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thank you for the responses, everyone. Elnrgby, your posts were very helpful!
My travel budget is modest so I'm considering a hostel stay for a future trip. Personally I can't burn $200 per night on a 3 week trip.
I like Airbnbs and I've stayed at many of them. The ones in Europe were fine and had good rates. However, there's an element of the unknown with each Airbnb that a hostel doesn't have. I would always ask myself, "ok, what's going to be the issue at this Airbnb". Sometimes it was a challenge to actually FIND the Airbnb, even with having instructions and maps, and getting into each one was sometimes tricky. In Europe, I found every Airbnb had at least 3 locks--a locked front gate, a locked door into the building, and a locked door into the apartment. The locks and keys were different in Europe than in the US. I can't explain it. One door in Iceland was so tricky to lock and unlock that I was thinking about abandoning the room and going to a hotel! It was a chore to deal with. I'm not sure if the Airbnbs in other countries outside Europe are the same as what I've encountered, that's why I'm considering a hostel.
Right, I have stayed at several Airbnb's (all in the US), and while all stays were okay, I find them to be more of a hassle to organize than hostel stays... plus, with an Airbnb there is a minuscule but nevertheless theoretically existing possibility of the host being a serial killer or something. Generally, I will look for an Airbnb only if the place where I am traveling does not have any decent hostels.
One more thing that you asked about, ie, waiting for a shower at a hostel... again, I have very rarely had to wait, but in my travels in general, there have been situations (not in hostels) where there was no time to take a shower because I was in a rush, or some other issue (eg, I really hate communal showers at camping establishments, and in some countries or places (Norway, Nepal, Moab UT) I have encountered the requirement to PAY in increments of 10 min for using a communal shower in hostel-like establishments!). For that reason, I always carry a packet of baby wipes, for a quick sponge shower, and a scarf in which to wrap the unwashed hair if needed. A sponge bath with baby wipes is an entirely adequate substitute for a shower. For some inexplicable reason, baby wipes tend to be quite expensive in some otherwise cheap Asian countries, so carry a supply from the US (same holds for a large roll of toilet tissue if you need a public facility in Asia - hostels do have Western toilets and tissue, but other places like most notably Buddhist temple compounds not necessarily).
I went hiking half way to Everest when I was 52, and stayed at teahouses in the Himalayas, which are like mountain hostels (I stayed in private "rooms" - basically tiny cells where you open the door, lay in bed, and close the door, as the space is so tiny that it contains only the bed and nothing else). They do not have heating in those places, and the temps at night are way sub-zero :-). I had an excellent super-insulated sleaping bag that I rented from the trekking company, in which I would sleep happily at night, but a prospect of taking a shower (for an extra fee) in a sub-zero temp in the morning (or even a prospect of leaving the warmth of the sleeping bag without three thick layers of clothes) was unthinkable. So, I would take a sponge bath with baby wipes inside the sleeping bag, put on several layers of clothes, and only then unzip myself out of the bag. I did this for full two weeks, and was still smelling only of baby powder when I returned back to Kathmandu (the hair, though, was permanently wrapped in a bandana, which I dared to unwrap only when I finally got under a real shower :-).
Just one more thing about hostel showers: do pack a pair of flip-flops, and wear them in the shower (I do that in hotels too). No matter how clean the place is, it is not your bathroom at home. Linens and sleeping bags can be washed at hot temperatures and disinfected, but germs do live happily on ceramic and plastic surfaces. I have seen some truly germ-phobic people spraying bunks with ammonia before laying in bed (to kill any possible bedbug eggs), but that is probably unnecessary because good hostels have done that step already.
Listen to this...I was researching some hostels last night and happened to see age restrictions for some of them. One of the hostels said 18-40, which would exclude me. Have you ever heard of any hostels having age restrictions?
Listen to this...I was researching some hostels last night and happened to see age restrictions for some of them. One of the hostels said 18-40, which would exclude me. Have you ever heard of any hostels having age restrictions?
Yes, I have seen that although only in one city, and therefore I always check with each particular hostel before making a reservation. The city where I have seen hostels restricted to young people is New Orleans (which, however, also has one age-unrestricted absolutely beautiful and relatively new hostel in Garden District where I stayed in 2017, and the even newer Hosteling International branch that opened later that year - and HI does not have age restrictions; in fact, HI membership card is discounted for people older than 50 or 55). So, I encountered age restrictions for hostels only in New Orleans, but they probably exist in some other places too. But I would say, that is rare and totally not typical for hostels in general.
Hosteling International generally has a limit on staying at a particular hostel, and that limit is 14 days per year (I think it is 14 days within 365 days, not per calendar year). It applies to each particular hostel, but you can of course stay at HI hostels in different cities as much as you want, as long as you stay for less than 14 days per year in each of them. But most non-HI hostels where I had stayed allowed for longer stays (in Bangkok, there was a young woman doing some type of internship there, and she was staying at the hostel for 3 months. Btw, many hostels have washing machines).
I would like to hear from any older/retired travelers who have recently used hostels in the true manner (staying in the common dorm rooms, not the private rooms). I'm particularly interested in hostels in other locations besides Europe where it's quite common (and not the US). Questions: Did you feel that the hostels were mostly full of young people? Were the dorm rooms noisy? How did you protect your luggage when you were out sightseeing for the day? Were you able to get access to the bathroom without difficulty or were you always waiting in line? Was the price worth it? I'm just trying to get some insights into the hosteling experiences of older travelers (over 55), especially solo female travelers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr5150
At my age spending money is OK. Going cheap to save $$ when traveling not is worth it.
I’m your exact demographic and recently spent five months in South America and while I mostly lived in a house with roommates in Chile, I did get in some traveling in Ecuador, Argentina, and Peru as well as Mexico City, and I will only stay in hostels. It’s true that it’s a cheaper way to travel but I can afford hotels; it’s just that I really enjoy the social aspects of staying in a hostel. For one thing, I connect well with young folks, but I’ve met some interesting older folks as well. I’ve gone sightseeing with some of my new friends, or we’d go get a drink together or we’d go buy groceries and cook something, which is another good reason that hostels are a bargain. As a single woman traveler, i just really enjoy the social aspects. Also, even the people who work there are more fun. I recently spent an entire afternoon with the desk clerk trading music suggestions, keeping mindful of his time but it was obvious that he was having fun too.
One thing that makes age less of an issue is that it’s mainly the hardcore travelers who stay in them and we tend to have more in common for that reason. I’ve had some of the most incredible conversations with twenty somethings that it truly gives me hope for the future and I never felt condescended to and I was careful to not impose on their time or try to pretend to be more youthful minded than I am. I’m just myself and they can take me or leave me.
The main technique that I can think of to stay out of a party palace is to find a hostel off the party circuit. When you’re reading a guidebook or website, they will tell you which parts of the city are more party centered and which are more historical type neighborhoods. Yeah, I go for the quieter more residential type places. You can develop a feel for which places might be more your style. It’s not a guarantee though because i ended up in a place in Mexico City which had bunk beds too low to sit up in, coffin style, and had the most obnoxiously loud party one night, but the food almost made up for that, and the fact that there were so many tourist attractions nearby that i never had to take any public transport.
I can’t remember ever standing in line for the bathroom because they are scattered all over the place and if one is full you can just go to another. The biggest issue I’ve run into is ancient plumbing and that will probably put off a lot of people but if it’s a very important thing to you then reading the ad carefully or checking ahead or reading the reviews can be very enlightening.
I would like to hear from any older/retired travelers who have recently used hostels in the true manner (staying in the common dorm rooms, not the private rooms). I'm particularly interested in hostels in other locations besides Europe where it's quite common (and not the US). Questions: Did you feel that the hostels were mostly full of young people? Were the dorm rooms noisy? How did you protect your luggage when you were out sightseeing for the day? Were you able to get access to the bathroom without difficulty or were you always waiting in line? Was the price worth it? I'm just trying to get some insights into the hosteling experiences of older travelers (over 55), especially solo female travelers.
I wouldn't advise you to do it. Hostels are for young people. You might feel weird. Besides older people like their comfort. If you want to travel cheap stay in airbnbs rather than hostels.
I wouldn't advise you to do it. Hostels are for young people. You might feel weird. Besides older people like their comfort. If you want to travel cheap stay in airbnbs rather than hostels.
god forbid you should ever do anything that would make you feel weird. Stay home in your recliner grandma!
Interesting idea. I have always pictured hostels as full of young people. Would it be a problem if I went to bed at 8:30 and asked everyone else to turn off the lights and keep quiet?
For me it would. It would be a BIG problem if you wanted "lights out" ay 8:30. I haven't gone to sleep at that hour since 1965.
I wouldn't advise you to do it. Hostels are for young people. You might feel weird. Besides older people like their comfort. If you want to travel cheap stay in airbnbs rather than hostels.
I would stay in a hostel long before I'd stay in an AirBnB.
I'm in my 60s now, and I stay at a hostel when they're available (primarily big cities;
smaller cities and rural areas seem not to have them... there are some US states
that don't have even one hostel. Pity). If not, I have to look for a Motel 6, Super 8, etc.
Are the other travelers mostly 20-somethings? Yes, but so what?
I don't hang around the hostel all day; I go and do my sightseeing.
The hostel provides an affordable bed... I can stay, e.g. three nights
or more for the price of one night in a hotel.
But some hostels are a bit too funky for my taste.
In Seattle, I make it a point to stay at this one:
thehello.com/locations/hotel-hotel-fremont
even though its location is slightly less convenient than some others.
Some favorites are the hostel in Santa Monica, and the Hosteling International property in Chicago.
Staying in the lovely, clean, happily relaxed hostels in Bangkok and Singapore was an incomparably better, and actually more comfortable, experience than the bleak Holiday Inn room with the HVAC that sounded like an airplane engine, the standardized indifferent hotel furniture, the apathetic minimum-wage workers pushing around carts with towels and cleaning supplies.
Are you thinking workers in hostels are making more than workers in hotels? I'm skeptical. Also = you could also try local guest houses, they aren't so sanitized as a Holiday Inn and can often be pretty good values.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stepka
god forbid you should ever do anything that would make you feel weird. Stay home in your recliner grandma!
This isn't called for, someone not wanting to do something that feels weird to them is entirely different than staying at home in a recliner. I'm sure there are people who have traveled more and experienced more than you ever will despite having never stayed in a hostel.
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god forbid you should ever do anything that would make you feel weird. Stay home in your recliner grandma!
