Hostels: Yay or Nay?

I’m determined to make it to Europe in early fall but it’s so frickin’ expensive. However, I’ve been looking in to a few hostels to save me a ton of cash. Though I stayed at a budget hotel when I went to Belize, I’ve never done the whole hostel thing and I’m kinda scared/intrigued by them.

Advantages: affordable, you get to meet fellow travelers
Disadvantages: you’re sharing a room and bathroom with strangers!

Hostels are certainly more popular overseas, but there are a few in major cities in the U.S. I plan to make another trip to L.A. this summer and I came across a hostel with great amenities and under $40 a night…but I’d have to share a room with 7 other people 🙁

I love saving where I can (that’s the whole Living Fly on a Dime way) but being in close quarters with strangers really freaks me out.

So how do you guys feel about hostels? Would you willingly lodge with strangers so you have more money to spend on shopping, food, etc.? I really want to know what you guys think.

8 Comments
  • Aundrea
    Posted at 06:13h, 03 May Reply

    My friend swears by hostels. She stays in them every time she travels to Europe or Asia. In fact, she will be staying in a hostel in Paris this summer.

  • Stephanie
    Posted at 08:41h, 03 May Reply

    I love hostels, especially in Europe. Hostelling International listed a few myths about hotels on their tumblr. A lot of hostels are clean, quiet, and have free or cheap Internet.

    http://hostellinginternationalusa.tumblr.com/post/503250297/debunking-the-myths-of-hostels

  • Stephanie
    Posted at 08:42h, 03 May Reply

    *I meant “a few myths about hostels,” not “a few myths about hotels.”

  • Fly on a Dime
    Posted at 09:44h, 03 May Reply

    Ok, you ladies give hostels the stamp of approval, I’ll have to look into them!

  • Jamie
    Posted at 14:27h, 03 May Reply

    Also, if you travel in the summer look into accomodations at local universities and seminaries, which often rent out dorm rooms and graduate hosuing apartments to tourists.

  • Nico
    Posted at 15:40h, 03 May Reply

    Girl, I live in a hostel when I moved to NY. Somewhere in Harlem. It was clean and the people were really friendly. I left my laptop there (under my pillow) every day and it was never stolen.
    I also stayed in a hostel in South Africa. It was decent…nothing to rave about but it kept my expenses down. We actually did half hostel/half hotel. Balance is everything!

  • JD
    Posted at 16:58h, 03 May Reply

    My friend, Deano, did the whole hostel thing when he traveled around Asia this summer. He didn’t have any problems.

    http://deanotroy.blogspot.com

  • Dari
    Posted at 09:46h, 04 May Reply

    My friends love hostels, but I would say go with a friend if you can.
    I never like traveling byself period, so if you’re okay with that, I don’t see any problems!

    Have fun!

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