Hostels? Good choice?

An urban hostel at eighteen bucks a night is probably going to be a bit on the grubby side - - there are exceptions They're for anybody who wants to stay there. Some have two-person rooms with a private or semi-private bath. Some have a single bathroom down the hall. I stayed in one where the showers were in a row with curtains off of a long hall - - they served all comers, but the clothes hooks were on the other side of the hall. Some have eight- or ten-bed dorms. They might be gender-separated, or they might be mixed. The last one I stayed in, a young gal and I had an eight-bed room to ourselves except for a couple of nights - - we had room to spread our junk all over the place. The person that came in for two nights was a physician. I've never been in a country anywhere in the world that didn't have a hostel. Moving back and forth would have the same consideration as staying in any other kind of place - - travel kills touring time.

Thank you so much Ed! You have been helpful. One other question, what should I do with my luggage while staying in a hostel? Is it more prone to get stolen or are hostels safe? I don't want to go out and worry about my stuff getting stolen. I don't want to carry everything around with me neither.

The term "hostel" has come to include a rather wide ranging description. They could be anything from a rooming house to a big city apartment broken up into bedrooms to a posh almost B&B atmosphere. But far and away, most hostels (especially HI youth hostels) feel like college dorms without the drinking and casual drug use. It's like what a dorm would feel like if everyone's parents were staying there, too. Our family with 2 40-somethings and three school children have used hostels frequently and felt welcome and safe. As for what to do with your stuff; Many hostels provide some sort of lockers with locks, but not all. Stories of rampant theft are overblown. However, it's wise, if you have to leave an unlocked bag behind during the day, to have little else in it but clothing. Keep important documents and electronics with you wherever you go. I would stay in a different hostel in each city rather than attempt to do lengthy day trips from one. While saying "it's a great way to meet people" is rather cliche, it's also a great way to find out what to do and how best to do it in each city. The person at the desk will either be able to answer any question or be able to direct you to someone who can.

I need to half duck that one. Generally, there's a locker box or a locker, or a locked storage room somewhere. I haven't stayed in an urbran hostel in seventeen evers, at least not in Europe. I spent most of October in rural hostels in the far beyonds of Scotland. There was some kind of similar arrangements, but nobody used them. Computers were scatterd all over the beds when folks were out for the day. Luggage was either on the bed or on the floor, sometimes zipped, more often not. One gal came into the common room for a while before wandering off to bed - - she left her jacket, phone and wallet on a couch - - eventually it got in the way so somebody stuffed her junk in the pockets and hung it on a peg - - it was still there the next morning. Somebody else has to fill in the gaps about the 'usual precautions' - - I don't address what I haven't recently experienced. However, if you do use the lockers, you have to provide your own lock. EDIT: Randy's last paragraph has a great deal of merit. There's a wealth of information about everything, local or not, from the other people staying there. I can't count the number of interesting conversation/arguments I've had around a thrown-together stew or pot-luck spread from everybody's dribbles or a quick run to the store.

Hi, In the dorm room either coed or women you're there with five to nine roommates. You have an en suite WC and shower. The price is per bed. If you get private double (that's all they come in), you wind up paying for both beds, even though it's only you in the room. Re: luggage. The dorm room usually has lockers. If your luggage is too large, I would secure that in train station coin locker, pack what you need in day bag or smaller sack that fits in your room locker. Ideally, if the hostel is close to the train station, that would reduce the to and fro. There is one hostel I know of like that in Paris. Lots of people stay in hostels, esp. the independent ones, they do fill up. I've heard conversations on the phone where the caller is told no more room at all for those night(s).

I haven't stayed in hostels, but my sister often does. She uses www.hostelbookers.com and www.hostelworld.com to learn more about the particular ones in each city. Let's Go and Lonely Planet are also good sources of information about hostels.

In Florence, the best place to stay is the Archi Rossi Hostel. Book directly through their website. They often fill up so you should book well in advance. In addition to being well located, they have 2 free walking tours, on alternate days, that are excellent. And they have coin-op washers and dryers (detergent included).

My experience with hostels (both urban and rural) has been different from Fred's. I've stayed in plenty of hostels that have offered 4-share dorm rooms - so if you want to limit the number of strangers you are sharing your room with, but still save cash vs. booking a private double for you and your friend, you can find 4-shares (co-ed or women only if you are uncomfortable sharing with some man you don't know). General rule - the more beds in the dorm room, the cheaper the bunk. Largest I've ever stayed in was a 20-share room. $18 USD for a hostel bunk in a city like Paris or Rome? Maybe you'd find that price on the far outskirts of the city in a neighborhood you may not find particularly desirable. Before you book anything, read as many reviews as you can on websites like Hostelworld.com to see what other people have to say about whatever is most important to you (cleanliness, safety, location, noise levels, etc.). Not every hostel has en suite toilet and showers. Many are trying to squeeze them in as they renovate, but there are still lots of hostels where the showers or toilets are down the hall. I would not store luggage in a train station coin locker. It's serious overkill. Similar to Ed, I have stayed in plenty of hostels (including urban ones) where people leave out laptops, iPods, cameras, etc. Even if the lockers are too small for your entire backpack/suitcase, just pull out your true valuables (electronics, passport, cash) and lock those away. No one is interested in stealing your dirty socks or tees. But if it gives you extra piece of mind, buy a cable lock and use it to secure your bag to a fixed object (like the bunk beds) to deter a quick grab & go with your clothing.

Hi Megan I have stayed in many hostels over the years. They are a great way to make the budget last. In room I stayed at the beehive it was a little more than others in the city but great. I was in my late 30's and people were both younger and older than me in the room. Usually I stay in HI hostels as I find they have good standards. Enjoy

Thanks so much everyone! Your tips are very helpful. One last question: Do most hostels provide a blanket and pillow? I know Rick Steves said to bring your own sleeping bag. Would it be better to bring a small pillow and a thin blanket?

The best hostel I've stayed in is the one in Menaggio, Lake Como. It is (as of 8-10 years ago) well-run and serves a decent breakfast. I rented a sheet. I'm sure a blanket was provided, and probably a pillow, also. I met some interesting people there from various parts of the world. Shop the hostel reviews to find good ones. Some are dumps; some are noisy and disorganized. Some are great. If you want to party, look for descriptions including such words as "fun," "party," etc. Otherwise, avoid hostels thus described. Ok hostels I've slept in include the White Hart in Bath, England and the hostel close to the train station in Sorrento, It. Sleeping bags are often prohibited in hostels, probably because of the possibility of carrying in dirt, bed bugs, etc. So, I don't recommend you take one with you. You might take your own sleep-sheet. If you carry earplugs, you may find them helpful.

Megan, I usually prefer the budget Hotels listed in the Guidebook, but also stay in Hostels at times, and my experiences are much the same as the others have described. I tend to agree with a previous reply that an $18 per night Hostel could be a bit "dodgy". With Dorm rooms, the price typically decreases according to the number of beds. I usually look for a four-bed Dorm if offered, as that seems to be a good balance of price vs. "comfort". I've stayed in both gender-specific dorm rooms as well as co-ed rooms. I've never seen any "inappropriate behaviour" in co-ed rooms, but have heard a few stories. I tend to prefer HI Hostels as the facilities are fairly consistent from one location to the next. They're well run and not "party hostels", and often have several properties in larger cities. Having an HI membership provides cheaper rates and preferred booking (over non-members). I also stay at independent Hostels at times, depending on the city (including my preferred Hostel in Rome last September). As others have mentioned, Sleeping Bags are often prohibited in Hostels, due to the possibility of contamination or bed bugs. Many Hostels provide Sleep Sheets (which include a pillow case), a pillow and a blanket or you can bring your own Sleep Sheet if desired. The silk models are very popular as they're light, but more expensive than cotton (check the Travel Store on this website). Most Hostels provide Lockers, but you MUST provide your own Padlock. I'd suggest NOT using the cheap TSA Locks, as they're just not strong enough. A small-to-medium size Padlock (either keyed or combination) with "heel & toe" locking is the best product to use (have a look at your local Locksmith shop). Continued......

Megan - Part 2..... You'll also need to pack a Towel and shower soap, as that's usually not provided. The Micro Fiber Towels are popular. Some Hostels offer a bathroom and shower for each room, but others still have a communal bathroom or shower on each floor. A few Hostels have a "lockout" for a few hours in the afternoon, to allow cleaning staff to service the rooms. In some cases, this is not enforced strongly, while in other cases the doors will be LOCKED. Staying in Hostels is "communal living" so it's important to be flexible. Other residents of the room could be coming and going at all hours of the night, running zippers back and forth in the wee hours, some might snore like a Gorilla, some may spend lots of time in the bathroom, etc. The other guests in the room may not be able to speak English (although I've found that's less common these days, as English is somewhat of a "universal language". For example, people from some parts of the world who are travelling in Italy may not be able to function in Italian, so they use English to deal with the Hostel staff. As Ed mentioned, many Hostel guests don't seem to be too concerned about security, as they leave their belongings spread out on the bed, including Laptops and other valuable items. I travel with expensive Camera gear, so tend to lock it up when I'm out of the room, and also lock the zippers on my main Pack. That doesn't really provide a great deal of security, but prevents "opportunistic theft". You might find that using a combination of budget Hotels and Hostels works well for you. Happy travels!

My opinion is that hostel dorms are more appropriated for the college crowds. Since you are travelling with a companion (your friend), you will be able to find cheaper accommodation options that don't imply sharing bahtrooms, let alone the sleeping room, with strangers. The recipe: pick a lower-rated hotel in a non-prime location. Or go for deals, many hotels have them (such as hotels in business districts that are dead on weekends). Some hostels have some en-suite private rooms, but they almost always cost as much as a lower priced hotel, then.

Its been a few decades since i stayed in hostels, but when I did in my early twenties it was on a 3 month visit to Europe. My friend and I would stay in cheap hotels about once every week or two, when we had had enough of sharing bathrooms, noise etc.. Just a few nights would refresh us for the next bout of communal living. I don't know how long your trip is but it may work to mix cheap hotels and hostels. Btw,, I too would be very leery of a hostel room for 18 dollars a night, that is way cheaper then any I have seen recently ( a young co worker went to europe last year and we looked up places for her to stay ) and frankly I bet its a dump in a bad area.. read reviews.. and definately book ahead for some places, the good hostels in convenient areas book up fast .
In Paris both the MIJE hostels and St Christophers are well liked( my co worker ended up at St Christophers)

There are a lot of urban hostels that are wonderful places to stay. They don't have to be a dump or in a dodgy part of the city. Checking the Jugendherberge site, you can get a bed for anywhere from 16-21 euro per night.
http://www.jugendherberge.de/en/hostels/search/portrait/jh.jsp?IDJH=424 Back in the old days, before internet and immediate reviews, one never knew what they were getting when they wanted to stay in a hostel. Today, thanks to TA and yes, even recommendations from Rick, you can find cheap beds in decent hostels. Hostels will have places to lock your belongings, so bring a good lock with you. Storing your luggage at a locker in the train station seems to be an odd idea and an expense you don't need. http://www.backpacker-network.de/en/ http://www.backpackingeurope.com/

Since we are talking about hostel here, I want to ask about the clothesline Rick Steves sells in his online store. How would I use this while I stay at a hostel? Should I simply use the laundry facility they offered at the hostel?

His clothesline is probably for people who wash their duds in a hotel sink. You can get the same thing in luggage and camping sections of any store. The main advantage are the bungees (for people who don't know how to tie a knot) and the fact that the twisted business eliminated the need for pins (but makes little tits in your clothes). I've never had one, even for camping. A hunk of paracord is cheaper, longer, and takes up less room. Any hostel I've been in either had outside lines, inside lines (allow six weeks for drying), or dryers.

We have had good experiences with hostels. These are the sites we use for reviews on hostels: http://www.bug.co.uk/reviews/hostels/index.htm http://www.bug.co.uk/reviews/hostels/index.htm As another poster suggested, we book directly with the hostel. You will find hostels in Switzerland, Austria and Germany are usually immaculate. I also bookmark/favorites from poster's comments about a specific hostel. We also use and take along a silk sleep sheet, round oblong travel pillow, travel clothes line and travel towels and face cloths. My suggestion....stay in hostels and spend the money on something else. Enjoy!

We stayed in 5 different HI Hostels (in a family room) 2 daughers ages-13,14 and 2 adults. We all felt Welcome ,never worried about security. One Hostel was an Old Castle (way out of the way, but totally worth it) ,one in Amsterdam was Brand New.2 of the Hostels had a secure Luggage Storage Room, the other 3 we left our stuff in the room. We all kept our tickets,money,passports on us. All the hostels had Enormous Breakfasts included.We all carry Sarongs in our backpacks : cover an Iffy pillow, hang for privacy,use to wrap yourself after using a communal shower etc. + RIckSteves Micro fibre towels. If you hand wash your laundry,roll into a ricsteves towel and stomp on it, you get most of the water out and everything dries quicker. I bought a Travellers laundry line 20 years ago (2 year backpacking trip) it was worth its weight in gold. Bought a new Rick Steves one 4 years ago (cant find the original) Used it for: laundry, strung from a Bunk another solid object with a towel or sarong hanging for privacy ,or to block light.
Definately GO Online and check out the reviews Before Booking. They are from fellow travellers and will help you make your decision.

You know, another fne budget option that I used recently for the first time is finding a room in a private apartment or an entire apartment through airbnb.com. It can be unbelievably cheap, and you can rent an awesome space by the day, week, month, etc. You'll find rooms/apartments in pretty much every neighborhood in cities all over the world...you can choose to stay near touristy areas or way out in the suburbs. The process is safe and secure. Everyone here is always wanting to "live like a local"...a room or apartment in a typical neighborhood gives you an opportunity to instantly connect with locals, save a ton of money, and still have as much or as little privacy as you want. If you've never used it before, at least give it a look. BTW, you don't need to worry about theft, and all of your bedding is provided. I'm normally a traditional B&B guy and use tripadvisor most of the time, but airbnb is such a great alternative, I'll always check with them first from now on.

@Jackie, I always pack along a travel clothesline (it was from Magellans, but similar to the one in the Travel Store here). It's been VERY useful on a few occasions, including last September when I was subjected to a severe rain storm in Taormina and got soaked from top to bottom. Whether you'll be able to use a clothesline in a Hostel is going to depend on the specific circumstances. In those Hostels that have laundry facilities, they may prohibit doing laundry in the rooms to "encourage" guests to use those. If the Hostel has no rules on that, you'll have to ensure that using the clothesline does not impact the other guests. Some of the hotels I've stayed in have specifically prohibited guests doing laundry in the rooms. That policy has probably resulted from a few inconsiderate boobs allowing water to drip on carpets or whatever (or in a worst case, into the room below). Cheers!

Thank you everyone for helping me out on all my questions. I am firm believer in asking questions. I was never trying to start a riot or cause any harm. I guess you could say that I am a real young person who's just starting out, and I never had any guidance on major events such as this. My parents never had the money or opportunity to do something like this, and so they can't help me. I like how every single one of you are positive and wise! I appreciate the advice, I really do. I guess I just have to quit over thinking everything and live life. It's just that when I think of the world I feel so small compared to it. And, If I can't ever manage to go beyond the limits of my own home town, then I'll never go anywhere or do anything with my life, and I don't want that. I want to be brave, strong, and experience the world. I will stop posting from now on and just go with the flow. Thank you all for being so kind. You have really made this easier. I wish you all luck and joy for years to come!! Farewell.