet others, get in some activities, and just have a good time. 

I usually look for a place that offers a free walking tour to learn about a city and then a pub crawl or night, so I can meet new people and get discounted drinks. 

5- Location Location Location 

Or should this be number 1? Location is key. I prefer a place in the city close to public transport. I once had to walk 2 miles with all my belongings to a hostel. Never again.

As you go to more remote destinations, it may be harder to get a decent location, but always recommend looking for a bus line at the very least. 

Pick your hostel accordingly to have plenty of activities surrounding you, and you are near all the sites and public transportation. Public transportation is key. 

There is so much more I could touch on like make sure the place offers free luggage storage, look for a place with a decent check-in and out time. Make sure always to read the reviews. Avoid hostels with an en-suite. Controversial, I know. But they usually have one or two showers for 6-10 people. You’ll always be waiting, and everyone can hear your business. 

Is there anything else you would add to this list?