Some handy things to know before you check in…
If you’re going backpacking, or just trying to keep your costs down, hostels are your friend. They tend to be livelier, more flexible and generally a bit more relaxed than a hotel, but on the flipside you can forget mints on the pillow and fresh linen.
Spot the difference
They may well only be separated from hotels by the letter ‘s’, but hostels are a very different breed of crash pad. They’re cheaper, but this usually means they’re also less clean, less comfortable, and have fewer facilities than a hotel. You could be sharing dorm rooms with strangers – a shock the first time you do it – and battling for the bathroom, forced to endure other people’s shocking taste in acid folk music, and of course their personal hygiene. But it’s cheap, fun, and you get the chance to meet lots of people. You’re travelling: you don’t want to be spending all the time in your room, anyway…
Shared spaces
Bathrooms. Some hostels do have smaller rooms with their own bathrooms, but in most cases you can expect to be sharing with many other equally unwashed souls. Don’t count on being able to get that 8am shower you’re used to at home, and don’t hog the bathroom. Wear sandals or flip-flops in there, too, to avoid foot-munching nasties like athlete’s foot, verrucas and the like.
Toilets. Provide your own loo roll, just in case. Definitely don’t get throwing up drunk in a hostel, you do not want to be wrapped around a toilet that’s only cleaned occasionally and used by lots of people. Oh, and be prepared for the cubicle doors not always closing.
Kitchens. Keep it tidy! Don’t steal people’s food (and definitely don’t steal their milk), and wash up after yourself. You’ll be much more liked.
Common room. Be respectful if other people are in there watching stuff on TV or talking. Don’t crash around or change the channel, unless it seems like the right thing to do. Common rooms are a good place to meet people, so don’t be afraid to get talking to your fellow travellers, though – they’ll usually be pleased to meet you.
Sleeping
If you’re in a dorm, a few golden rules:
– let people sleep. That’s what they’re in there to do. Carry a headtorch so you can navigate in the dark and don’t have to turn the light on.
– don’t unpack everything. It’s just annoying and clutters the place up.
– respect the bunk space! It’s everyone’s little island, so don’t put things on other people’s beds, and keep your stuff on your own.
– no sex, please. If you’re getting lucky, do it somewhere else. It’s not Big Brother. Oh, and always use a condom.
Safety
A lot of hostels will have places where you can lock up your stuff. Use them. Don’t leave your valuables lying around – your passport and credit cards should stay with you at all times. If there’s nowhere to leave bags, see if you can get someone behind the reception desk to keep an eye on them, or get a pacsafe – www.pacsafe.com – a metal mesh that keeps your rucksack safe and can be chained to something (like your bunk).
How much?
Anywhere from £1 a night. In European cities like Dublin, costs can be very similar to hotels, which sort of defeats the object – although hostels tend to have more availability. Etc. stayed in a £1 hostel in Madagascar once. It was great, but we definitely got what we paid for: crumbling walls, bare lightbulb, a bedframe with no mattress, and the toilet from the worst bar in the worst neighbourhood with the worst food poisoning outbreak (in hell). Some beers and some chats later, we couldn’t have cared less.
Essentials
– headtorch
– earplugs (hostels are noisy, and often in busy parts of town)
– padlocks
– travel towel or sarong
– pegless washing line (combine it with your sarong to make a curtain around your bunk – or dry washing with it)
– a relaxed attitude and friendly smile
Top tips – from Lonely Planet’s Tom Hall…
Those of you who've never ventured into hostels before may find it intimidating. Even in the swishest backpacker hangouts it's not always obvious where to put your bags, your shopping and even yourself. Here are a few tips to help you settle in:
– Watch out for signs of other backpackers marking territory – rucksacks, towels and even hats on bunks is an indicator of someone having bagged a bunk. If you're not sure, ask around. You don't want to have to move beds at 3am.
- Travellers love swapping stories, the taller the better. The latest hot topics are electronic gizmos and environmental issues. If you're clued up on these subjects you won't go far wrong. If all else fails though, whip out your passport – nothing gets a hostel crowd going faster than a game of ‘who's got the best visa’. (For the record, it's Madagascar.)
- Eating in is a great way to save money, but going out for street food and a few beers is essential wherever you are, and needn't cost the earth. It goes without saying though that dipping into other travellers’ food stashes is not acceptable.
- On the subject of dinner, don't feel bad if a dose of the runs forces you to commandeer – and stink out – one of the bathrooms in the hostel. Getting the travel trots is a time-honoured ritual and excellent conversation-starter.
- If you do feel like you've annoyed someone or broken one of the golden rules, don't feel too bad. The next morning you can be on your way and never see your room-mates again. Unless, of course, you bump into the same group a few towns up the road…
And finally - local heroes!
Hostel staff are often local residents, so use their knowledge to get tips on the best places to go – usually ones that aren’t in your guidebook!
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