How to Pick a Good Hostel

A good hostel can give you access to amazing amenities such as lavish infinity pools at a steep bargain. The right hostel will also feel like a home away from home where you are surrounded by new friends. But if you don’t know how to choose wisely, hostels can literally feel like hell.

I’ve stayed in a lot of hostels while traveling solo, and in this article I’ll share my tips on how to pick a good hostel. I’ll also provide insights on how to find the best hostel prices and things you should do for a comfortable stay. 

For your entertainment, I’ll even tell you about my first 3 disastrous hostel experiences. I’m hoping that my advice on how to choose a good hostel will help you avoid a similar fate!

If you still need convincing, check out my reasons why you should stay in a hostel.

My First Hostel Experiences: How I Failed to Pick a Good Hostel

During a year of traveling through South America, I lived in hostels. I never had any safety issues as a solo female. My stays were always comfortable and allowed me to meet great new friends. 

However, before traveling to South America, I’ll confess that my initial hostel experiences were disastrous, simply because I didn’t know how to pick a good hostel. For your amusement, here’s a glimpse into my first three hostel stays:

Hostel #1

The dorms reeked of burnt food, there was a blaring party next door all night, there was 1 toilet/shower for 12 women. Lockers were in the bathroom, so you couldn’t access your stuff if someone was showering.

Hostel #2

Two of the guests partied too hard and were sick in the room, causing a huge commotion that woke up the entire hostel.

Hostel #3

Two people started hooking up in my dorm room late at night, waking up everyone. The woman started screaming that she’d been drugged and ran hysterically around the hostel in her underwear for the next hour.

Although these incidents seem comical in retrospect, they were very uncomfortable in the moment. I could have easily avoided these issues had I known how to choose good hostels. Let’s go over the most important hostel qualities to look for so you can avoid making the mistakes I did!

How to Pick a Good Hostel

Choose a Good Hostel Location

When looking for a hostel, location is critical. Choose a hostel in a safe neighborhood, ideally within walking distance of public transport or tourist attractions. Checking Google Street View can help you determine if the area around the hostel looks safe or not. 

Choosing a cheap hostel that is far from local attractions will lead you to waste both your time and money getting to and from the hostel.

Pick a Hostel by Price

As a budget traveler, price is important to me. Fortunately, the best hostels are not necessarily the most expensive! I find that hostel price doesn’t usually correlate to cleanliness or safety. It typically correlates to more amenities, spacious dorms, and proximity to main attractions.

Hostel Safety

Pick a hostel that is in a secure neighborhood and has 24-hour staff. Most hostels have security cameras. Check for lockers for storing personal items in the dorms. Read recent reviews to see if guests have had any safety issues.

Refer to my comprehensive guide for more tips on how to stay safe when traveling.

Pick a Good Hostel: Cleanliness

Hostel cleanliness can be assessed by reading reviews and looking at pictures. Pay close attention to how the beds and bathrooms look.

Choose Hostel Size and Type

Decide what vibe you want and look for a hostel that matches. Larger hostels may be more social, while small boutique hostels may have a more relaxed vibe. 

Identifying party hostels is usually straightforward—they typically feature a bar that stays open late or have an associated nightclub. When in doubt, check reviews as well. Keep in mind that the presence of a bar doesn’t automatically indicate a wild party scene. Some quiet hostels have small bars that close early.

Be aware of digital nomad hostels, such as the Selina chain. They are not the best hostels for travelers because the guests are mostly working and it will be hard to make friends.

Pick Your Hostel Room Type

Check the number of beds in the dorms and pick a hostel room with fewer beds for a quieter environment. I’d also avoid triple-stacked bunk beds, which believe it or not are quite prevalent!

Some hostels have female-only dorms, which are usually cleaner and quieter (less snoring). Interestingly, female dorms are often more expensive than the mixed dorms (someone enlighten me as to how this is fair?!). For this reason I typically stay in mixed dorms, where I’ve never encountered safety issues. 

Private rooms are a great option for couples or just to have your own private space. However, solo travelers should be cautious of hostels with a large number of private rooms. These places tend to attract more couples, which will make it harder for you to connect with other solo travelers.

Amenities Found in Good Hostels

Check if the hostel has in-room amenities such as lockers, curtains for privacy, and personal lights and electric outlets next to each bed. 

Overall hostel amenities may include things like a pool, restaurant, fitness room, bar, laundry service, tour booking, private shuttles, and kayak and bike rental.

When choosing a hostel, take a look at the check-in and check-out times and see if they are compatible with your schedule. You’d be surprised at how early some check-out times are! While most hostels have a luggage room to keep your bags safe outside of check-in and check-out times, some don’t, so it’s worth confirming.

Pick a Hostel for its Common Areas

A good hostel has at least two common areas: one for relaxing, and one for socializing. 

Take a look at the hostel’s common areas (lounge, dining room, pool, bar, library, rooftop, garden, etc.) and see if you could envision yourself spending time there. I recommend picking a hostel with a pool if you’ll be in a hot area.

Hostel Kitchen

A hostel equipped with a kitchen means you can prepare your own nutritious and cost-effective meals. Even if you prefer not to cook, the fridge will be useful for storing leftovers and cold drinks. 

Assess the kitchen’s size in relation to the number of guests. Many times I’ve had to wait in line to use the stove or engage in a game of Tetris to fit my food into an overly packed fridge. Good hostels will have multiple refrigerators for guests.

Filtered Drinking Water

If you’re traveling in areas with unsafe tap water, check if the hostel provides free filtered drinking water. Or better, bring your own filter.

Hostel Restrooms

When picking a hostel, take a look at the restroom situation. I personally prefer restrooms that are located in a common hallway rather than inside the individual dorm rooms. This setup is less disruptive if someone decides to shower in the middle of the night. In addition, multiple bathrooms shared amongst multiple rooms means you can almost always find an available shower. In one hostel with an in-room shower only, I once waited 2 hours for it to become available! 

Also, verify that hot water showers are available to avoid any surprises upon arrival. Take a look at the hostel shower area to see if there’s somewhere to hang your toiletries, clothes, and towel.

Choose a Hostel with AC and Heat

If you’re traveling somewhere very warm or cold, pick a hostel with AC or heating. Budget hostels in hot areas will sometimes offer only a fan, which could make for a miserable night’s sleep.

Hostel WiFi

These days you’d be hard-pressed to find a hostel that doesn’t offer free WiFi, but check the connectivity if you need to use it for work.

Pick a Good Hostel with Organized Activities

In my opinion, the best hostels are the ones that offer organized activities like walking tours, movie nights, happy hours, and dance lessons. These activities are great opportunities to make friends, especially if you’re an introvert like me!

English Speaking Staff in Hostels

If you don’t speak the local language, choose a hostel with English-speaking staff, often found in larger or more upscale hostels.

Pick a Hostel Without Extra Fees

While uncommon, some hostels charge extra fees for things like access to common areas before check-in time or after check-out time. Some will also charge you for bag storage if you plan to leave and return a few days later. Review the hostel policies and recent reviews for any insights.

How to Book a Hostel

Pick a Good Hostel by Reserving Online

For peace of mind, I recommend reserving at least your first night in a hostel when arriving in a new city. It’s helpful to know where you’ll be staying after a long day of travel to an unfamiliar place. Wandering around in the dark searching for accommodation is not ideal. If you prefer to pick your hostels day-by-day after your first night, that’s perfectly fine.

If you have a tight itinerary, are visiting in high season or during holidays, or have your heart set on a particular hostel, it’s best to reserve your entire stay in advance.

My go-to platform for reserving hostels is Booking.com since it consistently gives me competitive prices and additional discounts based on usage. Occasionally I’ll use Hostelworld, which sometimes has properties not listed on Booking.com.

Choose a Hostel and Reserve by Phone

If you know which hostel you want to stay at, you can try finding their phone number or social media information and messaging them. They’ll usually be able to reserve a bed for you this way, and sometimes you’ll get better prices than when booking online.

Pick a Good Hostel in Person

Reserving your hostel stay in person is common, especially when extending your stay at a hostel you’re currently at. You can also show up at a new hostel and ask if they have any free beds. Sometimes you’ll get good prices this way, but a lot of the time I’ve actually gotten better deals through Booking.com’s loyalty program! 

In remote locations where hostels have limited online presence, showing up without a reservation might be your only option. Visit a few hostels (ask locals for guidance if you need help locating them) and ask to see their rooms before deciding which hostel to stay in. Prices may be negotiable in these cases.

After Picking a Hostel: 6 Tips for a Comfortable Stay

Pack Light and Stay Organized

Hostel dorms have limited space for your personal items, so the less you bring, the easier it will be to stay organized. I love using packing cubes, which help me make the most of the small space I have.

When staying in hostels I also make sure to pack a lightweight tote bag. I use it to bring groceries to the kitchen area and to bring my towel and clothes into the shower room. For the shower, a hanging toiletry bag would also work. Most bathrooms have hooks, but no shelves, for your personal items. 

Pack Hostel-Specific Items

Remember to bring the following items, which usually are not provided by hostels:

• Lock for lockers. Locker size varies, so get a flexible lock.
• Towel
• Soap
• Shampoo. I recommend bar shampoo over liquid.
• Portable charger. In case there’s no outlet near your bed.
• Cooking essentials (oil, salt, spices). While some hostel kitchens provide these items, others do not.

Protect Your Valuables in the Hostel

Safeguard your valuables either in a locker or in a small bag that you keep with you at all times. While theft is uncommon, it’s wise to keep items like nice jackets organized and out of sight.

Set Yourself Up for a Good Night of Sleep in the Hostel

Pick the right type of room that suits your needs. If you get to choose your hostel bed, pick one far from the door or bathroom. Bring an eye mask and earplugs for a good night’s sleep.

If your bed doesn’t come with curtains and you’d like some privacy, hang up a scarf or towel (this works best with bottom bunks). Staff may also be willing to lend you an extra bedsheet for this purpose.

Get to Know Hostel Staff

Get to know the hostel staff. They’ll give you valuable suggestions on activities and general safety tips. Maintaining a friendly relationship with staff ensures they keep an eye out for your well-being. Don’t be afraid to let them know of any issues you encounter in the hostel or if another guest is making you feel uncomfortable. They deal with stuff all the time and will do everything they can to make sure you have a nice stay.

Be Respectful

Please, avoid bothering your sleeping roommates! Don’t turn on lights or make noise during quiet hours. If you’re checking out early in the morning, pack your bag the night before. Leave any dirty or smelly shoes in the hallway outside the room, and clean up after yourself in shared spaces like the kitchen.

Thanks for reading, and I hope this information helps you pick a good hostel for your next trip! What is most important to you in choosing a hostel? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Head to my Travel Tips Page for more tips that will help you prepare and budget for your travels.

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