Why I Have Given Up On Hostels (Already)

It took just three nights of staying in a hostel before I decided that I was done, I was not staying in a hostel again. I'm not sure if I was just unlucky, or if all hostels are just as bad, but perhaps I'll never find out.

I do not want to name names; partially because it feels a bit mean and partially because they did a lot of things right. The rooms included breakfast and dinner, even a beer with your dinner, the staff were super friendly and helpful, the location couldn't have been any better, and there was even a free bar crawl every single night.

Yet, it's the things they did wrong that stand out in my mind. The funny smell in the kitchen area, the constant noises coming in from the street, and the bed. The bed was were it really all fell apart. It was the most uncomfortable bed I have ever slept in. I genuinely think I would have been more comfortable sleeping on the floor.

The most important reason I have given up on hostels, however, is nothing to do with any of the above. It's because it is possible to stay in a 4* hotel for the same price.

4* Hotel Bed
A much more comfortable bed in the 4* hotel
Perhaps this was karma's way of apologising. Sorry that hostel was so bad, here's a much, much better hotel at the same rate to make you feel better. The only downside to staying in this place was the funny looks we got from the reception staff when we arrived; I guess they don't have smelly backpackers who haven't washed in days staying with them often. Luckily we had an en-suite bathroom with complimentary toiletries and fluffy towels to sort out that problem.

Unfortunately we are still on a tight budget, so it might not be possible to avoid hostels forever. The 4* hotel at a bargain price appears to have been a one off, but I have nonetheless been surprised again and again at how much cheaper a double room in a hotel is than the same in a hostel.

The same might not be true for a solo traveller, but the moral of this story is to check out the rates on Booking.com as well as HostelWorld.

Do you normally stay in hostels or hotels?

PS. If you liked this post, have a look at Hotel Beds Around The World too.