Hostels Part II- What to look for when booking

Hopefully I’ve convinced you to stay in hostels for your backpacking trip. Like I said in my last post, I was also apprehensive, and thought staying in hostels would have been like this: 

For those who do not know, the above clip is from the movie Eurotrip, and is meant to be humourous and poke fun at the myths surrounding hostels (which are far from reality). To avoid any bad experiences, here are some things to keep in mind when booking:

• Do your research–read reviews and recommendations, visit the hostel’s website. I would try to book hostels that have a 70-75% rating and above.
• Hostel atmosphere– most are pretty laid back, but some are notorious party hostels. It's good to know what you're getting into, and you can usually get an indication from reviews or guidebooks.
• Location (you most likely will be walking A LOT).
• Book popular hostels/destinations early- I forgot to book early for my Verona stop, and I ended up booking a hostel on a dark street on the outskirts of town. It was a rickety apartment building. The “lobby” was in the stairwell, and the “front desk staff” was a man sitting at a school desk with a laptop. I had no issues at the hostel, but I’m just trying to give you an idea what booking late or settling for the cheapest hostel may get you.
• Security- safe/reputable area, swipe cards, etc. 



Typical hostel lobby

• Free amenities (wifi, breakfast, lockers, etc.).

Booking a bed in a hostel can be done through the hostel’s website if there is one, or through 3^rd party sites like Hostelbookers and Hostelworld. I used these sites for all of my bookings.

Lastly, during your stay, don’t forget your hostel etiquette!