How to Find a Good Hostel While Traveling
Hostels offer affordable accommodation for backpackers and budget travelers. In this travel guide, we share tips on finding a good hostel for your next trip when booking online. So here are simple ways of picking the best hostel while traveling.
Even after many years of traveling, we still stay in the inexpensive hostels when on the road. While our travel preferences have changed over the years, we are still unwilling to pay for expensive accommodation in order to cut down our expenses.
And hostels still offer a good balance between inexpensive accommodation and the quality of service.
Moreover, you can find plenty of excellent hostels today, as the competition is fierce, and owners have to keep up with trends. And hostel life is about meeting new same-minded people and exploring new destinations on a budget.
Hostels, sometimes referred to as youth hostels as they are often used by young backpackers, have many pros and cons, and finding the right one on the road is not always easy.
Fortunately, there are ways to pick the right hostel every time you travel. Or at least lower the risk of getting burned and paying for bad service and poor experience.
As the choice of good hostels is growing steadily, finding cheap accommodation while traveling became much easier.
While in the hostel, you can choose from two types of rooms.
Basic dormitories that usually have anything between 4 to 16 beds (though you can find ones with 40+ beds) are the cheapest room types in the hostel. Private rooms are perfect for couples or friends and offer more privacy, though they are usually a bit more expensive.
As we travel mostly as a couple, it usually makes more sense for us to stay in a private room (more than often with a shared bathroom), but we don't mind staying in dormitories if it's worth it price-wise.
We've put together a travel guide, a definitive list we follow when choosing the best hostels, and we sorted the steps in the order our decisions are based on.
And while all these criteria are essential in selecting the best hostel, it's important to understand that not all will (most likely) be met. The hostels are cheap for a reason. However, try to tick off most of the boxes, as it will improve the quality of your stay.
So what are the features of a good hostel?
LOCATION
Arguably the most crucial factor for us when finding a hostel (or any accommodation) is location. The hostel can have the best ratings ever, but if it's located in the middle of nowhere or somewhere on the city outskirts, we usually look elsewhere.
Sometimes it's really disappointing to discover a beautiful cheap hostel with excellent reviews only to find out that you would need an hour to get there from the city center and vice versa. Traveling back and forth is time-consuming, and we try to avoid spending unwanted time on the bus as much as possible.
Sure, a hostel in Costa Rica that's located outside the town somewhere on a private property on the edge of the rainforest might be a completely different story, but the idea remains the same.
If possible, try to stay in a hostel that has access to the subway, bus stop, or any other means of public transportation; it will save you a lot of time.
The proximity of the hostel and the area of your interest is important, but you should never forget about the neighborhood safety. Hostels can be located in suspicious areas, and if you read guests complaining about shady characters near the property, you might want to keep searching.
Lastly, it's often very convenient to find a hostel that's close to the bus station (train station, airport), as it will make your arrival or departure easier.
PRICE PER NIGHT
For us, the price for a hostel room is quite often the most crucial factor when reserving accommodation. There is no way around it. When we start planning our next trip, we have to set a budget for this inevitable service. And once on the road, we try to stick to it. The location and the price factors are often interchangeable for us.
You can find tons of different types of hostels around the world. From small family-owned hostels to some fancy boutique hostels, and the prices can vary significantly.
As accommodation is one of the highest expenses on the road, so we usually try to stay in budget hostels to keep it down as much as possible.
We like to use either Booking.com or Hostelworld to find the best rates.
Another thing to consider is choosing the best travel destination. The same amount of money you will pay for an ensuite room in Kathmandu will not be enough in New York for even a bed in a dormitory.
Price is also one of the most deceiving factors when it comes to accommodation, as more expensive doesn't have to mean always better.
Being said that, the cheapest hostel you can find online are often the most affordable for a reason. Thin walls, cheap foam mattresses, no amenities, or cleaning issues are often among the top reasons to avoid these places.
Keep in mind that prices for hostels in big cities are often very steep and don't reflect the overall quality.
Sometimes, it's better to pay slightly more and stay in one of the budget hotels managed by big hotel chains. For example, you might want to stay in Budget Ibis Hotel in Auckland instead of other popular backpackers hostels.
And by the way, make sure to read this blog post if you want to find new ways to save money for traveling.
REVIEWS
With the rise of third-party booking sites, reviews became an essential (and often deciding) factor for us when searching for a hostel room. When the price and location seem good, we like to read some reviews to know the property better.
Guest reviews are often very helpful in determining the character of the accommodation, and reading the pros and cons of the hostel can give you a nice picture of the property.
Nowadays, the ratings are split into several categories, and you can clearly see on the scale how good or bad is the hostel in each category. Each third-party site uses a bit different categories, but the main ones as value for money, location, cleanliness, facilities are usually the same.
While reviews can be a valuable indication of whether the property is good or bad, keep in mind that they are very subjective. Learning to read between the lines is an essential skill of every traveler, and what some might find extremely important, you might find inconsequential.
CLEANLINESS
If the hostel has a good location, the price seems about right, and the reviews are positive, we take a deeper look into the overall cleanliness. The majority of travelers (ourselves included) find cleanliness among the most important aspects they are looking for from the accommodation.
The good part is that most of the third-party booking sites put a lot of emphasis on cleanliness, so it's usually not hard to find a well-maintained and clean hostel.
Check if the bedding, showers, and general use areas are being kept clean. When booking online, the only way to do it is by reading the reviews and watching the cleanliness ratings.
Sleeping in a dirty room with stained linens thinking about what's going to crawl outside the darkness once you close your eyes is every traveler's nightmare.
Unfortunately, sometimes there are not many other alternatives, and we all have been there. Therefore, we love to bring our own silk liner with us when we know that the accommodation might not be top-notch.
Sometimes called a cocoon, a silk liner is one of the essential things we never leave home without.
If you have a bad feeling about it, you can always check for the bed bugs under the mattress. Needless to say, cleanliness has nothing to do with the bed bugs.
FREE WI-FI
As we often work on the road, fast internet and stable Wi-Fi play a vital role when looking for a hostel. A useful travel tip is that if you know in advance that you will need a strong signal, communicate it with the staff. They know where the signal is strongest and can accommodate you in a room that's closer to the router.
Free Wi-Fi in hostels became a standard and one of the biggest draws for modern-day travelers. So when reserving the room, make sure the Wi-Fi is free (and unlimited). Sometimes, there is a usage limit which can make short work of your internet browsing.
And lastly, keep your expectations realistic. The Wi-Fi in remote places such as Annapurna Circuit or Carretera Austral is still a luxury and doesn't have to work all the time.
KITCHEN
Every time we travel long term, we try to stay in hostels with a nice shared kitchen as much as possible. Eating out can get very expensive, and having access to a kitchen allows us to save plenty of money.
Sure, there are many countries around the world, such as Peru or Colombia, where having lunch or dinner in a local eatery won't cost you much. Also, taking a break from eating restaurant food every day is good for your health.
Therefore, we like to cook our own meals to make sure we know what we eat. Actually, being not able to eat/cook what we want when on the road is one of the things we don't like about traveling. Staying fit and healthy on the road is challenging and often quite impossible to maintain your eating habits. If the hostel has a good kitchen, we always do a little celebration dance.
Some hostels organize cooking evenings where you will have a chance to meet new people while making dinner together (so don't forget to chip in a few dollars).
Lastly, visiting a local market in Cusco or Dalat to buy fresh groceries is always an incredible experience that every traveler should experience.
And by the way, keeping the kitchen clean is a common hostel etiquette and our (guests) responsibility, so make sure you wash the dishes after you're done so others can use them and keep the place nice and tidy.
LOCKERS IN THE DORMITORIES
One of the most overlooked things that we find very important is the lockers in the dormitories.
When we see other people complaining in the reviews about missing lockers in the dormitories, we usually don't want to stay in this hostel. Maybe it's a personal thing, but we are not used to leaving our things unattended.
The thing is that the larger dormitories usually stay open throughout the day, and basically, anyone can get there. And keeping your belongings safe while traveling is essential, as it's all you have at the moment.
There are times when we don't want to carry our valuables with us, and having an opportunity to store them in the locker safely is invaluable.
Hostels usually have lockers under the bed, though you can often find cabinet-style lockers as well. The quality of lockers varies significantly, from sturdy ones that look quite safe to something that shouldn't be called lockers at all.
Always make sure to bring your own travel lock so you don't need to pay for the rental.
LUGGAGE ROOM
Once in a while, we need to safely store our backpacks for a couple of hours or even days. We always search for a hostel with a secure luggage room when we know that the next few days we will spend somewhere else.
When we hiked the Quilotoa Loop or camped in Tayrona National Park, we didn't need to carry our heavy backpacks with all our stuff.
Therefore, we left them in the luggage room in the hostel we stayed in. We knew that we would return in a few days, so being able to keep the luggage in the hostel was very convenient for us.
Depending on your travel itinerary, a safe and secure luggage room can be a deal-breaker when reserving a hostel room.
While some of the better hostels have secured storage rooms (with a CCTV camera), most of the time, you can hope for a locked room that will stay locked while you are gone.
It's quite comforting when the hostel uses some system of keeping track of the luggage, though it's not very common, and you have to hope that your dirty socks will keep your backpack safe.
If you have a laptop or some other valuables, you might want to use a safe deposit box instead. Ask at the front desk whether they have it or not.
COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST
While some hostels offer a rich breakfast (sometimes it's even free), it happened to us more than once that at some places, it wasn't very satisfactory. A slice of bread and a jam won't make a hearty breakfast, and you can usually see the complaints in the reviews immediately.
Sometimes, we wouldn't mind paying extra for a good breakfast to avoid the most basic breakfast you can think of. If we have the whole day on the road ahead of us (long-haul flight, bus ride, etc.) and put all our hopes into the breakfast, only to get a slice of toast and instant coffee, it really can kill our mood.
When you have time, it's not a problem to eat somewhere else, but when in a hurry as you need to catch a bus, this isn't ideal.
Moreover, a free breakfast can save you quite some money as it's usually otherwise pretty expensive (at least in Europe or the U.S.).
HOSTEL TYPE
One thing that travelers often underestimate when searching for accommodation is the type of hostel. While it often makes only a little difference what type of hostel you chose to stay in, there is one exception.
Party hostels have their own category. You can expect a lot of things from a proper party hostel, except for a quiet night. So be prepared for staying up all night while drinking beer or drinks, playing games, getting to know each other, dancing, singing, or partying hard.
Simply put, partying all night is the main theme of these hostels. The funny thing about the party hostels is that not all nights are equal, and you can see some quiet nights as well.
While some people are actively seeking party hostels, others are staying on purpose away.
Before you make the reservation, try to find something about the hostel's description. If you see pictures of partying people everywhere, the word 'party' is used in every second sentence, or it's included in the name of the hostel, you know what to expect.
Still, there are many more types of hostels that might match your travel style, such as yoga hostels, surf hostels, boutique hostels, eco hostels, or even family hostels, so it's good to know basic hostel types to find the one that suits you the best.
Not only that, you can find themed hostels such as this Jailhouse Accommodation in Christchurch or Jumbo Stay in Stockholm.
Modern hostels evolved a lot and offer so much more than in the past, so if you are, let's say, a surfer, you might want to stay in these hostels to meet the same-minded people.
ATMOSPHERE
One of the main reasons to stay in hostels is the idea of meeting new people (or lifelong friends). That's why so many solo travelers love hostels so much.
Today, you can find on sites such as Hostelworld.com the atmosphere rating, which can tell you a bit more about the hostel.
However, the 'atmosphere' rating is arguably the most subjective one. Even when the rating is 10 out of 10, it doesn't guarantee that you will have a great time there, as the smallest things can trip your experience either way.
Therefore, one of the things to look into when choosing the hostel with the best atmosphere might also be the common areas, as they are the key to the action. There might be staying the most friendly people in the hostel ever, but if they don't get the chance to meet, the hostel didn't do a good job.
It happens to everyone that you end up in a shabby hostel, but meet some great people that will make your overall experience much better.
COMMON AREAS
In our opinion, a good hostel should have nice and cozy common areas (lounge, chill-out room), as they are often the key to meeting new people. Or a place to chill, read a book or watch TV.
Therefore, it's usually much better when the hostel has at least two common rooms, each focused on different activities.
So what makes a good common room in a hostel? Well, that really depends on your current state of mind. If you want to play table tennis, then you won't appreciate stacked library too much. And playing a beer pong in a room of people reading books might not be the best idea either.
Look for the seating areas, table tennis, games, or movies.
Most importantly, common areas are the hostel's hot spots to meet new people. And it doesn't matter whether it's over a game of cards or pool table.
BUNK BEDS
Hate it or lover it, bunk beds are the pillars of every hostel. While bunk beds have many pros from the hostel's point of view, they are still not our cup of tea.
We even stayed in a hostel in Santiago with triple bunk beds, and accessing the top bunk was quite an adventure. Climbing the ladder in the middle of the night to use the bathroom while being still half asleep could have gone either way.
You won't find many hostel dormitories without bunk beds, and it's part of the experience. When picking a hostel, try to see whether the bunk beds are in good condition, not making any squeaking or rattling noises.
Furthermore, let the management know in advance via email or note in the reservation that you are a couple and you want to sleep on the same bunk bed. Again, if you don't want to sleep at height, tell the management. If you book the room in advance, they will try to accommodate your needs.
EXTRA FEES
The hidden fees and extra charges are one of the biggest pet peeves of many hostels. As the hotels offer the cheapest accommodation you can find, the final price can be much higher as you might end up paying for even basic stuff such as a towel, soap, or locker.
In many hostels, you won't find the extra fees openly displayed online, only to find them out upon your check-in.
Therefore, it's essential to read the reviews to see what's included and what isn't. If you want to save money by avoiding paying them, make sure to read our essential hostel packing list.
SUSTAINABILITY
Being a responsible traveler lowers the negative impact that tourism brings on every destination. Nowadays, plenty of hostels get involved in sustainability projects allowing you to lower your travel footprint.
From water saving measures, energy reduction, waste minimization to social sustainability, they are for sure not short of ideas to protect our environment. If sustainability is your thing, then staying in the hostels sharing the same philosophy should be another factor whether you want to spend your money there or not.
While some green hostels proudly boast about their sustainability, it's quite interesting to observe how they bring their ideas to life.
And did you know that plenty of countries all over the world have access to clean tap water, which is completely safe to drink and free? You just need to bring your favorite reusable water bottle to use less plastic when traveling.
Also make sure to read our Eco-Friendly Travel Packing List.
HELPFUL STAFF
Welcoming and helpful staff that will go the extra mile to make sure everything is right can make your stay unforgettable. If the staff is also knowledgeable, you can get access to plenty of helpful information in the area.
As the hostel staff lives in the area, they usually have a perfect knowledge of what's going on in the city, places you should visit, famous attractions, or the activities you should try.
While the helpful staff is not a deal-breaker for us, it's definitely nice to meet a welcoming and friendly staff that makes you feel at home.
24-HOUR FRONT DESK
Plenty of times, the small hostels can't afford to have a 24-hour front desk, which can be inconvenient. This doesn't mean that there isn't anyone on the property; it's just much harder to reach him, especially if the front desk staff shrinks during the night into a sleeping guard.
While it's usually not a big deal, it's good to know that there are hostels that won't allow you to come and go as you please if there is no 24-hour reception.
Most of the time, it's not a big deal. But if you have a bus or plane to catch or you will be arriving late, make sure you leave a note during the reservation that you will need to enter/leave the property early/late.
SECURITY
By the way, not all hostels are located in equally safe areas, so when we traveled around South America or Southeast Asia, we felt safer during the reservation process when other guests mentioned that the hostel has a guard that stays there overnight.
While it's not always possible to check everyone who enters the hostel, it's nice when the hostel keeps an eye on the front door and control who enters or exits the property.
Another thing is that the hostel should have a functional fire detection system.
TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Almost every good hostel can arrange tours for you. If you find it important, then you should find a hostel that's known for arranging tours. While some hostels only organize tours through an external tour operator, some hostels have their own guides/drivers and do the tours themselves.
Going on a tour with people and guides you meet later in the hostel is definitely much more fun. Sharing your experiences is one of the best parts of traveling, and you will meet this way plenty of new people along the way.
If you want to socialize, it's always great when the hostel organizes activities as Party Tuesday or Cooking Thursday.
Tours and activities play a vital role in every hostel's life and offer one of the easiest ways to make new friends while on the road.
CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT
Honestly, check-in and check-out time are not often that important to us. While it might seem nice to stay an hour longer in your hotel room, it usually makes not that much difference. Of course, we are talking about sensible check-in and check-out times.
The most common check-in times in hostels are between 2 PM to 3 PM, while check-out is either 10 AM or 11 AM.
What we found actually much more useful is to be able to use some of the hostels' facilities after the check-out. Being able to leave our luggage in the storage room, sit in the lobby, or use the bathroom while waiting for the next bus is something we value more.
Needless to say, always communicate your needs with the management.
Every hostel has a different policy, and while some hostels allowed us to wait for our next connection without any issues, some properties don't allow guests to stay after the check-out.
BARS
If you want to socialize with other travelers over a few glasses of beer or some tequila shots, then you can check whether the hostel has a bar or not. Prices in hostels bar are often reasonable, though you can usually find cheaper places where locals drink.
However, bars present one of the best opportunities to get to know other hostel guests better. Just make sure you remember them in the morning.
The biggest advantage of bars places in the hostels is the safety. The fact that you don't have to wander drunk on the streets of an unknown city makes the hostel bars always a safe choice. We usually like to explore new restaurants, cafes or bars outside the hostel, so we try to book the one that hasn't a bar on its premises.
Keep in mind that the hostels with bars are often noisy, and while the idea of having access to it is cool, it might not be for people looking for a good night's sleep.
Most hostels with bars have some special nights (beer night, tequila night) or happy hours, where they offer some discount on these beverages.
PARKING
When road tripping countries such as Australia or New Zealand, you can stay in hostels to keep your accommodation expenses at bay. And while in some countries you can leave your car pretty much anywhere, there are countries or areas where you should use only secured parking lots.
If the hostel is in the city center and has no free parking, take into account that you will often spend money on paid parking.
Free and secured parking can be a considerable advantage, and not many hostels have it (at least in hostels such as big European cities).
FIRST IMPRESSION
So far, we have shared our tips on choosing a good hostel when booking online from the comfort of your home. But what about when you don't make a reservation in advance?
What if you are still using a good old walk-in method?
The first impression makes a significant impact on our decision whether we want to stay in the hostel overnight or not. On some occasions, the first impression helped us decide that we don't even want to step into the property.
Of course, the looks can be deceiving. We stayed in hostels that didn't look good at first sight but turned out to be a great place to stay eventually (the mattresses were way better than we thought, we met some awesome people there, the hostel was spotlessly clean, the courtyard or rooftop terrace were amazing, etc.).
Or you can get a good vibe from the first impression and could end up disappointed as not everything will be as you expected.
However, making a strong first impression will make it easier for you to decide.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
INSPECT THE ROOM
Before you check-in, it never harms to see the room with your own eyes. When you see the room, you can quickly unveil its potential pros and cons, and you can always share your thoughts or concerns with the staff.
Is the room too close to the bar/entrance so you can expect a restless night, is there a window so you won't get any views, does the bed have a proper mattress, or is it just the cheap foam one that guarantees your back will suffer the next day?
Even if you don't have the mood after a tiring day to undergo this routine, it's still worth it. Those extra five minutes of your time will pay off later.
Moreover, if you arrive early, you can choose between various rooms, which is quite handy if you want to stay in a bit longer.
CLEAN BATHROOM
A clean bathroom says about the hostel more than a thousand words. When booking online, you can only rely on the cleanliness rating made by the other guests.
While this might be a good indicator of whether the management takes the overall cleanliness seriously, everyone has a different standard.
So if you have the opportunity to check the bathroom by yourself, don't hesitate even for a second.
RECOMMENDATIONS
When traveling long term, you will meet plenty of fellow travelers. Their stories and experiences often present an invaluable source of information.
Not only about the best hikes, activities, or scams in the area, but also about hostels in the places they have already visited. Regardless of whether the hostel is on the online booking sites or not, you can learn from them about hidden gems or places to avoid.
And by the way, one of the best places to meet these people is in the hostel!
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
