Bonjour! I thought I would put together a post about all of the hostels I’ve stayed at during this European adventure. As a solo traveler on a volunteer salary, hostels were/are a great way for me to not only save money, but also meet new people. I always booked female-only dorms which had 4 to 12 beds per room, depending on the hostel. Mixed dorms would have been even cheaper but I felt more comfortable in a female dorm. At the hostels, I met people from Argentina, South Korea, Columbia, Brazil, Ecuador, Australia, Scotland, Russia, France, England, Germany, Wales, Portugal, California and Milwaukee to name a few. I’ve only met five Americans also traveling alone on this trip which surprised me – I thought there would be more! This trip was my FIRST experience staying at hostels, and I highly recommend doing so if you have a weekend or week-long trip. If your trip is 10 days you might get grouchy with interrupted sleep every night like I did (or maybe it was bad luck on my part since it was Halloween and people went out the bars at 11pm and came back crashing in at 5:30am or 6 am LOL).
Brugge, Belgium
The Pros:
When it comes to hostels, some were better than others! I’m a social person so I appreciated when hostels hosted happy hours and organized events. I think I would have felt very lonely if I’d have been alone in hotel rooms (especially in countries where I don’t speak the local language). I liked having the option of socializing in the lounge and at breakfast or keeping to myself if I was exhausted from walking a bazillion steps. Some hostels have kitchens which was great for making oatmeal in the morning or a quick dinner at night when I didn’t want heavy restaurant food. Other hostels don’t have kitchens but have restaurants or bars attached. I liked how some hostels had a private bathroom for my room – especially since I always have to pee at 3 or 4 am. I also loved how there was someone at the desk 24 hours a day so I could always ask questions about how to get to the airport or where to go out to dinner for a traditional, local meal. I also loved how I was able to drop off my bags for the day, even if check-in wasn’t until 2pm or 3pm. Since I’m always traveling alone, I don’t have anyone to help me carry my bags up steep steps and I don’t have a car to store things. So, I loved being able to dump my bags in a secure area and walk around the new city for a few hours. Most of the people at the desk were very friendly, helpful and patient with my English! I also liked how some of the hostels had security guards at the doors, and sometimes doing rounds throughout the space, so I felt very safe.
The Cons:
One bad thing about hostels is that your sleep quality is compromised. If you share a room with a dozen women, you can bet there is constant disruption between the doors opening and closing, lights turning off and on, suitcases zipping and unzipping, alarms going off and that one girl who inconsiderately hits snooze 6 times!!! In rooms of 4-6 its obviously much quieter. I recommend bringing ear plugs and an eye mask – they are so helpful! I couldn’t have slept without them. Another bad thing is that you have to lock up all of your stuff and can’t leave anything in the shower. It isn’t a huge deal but it can take a while to get ready for bed or ready in the morning when you have to secure your things before leaving the room to do something as simple as brushing your teeth. After a hostel or two you get the hang of things! I always showered at night or mid-afternoon since there were no lines for the showers. At night I would organize my clothes and toiletries for the next day so I wouldn’t have to fumble around in the dark. 🙂
View from Lisbo’n Hostel balcony – Lisbon, Portugal
I wouldn’t say the negatives outweigh the positives by any means, but you shouldn’t go into a hostel stay expecting a luxury hotel experience – if you want that, go pay the big bucks for comfort and privacy haha. That sounds like an obvious statement but I’ve read hostel reviews online and some people expect to be pampered and to have everything their way. It truly is just a place to sleep and socialize! I recommend using HostelWorld.com to read reviews and book your accomodations.
London
In London, I stayed at the Generator Hostel. I liked this one a lot! I loved the casual lounge/cafe area and this place was close to a Tube station so I could easily take public transportation. However, I didn’t like how my 12-bed dorm was very crowded. Also, this was the ONLY hostel where I didn’t have an outlet and reading lamp by my bed.
Belgium: Brugge and Brussels
I stayed at the Snuffel Hostel in Brugge. This place had a delicious free breakfast and my 6-bed dorm was very spacious. I loved the mom-and-pop atmosphere and I loved being a 5-minute walk to the heart of the city. Brugge is a pretty small town though, so I’m sure most of the hostels are considered to be in a “good location.” No cons!
In Brussels, I stayed at the Grand Place hostel. Throughout my entire trip so far, this hostel was hands-down in the best location. I was 30 meters from the main square in town!! I loved being able to pop back into my hostel quick to use the bathroom or grab something from my room without having to trek across the city. I did have to check in a different location, but I didn’t mind. I read the fine print ahead of time.
Lisbon
The Lisb’n Hostel in Lisbon is definitely my favorite hostel so far. The people, other travelers, were very friendly, my room was very bright and cheery, and the free breakfast was delicious. Most of all, I had a stunning view of the city from the balcony and I was a short 5-10 minute walk from the city center and bar/restaurant area. No cons!
Spain: Madrid and Barcelona
In Madrid I stayed at Way Hostel. The location was perfect, walkable from everything in Madrid, and I liked the organized events like sangria and paella! The travelers kept to themselves for the most part at this hostel. However, the lounge was very crowded and my bathroom smelled stuffy/moldy despite the housekeeper coming every day. I think the bathroom needs more ventilation or something.
In Barcelona I stayed at St. Christopher’s Inn which felt more corporate/hotel-like and was similar to Generator in London. There were five or six floors with updated and modern facilities and a bar and restaurant attached. The drink and food deals were great which was great since their kitchen only had four spoons and no stove LOL! I also appreciated the free events they coordinated such as wine and cheese tasting and Open Mic night. Travelers at this hostel were very chatty and open to making new friends. However, I do wish security did rounds at night because there was a pack of girls playing drinking games very late on Halloween and I had a flight to catch very early!
Prague, Czech Republic
I stayed at Hostel Downtown in Prague. I loved this hostel even though the facilities were a bit older. The staff and travelers were so friendly and kind. I loved the free walking tours they organized – I went on two! Even though it was cold outside, this place made me feel right at home! I loved how the quirky decor didn’t match at all, there was sharpie written all over the walls, the couch cushions were every color and there was an upright piano there, too. This place, like the Brugge one, had a lovely mom-and-pop atmosphere. Okay this might be my other favorite hostel. No cons!
Next up? I’m staying at a hostel in Rome. I won’t give the exact location since that wouldn’t be smart and savvy for a single woman traveling alone. And thanks for reading this. It took me a while to write. 🙂
Au revoir! Until next time.
Castles and Champagne 