Many travelers usually have to decide between having to seek accommodation in a hotel or a simple hostel experience. The difference between hostel and hotel may not be very clear for people who do not travel very much. They provide the same amenities most of the time, but is a hostel better than a hotel?
This is probably an age-old debate, from the day when friends or family provided home and board in the destination of your choice. However, new destinations offer fresh opportunities to encounter things outside your social bubble- and so the hotel vs. hostel rumble continues.
What Are Hostels?
Maybe you have been to one or more, but what's a hostel? A hostel is an enterprise with several rentable rooms that are significantly cheaper than luxury hotels charge for their stay. When you choose to stay in hostel, its staff on duty will readily attend to your cleanliness and comfort. Hostels may change the experience of your travels, mostly because of their social comforts. Just the way taking a cruise can change the experience of your trip. If you do not mind sharing a television and dining area with fellow travelers, this is the space for you.
You might be traveling through a particular stretch of wilderness, then wonder, what is a hostel like? Unlike their counterparts, what sets hostels apart from hotels is that they appeal to the crowd's young outdoor enthusiasts. Travelers in hostels are often interested in meeting their fellow adventurers, and hostels provide the perfect hub for them to interact and mingle. There is probably more socializing here than there ever will be at hotel lobbies. You will also not have to worry about bedbugs as much as you would in hotels.
What Hooks Travelers to a Hostel?
It is safe to say that what hooked many travelers to hostels is the cheap beds on offer. Once you have a simple and comfortable space to lay down, you can focus on the aspects of your travels that matter to you- like the friends you make. Making friends while out traveling is one of the best life moments you can experience. The perks of this arrangement are if you can go without a premium movie channels subscription and a fitness room, you get a cheap bed, good food, and plenty of company as well if you enjoy meeting new people.
Hostels come in many different shapes and forms, but they do not offer the same experience. It would be wise to do your due diligence and look up other travelers' reviews before you decide to take up one of the options. Your research will help you make an informed decision before booking the services of a hostel. Here are some excellent reasons you should consider in favor of hostels:
1. They Are Cheaper
Hostels try to cut the costs of accommodation by supplying the essentials. You may not find luxurious business amenities like iron boxes, coffee makers, telephones, or premium television. These essential services are shared by all and only add to the warmth of social gatherings. Most hostels offer a bed and breakfast package for their guests, especially if they are out and about during the day. These savings from unnecessary expenses are an additional cost-benefit to the guests.
2. You Get To Meet New People
The added advantage to being cheaper than hotels is that these hostels offer a far more interactive social hub. The resident travelers can offer good company as well as interesting stories and valuable advice on the surrounding points of interest like monuments, museums, restaurants, shopping malls, and a wide array of information you could use on your journey. During your stay, you might make some good friends and bond over the things you share in common and even your similar life experiences or lack thereof.
3. You Do You
Sometimes during your stay, you may not enjoy the presence or company of your roommates. Private residency is available in some hostels, and this provides you with the chance to enjoy your own space in peace. Many of the hostels with this option have an included bathroom inside the room so that you won't have to share if that is your wish. Your interaction with other guests will be on your terms, unlike the usual setup, where it is a consequence of being in a shared space with several other travelers.
4. Hostels Focus On Their Guests
When it comes to client service, is a hostel better than a hotel? Well, unlike their franchised counterparts, hostels do not run in chains. So individual facilities try their best to give their guests the best experience affordable. Some of these hostels are started by former travelers who understand what it is like to be far from home. They are in tune with their neighborhood and know what travelers need to get around comfortably. Unlike hotels, hostels are cleaner and you are less likely to find any mice and rats hanging around the area.
As much as hostels offer a much more lucrative living, they have their disadvantages, some of which we explore below:
- Payment Methods
As many more hotels embrace digital and cashless payment systems, most hostels are still running on cash deposits and will not accept credit. As old school as it may sound, it is safe and secure. Many hostels would rather have you pay upfront or day by day.
- Dealing With Noise And Shared Amenities
Reading reviews during your research phase pays off a lot in finding out the potential discomforts that other users have raised. This is where you get the answers to “is a hostel better than a hotel.” For instance, if the hostel you wish to book is situated near a pub or nightclub; you may have to be prepared to play loud music and noisy nights, think partying with Rockstar's. You will be sure to hear songs that will make you want to dance and get on the dance floor. It would help if you also kept in mind that some hostels may not have the luxury of stationing a television in every room. Some amenities like radios, television, ironing, and laundry facilities may be communal. But as inconvenient as it seems, there is a friendly outcome on the other end of the tunnel.