Hostelling is a great way to travel if you are on a tight
budget. Popular with college students who tour Europe,
hostelling offers low budget and low luxury accommodations for
those that don't mind bunking up and sharing with other
travelers.
This method of travel can offer adventure and the chance to meet
different people but is not for everyone. It's great for the
solo traveler or group of young people but families with small
children and couples who want a romantic vacation should spring
for more private accommodation's.
Most hostels are set up as dormitory style rooms, with a number
of bunk beds arranged throughout the room. The number of bunk
beds in a single room varies, with the average from four to ten
bunks per room. Each traveler is assigned a specific bunk upon
check-in.
Almost all hostels in the United States divide their
accommodations according to gender, with the female guests in
one block of rooms and the male guests in another. In
multi-floor hostels, each gender is often assigned a specific
floor or group of floors.
In Europe and other locations throughout the world, you may find
hostels with mixed gender rooms. If you don't feel comfortable
bunking with members of the opposite sex, then make sure you
inquire as to the arrangements before you settle in.
The bathroom accommodations at hostels vary as well, with some
rooms containing a shared bathroom and shower, while other
hostels will have shower and bathroom facilities located in the
hallway. If this is an important consideration, you should make
sure to ask about bathroom facilities when making the
reservation.
Although hostelling is a very informal way to travel, you do
need to make reservations especially during the summer. It used
to be you could just drop in and be accommodated, but this
method of travel is becoming more popular and some hostels can
be booked for months during popular tourist seasons. Better to
call ahead than to be left out in the cold!
The main appeal of staying at hostels, of course, is the price.
The nightly rate for a hostel rarely rises above $25 or $30 per
night, with most hostel accommodations costing far less. With
the average hotel room hovering around $100 to $150 in many
locations, it is easy to see why hostels are becoming so popular.
In addition, the staff at most hostels are extremely
accommodating and knowledgeable about the local area. Unlike
many staff members of some luxury hotels, who travel in from the
suburbs and rarely see the city in which the live, hostel staff
tend to live in their city, and they have an intimate knowledge
of the local attractions, including which attractions are can't
miss and which ones are a waste of money.
In addition, hostels often have access to discounts and coupons
for local area attractions and restaurants, and they can provide
valuable information on the best, lowest priced restaurants in
the area.
Hostel accommodation's won't please everyone and certainly
aren't for every vacation but they can be great lodging for the
budget minded tourist. If your main goal is to go out and seek
new adventures and places to see and you care less about
luxurious accommodation's then hostels will allow you to save
money on lodging so that you can spend more on your travel
destinations and experiences.
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