Over the past two years I have stayed in a hostel or two (or a hundred). I will be the first to admit that I haven’t always taken advantage of all that they have to offer. But, when I started traveling solo, hostels were my saving grace. I made so many friends while exploring SE Asia and that was mainly because of the places I chose to stay at.
A good hostel has a great common area, sets up activities for it’s guests, and has a wonderful staff.
Get The Most Out Of Your Hostel
1. Read Reviews
Whether or not I’m booking ahead, I will always hop onto Hostel World and read the reviews. I think that you can always find trusted reviews on the site. People are often brutally honest which has saved me from staying in a dump or in a place where the people who work there aren’t great.
The reviews have also helped me find some gems all over SE Asia.
2. Make Sure You’re Comfortable.
When I’m traveling alone, I will usually stay in an all female dorm because it makes me feel safer. When I have at least one other person with me, I always choose to stay in a mixed dorm (I find them to be a little bit more social, and they are often cheaper in price). You want to make sure that you feel as comfortable as possible while staying at a hostel so you can get a goodnight’s sleep and have a good time.
I also try to stay in smaller dorms (my rule is to try and never go over 12 beds). Some hostels have dorms that fit 18-32 people and I have a harder time falling asleep in a room where people are constantly coming in and out, in and out. So just keep these things in mind when booking your stay.
3. Say Hi To Your Roommates
It can awkward walking into a room full of people that you don’t know. I’m not saying you immediately have to become best friends with whoever is sharing your room with you, but you should at least say hi and introduce yourself. That will make things less awkward in the future. This can often lead to a conversation, dinner plans, or plans to explore for the next day. I have made a lot of friends just by saying hello to them when I go into my room for the first time. Remember: don’t feel obligated to hang out with the people staying in your room. There are usually so many more people checked in that you’ll run into in the common areas. So, if you don’t gel with your roommates, don’t worry.
4. Participate in Activities Offered By The Hostel
The great thing about hostels is that they often offer a ton of really cool, free activities for guests. It can be anything from a walking tour, to a BBQ, to a bonfire (if you’re in Hanoi in Vietnam it’ll probably be an hour of free beer everyday). Whatever it is, this is a great way to start making friends from all over the world. It’s amazing how many people travel by themselves or with one other person and really want to create relationships with others. Let’s face it, meeting people and experiencing them is the best part about traveling (at least for me) and a big part of that comes from staying in hostels.
I ended up becoming great friends with someone who worked at a hostel in Vietnam because of the free beer hour everyday. I met a whole crew of people in Gili T in Bali because of the bonfire that the hostel planned, and in Prague I met a group of people to go out with at night during a walking tour earlier in the day. And in Cambodia I met an entire group of people that I ended up traveling with on and off for two and a half weeks.
5. Don’t Sit In Your Room. Use Common Areas.
It can be really easy to get comfortable in your bed after a long day of exploring. But, sitting in your room can really ruin a great experience. Trust me, I get it, when you’re tired sometimes you just don’t want to be around people, and that is totally fine. Just don’t make it a habit because you’ll end up missing out on meeting some great people and participating in some really fun activities.
6. Talk With The Staff.
The people who work at hostels are some of the most invaluable people you will meet while traveling. I especially love to stay in places where they employ locals because they really know everything there is to know about the area that you’re staying in. I ended up staying at this one hostel in Bangkok for a week and I became close with the staff. They even let me come out with them on Koh San Road, which was amazing because they knew all of the best bars to go to. Oh, and they made fun of me for how hungover I was the next morning. And, they all gave me hugs goodbye when it was finally time for me to go.
International staff can be great too because odds are most of them have traveled the route that you’re currently traveling. So, it makes sense to pick their brains about the best places they’ve stayed and the coolest places they’ve explored. Plus, most of them are always down for a party.
Interested in more? Check Out Some Of My Favorite Hostels in Thailand. Stay tuned for a list of hostels I love around the world! And if you have any questions in the mean time, about places to stay, ask in the comments!
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Everything you mentioned is SO TRUE. Particularly about getting out of the room and interacting with everyone. I feel like that’s the whole point of staying in hostels instead of hotels (besides to price difference): meeting people!
i’ve met some of the most amazing people during my stays in hostels and the only time I’ve ever had a bad stay is when I’ve chosen to be anti-social
You had me at free beer hour! This should be an event at every hotel, hostel, B & B out there! 🙂 Great post, I have only stayed in a couple hostels but this gives me some great things to think about for any future hostel stays. They really are a great place to meet new people, and an affordable way to travel. Happy Travels!
thanks kari!! I always try to get involved in the activities that the hostel has and free beer is a nice one
I’ve never stayed in a hostel and it looks like I was missing out! Good for you for traveling all over the world and alone at that, that’s so inspiring! More people should do that and it’s great that you show them options for doing so realistically. You’re so right meeting locals and people from all over the world is such an invaluable experience. Look forward to reading more! Oh and I love your logo btw!
thank you!! i actually hated the first time i traveled solo, but that was because I was too nervous to meet other people – the second time around it was incredible!
Great tips. We have never stayed in a hostel but getting along with the roomies and participating in hostel activities is definitely fun.
it’s good for solo travel!
I’ve never stayed in a hostel – I think I’m just too old….lol! But I can see the appeal for younger travelers especially if traveling solo.
haha it can be super fun but i totally understand
Some great tips here to send on to my kids. I don’t stay in hostels because I feel way to old for it. I am past the partying stage – well sometimes…lol…but I hear there are now “elderhostels” in Europe and way more people over 50 are staying in them so one day I may just give it a try.
i’ve actually heard about these! I told my mom to try that too
These are really good tips and helpful for anyone looking for hostels. As an older couple we actually don’t see hostels as our travel style, but I think years ago this would have been the way to go and wish I would have know 🙂
it’s definitely a good spot to stay in for younger people!
I never tried staying in a hostel before but i would love to do it someday if i trave alone. i wanna meet new people, have a great time together and know other people’s thoughts
its so worth it when you’re traveling alone!