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Backpacking Europe Accomodations |
Most backpacker will choose hostels as their main places to stay. There standards and setups
of hostels will vary greatly from place to place. Some are much like hotels while others are
nearly dilapidated holes in the wall. Backpackers must be flexible and keep an open mind to
quality when it comes to staying at hostels. You are living on a tight budget.
There are several traits in common to hostels generally, but certainly not always shared among
all hostels. Most hostel rooms will have anywhere between four and ten bunk beds, but
private rooms are sometimes available. Likewise you may come across hostel rooms that are
just great big rooms with thirty mattresses on the ground. Bring a sleepsheet, that is a bed
sheet folded down the center with the open side and bottom sewn up. Most hostels will
charge for sheets and this will save a little in the budget. Also, in instances where you literally
don’t have a roof over your head this will come in very handy.
Generally there will be a bathroom shared amongst several rooms. Showers will usually be
private, but not always. In a few rare occasions they may even be co-ed, but these are very
uncommon. It is usually a good idea to bring your own towel if you have room, most hostels
will charge a fee for a towel if they offer them at all.
Many hostels will offer some type of breakfast, sometimes just bread or maybe cereal.
Sometimes it’s included in the charge for your bed, other times its extra. Seldom are other
meals offered.
A lot of hostels will have a bar. These are often “party” hostels and usually are noisier and
less clean than other hostels. In my travels though, I recommend hostels that have a bar, as
there is no place easier to meet people than in a hostel bar. People here are all doing the same
thing, traveling, and eager to tell and hear stories about where they or you are going or been.
If you are looking for cleaner, quieter hostels, usually Hostels belonging to Hostel International
(HI) are. You will find exceptions though.
traveling with others, though, it is often cheaper to split the cost of getting a room.
traveling with others, though, it is often cheaper to split the cost of getting a room.
A common question about staying in hostels is whether or not to book in advance. The
answer to this depends of your travel style. Not booking ahead offers more flexibility and fly
by the seat of your pants aspect to traveling. Alternatively, booking ahead is great because it
insures you a place to stay. You can waste a lot of time trying to find a place in busier times of
the year.
I always recommend people book ahead for their first night or two. When you first fly into
Europe you can expect to be tired and jetlagged. If you’re a first timer you are going to have a
lot to learn about how things work in the country your in anyway. It will make life much more
pleasant for most travelers to have that first place to stay secured.
When looking for hostels people tend to go through their guidebooks. This is good, but in
busier times of the year those are going to be the first places to fill up. If you are having trouble
finding places don’t do it this way. Find an Internet café and start looking or ask around. And,
since hostels in guidebooks know they are going to fill up first, they can usually get away with
charging more.
You can find discount cards available for purchase for many groups of hostels, particularly HI
Hostels. They usually aren’t very expensive, but most people won’t get their money’s worth
out of them. Usually the discount is small, and you won’t always have the option at staying at
hostels belonging to the group.
of hostels will vary greatly from place to place. Some are much like hotels while others are
nearly dilapidated holes in the wall. Backpackers must be flexible and keep an open mind to
quality when it comes to staying at hostels. You are living on a tight budget.
There are several traits in common to hostels generally, but certainly not always shared among
all hostels. Most hostel rooms will have anywhere between four and ten bunk beds, but
private rooms are sometimes available. Likewise you may come across hostel rooms that are
just great big rooms with thirty mattresses on the ground. Bring a sleepsheet, that is a bed
sheet folded down the center with the open side and bottom sewn up. Most hostels will
charge for sheets and this will save a little in the budget. Also, in instances where you literally
don’t have a roof over your head this will come in very handy.
Generally there will be a bathroom shared amongst several rooms. Showers will usually be
private, but not always. In a few rare occasions they may even be co-ed, but these are very
uncommon. It is usually a good idea to bring your own towel if you have room, most hostels
will charge a fee for a towel if they offer them at all.
Many hostels will offer some type of breakfast, sometimes just bread or maybe cereal.
Sometimes it’s included in the charge for your bed, other times its extra. Seldom are other
meals offered.
A lot of hostels will have a bar. These are often “party” hostels and usually are noisier and
less clean than other hostels. In my travels though, I recommend hostels that have a bar, as
there is no place easier to meet people than in a hostel bar. People here are all doing the same
thing, traveling, and eager to tell and hear stories about where they or you are going or been.
If you are looking for cleaner, quieter hostels, usually Hostels belonging to Hostel International
(HI) are. You will find exceptions though.
traveling with others, though, it is often cheaper to split the cost of getting a room.
traveling with others, though, it is often cheaper to split the cost of getting a room.
A common question about staying in hostels is whether or not to book in advance. The
answer to this depends of your travel style. Not booking ahead offers more flexibility and fly
by the seat of your pants aspect to traveling. Alternatively, booking ahead is great because it
insures you a place to stay. You can waste a lot of time trying to find a place in busier times of
the year.
I always recommend people book ahead for their first night or two. When you first fly into
Europe you can expect to be tired and jetlagged. If you’re a first timer you are going to have a
lot to learn about how things work in the country your in anyway. It will make life much more
pleasant for most travelers to have that first place to stay secured.
When looking for hostels people tend to go through their guidebooks. This is good, but in
busier times of the year those are going to be the first places to fill up. If you are having trouble
finding places don’t do it this way. Find an Internet café and start looking or ask around. And,
since hostels in guidebooks know they are going to fill up first, they can usually get away with
charging more.
You can find discount cards available for purchase for many groups of hostels, particularly HI
Hostels. They usually aren’t very expensive, but most people won’t get their money’s worth
out of them. Usually the discount is small, and you won’t always have the option at staying at
hostels belonging to the group.
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