Picking a hostel can be stressful if you’ve never done so. Especially in the bigger cities where there are so many to choose from. So here are some tips and tricks to help get you started.

Types of Hostels:

First I want to talk about the different types of hostels. These are how I classify them – other people might have a different way, but it’s important to know the different types before you book otherwise you might find yourself in a hostel that doesn’t fit your needs or wants.

• Party: I’m going to start by saying there are levels to the party hostels. Not all party hostels are made the same, and it’s important to follow some of the other tips and tricks I’ve listed when you decide you want to go the full party hostel route. I’m listing 2 types of party hostels here, but it’s truly a scale that you’ll have to navigate as you gain more experience in hostels.

• • Type 1 – The Full Time Party: This is the party hostel that is dedicated to partying. They have the deals, they have pub crawls and beer cruises and about 100 other things going on that are sponsored by the hostel. The hostel itself is filled with people who love to party and that’s all they do. The focus and money for the hostel go into the party lifestyle and getting the best deals and you’re going to run into a situation where more things in the actual hostel are rundown though they’re typically still clean. Most of these are cheaper because they know that the focus is on saving money to party more. There are “quiet hours” but they tend to be a suggestion and they’re hardly enforced and not a lot of the people staying there care. Everyone talks to everyone there, introverts do not exist, and you have to work to get your own space.
  • Type 2 – The Good Time Party: This is a party hostel that has its own bar, runs its own pub crawls, and has events most nights in the common area. The facilities tend to be nice – especially in the common areas – because they encourage people from other hostels to come and participate too. Sometimes these are associated with other hostels in the area, sister hostels, to get good deals. There are quiet hours that are respected, though the official and unofficial hours tend to be a bit different. The unofficial and enforced time tends to be after 2am while the official hours may start at 11 or midnight. People are there for the partying, but they also want rooms that can be separate from it when needed. People will talk to everyone, especially once the drinks start flowing. You can easily go up to someone and share a beer with them or just hang out, but once the drinks wear off you’re not likely to talk to them again. You’re more likely to only hang out with people while drinking and then never see them again.

• Social:
  • Technically the social hostel is a subset of the party hostel. You may find a lot of similarities in a type 2 party hostel to what I classify as a social hostel. A social hostel typically has a bar or restaurant or both, well used common areas with community games, and events a couple of times a week. Events range from pub crawls to beer pong to music bingo with shots as prizes. People are almost always willing to speak to you, but if you don’t make an effort or look like you’re busy they’re also likely to leave you alone. You get what social interaction you put in. You’ll be able to find people to go out and explore with, sit and play games, or just talk. You’re likely to exchange information with the people you met and keep in touch after you leave.
• Basic:
  • These hostels are the ones that tend to have the bare minimum. They are there to give you a place to sleep and that’s about it. There are common rooms/areas but people keep to themselves or only come back for bed so it gives very ghost town vibes. You’re not likely to meet anyone unless you talk to someone in your room. Their price depends on the area and could be really cheap or middle of the run.
• Co-Working:
  • These are the hostels that are geared towards the digital nomads. They often have long stay options. They have spaces geared specifically to co-working and the Wi-Fi is the best you’ll find. They’ll have a bar/cafe/restaurant, but it won’t typically be open as late as you’ll find in the social hostel. The socializing that happens here is more network style – though you may get some additional socializing at the events that they hold throughout the week. These events tend to be more trivia nights and such than the drinking games you see at the party and social hostels. Everything is a bit more upscale and they tend to be priced a bit higher.
• Hotel:
  • Hotel style hostels. I know what you’re thinking “what?!” but they exist. They tend to be attached to an actual hotel. Sometimes the hotel will have some floors and the hostels others. These ones tend to have some of the more unusual amenities (for hostels) like pools or gyms, though if you’re staying in the ‘hostel’ side you typically need to pay extra for access to those. Everything tends to be a bit less personal and a bit more sterile. The facilities tend to be in great condition, but it’s important to note that the dorm rooms tend to be in the older rooms that haven’t been updated in a long time. Sometimes they’re attached to a bar/restaurant. Sometimes they have events – but this tends to be hit or miss. They will also sometimes have conference rooms or be near convention centers.

Booking a Hostel

Alright – now that you know the different types of hostels out there, how do you pick one? An important thing to note – as you travel to more hostels, you’ll begin to get a feel from the hostels website (or a booking site) about what you do and do not want in a hostel. So while these tips and tricks are always helpful and things that you should be looking into – always trust your gut and insights as you refine what you’re looking for.

• Where are you booking? There are a couple of different places that you can book a hostel. I’m going to go over a couple of the more common ones that I use or have seen people use.

• • Direct: just like with hotels, most hostels have their own website and booking site nowadays. There are still some that don’t, but the majority do. You can often get better deals by booking directly.
  • HostelWorld: Hostelworld is one of the biggest collections of hostels in the world. There are often deals being run on it for you to book through them rather than the hostel. Typically you pay 15% at booking and then the remainder at check in. Occasionally the hostel will charge you before you get there. One of the best (and worst) parts is if you book through hostelworld you’ll be automatically added to the chat rooms run through hostel world for the hostel and the city you’re traveling to. These can be annoying but you can mute them – they’re also a great way to arrange to meet up with people to explore, play games, split costs, etc. They have a star ranking system 1-10, and I would suggest not even looking at anything that doesn’t have at least an 8. You can filter your search.
  • HostelPass: used in Europe, the HostelPass is a one time paid pass that is good for a year and gets you discounts. The number of hostels listed is limited to many of the bigger companies, but the deals are occasionally worth it. (full disclaimer – I have a HostelPass but I haven’t found it worth it, I can usually find better deals on HostelWorld or direct. There are other discounts you get with it though I had most of those figured out before I got the HostelPass. Look into everything before you spend the money. It’s not much – but when you’re traveling on a budget everything adds up).
  • Booking.com: some hostels are listed on Booking.com. Personally I haven’t used this as I can typically find better deals on HostelWorld or direct. But I know a lot of people who have.

• Reviews:
  • Alright. If you read this section you’re now either thinking “Reviews are fake” or “yeah yeah, I know but how much could those really help?” – but you need to give reviews actual time, especially at the beginning. I have found reviews for hostels tend to be accurate more often than any others. I use HostelWorld more often than not for the reviews – no matter what I end up booking under. So many people use HostelWorld and regularly review that it’s worth a look and unlike places like Yelp, you don’t just get the bad you get the good too.
  • By reading reviews I’ve avoided a great hostel that happened to be set up next to a church that rang its bell every 15 minutes after 7am. As a late riser – not the hostel for me. Other reviews have told me that I’ll be walking uphill for a bit as the nearest bus station was a bit of a hike away – and I’m able to make that judgement call. I’ve also found hostels that have a high star number but the last reviews are from a significant amount of time ago and mention bedbugs. Sometimes you’ll see reviews that make it clear a change of owner/management happened for good or bad.
  • Reviews are also key when considering the party hostel scale. The hostel I stayed at in Budapest for instance had 9+ stars and great reviews but after I stayed there (and left early – read the post for the T), I looked back and realized that all the reviews talked about the party and events that they put on, none of them talked about the facilities. None even mentioned that you had to walk up 4 double flights of stairs and that the lift was broken (and questionable even if it was working). That’s a red flag – if no one mentions the facilities chances are they don’t care as much about them and you could be walking into a disaster.
• Location:
  • Where is the hostel located? Will you need to take public transit to get to the hostel or can you walk from the station? Will you need to take public transit to explore the sights? Are you looking to stay in a specific area? Is the area safe at night (reviews can help with that), if you plan to be out and about after dark that’s important to know. Is there a grocery store nearby? Does the train station nearby run on the weekends? I’m one of the first to admit that I tend to do limited research, but when you choose to stay a bit more off the beaten path compared to in the downtown busy area – there are more things you need to consider. Personally – I tend to stay more downtown when I’m in a big city as it allows me to be more sure that I’ll be safe and then I take day trips out further if I’m not just walking around. If I’m in smaller cities, I don’t tend to mind as much where I’m located. That being said – there are some cities where the downtown isn’t safe at night, so make sure you’re paying attention!
• Facilities:
  • Not all hostels are created the same. Some have a community kitchen, some don’t. Some have coworking spaces, common areas, game rooms, laundry rooms with only a washer or with both a washer and dryer, pools, gyms, AC, Wi-Fi that extends to the rooms, luggage storage, bicycle parking/rental, car parking, TV, elevators, free towel rentals, etc. Sometimes you just want the basic hostel – but sometimes you want the extras. It all depends on you. Consider what else it has to offer.
• Know your responsibilities:
  • This may seem like an odd one, but some hostels will give you your linens at check in, some will have them on the bed, and some will have the beds premade. It’s important to know if you need to make your own bed – it’s not typically difficult but you need to know. You also need to know if you have to strip the bed and return the linens to a designated area at checkout. Don’t assume that their housekeeping will do it all for you – if you do you may get hit with a fee.
  • As a side note for this one – many hostels in Europe have duvet with duvet covers instead of a top sheet. The duvet goes inside it just like you put a pillow case on a pillow. If you’re required to make the bed, it’s typically easiest to grab the inside corners of the duvet cover with the cover over your arms, grab the corners of the duvet, and then pull it through while shaking it out. 
• Dorm Rooms: Alright. So you’ve decided to stay in a dorm rather than a private room. A couple things to think about:

• • How many beds? Are you sharing with 19 other people, or are you just there with 3 others. Personally I think that 8 beds is about the max before it’s too much, but I’ve stayed in ones that had 16 and even a 20 person bed. The 12 isn’t bad, but remember the more beds there are the more of a chance there are to get some people who are going to be harder to share with (see my other post about common types of hostel goers).
  • Female only dorm? These tend to cost a bit more (basically another version of the pink tax), but some women find comfort in not staying in the same room with strange men.
  • Are beds/lockers assigned? Not all hostels assign beds, though I’ve been finding more and more that do as it helps housekeeping know what needs to be cleaned. It doesn’t really matter besides the fact that if your bed is not assigned, you really want to make sure that you obviously claim it before you leave. Leave a sweatshirt on it, make the bed if needed, etc. Otherwise don’t be surprised when you return and find that someone else is now in your bed.
  • Upper or lower bunk? Some hostels will let you request an upper or lower bunk when the beds are assigned. They may not always be available – but you can put in that request. Upper bunks tend to offer a bit more privacy but they can be a pain to get in and out of depending on the setup and in some hostels the beds are easily tiltable as you climb up (I’ve done it). Lower bunks are often great for the ease of them, especially when you’re repacking or doing laundry. It gives you a surface to work on while standing next to it. The downside is that depending on the placement of your bed you may have people walking next to your head all the time and if someone is above you, you have to deal with them getting up and down.
  • Privacy curtains? Some people love privacy curtains, some hate them. Personally I like them. I especially like them when the bed is situated ‘vertically’ back and it’s essentially pod-like. The curtain blocks out light and some sounds and it gives you your own space in a shared room. Sometimes you can hang a sheet or towel up to create a makeshift privacy curtain – though sometimes there are specific rules against this so make sure you check for any signs in the room!
  • Where are the plugs? Most hostels now have plugs situated next to each bed – but I’ve also stayed in hostels where there is an extension cord that you share with others. Sometimes the plugs are a full plug but there are also USB or USB-C plugs now too.
  • Lockers? Where is your locker located? Do you need to rent it from the desk or is it included? Is it situated next to your bunk, under it, or across the room? Do you need to have your own lock or is one included on the locker? What are you going to keep in your locker?

• Tax:
  • The day to day tax/VAT is typically worked into the price. However, some cities have an additional city tax that you have to pay once you get to the hostel. This is typically a small amount per night (think 2.5-3.5 euro per night per person) but if you don’t know about it then it may shock you.
• Checkout:
  • Pay attention to when the checkout is. Is it 10am, 11am, 12pm? Can you request a late checkout? If you can, do you need to pay? It doesn’t always matter, but if your train leaves in the afternoon or evening and your check out is at 10am you either need to go wait at the train station for hours, find a cafe for breakfast/brunch, store your luggage, or sit in the common area of the hostel until you can leave. And if you choose to store your luggage, don’t forget to check if it’s free or if you need to pay for it!

Alright! I think that’s a lot of the main tips and tricks that I have for picking a hostel. Drop questions or stories in the comments! I’m sure I’ve missed things!