There's sometimes an overwhelming choice of hostels, and it can be difficult to choose the best for you. Most importantly, the cheapest is not always best. When travelling you are nearly always living on a tight budget, it can be tempting to choose the cheapest option to save yourself a few extra pounds. However, you may actually be spending more once there, or even have a poor experience which has the potential to hinder your enjoyment overall.
1. What is the style of BED?
There's a variety of hostel bed styles; bunk beds, single beds, or even capsules. Bunk beds are the most common as it maximises the people per room. I personally don't mind bunkbeds, it's just part and parcel of the hostel life. Single beds give the feeling of a bit more space in the room, but ultimately these are less common in hostels. Finally, capsules are increasingly becoming common. Famously, Japan takes the capsules to the extreme, however not all capsules are tiny. I stayed in a capsule-style hostel in Bali and they had so much space, as well as plugs and a foldaway shelf. I think I actually prefer capsule styles as they give you a bit more privacy and storage. They also block out the light slightly better, in case someone in your dorm doesn't understand the unspoken rules of a hostel.
2. Does the hostel have LOCKERS in the room?
Whilst you may assume your hostel has lockers, be sure to check if they actually do and the size of them! You do not want to be leaving your belongings, valuable or not, around in the room just in case. Be sure to bring a padlock with you as sometimes hostels charge you an additional fee for the padlock to lock the locker.
3. Free WIFI?
Free WiFi is important. Most of the time WiFi is your only option to use the internet. Whilst the majority of the time you won't be using your phone for much other than maps and phones, during the evening you may want to relax by watching some Netflix or research some new places to explore. You don't want to find yourself paying out for WiFi access every day. This is one of the main things to look out for with cheaper hostels.
4. Is BREAKFAST included in the price, if so what's available?
Most hostels have some form of breakfast included in the price, but be sure to check what this actually includes. You don't always want to be paying for a filling breakfast at the cafe opposite, or be stuck with a slice of toast, especially if you have a busy day ahead of you. I loved my breakfast at the 9Station Hostel in Vietnam; we had unlimited juice, a choice of meal (I always had pancakes with chocolate sauce), and a piece of fruit, all included in the £6 a night cost.
5. Is there a SOCIALISING SPACE (e.g. bar or common room)?
These are vital when travelling, especially if you're looking to make some friends. You don't want to be stuck in your dorm or have to leave the hostel all the time to socialise. It's also a good opportunity to have some time time to yourself but not actually being alone. The socialising space in the Wombats City Hostel in London was one of the best I've seen!
6. Is it a PARTY hostel or not?
There's a big difference between a party hostel and one that's not. Establish what you are looking for; sometimes you'll be wanting to party and sometimes not. Seeing the telltale signs of whether a hostel is a party one or not is whether they have their own bar crawl or not. If they have a bar crawl included in their price
per night it is safe to say its most probably a party hostel.
7. Location, LOCATION, location.
Whilst you may be able to save a few pounds by booking a hostel further out of the area you're visiting, I don't recommend this. You'll spend more time and money travelling into the area you're visiting, which you could have simply invested in a better-located hostel. A better-located hostel also means that you're right in the heart of the culture and get a real feel for the city.
8. CHECK THE REVIEWS
Reading reviews seems like an obvious step to take. However, you must be smart about this as there are plenty of fake reviews. One step I take to curb this is to simply read the reviews on sights such as HostelWorld and Booking.com, but also I always look at the Instagram pictures. Instagram pictures and videos from the everyday traveller are the best to look at as they give you an alternate view of the hostel.
There are plenty of hostels available, you're guaranteed to find the perfect one for you provided you spend the time searching. The hostel you choose may not have all of these factors but in my opinion, the more the better.
I hope you found this helpful.
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-Alicia
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