Setting Off Into Hostel Territory
By Tim Vandehey
When you talk with world travelers who have spent much of their time between Mumbai and Bangkok in the sometimes-unyielding bunkbeds of the world's hostel network, you hear the same thing: "I wouldn't travel any other way."
Now, for those who are more interested in package tours of the "If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium" variety, or whose tastes run to luxury hotels with gold-plated bidets, hostels are the wrong way to go. But if you have a taste for adventure, would rather spend your money on local art or great food, and look forward to meeting other travelers from all over the globe, you can't beat traveling by hostel.
Not Just For Youth Anymore
Once upon a time, the world's hostels were commonly known as "youth hostels," a label which kept away many travelers who felt that if they were over 25 they would be unwelcome. That's not the case, and it's borne out by the International Youth Hostel Federation changing its name to Hosteling International.
Today, hostels are widely recognized as places where travelers of any age can stay at a very low price while diving into a lively social scene. Though their cheapness still makes them the destination of choice for the backpacking twentysomething, they're also wildly popular with seniors as well as anyone with a rail pass, a big backpack and a lust for seeing more of the local culture than the main sightseeing destination.
Going Upscale
Hostels have long been known for certain unchanging features: communal dorm-style rooms with bunk beds, daytime lockouts, common kitchens and varying qualities of showers. And while some of those things are still the same, hostels are going more upscale in other ways, befitting their greater popularity. In some big cities, you can find hostels with private rooms and full beds, even rooms designed for couples with children.
The most attractive feature of hostels for most travelers is the price. Depending on the country, you can crash at a hostel for anywhere from $20-$40 a night, and if you're a member of one of the hostel organizations, you'll get a discount. That's important when you're on the road for six months, living on a shoestring. Many hostels also offer extra services that add some additional comfort to long weeks on the road: lockers, phone and internet services, laundry, tours, stores, even small restaurants.
Some Facts About Hostels:
- There are two major chains: Hostelling International, or HI hostels (easily recognized by the blue triangle) and Backpackers Hostels, a more loosely organized collection that tends to be run country-by-country. HI hostels are always clean, if a little sterile, and are not always the most social places. Backpackers hostels tend to have a more lively social scene. There are also many independent hostels.
- Most hostels have a daytime lockout, which means you can't get in during certain hours, and an evening curfew.
- Kitchens are communal, so if you want to prepare your own meals, be ready to share space. Cooking is a wonderful way to meet others; my best hostel experiences have been impromptu kitchen gatherings.
- Most hostels require you to bring a sleep sack for your bedding. If you don't have one, they will sell you one.
- Most hostels do take reservations, but the popular ones in the popular cities (Rome, Paris, London) fill up fast during the summer. Always call ahead, especially if you're traveling on a shoestring.
If you're open to making friends and seeing the world from street level-and saving money to boot, there's no better way to travel than by hostel.