If you’re planning a trip, one of the most important decisions you will need to make is where to stay. As a solo traveller it can be especially daunting. Staying in a hostel or hotel (or Airbnb!) as a solo traveller each has their pros and cons. Lets break it down!
What to Expect in a Hostel
If you haven’t stayed in a hostel before this is generally what you can expect: In a hostel you pay for a bed, so you end up sharing your room (also called a dorm) with other travelers.
The number of beds in a dorm can vary from a private room (typically the same cost as a hotel), up to 18 beds in a room. There are all-female dorms, and mixed dorm rooms. Showers and toilets are sometimes in the rooms, or they are outside the room and shared with others.
Hostels also have common areas where you can eat, play games, or attend an event the hostel might be hosting (like a karaoke night or walking tour of the city).
Staying in a Hostel: The Pros
- Staying a hostel is GREAT for meeting other travelers. Especially as a solo traveler! Chatting with your roommates, sitting with someone who is eating or sitting alone in the common area, or attending a social event being hosted by the hostel are all ways that you can meet others. It’s a great way to have some social interaction during a solo trip and to avoid loneliness.
- A hostel is really inexpensive. When solo traveling, there is no one to split the costs with. Staying in a hostel can make a trip much more affordable since they are so much cheaper than hotels. Some of them even include free or discounted meals which saves even more money!
- Staying in a hostel can feel more safe than a hotel. There are people everywhere, so if something happens it’s easier to get someone’s help. Also, since you are sharing a room with other people, if you happen to go missing someone is more likely to notice. I have stayed alone in hotels too and felt safe so don’t let that deter you from staying in a hotel – but the busyness of a hostel and having roommates just makes me feel less invisible!
However…staying in a hostel has some cons too.
- Hostels don’t have the privacy that a hotel offers. One downside to a hostel is that there is little privacy. If you want to call home, you will most likely have someone else in the room with you. Some hostels have private rooms, and this can be the best of both worlds. Compare the pricing though, since private rooms can sometimes cost just as much as a hotel or AirBnB.
- It’s harder to get ready in the morning/for bed. It can be tricky to get ready for the day or night when other people are sleeping and the lights are off. In a hostel, your room and bathroom are also shared with other people. If you need to leave your room to shower or use the bathroom, you have to make sure you have all of your shower items with you when you leave!
- It can be easier to feel lonely in a hotel. Since they are much more private and quiet, you may need to find other ways to get some social interaction.
- Hostels can be much nosier. Whether it be snoring roommates, people coming back late at night, or new people checking in. Normally, everyone is very respectful of others, however hostels are bit more noisy than a hotel. Plus, it can be hard to be quiet and get ready for the day when others are sleeping and the room is dark!
- Keeping your belongings secure is more tedious. Staying in a hostel, you need to bring a lock with you to keep your belongings secure when you aren’t in your room. When you go the bathroom, you will need to carry all of your toiletries to the shower with you. In a hotel, it’s fine to leave your toiletries in the bathroom and your clothes out (although, keep your important belongings like your passport and money secure in BOTH accommodations, of course!).
Before you Go
Read the reviews! Before you decide to stay anywhere (hostels, hotels, AirBnbs…) read the reviews to see if it is a good fit for you. Some hostels are much more social – and nosier – than others.
I like to use TripAdvisor to read reviews, and see pictures that travelers took of the rooms and common areas. Those are always more accurate!
I also like to book my hotels on HostelWorld – they normally show more options than other booking sites since it’s exclusively for hostels.
Pick a room with less beds or all female dorms. If you like having your quiet time, the fewer the beds, the more quiet they tend to be. Especially if it’s an all-female dorm! Generally, the all-female dorms are the most quiet. I have stayed in 6 bed all-female dorms, for example, and they were always MUCH quieter compared to the mixed dorms!
Suggested Reading: Essential items to pack while staying in a hostel
Still can’t decide between a hotel or hostel?
Mix it up! You don’t need to choose just one type of accommodation for your entire trip, you can stay in both.
When I first arrived in a new country, it was great spending my first few days in a hostel. I was able to settle into a new place and avoid any loneliness. It was so nice to come back each night and chat with my other roommates about our day. They are some of my fondest memories of my trips!
However, after 4 nights I was ready to have my own space – and since I had mixed it up, spending a couple of nights alone in a hotel after 4 days in a hostel was much more appreciated!
What type of accommodation do you like to stay in when you go on a trip? Let me know in the comments below!
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I’ve stayed in Airbnb’s, hostels and hotels and I think I prefer Airbnb’s just cuz they can end up being so unique!
I’ve never stayed at a hostel. I feel like I’m too old to do so (57). But I feel like I should do it at least once for the experience. Your post is super helpful!
I stayed in several hostels when I traveled solo years ago, and I totally agree with all your pros and cons! There were some parts that I really enjoyed (esp the low cost and meeting friendly travelers), but I also worried more about sharing a room with strangers. I’m glad I had that experience even though I now mostly travel with my husband and stay in hotels or AirBnBs!
I’ve stayed in both and although I like hostels sometimes I just want the comfort of my own big bed and space!
If I stay in a hostel while I’m travelling I usually make sure that I either have my own room or that it’s a pod hostel/has a curtain across the bed so I have a bit more privacy.
I haven’t yet traveled solo but I feel like hostels were a great way to meet people (although I feel like I’m too old for them). I do love the privacy in a hotel though.