{"id":131,"date":"2011-03-02T21:18:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-02T21:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.abroad101.local\/?p=131"},"modified":"2025-04-03T02:30:43","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T06:30:43","slug":"an-insiders-guide-to-hostels-do-you-know-where-youre-sleeping-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studyabroad101.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/an-insiders-guide-to-hostels-do-you-know-where-youre-sleeping-tonight\/","title":{"rendered":"An Insider’s Guide to Hostels: Do You Know Where You\u2019re Sleeping Tonight?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span>\"\"<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
While travelling <\/span><\/span>abroad on a students\u2019 budget, you should expect to stay at n<\/span><\/span>umerous hostels. If you\u2019ve never stayed at a hostel before, there are some things you should know<\/span><\/span>\u2026 they are very different from the holiday inns you might be accustomed to.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
First, what is a hostel?<\/strong> Hostels, also called \u201cbackpackers\u2019\u201d in some countries, are places that o<\/span><\/span>ffer affordable accommodation, usually with shared rooms and facilities. Many hostels <\/span>will offer a range of rooms from a shared room with bunks holding up <\/span>to 16 people (usually 4-8) that may be single sex or co-ed, to private or twin rooms that may be an e<\/span>nsuite. Most hostels will have a communal kitchen and common room. They are often similar to <\/span>college dormitories. They can be a great place to meet people and get insider tips on where <\/span>to go in the area.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span>We put together some helpful tips to keep in mind while travelling abroad, and <\/span><\/span><\/span>sleeping in strange beds\u2026<\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span>Do your homework:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
As with most things, the more you know, the better off you are. <\/span><\/span>Hostel World<\/span><\/span><\/a>, Lonely <\/span><\/span>Planet and other guidebooks are a great start to find a hostel <\/span>for your destination. Be sure to look them up online and try to find reviews, accurate rates and d<\/span>irections. We advise against staying anywhere with less th<\/span>an 80% rating.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span>When frugality becomes risky:<\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span>Hostels are cheap. BUT just because you\u2019re on a budget, re<\/span><\/span>member not to sacrifice safety for a few bucks. Don\u2019<\/span>t stay at any place where you feel uncomfortable just because it is the cheapest place in town! It might pay off to <\/span>upgrade to a 4-person share rather than suffer through a night with 15 roommates! If you <\/span>plan on staying in a lot of hostels<\/a>, it will pay to get a <\/span>Hostelling International Membership<\/span><\/span><\/a>. This will give you discounts in all their partn<\/span><\/span>ered hostels. Another essential card <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
for student discounts is the International <\/span><\/span>Student Identity Card <\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
What to eat:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
There will most likely be a communal ki<\/span><\/span>tchen in every hostel you stay in. This means you can feed<\/span><\/span>\"Four yourself for cheap i.e. actually COOK a meal. We suggest GROUP MEALS, t<\/span>hey cut down on costs <\/span><\/span>and <\/span>are exponentially more exciting. <\/span>Please remember, it\u2019s not your mom\u2019s kitchen, you have to CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF, and if you store anything in the fridge or on the shelves be sure to LABEL YOUR FOOD with your name, room number and date of check out. Many h<\/span>ostels have started to offer a continental breakfast (cereal, toast, peanut butter, vegemite, nutella, tea and coffee), and if you\u2019re really lucky they might offer a soup supper!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Don\u2019t let the Bed Bugs Bite!<\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span>Hostels are at a relatively high risk for Bed Bugs. We offer a few tips to avoid a very unpleasant nights\u2019 sleep and minimize the risk of you carrying the little creatures to your next destination.<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> 1. Before you sit or lay on your bed, check the mattress seams. Bed bugs are visible, contrary to popular belief, they like to hide in the seems of mattresses and only come out at night (the wee hours before dawn to be precise.)<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> 2. Don\u2019t put your bags on the bed. If the bed bugs feel like hitching a ride, they will do so in your bags, they especially like zippers.<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> 3. Don\u2019t use your sleeping bag. They will definitely set up shop and stay wit<\/span><\/span><\/span>h you for good. Some hostels prohibit sleeping bags for this reason.<\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span>Stay clean:<\/strong><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span>If all this talk about, well I won\u2019t mention it here, has got you squirmy, take these tips to avoid excess germs:<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> 1. Bring a camping or <\/span><\/span>HOSTEL BEDSHEET<\/span><\/span><\/a> and pillowcase with you. <\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> 2. Keep SHOWER SHOES with you.<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> 3. Traditional towels are bulky, buy a compactable CAMPING TOWEL available at any outdoors store.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
4. There will be COIN-OP LAUNDRY facilities, use them, you don’t want to be the smelly kid.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span>Lock it up!<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

\"Four<\/p>\n

As much as you may trust your hostel share-mates, it\u2019s best to lock up your stuff. Most rooms will have lockers in them, but you must BRING YOUR OWN LOCK. For extra security they may have a safe at the front desk for small valuables such as your passport.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
The Joys of Sleeping with Strangers:<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/span>Some people may try to be courteous, others will have no regard for you. We suggest EARPLUGS to help you sleep through noisy early birds, drunk night-owls and the lovebirds in between.<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span> <\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Enjoy hostelling around the world!<\/span><\/strong> <\/span>Many hostels have common areas with TV’s or pool tables and some have a bar attached as well. <\/span><\/span>It is truly the best place to meet fellow travelers who are always up for a good time! <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 While travelling abroad on a students\u2019 budget, you should expect to stay at numerous hostels. If you\u2019ve never stayed at a hostel before, there are some things you should know\u2026 they are very different from the holiday inns you might be accustomed to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[146],"ppma_author":[682],"class_list":["post-131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-abroadadvice","tag-hostels","author-pwpadmin"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t