Hostels for Older People: Yay or Nay?

I stayed at the hostel in Menaggio, It (on L. Como) a few years back. There was quite a mix of people, from college-age folks to seniors to a young family with children. I stayed in hostels half a dozen times in my sixties. I had a room to myself a couple of stays and shared a room with two young women another time. Noise can be a problem in hostels. Check the Let's Go travel books for suggestions. A review of a given hostel would be helpful. Some hostels are "party central" and some are quiet. The RS books name a few.

it's normal for older europeans to stay in hostels but never seen americans. hostels are great to meet people, it saves you money and usually are centrally located. noise, share bathroom are typical, but if can deal with it hostel can be a lot of fun.

Did you bring your own sleep sack thingies or did you have to rent bedding? I have several RS books and I've popped in to see hostels in New Zealand, but it's hard to get a feel for what they are like. I can sleep through noise, but it sounds like older Europeans like hostels. Back in the 70s most EU hotels had toilets down the hall, so that's no biggie for me. They did have sinks in the room, though. And that was helpful for putting in contact lenses.

Age is a non-issue for hostels. I'm no kid either and I will stay in a hostel if it fits my needs. That said, it depends on the hostel - some are nice and well worth staying in (loved staying in the castle in Bacharach). Stayed in a few others on that trip that were fine, too. Actually, my primary criteria would be what the room I get is like - I've done the shared room/dorm style before and while sometimes it's fine, it's a bit of a crapshoot and I'm probably not so interested in economizing - I'd rather have my own space. If me and my wife can get a private room in a hostel, then it has always been fine.

Christina, I'm 60+ and routinely stay in Hostels on European trips. However, I tend to prefer budget Hotels most of the time as I travel with expensive Camera gear. I've found travellers of all ages in Hostels, both young and old. At one of the Hostels I stayed at in England, one of the other guests was 70+. When considering a Hostel stay, I usually look at HI Hostels first, as I've found the facilities are fairly consistent from one location to the next. They have properties in many cities, and those with membership get the best prices and preferred booking. They're well run and NOT "party Hostels", but do tend to attract school groups at times (so the kids can be a bit rambunctious). I don't find that to be a problem. I prefer a four-bed dorm when available, rather than one with more beds. I have stayed at independent Hostels also. Most Hostels provide breakfast. Some Hostels have an en-suite in each room, while others have a shared bathroom down the hall. These are usually segregated by gender. A couple of the Hostels I've stayed in have had co-ed dorm rooms, and no one in the room found that to be a problem. If you're planning on staying in Hostels, you'll need to pack along a towel (micro-fiber works well as they're light and easy to pack), possibly a face cloth, flip-flops for showers and also a good quality Padlock for Hostel Lockers (DO NOT use the small TSA Locks as they're simply NOT strong enough). You might also pack some Ear Plugs, in case one of the other guests snores like a gorilla. Happy travels!

Christina, Just a thought..... You might take a trip to the HI Hostel in Seattle to have a look at the facilities. That would allow you to have a look at the rooms and speak to the staff and guests. You should be able to buy a membership there also (if desired).

Speaking of snoring, one of my problems is that I need to sleep with a c-pap machine or I'll get zero REM sleep and turn into a zombie within three days. If I find a hostel where I can get a private room for a few days, could I leave my c-pap machine in the room with other non-valuable stuff? It's too big to carry around.

Ken, good idea about checking out the HI hostel in Seattle.

I went across Russia last year with my 60 some year old mother and it wasn't a problem anywhere. There are a few hostels that are surely party hostels and you should avoid, but these tend to have specific warnings on their website.
In general, as long as you're willing to accept a little extra noise and some ... young adults hanging around, then go for it. Generally, I've found that people tend to respect that rooms are for sleeping and partying takes place out on the town. HI is consistently good.... except for in Milan. The Piero Rotta Youth Hostel was the worst HI I've ever been to... but it could have been that it was the last note of an otherwise amazing trip and I had just come from Como.

Great responses so far... all very helpful and informative... but sort of skirting (very politely!) the point that your answer depends on on what kind of "older" you are! If you're beginning to get set in your ways - if you "appreciate your comforts" and have a hissy when you check into a hotel with less-than-pristine facilities - if you have insomnia or issues with noise - if you want a mini-bar, or a super-solicitous concierge - if you like nice big American-style beds and cushy pillows - if you are intolerant of dreadlocks and piercings - well, don't stay in a hostel! Yes, the "party" hostels are easy to suss out and avoid - but almost no hostel is like a "real hotel" with all that implies. And because you will be traveling, and already outside of your comfort zone, I wouldn't add a potentially unsettling/not-relaxing/irritating experience to your trip. On the other hand, if you're flexible, adventurous, and young-at-heart, I say go for it! Hostels can be an awesome way to go.

i have stayed in numerous hostels all around the world and there are a mix of ages staying in them. I would do my research on hostels as there are lots that are known as "party hostels". Read the reviews on Trip Advisor and Hostel World and you can usually get an idea which ones are frequented by the young party crowd. They are usually a lot cheaper than the rest too. Bring a sleep mask and ear plugs and you shouldn't have a problem in the dorms! I am 36 years old and the times that I went with the "younger people" to the clubs, I felt so old. So I generally hung out with the people my age and older and I never had a hard time meeting people in that age group. Where are you planning on traveling to?

I'm a Baby Boomer in my 50s ... If you are older or you've seen any old ppl in your hostel Since when is 50s older?

I'll give a perspective or a recently turned 30 young male who used hostels extensively a few years back when money was shorter. The basic thing to be said is that not all hostels are equal. On the contrary. Reading the user reviews (Hostelworld is a much better site than Tripadvisor for hostel reviews) you might get an idea of each hostel. In some hostels, definitively anyone older than 35 feels out of place, as they are catered for a younger crowd more interested into partying or else. I was never that much into partying but still find strange to have people the age of my parents or, worse, grandparents sharing communal rooms. Couple times I noticed awkward situations like people wanting to chat or else in he room at night and someone older giving a "shhh". In my personal opinion, people 50 plus do not belong to hostels that cater for youngsters, they feel out of place and creates awkwardness. But just my opinion. I also think I don't belong in a high-school prom these days, for instance. ======== This being said, there is a booming business called "flashpacking", which are exactly hostels catered towards the 45+ age cohort, essentially people who traveled on their youth and like the social scene and atmosphere of hostels with some upgrade services and without the noise and everything else that come with 20s full of hormones and booze. Finally, consider that if you are traveling with one more companion, good hostels in major cities will be likely a more expensive proposition than budget hotels. Good hostels these days go €25-30 per night per bunk bed in places like Amsterdam, München or Paris.

Kira brought up a good point. I wasn't "skirting the issue", but forgot to mention one important aspect of staying in Hostels. I've found that one has to be a bit "flexible" when staying in Hostels, and be willing to tolerate a few "idiosyncrasies". I've encountered a variety of travellers in Hostels, a few which had a piercings and tattoos. The "housekeeping" in the rooms can vary depending on the personal habits of the guests at the time. Some people leave their clothing and kit strewn all over, with damp towels hanging on the end of their bunk. Some leave their packs open when out touring, with no apparent worries about theft. I tend to be a bit more organized. IMHO, it would be worthwhile to stay in a Hostel for a night or two, just to get an idea whether this is something that will work for you.

Hostelbookers.com or hostelworld.com could be helpful. They are like trip advisor for hostels. Reviews are done by people who stay at them. I've never been let down by them. I stay at hostels when convenient and have never been stuck at a party place, and I've roomed with people aged 18-70+. I just enjoy spending time with travelers, especially since I'm alone a lot of the time. I've never had anything stolen, but I'm careful to lock everything up.

I've seen "old people" staying in hostels all over the world - 50s, 60s, even some 70s. That being said, the majority of guests staying in any given hostel are much younger so if you don't mind being in the minority & are open to the experience (both pros & cons), it's still a decent budget option for solo travel if you are staying in a dorm room. If traveling with a friend or as a couple, or for solo travelers who must have their own room, you can find similarly priced lodging in a B&B, or budget hotel. It is important to read as many reviews as possible before you book any hostel to see what other hostelers have to say about things that are most important to you (cleanliness, noise levels, safety, location, etc.). I have to disagree with Andre's comment that "flashpacker" hostels are full of people aged 45+. Flashpacker hostels basically are hostels that have been upgraded to offer a lot of perks & amenities not typically found at some of the more institutional chain hostels like HI or the very small mom & pop hostels. At flashpacker hostels I've seen things like free WiFi, more private single rooms, dorm rooms that have ensuite toilets & showers so you share with only a few people, elaborate tv lounges with XBox, PlayStation or Wii, cocktail bars downstairs in the lobby and even Aveda toiletries passed out at check-in. While the majority of flashpackers are older, most are mid 20s to mid 30s. The common thread being they have more disposable income as flashpackers aren't poor college students on a shoestring budget eating ramen noodles. Flashpackers do tend to be quieter and more considerate of fellow bunkmates - but the booze is still there. It's essentially hosteling with Platinum cards for those who want a cheap place to sleep & can spend a night drinking large amounts of premium vodka without acting like an idiot yet still manage to get up at 7AM to go sightseeing.

Just spotted your comment you have a C-Pap machine you need to bring with you for snoring. Those are pretty noisy and given their size, you likely would not want to be stuck in a dorm room in an upper bunk with your machine laying on your bed next to you. In a private hostel room, your stuff would be pretty secure provided you always lock the room up even if you just go down the hall to a lounge or to use the bathroom or kitchen. I'd go as far as to say that even in a shared dorm, it's unlikely anyone wants to steal a C-Pap machine - most thefts in a hostel would involve things like money, jewelry, iPods, laptops, iPads/tablets and cell phones left out in the open or in an unsecured bag or locker. Sleep sacks are not typically permitted in a hostel due to the possibility of guests bringing in bed bugs. Most hostels include bedding and those that don't will rent it to you for a small fee. You will want to bring a microfiber bath towel - although many hostels also provide towels now as well - but it's good to bring one just in case.

Several years ago my daughter(grown) and I stayed in a hostel in Ireland. We got a family room that had an ensuite bathroom and was private. It didn't have a T.V. but was about like a B&B.