Let's talk hostels...
Think Tinder, but for a good night's sleep
Finding the right hostel can be challenging…it’s almost like online dating. You scroll through the hostel world app and like the ones that seem appealing, the ones that seem like they would treat you right. Only with online dating there are no customer reviews (Tinder, if you’re reading, and I know you are, I’ve got an idea for you). Finding a quality hostel does not need to be nearly that complicated. You just have to know how to navigate HostelWorld and the occasional Booking.com.
Now some of you might be trying to find the perfect hostel which is totally doable, there are just many factors to consider. In this post I will be diving into what constitutes a perfect hostel but let’s start with the basics: a simply good hostel. Sometime modesty is the best policy when it comes to your temporary home. The following are criteria for a simply good hostel assuming you are a young, social 20 something traveler. When
and I were sitting on our velvet couch in Spain scrolling through the Hostelworld app, there were always two critical aspects we looked for when choosing a hostel for an upcoming trip:It has a bar
There is an age restriction
If there is a bar, it is evident that this hostel is trying to foster a social environment. If they have an age restriction, then you know that they are trying to cater to young travelers and not just anyone looking for a place to sleep. We have been in many a hostels (actually only like two because we learned our lesson) sans bars and age restrictions. I remember one specifically in Bilbao where our morning was spent watching some 40 to 50 year old skinny man talk to himself while pacing back and forth in front of their open-floor plan kitchen. IDK which pissed me off more, the tweaker or the lack of division between the lounging area and the stove.
Okay but what if there’s a bar but no age restriction you ask? I would still stay away. I stayed at one of those in Lisbon with my friend Diego. It was so far so smooth until we returned late one night to find a quite large quite smelly man snoring in Diego’s bed. Also the bar had the weirdest hours. I’m assuming this was due to the many late-night noise complaints from the olds. One evening we brought some of our own alcohol to have a little patio party, there were several young hostel guests partaking not just us, and we got in trouble! I understand having to abide by a noise ordinance, but it was evident that this hostel had no interest in fostering any sort of social environment.
Okay Okay but what if there’s an age restriction but no bar you just asked me? Well then I would say we have a lot more to work with here. Normally, hostels of this variety will allow you to bring your own alcohol and store it in the kitchen. This is often encouraged so you can partake in a pregame hosted before the bar crawl, or just have a cheeky one over some card games and good conversation.
Another green flag to look our for is a Pub Crawl. Pub crawls are a great way to meet fellow travelers and get to know the nightlife of the city in which you are exploring. They are always hosted by one or several of the young, cool nomads living/working at the hostel who know all of the happening spots. They also know where to avoid: touristy areas, long lines, and such. These are typically hosted by the hostel itself, or by a company that uses your hostel as a pick-up location. I prefer the first option as it tends to be less chaotic and more intimate. Again, a great way to make friends with your fellow travelers and the hostel employees!
Now that we've discussed the basics, let’s move on to the criteria for a perfect hostel. I know good and well that perfection is impossible to obtain and unrealistic beauty standards are damaging to society, yadayada. However, I do believe the perfect hostel exists, and I do believe I have stayed there not once but twice. Bestie and I have completely fallen in love with Castle Rock Hostel in Edinburgh. We stayed there for five nights on our first visit to Edinburgh in December and love it so much we didn’t dare book another one when we returned with friends in June. To me, Castle Rock hit the nail on the head and here’s why:
All of the common areas are homey and just intimate enough to invite good conversation. More often than not, I’ve stayed in a hostel whose common areas either don’t exist or are too big. In an overly spacious common area it’s way too easy to spread out and therefore, harder to approach a group or a solo traveler. There is the main “living room” common area filled with big, comfy leather couches and a pool table. There’s also a selection of games and a mini fridge in the kitchenette for your alcohol. Upstairs is a loft overlooking the area with more couches and games. You can also find a movie room, a music room (pictured below with a very cute model), and a study room. There is a little space for everybody.
The communal bathrooms are large and not en suite. I know that an en suite bathroom can be very appealing but logistically, it doesn’t work. Every time I have stayed in a dorm with an en suite bathroom I have found it way too difficult to take a relaxing poo or 5am drunk shower. I like to go to bed clean, so sue me! I don’t want to have to tip toe around because some virgins in my dorm decided to stay in for a good night’s rest.
Subcategory: the toilets are separated from the showers. The communal bathrooms at Castle Rock are split so there is a side for shower rooms and a side for toilets. The shower rooms have a door with a shelf that encloses you in the shower for maximum privacy. Quite opposite to the shower/toilet combo stall we had to navigate in a hostel we booked in Sofia, Bulgaria….though I do salute their commitment to efficiency (No but for real if I had a picture you would scream like you could literally sit on the toilet while you took a shower).
A ginormous communal kitchen with the necessary ingredients like olive oil and spices (I’ve once received a very auspicious, dare I say bombastic, side-eye from an employee for using his very much non-communal olive oil while cooking in a hostel kitchen in Grenada). If you’re traveling on a budget as we so often were, it may be necessary to snag some cheap items at the local grocery to make a sandwich or some pasta for a few meals. I absolutely loved cooking up a lil something in the kitchen at Castle Rock. It was big and open with several community tables to gather and socialize. You could always find some staff members laughing and cooking together as they all lived there. Very much a what’s mine is yours type of vibe.
The beds!! First of all, white sheets and fluffy pillows. Second of all, big fluffy and very homey comforters. When I say homey I mean inviting, like I couldn’t jump into that bed fast enough. Also, all of the bunk beds are spread out. The rooms are huge and spacious with plenty of room to have at least six feet of distance between the beds. This helps balance out the fact that there are no privacy curtains on the beds, a factor that is normally a make or break for some people.
Last but not least, the activities! There were activities to join in on everyday ranging from your simple walking tour to the underground vaults tour to the pub crawl. The event that put them at the top of my list however was their live music night. They said it only happens once or twice a month so I guess Kate and I got lucky. There was live music at the hostel in that internet lounge I was tallembout. We were all encouraged to bring alcohol and sit around criss cross applesauce in the lounge to listen and sing along. It was easily one of my favorite nights in all of my time spent in Europe.
Now I know that this criteria may seem daunting. How are you to know if your potential hostel offers all of this?! Relax, your hostel does not have to be perfect and magical like this one. Maybe the hostel your considering has great events and activities, but the bathroom is en suite….maybe the beds are comfy as all get out but there is no bar…..maybe the location isn’t great but everything else entices you. Every hostel has something to offer, it’s just up to you to decide what you want to accept out of your stay.
Again, review review reviews! Read the f@#$%ing reviews and check the location! If the location is a bit further from where you would like to spend your time but the price and the reviews are top-notch, maybe consider spending a little extra change on public transportation. If location is an absolute make or break for you, be willing to pay a bit more. In most cases there are plenty of affordable hostels within the city center that have checked our boxes. A few other examples for me include:
Passenger Hostel - Porto, Portugal (located inside the Sao Bento train station *pictured below*, really nice interior, great showers, free breakfast, lovely social rooftop area, staff recognized us upon our second stay)
Sunset Destination Hostel - Lisbon (located right above the Cais de Sodre train station, incredibly comfy beds with privacy curtains, rooftop pool)
Astor York - York, England (lovely English interior, big bedrooms, nice kitchen/bar area)
HostelOne - Notting Hill, London (best pub crawl I’ve attended *see bestie on the hostel steps post said pub crawl*, friendly staff, social atmosphere)
Cranky Croc Hostel - Bogotá, Colombia (quality activities offered daily, great showers, located near the Monserrat, great rooftop and common area)
Cats Hostel - Madrid (central location, nightly pub crawl, best hostel bar, will often host parties in their underground club space)
The Hat - Madrid (clean aesthetic, great beds, rooftop bar also open to the public, nightly pub crawl, helpful staff, central location)
T5 social - Bucharest, Romania (my favorite outdoor common area, hosted a sweet euro-vision watch party so she holds a special place in my heart)
Wabi Sabi Hostel - Istanbul (incredible rooftop bar, nice beds with privacy curtains, private bathrooms separate from the rooms, solid location)
I hope this list finds you well. Or finds you at all. If I could, I would like to give you one last parting tip to ensure you make the most out of your stay, wherever it maybe. Hotels are unadvised! If you must, hostels do offer private rooms at a higher rate. I just believe that staying in a hostel period is the best way to meet new people. You never know what these new friends may have to offer or where you may end up with them. Keep and open mind and stay trippy!