When I told my friends and family that I would be staying in hostels in Europe, the horrified looks on their faces could not be replicated. Some people look absolutely terrified for my life, as if I told them I would be entering one of the most unsafe places on earth. Others looked disgusted, like I told them I would be staying in bug-ridden rooms that went uncleaned. What I have learned since staying in hostels is that Americans have the most negative connotation with hostels you can imagine (unless you have stayed in one or know people who have). The truth about hostels is that they’re NOTHING like in the movies… infact, I have enough hotel points to stay about 3 nights anywhere I would like, and I will likely NOT use them because I enjoy hostels so much. So, let me give you a quick rundown about what a hostel ACTUALLY is, and they (un)scary truth about them.

A HOSTEL IS A DORM STYLE HOTEL FOR TRAVELERS.

At this point in my writing, I have now stayed at two hostels. Both reminded me so much of U.S. college dorms. There are common areas with seating, encouraging friendships to blossom, and specifically, encouraging travelers to meet other travelers. In my first hostel, there were two communal areas. One was downstairs, equipped with a ping-pong table, TVs and couches. The other was right when you walked in, in the “lobby” area. There were two couches and several sets of tables and chairs, varying in sizes. Additionally, the hallways were set like dorms, and depending on which room type you were staying in, you may even have a communal shower. Other rooms have one bathroom (with one shower) inside the room, and they call that ensuite.

6 person dorm in Casa Gracia, Barcelona.

HOSTELS ARE INEXPENSIVE.

Depending on the hostel, where you stay, and the time of year/what is going on in the city, the prices vary. In my first hostel in Madrid, I paid 20 euro per night for my bunk in my female dorm of 6. In my hostel in Barcelona, I paid 40 euro per night for my bunk in my mixed dorm of 6. The area I stayed in Barcelona was a very upscale/affluent area, it was during the weekend, and Barcelona had a futbol game going on. I am currently on a train to my hostel in Valencia and I am paying 12 euro per night in a 12 person mixed dorm (I really wanted to see what it would be ike to be in a busy room). When I had looked at hotels in these cities (just out of curiosity), most decent hotels were 150 euros+. Hostels are designed to be inexpensive for you, taking out a lot of frills so that you can focus your time and money on travel.

HOSTELS HELP YOU MEET PEOPLE IF YOU WANT TO.

Both of the hostels I have stayed at had a nice mix of activities. Some activities were focused around seeing the sights (both had free 2-hour walking tours, one had a very inexpensive bike tour). Additionally, both had social events set up. In Madrid, my hostel had free drinking games a few nights of the week where they provided sangria, and they also had an inexpensive pub tour set up a couple nights of the week as well. They even set up a tapas tour so that you could get a taste of a few different restaurants around the area. Likewise, in my hostel in Barcelona, they had a pub crawl and a food tour. One night when I returned back, they had a musician playing in one of the main rooms to enjoy and were serving inexpensive drinks and food so you could sit and enjoy the music. Another night, they had a projector projecting the Barcelona futbol game in one of the common rooms. If you are a solo traveler (like myself), these tours and planned events are great ways to meet other travelers and make friends. The rooms are a great way also, since you have roommates, but you may not connect well with everyone you meet, or you may not see them if they’re out exploring, so these events are perfect.

Friends Fran and Rodrigo, made from my first hostel.

HOSTELS ARE RUN BY PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO TRAVEL.

In my hostel in Madrid, the man checking me in was Australian and living in Spain. He mentioned he normally takes part in some of the activities and likes to hang out on the rooftop bar (several hostels have these), but he had planned a holiday to Turkey. The people running the hostel are great resources for things to do in the area, places to see, or directions. Ask them questions, that’s what they’re there for!

While these are all awesome things about hostels, there are a few things that are less than ideal about them.

NOT EVERYTHING YOU THINK WOULD BE FREE, ACTUALLY IS.

When you reserve a room somewhere you assume that your sheets are included on your bed and you’ll be given a towel, right? WRONG. Not all hostels have those things available for free unless it specifically says so. In my first hostel in Madrid, I realized that I needed a towel because I did not have room for one in my 40L backpack. I needed to head to the front desk and rent a simple, white towel for 1 euro. However, in my hostel in Barcelona, I received a fresh towel at no charge every day. Upon reading reviews on hostelworld.com, I’ve come across some hostels that make you pay to use the sheets on your bed. Every hostel is different, so when using certain sites to book, be sure to look into everything so that you can be prepared.

ROOMATES.

Roomates deserve to be both a positive and a negative. On the one hand, when you get along with them and you connect well, they’re great and they immediately become your friends like Paula and Kelly were to me in Madrid. Sometimes, while they can be nice, you just may not have anything in common. I’ve had a few roommates this past trip who were just not interested in speaking more than 2 words. Likewise, you may have had a long day and need to get to bed early, but your roommate, full of energy, stays out until 6am and comes back drunk and loud. No big deal, but be prepared! Be sure to pack a sleepmask and earplugs, so you don’t need to worry about being woken up in the middle of the night (this is obviously more common with the more people in your room also since everyone is on different schedules).

AIRCONDITIONING.

Oh, the beauty of air-conditioning. While this is something we do not think twice about in the U.S., not all Europeans have this luxury available, and neither do hostels. My first hostel had no airconditioning (just fans) in both the common areas and the rooms. Taking a nap mid day was a little stuffy, but at night when Madrid cooled down, having our large windows open was comfortable. In Barcelona, my hostel had air-conditioning throughout.

First time in a hostel? Heres what not to forget:

• Sleepmask
• Earplugs
• Converter and/or power adapter
• Padlock for your locker (most hostels have lockers to lock your valuables)
• Lock for your bag (in case a locker is not available or is too small, you can lock your zippers on your bag together)

Feel free to comment below or ask any questions on traveling to hostels. I’m happy to help! XO