WHY WE LOVE HOSTELS
When my family and I travel, the inexpensive price to get a safe, clean bed to sleep, is all we need.
While traveling, most days, we wake up early, and we’re out on the town all day and most of the evening.
We enjoy ethnic food, sight seeing, shopping, and mingling with the locals. Strolling to people watch and sometimes depending on where I am, I enjoy the hustle and bustle of touristy areas.
When it comes to budgeting for a trip, I want to spend the bulk of my travel funds on many things… and sleeping is not one of them.
That said, if you are a traveler or digital nomad, sleeping for a few hours each night does not have to be expensive.
Also, when I am traveling with my young adult kids, they do not have to sit in the hotel room with me watching foreign TV; they can socialize with other travelers in the hostel, participate in activities, even if I decide to hit the sack early.
These are the main reasons I stay in hostels when we travel. Not to say I will not find a hotel, if necessary, (as not every country has traditional hostels), but when available, a quaint little hostel is my “sleeping hotel” of choice.
Now keep in mind, if you are a traveler that loves the ambiance and feel of a 5-star hotel or an all-inclusive resort, then by all means – go for it.
However, if you are a new traveler, know that there are other economical sleeping options.
And, when you are as frugal as I am, but still want to have great memories a cultural experience and an overall fantastic time; a hostel is perfect for my family.
Keep in mind, just as there are different ratings of hotels, the same with hostels. So, you must do your research and check out the hostels in the city you will be traveling to next.
Below is the order of importance on how I choose a hostel with the rating and review scale of most hostels found on hostelworld.com.
1. Cleanliness (beds, bathroom & Kitchen areas)
2. Safety (check out the surrounding area)
3. Proximity to city centers & transportation
4. Hostel social activities & walking tours
5. Free breakfast
6. Price per night – Affordable
7. Cleanliness – yes, I said it again…where I pay to sleep must be clean!
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