Tips for your hostel stay!

Pfefferbett Hostel, Berlin, Germany

Hello and welcome back to Bethan Goes Global. This week I will be giving you my top tips for staying in hostels while you are travelling. This is something I would have loved to read before my first stay in a hostel, so I thought that I would be able to help other people by writing this post. I have split the tips into different sections, from the booking stage to your actual stay in the hostel, I hope you find it helpful!

Choosing a hostel

1. I have always used Hostelworld when booking any hostel I have stayed in, the website and app are both super easy to use and makes the booking process really smooth.
2. When you are choosing a hostel, cheaper rooms do not always mean better! I highly recommend checking the reviews of the hostel you plan on staying in, to check that you will feel comfortable and enjoy your stay as much as you can. It’s also a good way to check the style of hostel you are looking at, you don’t want to end up at a party hostel if you are not one for partying!
3. I also recommend you check the facilities that the hostel offers before booking your stay. Some hostels offer free breakfast, which is always a bonus, some offer free transport from airports and it is always worth checking if there is free WiFi!
4. Don’t choose a hostel that is too far from the city center, even if it is cheaper. You will end up paying for transport into the center if it is too far, which could end up equalling the amount you have saved.
5. Personally, I recommend staying in smaller rooms. I’ve been in dorm rooms of 12 and ones of 4, and the smaller rooms always felt nicer and more secure. Dorm rooms of 6 are my favourite size!

What to pack

1. There are some hostel essentials that I recommend you take with you. These are; an eye mask, earplugs, a microfiber towel, a padlock and flip flops! I think these are all pretty self-explanatory, but are essential when staying in a hostel.
2. If you are on a long trip and are using the kitchens, I also recommend taking a tupperware box with you. If you cook extra portions of your dinner you can keep the leftovers for lunch the next day, this is a great way to stop yourself spending unnecessary money on lunch out.
3. Take spare bed sheets! You might not feel like the bedding is very clean and therefore want to use your own covers. I actually ended up using mine in the first hostel we stayed in, in New Zealand.
4. My last recommendation for your packing list is a portable charger. Some hostels don’t provide enough plugs for everyone, or someone else in your room could be using more than one. In this case it is always super handy to have a portable charger with you to prevent your phone from going flat. It is also handy for when you are out and about and your phone battery is running low!

Rainforest Retreat Backpackers, Franz Josef, New Zealand

Hostel etiquette

1. If you check in as soon as you can you are more likely to get the bed of your choice.
2. Use the staff! If you want to know something about where you are staying, need directions, or need to make a complaint about the hostel or your room, speak to the staff members! They are there to help and make sure you enjoy your stay.
3. Try to get the bottom bunk! I’ve never been a fan of the top bunk, but in a hostel it is even better to grab the bottom bunk. Especially if you are coming back late at night or leaving early in the morning.
4. If you want extra privacy when sleeping and you are on the bottom bunk, hang your towel from the bunk above! Also great for drying your towel after you have used it.
5. Talk to the people you are sharing a room with, this helps ease the tension and when travelling alone you could end up spending the day with them
6. If you know you are up early in the morning, get your stuff ready the night before so that you don’t need to move around too much in the morning and risk waking up others in the dorm room.
7. Keep your stuff neat and tidy and protect your valuables, most dorm rooms have lockers, so use these! Everyone hates the messy person, so keep your stuff tidy!
8. Don’t take up all the plugs! Check that everyone you are sharing with has access to a plug and is able to charge their phone or other devices that are essential.
9. Clean everything you use in the kitchen! This seems obvious, but trust me, some people forget!
10. Mark your food in the fridge or cupboards so that no one uses it. Hostels will often ask for you to leave your name and checkout date on the food, so that if you don’t use the food they can get rid of it after you leave.
11. If you are travelling on long bus or train journeys, I recommend using the book swap at hostels, they often have them!

Bungalow Bay Koala Village YHA, Magnetic Island, Australia

So there you have it, my tips for making your hostel stay as smooth and enjoyable as possible! It may feel intimidating, sharing a room with people you don’t know, but they are a lot less scary than they seem and when you speak to the people you are sharing a room with you can become really good friends. I will link the Hostelworld website below if you want to check it out. Please let me know any tips you think I may have missed on this list or questions you may have about staying in hostels. See you next week!

Hostels Worldwide - Online Hostel Bookings, Ratings and Reviews

pfefferbett.de

Rainforest Retreat | Franz Josef Hotel Accommodation

Magnetic Island Hostel and Koala Park