Whenever I tell people I’ve stayed in a hostel, I get a bunch of wows, whys and ewws. I get it. Most travelers don’t consider a hostel for an accommodation option. But peep game, hostels are easy-to-book, super affordable and are an all-around clutch options for every type of traveler. Seasoned and abroad travelers and expats can attest to this!

Not convinced? I got you…

10 Reasons You Should Stay in a Hostel

1.

For the frugal folk, hostels are real coin savers! Beds go for as little as $10-20/night in most major cities! That’s less than $100 on accommodations for a week’s vacay! With this kind of deal, you can splurge on other parts of your vacay.

2.

You can get private rooms, just like a hotel or stay in a dorm-style room, with as many as 16 people (great way to meet new people).

3.

Hostels are great for long layovers, quick trips, and even long stays. I met a guy at a hostel in Lisbon, who’d been staying there for a month!

4.

Many hostels offer same sex dorm and bathroom options, so if an all girl/guy room is what you want, you got it.

5.

Hostels can be small and homey or large and hotel-like; think bed and breakfast vs college dorm hall. You can search for just about any type of hostel you’re into.

6.

You can easily meet people from different countries while staying in hostels. I’ve met Americans in Portugal, Argentinians in Italy and so on, through room assignments. For sure, you'll always meet an Australian!

7.

Hostels are a great place to meet people (wink wink). Some hostels offer events for residents of the hostel, others have on-site clubs or lounges, so you don’t have to go far for a good time.

8.

Hostels are comfortable and clean. You’re not sleeping on french linen sheets but it’s not a jail bed either. I’ve been able to sleep comfortably in all of the hostels I’ve stayed in. Hostels get a bad rep sometimes but in all the ones I’ve stayed in, there’s been housekeeping on deck, 24/7 and did an amazing job keeping bathrooms and common areas clean.

9.

The amenities in hostels are better than your standard hotel: laundry services, use of a kitchen, freshly prepared low-cost meals, an iron, towels, access to tours and guides.

10.

FREE STUFF! Who doesn't love free?! I’ve gotten free breakfast, free glasses of wine or shots,and free maps, while staying at hostels.

Hostels offer a different way to experience traveling in a new city, and are such a helpful component to saving money while traveling (I love me some bougie-budget travel). The idea of a "hostel" started in the early 1900s, in Germany, and has evolved to providing reasonable accommodations for the young, the old, the lit and the budget conscious folk. There are a lot of hostels out there, in cities all across the globe…so where do you start?

Start Here...

The best way to start is to ask someone who has stayed in one (like moi): what their experience was and where they would recommend staying. The next best thing, if you don't know anyone who's stayed in a hostel, is to check out the hostel's booking site or a third-party booking site that shows reviews, and try it for yourself. My go-to site for booking hostels is Hostelworld.com (this is not a sponsored post, btw). Hostelworld.com shows where people are from that have stayed at a particular hostel, gives ratings and shows reviews, as well as specifics about the hostels.

My Favorite Hostels

The Yellow - Rome

St. Christopher's Inn at Winston - Amsterdam

Bed Station - Bangkok

Yes! Hostel - Lisbon

Doesn’t sound bad right? Trust me, it’s not at all! Let me know what hostel(s) you’ve stayed in, where it is, and what your experience was like? Haven’t stayed in a hostel yet? Let me know if you’re considering it after this post!