Comments on: Top-10 Reasons to Stay at a Hostel

By: Brook

Brook — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:13:48 +0000

I might try a homestay on the Mekong Delta next week. I’m glad you used that term because I was unfamiliar with them!

Glenn, that is quite the experience! When I fail to plan ahead for lodging (which is often), I usually end up walking around in the heat with a backpack, sweating like crazy, and staying at the first place I find, for relief…and I’m okay with overpaying a little just to get the pack off my back and lie on a bed!

By: Anil

Anil — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:04:48 +0000

I think the inconveniences of hostels are some of the most interesting things about them. Being cheap is also an advantage but the social atmosphere is worth it.

By: Glenn Auge

Glenn Auge — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:03:29 +0000

I was in Copenhagen and pretty much broke. The hostel I was planning on going to was in a snowy field in a very rural area, and it was closed! I was able to find a way to another hostel, which was packed. They saw the desperation on my face and said they could put me up with a mattress on the floor in the basement, with about 20 other folks. I was never so elated to sleep on the floor!

By: JillianT

JillianT — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:35:55 +0000

Great post! Definitely a good outlook on hostels. Just wanted to throw it out there for anyone looking to travel to the Galapagos Islands that I have found Galapagos Inc by Wildlife Vacations (www.galapagos-inc.com) to be a very helpful source for booking travel to the region.

By: sizetracker

sizetracker — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:57:35 +0000

Personally, I love hostels – for many of the reasons you mentioned. But I’ve had good experiences with home-stays as well – seeing someone at a train station offering housing for the night (some of the best conversation, bedding, and food ever!).

Probably the worst hostel experience I had was in Milan: the hostel seemed like a throw-back to the Mussolini era with it’s 8pm curfew, strict gender separation, and blast-horn wake-up call at 5 am. Not very hospitable.

Best hostels? I enjoyed staying on the ship hostel in Stockholm and a backpackers lodge in Simon’s Town outside of Capetown – wish I could remember the names. Both were right near the action, hospitable, clean.