There are many reasons why I love to travel, but fancy hotels has never been one of them. This is because I have a habit of spending as little as possible on accommodation to ensure I can scrape together enough money for flights.
I think many of us do this, right? I mean what’s the point of shelling out for a fancy hotel when you’re going to be sightseeing all day? (The CEO of Mandarin Oriental must thank God not everyone feels this way).
My love-hate relationship with youth hostels
Although I don’t usually stay in hotels, this doesn’t mean I’m entirely fond of youth hostels. I have a love-hate relationship with them. On one hand, I’ve had some of my worst night’s sleep at the mercy of hostels, but on the other hand, it’s where I’ve met some of life’s most interesting characters, and that’s something I can’t put a price tag on.
When I reminisce about the nights spent chasing morsels of sleep on squeaky bunk-beds, I can’t help but laugh. But it’s the type of laugh that can only be acquired through time, like when you think about a situation which drove you insane but somehow over time it manages to bury a place of affection in your heart.
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and this is also true for the not-so-glamorous aspects of travel, like those times when you felt worn out and destroyed (that’s the melodramatic voice of a sleepless backpacker), but actually, in retrospect, they are what you remember the most and wear like a badge of honour.
Reflecting on some of the best and worst hostels
Lost, hungry and in need of sleep. This was the moment when I documented my friend, Harriet, as she reached ‘breaking point’. I refer to this night as ‘Lost in LA’. Eventually we ended up finding our hostel but it wasn’t without witnessing Harriet close to having a nervous breakdown (the days before Google Maps, eh!)
But then the next day went something like this…
Vomite-gate…
I recall the time I slept in a dorm in Harlem with twenty girls and woke up to the sound of a girl vomiting over the top bunk onto another girl’s backpack – I’m not sure who I felt more sorry for; the girl who was projectile vomiting or the girl who owned the backpack.
In the end I decided my sympathy rested with the girl who had another girl’s puke on her backpack.
The one that looked like a prison cell…
This one in New York reminded me of a prison. Harriet, nonetheless sees the bright side – after all, we’re in NYC!
If I hadn’t stayed in a hostel then I would never have been able to afford a visit to New York. Although I didn’t sleep well, it was a small price to pay for so much fun and my first real taste of Manhattan cheesecake!
Oh how quickly the mood can change!
Some of my most unglamorous times spent in youth hostels were in America and Australia, the latter in particular stands out for how cold they can be during the winter. A lack of clothing didn’t help either. I was foolish at nineteen.
The one without a toilet…
China stands out for having some of the best and worst hostels I’ve stayed in. One of them didn’t even have a toilet (not even a squatting toilet!) instead there was a plastic basin in the room depressingly offered as though it were a form of compensation.
Stop smiling Toby. There’s absolutely nothing to be smiling about! I think the basins were supposed to be used so we could wash ourselves down in. However, they reeked of urine so people had other ideas…
The time I shared a room with four stoned guys in Amsterdam…
There was also the occasion my friend, Lily, and I slept in a dorm with four German lads in Amsterdam.
It was a warm and sunny day when we arrived at around 3’O Clock in the afternoon and opened the door to our 6-bed dorm. We didn’t expect to see the curtains closed and four guys fast asleep. We asked ourselves, ‘Who would be sleeping on a day as sunny as this?!’ But we were in Amsterdam… and the penny soon dropped!
I’ll say it again, what’s the point of spending lots of money on a hotel when you’re going to be out all day?
The time I shared a room with a creep
Lastly, there was the hostel in Oslo where Lily and I shared an 8-bed dorm with six other men ranging between the ages of 20 – 80.
Everything was going well until I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth before sleeping, and as I climbed back into bed I saw a note on my pillow with the words ‘Will you kiss me?’ scrawled across it.
I looked around in the dark room and noticed a man peering at me as he sat upright in his bed. Creepy. I just casually pretended I hadn’t seen him and rolled over and went to sleep. If you’re travelling solo as a female it can often be a good idea to select a female-only dorm if you have the choice, that way you should avoid awkward situations like the one I just mentioned.
Apart from the creepy guy, there were no complaints about staying in Anker Hostel in Oslo, it was clean and comfortable!
The cool guy
On the other end of the spectrum we met a super Aussie called Jonny who joined us for some sightseeing and chess playing. Who won? The photo says it all!
Now that I’ve shed some light on the less desirable aspects of sleeping in youth hostels, I want to say that all the positive experiences made the crappy times worth it. Including the 10-month episode of bed bug bites I had on my legs. Most of all, using them has allowed me to travel exponentially, as well as meeting fascinating people along the way, all of which have enriched my life tenfold. Sometimes the friendships are fleeting, lasting just a day. But for that day we bond over our experiences of travel and live in that very moment together.
Hostels have a way of connecting people from all over the world who want to engage with one another. That’s not something I’ve ever experienced in luxury hotels… not that I get the opportunity to stay in them often…
16 responses
I love this post! It reminds me of all cool hostels I’ve stayed at when travelling. I loved night food binges with my roommates and loooooong night talks till 5 am 🙂
As an avid user of youth hostels I bet you have your fair share of stories Agness haha! Mmmmm bonding over food binges and long talks – sounds like a perfect night!
I like staying in hostels for the reasons you mention, but I try to avoid “party hostels”. Sometimes, after a long flight or a long day sightseeing, you just want to sleep.
Hi Stefania! Luckily I don’t think I’ve really experienced a ‘party hostel’ but I imagine I would be left crying for sleep after just one night!
I like hostels too and agree with what you’ve written – after all you only sleep there so there is no point in spending too much on acommodation. And I am not very choosy when it comes to where I stay but… the hostel in China you described would be way too much I think…
Haha luckily I only stayed there for one night but I remember it for all the wrong reasons haha!
Oh wow, you have some pretty weeeird hostel stories there!! especially the creepy guy one. I always feel tired after staying in a hostel because there’s always someone snoring like a crazy person. I actually prefer couchsurfing because of this even! Do you couchsurf much?
Actually no, I’ve never tried couchsurfing but I think it’s a great concept Charlie! It’s a good way to get to know people and places better… I should try it. However, I pretty much use Airbnb wherever I go now and love it! Have you used it??
Awesome post, Shing! This is the first time since I’ve been reading travel blogs that someone actually showed the real life in a hostel room. I get it on the trade off of saving money for the excursions and exploring during the day. But, I would choose not to go that route. I soooo admire you folks who do it though! That creepy experience….for a young lady…that would be too much. You are brave. Just please always be safe, our friend 🙂
As I get older and have a little more money and desire for comfort I’ve started to use hostels less, but they’ve provided me with some great memories! Ahhh safety comes first! Thanks Mike 😀
Oh yes, badge of honour indeed! Boy, do I have some good hostel stories. Let’s save that for a day of weird museums and cafe/bar hopping, shall we?
Haha those stories will be the perfect ingredient to go with our tour of weird museums! I await that day Colleen!!
I’ve stayed at some horrible hostels but I think all the great, positive experiences I’ve had from other hostels has made it all worth it 🙂
Exactly! No pain no gain, right Michelle?
I’ve never used hostels – I’ve always been too “scared” of them: I’m not a princess but I do like a little bit of comfort, and I’ve been lucky enough to always find cheap enough rooms when I couldn’t stay at friends’. It was nice to read what you had to say about them, still.
While I’ve never tried either of them, CouchSurfing and AirBnB sound like the perfect thing to do when you want to travel for cheap (free) and meet people. Do you find it’d be safer than hostels, to a certain extent, because you can check who you’ll be staying with beforehand whereas you’ve no idea who you’re going to share your dorm with?
Hi! I would definitely recommend giving hostels a go, you can opt for a ladies only dorm if it makes you feel comfortable. Hostels are usually extremely safe – they are well located, and have a receptionist who collects details from the people staying there, lock to the door, and generally attract people from all walks of life who are relaxed and respectful of other people’s space and possessions.
However, I’ve started using Airbnb instead (it can often work out cheaper than a hostel since you are not paying for individual beds). I REALLY like Airbnb, you can find some really cool and cosy places to stay with more privacy which is great if you’re after a good night’s sleep and more space.
Overall it depends what you’re looking for – if you’re travelling solo then I would recommend hostels because you get to meet more people to potentially hang out with which always enhances travelling. However, if you’re travelling with a friend or partner then Airbnb is the way to go! 🙂