3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking a Hostel

With hostels taking the modern accommodation market by storm, more travelers have gravitated towards opting for them instead of the standard hotel. After all, with minor tradeoffs, significantly lower prices, convenient locations, and undeniable comfort, who wouldn’t want to go for a hostel, right?

Thanks to an increase in low-cost flights, accessible ground transportation options, and a wide range of destination options, hostels have taken center stage in the eyes of travelers as the “lowest-cost-possible” mindset becomes even more commonplace. As much of a great idea as it might seem to go for the cheapest hostel on your next trip, however, keep in mind that not every hostel is fit to take on accommodating guests.

The main problem with getting a hostel is that there is that you might risk staying in an establishment that doesn’t have the necessary amenities to provide a comfortable stay for even the most tolerant of guests. Some hostels are actually started by people who suddenly had the idea to go beyond renting out an extra room or entire home by creating a “hip and fun” establishment without having the necessary training to do so.

Similar to any other industry, the entire hostel scene is filled with some really good options and some not so good ones as well. If you’ve been meaning to travel the world without breaking your wallet on overpriced hotels, here are three questions that you can ask yourself to avoid a bad hostel that could potentially ruin your entire trip:

1. “Is the hostel situated in a good location?”

One of the most common issues that guests face when opting to stay at a hostel is that they end up staying at a place that’s way far off from town. This is often especially problematic when trying to make the most out of your destination.

Before you jump at the opportunity to book the cheapest listing you can find, take the time to look further into the location of the hostel itself. With the help of a GPS app like Google Maps or Waze, you can input the name or address of the hostel and check out how far it is from the city center, local landmarks, the airport, and any other spots that you’d like to visit!

2. “How are the reviews like?”

No matter how small a hostel may be, there’s a good chance that there’s going to be at least one or two detailed reviews online that you can use as a reference for gauging whether or not it’s worth setting up base in. A quick search on any review site or the hostel’s own social media accounts will yield a few in-depth reviews that will tell you everything that you need to know about the hotel, such as:

• The cleanliness of its rooms
• The friendliness of its staff
• The convenience of the entire establishment
• The pros and cons of the establishment
• The expected expenses
• The amenities that a hostel has

3. “Are there solo rooms, or are they all common rooms?”

For most first-timers, the idea of being grouped into a room full of strangers won’t exactly sit well until the third or fourth visit at the very least. If you aren’t exactly keen on sleeping in the same area with unknown individuals, then it’s best to watch out for any mentions of solo rooms. If there aren’t any, then it’s safe to assume that the entire hostel only has common rooms.

Final words

Choosing a hostel for your accommodation on any trip can easily make for an exciting, yet nerve-wracking experience. This is especially possible if your choice isn’t exactly what you expected or wanted it to be. By asking yourself the questions mentioned above, however, you can avoid wasting your money and ruining your trip when you book your stay at the right hostel! If you’re looking for a luxury hostel in Phuket, book with us today!