Hostels

Hostels are the traveler’s best friend.  In many cases traveling around the world on a budget would be very hard without them…especially in Western Europe. They offer sanctuary, a meal, and lots of people in a similar situation.  But best of all they are cheap, cheap, cheap. 

Living in hostels is not all fun and games and there are a lot of risks that go along with saving so much money.  Essentially going hostelling is not for everybody, but it can be for most people if they know what they are getting into.

Should you choose to enter the world of hostelling these are the things you should know what to expect from the following:

• Hostel Staff
• Theft
• Bathroom Facilities
• Beds
• Meals Cleanliness
• Activities
• Etiquette
• Parties

If you don’t know this section on traveling will give a good idea of what to expect when you get to your destination and need a place to stay.

You can pretty much find hostels in every corner of the world.  Some are huge moneymakers with lots of rooms and a big staff.  Others are corporate affairs that are run by agencies like hostelling international.  These tend to be very clean, very safe and more than a little boring.

There are also many smaller independent hostels.  These are the biggest risk for sure.  You’re never really sure what to expect.  They can either be the best experience of your life, or a waking nightmare brought on by the fact that if you could even manage to fall asleep your brain would be full of nightmares about the time you spent awake.

Just keep in mind that hostels come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them are found in guidebooks.  Your best bet is to hit the street and ask around, other travelers will be able to give a pretty good estimation of which places are good and which ones are scary.

So good luck with this guide.