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Ballin’ on a Budget, or: The Hostel Survival Guide
I lived in hostels for nearly a year straight in New Zealand, from 2013 to 2014. Combined with the rest of my backpacking travels, the number of hostels in which I’ve stayed around the world surpasses 70. So I may have some advice for you if you’re looking to get into the spirit of cheap accommodation, communal living, and potential Nutella theft. Good for people ages 18–88.
Of course there are cheaper ways of sleeping. Couchsurfing.com, staying with friends, cleaning a hostel in exchange for accommodation, sleeping in your car, and sleeping on the beach are legal and illegal ways of travelling on the cheap. But here’s how to wade through and survive the hostel life.
Choosing a Hostel:
Not every hostel is full of bed bugs or actually a secret torture den. There are hostels for all tastes and budgets, from the cheapest 20-bed dorms in the middle of the city to beachside luxury hostels with hotel-quality linens and private rooms. Here are some of my favorite online resources for finding what’s right for you. Some hostels will allow you to stay for free in exchange for manual labor, but those usually require advanced arrangement and longer stays.
Think about location, noise level, and other amenities you require from a hostel. Wi-fi, laundry facilities, clothing iron, hair dryers…
