As a solo female hostel stayer: Don't forget to check if the hostel offers female-only dorms - may make you feel less stressed about your safety. But also: don't bring your food to the room. Some hostels have only AC in rooms and windows don't open or if they do the ventilation is often very bad. No one wants to sleep in a room that smells like a mix of sweat, dirty socks and greasy food. Oh, and don't forget to check if the room has triple bunk beds if you don't like sleeping at the top bunk. Some hostels where ceilings are high have those so they can cram more people into one room.
Another tip: as an American, I was expecting a towel to be included in my hostel stay. They usually aren’t. Either bring your own or expect to pay a couple euros to use one from the hostel.
Don't forget to bring a sleeping mask and earplugs. There's bound to be someone who snores in the dorm and it also helps with a lot of the jerky behavior you mentioned.
Thank you Mark for making these videos with me! I had such a great time making them and have learned so much from you. Happy to bring some hostel content to your channel and look forward to seeing your future travel tips.
Also, here is also some advice from my side: You can write an E-Mail in advance to the hostel, on when you come and when you are going to be there. This can help them organize the beds and you can even get your bed a few hours before official check-in times. Also they can give you some information about how to get to the hostel and which bus lines/public transportation you should take to get there. Don't shy away, asking them.
i prefer Airb&b. you get a taste of what life is like from the perspective of a local because your living the way someone would if that were their home or apartment.
PhantomOfDarkness, but typically you won’t know anyone, so it’s not fully the local experience. Staying at a hostel, the staff are often locals or people immigrating. Plus, meeting other travelers is interesting.
I stayed in a hostel once, it was ok. I had my bed, woke up in the morning, left the hostel and came back at night to sleep, nothing special. Didn't meet anyone. But I was in the city with a friend who was staying at another place, so the meeting people part wasn't even part of my plan.
Hostels have allowed us to go on some trips when we wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise!! We always travel with a padlock just incase too. Such a handy thing to just keep in your luggage.
flies in his beard!!! lol, There was a bearded homeless man that snuck in my hostel and found empty bed across from me in Finland a few years ago. It was so weird trying to sleep, so I left at 3 am to go sleep at airport. He needed a warm place because it was cold and snow outside. There was no security at that time of night, so he got away with it. I told a few days later when I came back there. It is good to have 24/7 workers to catch things like this. I have plenty of stories, too. I love airbnb for a reason now. I rarely do hostels anymore.
There is a fantastic hostel in Copenhagen called Urban House which I have stayed in three times, I even made a lifelong friend while staying there. In July I'm going to Gdansk, Poland and Oslo, Norway and I'm staying in posh hostels in both of those.
Over the years, I've stayed in a boatload of hostels, probably because of the low cost compared to hotels/motels. Re. your speech about messiness, when I stayed in them (what used to be called IYHF hostels), they always had a sign in them, translated into 15+ languages, which said, "Your mother doesn't work here, so clean up after yourself."
I come from Philippines, and I travel around Japan a lot. I always stay at hostels when I go there cause I meet people from all over the world there! I even stayed at hostels in California, Brazil, and Peru! It’s such an amazing experience! There is a share house I stay at in Kyoto every year because the host is so nice! Also Hiroshima because of all the people I have met there!
I traveled down the west coast from Vancouver to San Diego two years ago and only stayed in hostels. Your video is absolutely accurate. Great Job. I've subscribed to your channel a while ago and I just love it!
Here’s my biggest tip: call ahead and see if you can reserve a specific bunk. After being assigned a top bunk in Paris and getting bruises up and down my shins, I did everything I could to avoid top bunks again. Sometimes it’s possible, sometimes not, but usually they’ll try to work with you. Or look for a place that doesn’t have bunk beds.
I had many lovely experiences in hostels like making local and international friends... I agree with Mark you have to be open but safe. A lady got her drink spiked and luckily made her way back to the hostel, my friend and I were staying in a 6 dorm room, when she got back. I literally had to help her get into her bed... one thing I learnt from that experience is that you can never be too safe.
That was so nice of you. It's scary when stuff like that happens. My drink got spiked once in Portugal and it was scary as hell. Luckily I got in a very helpful taxi that got me home. So scary.
When I was a backpacker with my wife for a few years, we used hostels as information hubs. If we landed in new cities and wanted to stay a month, a hostel would be great for finding out what is a hot area and a fair rent. And how to come across advertisements (this was at the beginning of the internet so information was scarce). It was also a great way to meet people, exchange books from the library and find out about the various tourist-y things. But once we got what we needed, we tended to avoid them, mainly because they could get a little grubby.
@@nora_nayeli just remember 'hostel' takes place in a EUROPEAN hostel. You can't trust some of those people.... 🙄 I stayed in a hostel in Chicago that was nice, clean and well-kept. You had to walk in the city to get there from the train station, but in the sunlight it's surprisingly safe! Nighttime, probably another matter.
@@mr16325 you can find an Airbnb for around 20€ if you know where to look… also I believe that a private room is a must for couples in their 20s because most of them always want to hook up when given the chance
Great tips. Totally agree on the packing up at 5:AM before you leave, not cool. I'll pack everything up and leave a set of clothes the day before I leave so that I can just get up and go. I understand a little noise in a hostel is inevitable but try to keep it down as best you can.
Tried hostels this year for the first time as I'm planning to get in as many trips as I can. Enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Been to Gdansk and Budapest so far this year.
One more tip (my major, major pet peeve): If you know about yourself that you snore, have the decency and get a single room instead of forcing seven other people to lie awake the entire night because they can't fall asleep due to your snoring and because they are too polite/scared to wake you up. But if you have the bad luck of having me as your roommate, be sure that I have no qualms waking up a snoring person since snoring is the one thing I absolutely can't stand.
Great job Tristen. Your video was very infomative. I am looking forward to see more of your videos as I have just subscribed. Mark , looks like you had an awesome student..
Always bring ear plugs! If theres a person snoring in your room you might not get any sleep. Hostels are great for solo travelers since you can meet a bunch of cool people
Loved the part about not being a jerk in hostels! I’ve seen some pretty interesting behaviors, haha. Joking aside, I’m not sure why people knock hostels. True, they’re not the best choice for families with small children, and they’re not exactly a day spa, but truth be told, that’s not the point of a hostel. Hostels place traveling and great experiences within financial reach for a wider array of people. I would never travel if I had to get a hotel room each time. Come to think of it, I’m not sure why people hear “travel” and automatically think “hotel.” Hotels are *incredibly* expensive for what you actually get. There are so many other options that save you TONS of money that you can use for other experiences on your trip. Going to the beach? Instead of getting hotel rooms, gang up with other travelers and split the cost of a beach house. Going to a city center? Get an Airbnb, and you can get an entire apartment for cheaper than you can get a tiny hotel room.
that's why i thought doing this with Tristan was a good idea as we could give multiple perspectives on hostels. So many different ways to travel out there.
So true. I've never stayed at a hotel beside when traveling with my family and don't see myself doing that anytime soon. I usually go for hostels, then camping or Airbnb depending on where I'm at.
That is true if you have a travel partner, you can split the cost of a room and it would most likely be cheaper than a hostel but for solo travelers it's the most economical way to go.
Try and book your own room if you can, or see if they have a "heavy sleepers/snorers" dorm. At worst, even offering a bowl of disposable earplugs at least demonstrates to your room-mates that you're not an ass.
They chose to stay at a hostel, so they can’t get too mad. Don’t let other people decide what you do. As long as you aren’t doing something annoying on purpose, then they can’t get too mad
I'm not much of a snorer but since I'm older now my snoring has increased a little, I'm told, but I've told people in my room if I am snoring to not be shy and give me a shake. But one time a guy in the bunk next to me was snoring so loud some girl threw a shoe at me thinking it was me! 😆
One of my favorite hostels was in Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia. The woman in charge organized a private tour for me to stay with a family in the country and let me cancel one day from the week I had booked. She also provided English-speaking guides. Definitely email a hostel if there is something you want to do, especially if it's off the beaten path.
I’m going on a college trip to Europe this summer and I’m gonna be backpacking through Europe this summer, so that’s why I’m here. Cause I’m gonna be staying in some hostels.
i went to berlin last year and i am going this new year, its a amazing city. Try to book a visit to the reichstagg if you can (book it online) also try to travel to saschenhausen, its a amazing visit and only 45 minutes away from berlin. Also dont be tempted to buy a 24 hour hop on hop off bus, you can get a 7 day ticket for bus and tram in berlin and there is a bus that goes from zoo station and goes all around the town.
Great video. You two work well, together. You should think about doing another collab. Perhaps another video from the perspective of an older traveler Vs. a younger traveler. I liked it. I really, really liked this video. The energy level was great.
Private rooms do kind of blur that line. Luxury is relative of course; the dorm beds are usually good for a dorm but not what you’d get at a hotel or B&B. Likewise, even in a private room you can’t expect concierge service and maids coming in cleaning up after you. Still, the places are clean and professionally run, and the common areas are usually quite inviting and picturesque.
I totally agree that there's a hostel out there for everyone because they're all so different! I'm a musician and I love hostels so much that I'm doing an entire tour performing only in hostels! I just posted the first video from the tour, which was in New York City! It's been such an amazing experience.
Dammit Wolter I needed this video 8 days ago I’m gonna spring the extra money for a hotel. Someone took my locker under my bed when I left for Belfast and got back and had to yell at the guy.
Ariane P I was just there last week I stayed in Times hostel on Camden street I enjoyed it the staff was really good and they had free breakfast and coffee. It was kind of far from the airport by just allow yourself 45 minutes to get there there’s a bus called the 757 that runs about every half hour and it’s 7 euros each way. They even sell the tickets at the hostel the reason it took so long is because it was the last stop from the airport but I think it was in a good location for everything I wanted to do. Dublin is a true walking city.
I actually have been to a hostel, in Budapest, called Infinity Party Hostel, and that place had absolutely NO locks, lockers, not even doors on some of the rooms. Shower door was falling off, water backing up, just all around terrible accommodations. But for $5 a night, probably one of the best experiences on my Europe trip.
So true about hostels being great places to meet people from everywhere. We stayed at a Stockholm howtel and I still have the cassette one of the keepers gave me, a mid tape he called Svenska Tjejer, women Swedish singers of the era (1989). He told me tjejer is a gypsy term for woman popular in Sweden. And how cool that is you're doing a video with a former student!
I came to Paris with a big ass bag because I was going to be staying in Limoges for 8 months. I brought wire cables and looped them through the suitcase handle and the zippers then padlocked them around one of the bunk bed posts that was built into the wall. The lockers they give you are usually pretty small.
I had only one experience in hostel. NEVER again! I love my privacy, a clean place, no drunk asses coming in the middle of the night waking up everybody in the room. If i want to meet people i go out and meet locals.
Damn, I love hostel living! I'm the type of person that has frequently in the past left Australia for two-four months at a time with only a medium sized duffle. The social sides are generally fantastic and they allow you to extend your trips due to not overdoing it with your funds. The one bad hostel experience I had was at the Generator in London where the power outlet was nowhere near the bed... other than that, it was social, cheap, loads of access to transport and had an abundance of info. I recommend trying the hostel/cheap travelling at least a few times because you always have a great and often unexpectedly good time.
Mark! You totally rocked the 90s with those clothes!! all those jerks moves are why I always avoided hostels! Why would anyone walk barefoot in the hostel? great shots of Rome. Let me know when you come, coffee my treat!
Although I had traveled around Europe in 2019, 2021 and 2022, I barely learned about hostels, its uniqueness and subtle popularities. I was even recommended to some, but I never found interest in staying in one because I'm an extreme introvert and shy. I ended up staying in one in Mission Beach, California and while I didn't experience the same atmosphere like you did (and speaking for the hostels in Europe), I did like meeting the people and simple accommodations. Plus, my time in the military made me already accustomed to sleeping alongside other people 😂
Great video, as usual. I've traveled to some European countries and all over East and South East Asia, so I just want to add another don't: DON'T ASSUME EVERYBODY SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH, especially in developing countries where English is not widely spoken. In many cases, staff are low-income people who didn't have access to learn English at school, so be patient. It's always a good idea to learn a few basic words in the local language, bring a phrasebook or use a translator, etc. The same goes for other guests. Remember you're not in your home country. Apart from that, I just want to emphasize what you guys mentioned: DO A THOROUGH PREVIOUS RESEARCH. - Compare prices at different sites, like Hostelworld, Booking, Agoda, etc, because the same hostel can have different prices on different websites, so the very same bed can cost you more, depending on where you book it. - Read as many reviews as you can so you can get an idea of how is the hostel in terms of facilities, service, vibe, etc. Things can vary a lot between two hostels a couple of blocks away in the same city. For example, I once stayed at a hostel in Tokyo; it had a large common area, but it was as fun as a graveyard. Then I moved to a closeby hostel which had an amazing vibe. The same happened some months ago in Mandalay. - Another thing: some countries have certain cultural differences regarding hostels, so try to know about them in order to avoid misunderstandings. For example, some hostels in Korea have no more staff than the owner, who happens to have another job too, so those hostels are almost self-service: you arrive and there's nobody at the front desk, just a paper saying what's your room and bed, and the keys; checking out is also just leaving the key at the front desk. That's OK for people who don't need much assistance, but others can find this a little frustrating.
I recall one of the last times I stayed at a large Hostel. It was HI Vancouver's Jerico Beach location. I was in my late thirties and found myself on an upper bunk in August. After a show of world class fireworks, dancing and a few drinks I arrived there around 1am and the 18 bunk room was still a hothouse (the upper windows didn't open) and there was a snoring princess in the lower bunk. I say this because after spending some time trying to get into sleep mode I'm awakened by princess kicking the bunk from below numerous times. I had started to snore due to being so uncomfortable. After about the third bout of kicking and it being Vancouver's Pride weekend I simply told the guy "Your no silent beauty yourself Princess.'
I stayed with a stewardess in New York, I made a reservation through booking. There were four Turkish-German worker girls or worker girls studying in Germany in my room. I'm trying to sleep with my curtains closed, but it's impossible, they are always shouting, laughing and talking. I complained to Booking several times. I opened the curtain and looked to see who was in the room, I had a phone in my hand. I thought I'd take their voices and complain down below, but then I gave up. This time they opened my curtain and started to compromise me. They lied to me, saying you did, even though I didn't take a picture. Apparently they are the daughters or workers of Turkish workers working in Germany. When I said I complained about you, they started shouting at me, asking why you complained about us.
this was a really interesting video to watch, but I still have a couple of questions, you recommend to bring like an extended outlet with multiple ports, but won't that take up to much space, and when are you supposed to charge your phone ? cuz people might steal it and how do you wake up since you can't use a clock ?
Generally, hostel rooms have a bunch of bunk beds in a room and multiple travelers can stay in them. Multiple people buy the beds in the room. For hotels, you buy the whole room and you (plus family/friend) stay in it. Because there are more people in hostel rooms they are typically cheaper.
I must be the only person who has had a mostly positive experience with hostels. I spent two months backpacking in Europe when I was in my late 30s. Do your research, follow the video's advice. Not all hostels are the same. Hostelworld and Hostels.com are great sites to check out. My only caveat is that I did it before the proliferation of smartphones. I'm sure they cause their own problems.
Couldn't agree more. I've had great hostel experiences and 99% of the people I've met have been awesome as well. Only had one bad hostel experience but it was also a hostel in England that was $7 a night (most in the area were $25+).
@@kms50549 Brighton. It was called The Kings Arms Hostel. I don't know if it is still a thing anymore. It was bad to begin with but then the roof fell in the day I left. And idk if it was exactly $7 but I remember it was under $10.
@@kms50549 I saw that video, you don't want to go there... Unless you want to be almost raped or caught by police because your roommates do cocaine in the same room. And roof falling on your head is another thing...
Don’t have specific but I’m 56 yo and staying with young just a bit weary. I’ve never stayed in one but was told to try. I’ve always look for hotels/b&b/AirB&B/etc. As long as prices are working for me. One of the biggest things is sharing bathrooms - a no no !!!!!
@@alexanders.7719 I would research hostels that often host an older crowd. I stayed at Hatters on Newton in Manchester and there were all age groups. People from 18-50ish. However, it did have shared bathrooms. But you can find hostels that have private bathrooms. Or like one private bathroom (door locks) but you share it with 6-8 people.
I am staying in a hostel for the first time in London for one night. The one thing I worry about is my bag. I am going with a carry on so I hope they will let me take a lock with me when I take my carry on
I don't do hostels. I want my own room and bathroom. It's money well spent. If I can't afford my own hotel room, I can't afford to travel. I just returned from a ten day holiday in the UAE. I'm not even sure there are hostels there.
I almost never visit them, too. But there are private rooms in many hostels, and sometimes they turned out to be better than comparable hotels. For example in France cheap hotel rooms often are extremely tiny, while a private room in a hostel was a palace in comparison. It always depends on the respective hostels. Some are modern, well equipped and offer plenty of space.
@@ronik24 Italy is my favorite country in Europe and I always stay at a pensione that I find on Tripadvisor. In April '14, I went ti Venafro in the province of Mollise as my great grandfather was born in the nearby town of Pollizzi which had no hotels. I ended up having the entire Marquis' palace for myself: www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1201170-d570934-r200922277-Dimora_del_Prete_di_Belmonte-Venafro_Province_of_Isernia_Molise.html
@@barbarawissinger I gotten past the age where I can rough if and, fortunately, no longer have to. I visit the UK once each year, but I'm a UK citizen and always stay at a friend's place. On other trips, I always use Tripadvisor and stay in a B&B or hotel with high ratings. I've never worked up the courage to use Air B&B.
@@mrbushlied7742 but... AirB&B can also just be an entire apartment you rent. And sometimes even cheaper than a cheap hotel room or comparable price. In any case, I also have avoided hostels. I haven't seen a single cheap hotel yet that I would trade for a hostel, but that's me. I don't like socializing too much. If I'm on holidays, I'd rather just see the sights and spent time at the beach or whatever.
I was in a hostel in New Zealand, 4 women in the dorm, and one woke up at 6am and started up her laptop and was banging the hell out of the keyboard. Not cool. To be considerate is the best thing you can do.
My favorite don't is don't be a jerk at 4:45 where we talk about all the jerk moves people sometimes make when they are staying at a hostel
Wolters World me to
As a solo female hostel stayer: Don't forget to check if the hostel offers female-only dorms - may make you feel less stressed about your safety.
But also: don't bring your food to the room. Some hostels have only AC in rooms and windows don't open or if they do the ventilation is often very bad. No one wants to sleep in a room that smells like a mix of sweat, dirty socks and greasy food.
Oh, and don't forget to check if the room has triple bunk beds if you don't like sleeping at the top bunk. Some hostels where ceilings are high have those so they can cram more people into one room.
Great points. Love your tips about food and female only rooms
Dry food is fine… I took yoghurt pouches and box stuff like musli bars etc and just hid the bananas you just don’t bring in hot food etc.
You have to be mindful of places which allow men to identify into female only hostel rooms
I've stayed in mixed dorms. I am fine as long and I'm comfortable as long as I'm not the only female.
Another tip: as an American, I was expecting a towel to be included in my hostel stay. They usually aren’t. Either bring your own or expect to pay a couple euros to use one from the hostel.
100%!!! Some hostels offer towels, but nevertheless, always pack your own travel towel! Helps always :)
These days I feel like every hostel offers towels. I still bring one anyways.
Don't forget to bring a sleeping mask and earplugs. There's bound to be someone who snores in the dorm and it also helps with a lot of the jerky behavior you mentioned.
Thank you Mark for making these videos with me! I had such a great time making them and have learned so much from you. Happy to bring some hostel content to your channel and look forward to seeing your future travel tips.
From local guides to other RUclipsrs, you've done an excellent job consistently choosing good people to work with, Mark. 👍
Thanks Tosh. Trist is a good guy
Also, here is also some advice from my side:
You can write an E-Mail in advance to the hostel, on when you come and when you are going to be there. This can help them organize the beds and you can even get your bed a few hours before official check-in times. Also they can give you some information about how to get to the hostel and which bus lines/public transportation you should take to get there. Don't shy away, asking them.
Me and my wife are in our late 40s and we still stay in hostels, we personal love them.
That's awesome to hear! I feel a little old being 31 and staying in hostels accross Europe.
That's great! Hostels are for all people young in spirit. Love to hear you still enjoy staying in them.
Total chad move
@@SpitefulAZ I've stayed in hostels and I've had roommates (for a lack of better word) in their seventies. So don't feel old.
@@billymarino4452 thanks; i have spent 4 months total in hostels in Europe now. 2 different trips.
i prefer Airb&b. you get a taste of what life is like from the perspective of a local because your living the way someone would if that were their home or apartment.
PhantomOfDarkness, but typically you won’t know anyone, so it’s not fully the local experience. Staying at a hostel, the staff are often locals or people immigrating. Plus, meeting other travelers is interesting.
I remember my stays in hostels in Europe and in Asia. What I loved the most is the Capsule Hostel in Kuta, Bali. I would recommend it to everyone.
I stayed in a hostel once, it was ok. I had my bed, woke up in the morning, left the hostel and came back at night to sleep, nothing special. Didn't meet anyone. But I was in the city with a friend who was staying at another place, so the meeting people part wasn't even part of my plan.
Hostels have allowed us to go on some trips when we wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise!! We always travel with a padlock just incase too. Such a handy thing to just keep in your luggage.
flies in his beard!!! lol, There was a bearded homeless man that snuck in my hostel and found empty bed across from me in Finland a few years ago. It was so weird trying to sleep, so I left at 3 am to go sleep at airport. He needed a warm place because it was cold and snow outside. There was no security at that time of night, so he got away with it. I told a few days later when I came back there. It is good to have 24/7 workers to catch things like this. I have plenty of stories, too. I love airbnb for a reason now. I rarely do hostels anymore.
There is a fantastic hostel in Copenhagen called Urban House which I have stayed in three times, I even made a lifelong friend while staying there. In July I'm going to Gdansk, Poland and Oslo, Norway and I'm staying in posh hostels in both of those.
Danish Pastry steel house is a posh one too in Copenhagen.
Over the years, I've stayed in a boatload of hostels, probably because of the low cost compared to hotels/motels. Re. your speech about messiness, when I stayed in them (what used to be called IYHF hostels), they always had a sign in them, translated into 15+ languages, which said, "Your mother doesn't work here, so clean up after yourself."
Yes, I've seen those signs also but some people don't know better or just feel entitled.
In a hostel: DON'T answer your phone if it rings at 2:00 a.m. and talk on and on in a loud voice. If you must talk on your phone, step outside.
amen
What if you're ordering food?
I love seeing your students, please do that more.
I come from Philippines, and I travel around Japan a lot. I always stay at hostels when I go there cause I meet people from all over the world there! I even stayed at hostels in California, Brazil, and Peru! It’s such an amazing experience! There is a share house I stay at in Kyoto every year because the host is so nice! Also Hiroshima because of all the people I have met there!
Sounds like you have had some excellent hostel experiences!
I traveled down the west coast from Vancouver to San Diego two years ago and only stayed in hostels. Your video is absolutely accurate. Great Job. I've subscribed to your channel a while ago and I just love it!
Here’s my biggest tip: call ahead and see if you can reserve a specific bunk. After being assigned a top bunk in Paris and getting bruises up and down my shins, I did everything I could to avoid top bunks again. Sometimes it’s possible, sometimes not, but usually they’ll try to work with you. Or look for a place that doesn’t have bunk beds.
Love seeing special guests on the channel. Thanks, Mark and Tristan!
almost as good as our collab buddy :)
It was a great experience collaborating with Mark. Thanks for having me on the channel Mark!
I had many lovely experiences in hostels like making local and international friends... I agree with Mark you have to be open but safe. A lady got her drink spiked and luckily made her way back to the hostel, my friend and I were staying in a 6 dorm room, when she got back. I literally had to help her get into her bed... one thing I learnt from that experience is that you can never be too safe.
That was so nice of you. It's scary when stuff like that happens. My drink got spiked once in Portugal and it was scary as hell. Luckily I got in a very helpful taxi that got me home. So scary.
When I was a backpacker with my wife for a few years, we used hostels as information hubs. If we landed in new cities and wanted to stay a month, a hostel would be great for finding out what is a hot area and a fair rent. And how to come across advertisements (this was at the beginning of the internet so information was scarce). It was also a great way to meet people, exchange books from the library and find out about the various tourist-y things. But once we got what we needed, we tended to avoid them, mainly because they could get a little grubby.
#1 Rule, don't watch the movie Hostel, or else you will never feel safe.
but where are you supposed to LEARN about someone trying to murder you while you're on vacation????
Everyone tells me that when I tell them I'm staying at a hostel. Now I'm tempted to go watch it lol
@@nora_nayeli just remember 'hostel' takes place in a EUROPEAN hostel. You can't trust some of those people.... 🙄
I stayed in a hostel in Chicago that was nice, clean and well-kept. You had to walk in the city to get there from the train station, but in the sunlight it's surprisingly safe!
Nighttime, probably another matter.
Lol
Www l@@nora_nayeli
This cemented the fact I will never stay in a hostel. Thank you for excellent videos as always.
Dude it is so much fun. If you want to be anti social and waste money on hotels then go ahead
@@mr16325 you can find an Airbnb for around 20€ if you know where to look… also I believe that a private room is a must for couples in their 20s because most of them always want to hook up when given the chance
I met my girlfriend in a hostel in Warsaw.
dustysnoop Why be mean for no reason? What fulfillment do you get out of being a cyber bully?
dustysnoop Yes, but there’s still no cause to be rude and call me a loser.
dustysnoop dude what is wrong with you? there is no reason so be so rude. disgusting.
Why are you guys replying to someone calling people losers over the internet? They must be 12 years old with that mentality.
@dustysnoop
Reported!
Great tips. Totally agree on the packing up at 5:AM before you leave, not cool. I'll pack everything up and leave a set of clothes the day before I leave so that I can just get up and go. I understand a little noise in a hostel is inevitable but try to keep it down as best you can.
Need more videos with Tristan. He brings a good perspective.
Thank you!
and CUTE! @@TristanKuhn 👀
Im staying in a 35 person hostel in greece haha, wish me luck
Omg, good luck!
Good luck, people will just wanna sleep in there, the lounge area should be fun though!
I couldn’t do that... I am so particular about the environment around me when I sleep because I have a hard time falling asleep.
How was it?
Good luck
Really felt great energy in this video- love it! 👍👌
Thanks
"Don't be a jerk"
So no hostels for me...
Adrian-Cornel Borină reminds me of the movie The Jerk. Starring Steve Martin.
l am always staying at hostels. had many experiences and your advice are totally on point
Tried hostels this year for the first time as I'm planning to get in as many trips as I can. Enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Been to Gdansk and Budapest so far this year.
One more tip (my major, major pet peeve): If you know about yourself that you snore, have the decency and get a single room instead of forcing seven other people to lie awake the entire night because they can't fall asleep due to your snoring and because they are too polite/scared to wake you up. But if you have the bad luck of having me as your roommate, be sure that I have no qualms waking up a snoring person since snoring is the one thing I absolutely can't stand.
I'm glad I still haven't had a hostel horror story yet to this day! I've done hostels in Europe twice and once in Costa Rica.
The absolute worst about hostels is the people snoring, you really can go mad at night lol
Great job Tristen. Your video was very infomative. I am looking forward to see more of your videos as I have just subscribed. Mark , looks like you had an awesome student..
Thanks you for checking out my channel and subscribing! I look forward to putting out more informative and entertaining content.
Always bring ear plugs! If theres a person snoring in your room you might not get any sleep. Hostels are great for solo travelers since you can meet a bunch of cool people
Loved the part about not being a jerk in hostels! I’ve seen some pretty interesting behaviors, haha.
Joking aside, I’m not sure why people knock hostels. True, they’re not the best choice for families with small children, and they’re not exactly a day spa, but truth be told, that’s not the point of a hostel. Hostels place traveling and great experiences within financial reach for a wider array of people. I would never travel if I had to get a hotel room each time.
Come to think of it, I’m not sure why people hear “travel” and automatically think “hotel.” Hotels are *incredibly* expensive for what you actually get. There are so many other options that save you TONS of money that you can use for other experiences on your trip. Going to the beach? Instead of getting hotel rooms, gang up with other travelers and split the cost of a beach house. Going to a city center? Get an Airbnb, and you can get an entire apartment for cheaper than you can get a tiny hotel room.
that's why i thought doing this with Tristan was a good idea as we could give multiple perspectives on hostels. So many different ways to travel out there.
So true. I've never stayed at a hotel beside when traveling with my family and don't see myself doing that anytime soon. I usually go for hostels, then camping or Airbnb depending on where I'm at.
That is true if you have a travel partner, you can split the cost of a room and it would most likely be cheaper than a hostel but for solo travelers it's the most economical way to go.
I am a heavy snorer, I've always been afraid of staying in hostels because of it.
Try and book your own room if you can, or see if they have a "heavy sleepers/snorers" dorm. At worst, even offering a bowl of disposable earplugs at least demonstrates to your room-mates that you're not an ass.
I am a Sleeptalker. I am scared of talking shite in front of people i dont know 😰
They chose to stay at a hostel, so they can’t get too mad. Don’t let other people decide what you do. As long as you aren’t doing something annoying on purpose, then they can’t get too mad
I'm not much of a snorer but since I'm older now my snoring has increased a little, I'm told, but I've told people in my room if I am snoring to not be shy and give me a shake. But one time a guy in the bunk next to me was snoring so loud some girl threw a shoe at me thinking it was me! 😆
Tristan slow down dude! Nice video though very informative :)
Thanks for the advise. Ill work on it.
One of my favorite hostels was in Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia. The woman in charge organized a private tour for me to stay with a family in the country and let me cancel one day from the week I had booked. She also provided English-speaking guides. Definitely email a hostel if there is something you want to do, especially if it's off the beaten path.
I’m going on a college trip to Europe this summer and I’m gonna be backpacking through Europe this summer, so that’s why I’m here. Cause I’m gonna be staying in some hostels.
Awesome!! I’m staying in Berlin this summer and I can’t wait!
i went to berlin last year and i am going this new year, its a amazing city. Try to book a visit to the reichstagg if you can (book it online) also try to travel to saschenhausen, its a amazing visit and only 45 minutes away from berlin. Also dont be tempted to buy a 24 hour hop on hop off bus, you can get a 7 day ticket for bus and tram in berlin and there is a bus that goes from zoo station and goes all around the town.
I stayed in a ship docked in downtown Stockholm. It was beautiful.
that's cool
Great video. You two work well, together. You should think about doing another collab. Perhaps another video from the perspective of an older traveler Vs. a younger traveler. I liked it. I really, really liked this video. The energy level was great.
Love the video. How fun! Nice to see different ages talk about same things. You two obviously like and respect each other, that's so great.
Yeah, earplugs are very important!
Luxury hostel is a wild concept. You would think that would just be a hotel.
Private rooms do kind of blur that line. Luxury is relative of course; the dorm beds are usually good for a dorm but not what you’d get at a hotel or B&B. Likewise, even in a private room you can’t expect concierge service and maids coming in cleaning up after you. Still, the places are clean and professionally run, and the common areas are usually quite inviting and picturesque.
Thanks for the tips. I'll be going to one in Austin,TX Tomorrow for a week.
If you’re ever in La Paz stay in wild rover hostel, it’s an irish party hostel in the bolivian andes, gotta love it
Great advice. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
I totally agree that there's a hostel out there for everyone because they're all so different! I'm a musician and I love hostels so much that I'm doing an entire tour performing only in hostels! I just posted the first video from the tour, which was in New York City! It's been such an amazing experience.
Dammit Wolter I needed this video 8 days ago I’m gonna spring the extra money for a hotel. Someone took my locker under my bed when I left for Belfast and got back and had to yell at the guy.
sorry king robert :) that sucks about your locker. i had issues like that a couple times too. but overall hostels have been a fun time for me
any hotel/hostel rec for ireland? i'm going this fall
Wolters World It wasn’t bad besides that I give it 4/5.
Ariane P I was just there last week I stayed in Times hostel on Camden street I enjoyed it the staff was really good and they had free breakfast and coffee. It was kind of far from the airport by just allow yourself 45 minutes to get there there’s a bus called the 757 that runs about every half hour and it’s 7 euros each way. They even sell the tickets at the hostel the reason it took so long is because it was the last stop from the airport but I think it was in a good location for everything I wanted to do. Dublin is a true walking city.
@@melody383838 Homeless here living in hostels.
I'm never going to a hostel again after a very traumatic experience in one. I'd rather save up for longer to be in a hotel,
Good tips but as a girl I did LOL to the 3-in-1 soap, never!
Haha it's not for everyone
Yet another great and informative video!
Gonna subscribe to Tristan now ~
Thank you!
I agree with everything you two said!
I actually stayed in a hostel a couple days ago in Asheville, NC. It makes you feel much more like a traveler, than a tourist.
I actually have been to a hostel, in Budapest, called Infinity Party Hostel, and that place had absolutely NO locks, lockers, not even doors on some of the rooms. Shower door was falling off, water backing up, just all around terrible accommodations. But for $5 a night, probably one of the best experiences on my Europe trip.
What did you do with your valuables? No choice but to leave 'em out?
NilOdor. 🤔 Thanks for the heads up! Sometimes it’s needed in hotel closets, if the person who stayed before was a smoker. 🤧
So true about hostels being great places to meet people from everywhere. We stayed at a Stockholm howtel and I still have the cassette one of the keepers gave me, a mid tape he called Svenska Tjejer, women Swedish singers of the era (1989). He told me tjejer is a gypsy term for woman popular in Sweden.
And how cool that is you're doing a video with a former student!
yeah. tristan is a good guy. i was glad we could make a couple videos together
''tjej'' is pretty much what in American would be a ''chick'' or just ''girl'', very common word, did not know it was gypsy in origin.
I came to Paris with a big ass bag because I was going to be staying in Limoges for 8 months. I brought wire cables and looped them through the suitcase handle and the zippers then padlocked them around one of the bunk bed posts that was built into the wall. The lockers they give you are usually pretty small.
Which product kills shoe odor with just a couple of drops? I couldn't make out what they said it was
All of these don'ts remind me why to NEVER stay in a hostel.
I had only one experience in hostel. NEVER again! I love my privacy, a clean place, no drunk asses coming in the middle of the night waking up everybody in the room. If i want to meet people i go out and meet locals.
Ya i agree 😂
Yeah, no one wants my snoring and I am a neat freak.
Damn, I love hostel living! I'm the type of person that has frequently in the past left Australia for two-four months at a time with only a medium sized duffle. The social sides are generally fantastic and they allow you to extend your trips due to not overdoing it with your funds.
The one bad hostel experience I had was at the Generator in London where the power outlet was nowhere near the bed... other than that, it was social, cheap, loads of access to transport and had an abundance of info. I recommend trying the hostel/cheap travelling at least a few times because you always have a great and often unexpectedly good time.
Gday Mark, great videos and insight! Im curious on what you teach.
Cheers from Tasmania , Aus
Mark taught my Marketing class but I believe he sometimes teaches other classes too.
Mark! You totally rocked the 90s with those clothes!! all those jerks moves are why I always avoided hostels! Why would anyone walk barefoot in the hostel? great shots of Rome. Let me know when you come, coffee my treat!
Very well done, Wolter, as always!!
Thanks
Although I had traveled around Europe in 2019, 2021 and 2022, I barely learned about hostels, its uniqueness and subtle popularities. I was even recommended to some, but I never found interest in staying in one because I'm an extreme introvert and shy.
I ended up staying in one in Mission Beach, California and while I didn't experience the same atmosphere like you did (and speaking for the hostels in Europe), I did like meeting the people and simple accommodations.
Plus, my time in the military made me already accustomed to sleeping alongside other people 😂
This video brought back so many memories from all my trips😂
Great video, as usual. I've traveled to some European countries and all over East and South East Asia, so I just want to add another don't: DON'T ASSUME EVERYBODY SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH, especially in developing countries where English is not widely spoken. In many cases, staff are low-income people who didn't have access to learn English at school, so be patient. It's always a good idea to learn a few basic words in the local language, bring a phrasebook or use a translator, etc. The same goes for other guests. Remember you're not in your home country.
Apart from that, I just want to emphasize what you guys mentioned: DO A THOROUGH PREVIOUS RESEARCH.
- Compare prices at different sites, like Hostelworld, Booking, Agoda, etc, because the same hostel can have different prices on different websites, so the very same bed can cost you more, depending on where you book it.
- Read as many reviews as you can so you can get an idea of how is the hostel in terms of facilities, service, vibe, etc. Things can vary a lot between two hostels a couple of blocks away in the same city. For example, I once stayed at a hostel in Tokyo; it had a large common area, but it was as fun as a graveyard. Then I moved to a closeby hostel which had an amazing vibe. The same happened some months ago in Mandalay.
- Another thing: some countries have certain cultural differences regarding hostels, so try to know about them in order to avoid misunderstandings. For example, some hostels in Korea have no more staff than the owner, who happens to have another job too, so those hostels are almost self-service: you arrive and there's nobody at the front desk, just a paper saying what's your room and bed, and the keys; checking out is also just leaving the key at the front desk. That's OK for people who don't need much assistance, but others can find this a little frustrating.
I recall one of the last times I stayed at a large Hostel. It was HI Vancouver's Jerico Beach location. I was in my late thirties and found myself on an upper bunk in August. After a show of world class fireworks, dancing and a few drinks I arrived there around 1am and the 18 bunk room was still a hothouse (the upper windows didn't open) and there was a snoring princess in the lower bunk. I say this because after spending some time trying to get into sleep mode I'm awakened by princess kicking the bunk from below numerous times. I had started to snore due to being so uncomfortable. After about the third bout of kicking and it being Vancouver's Pride weekend I simply told the guy "Your no silent beauty yourself Princess.'
Oh my God you guys are so funny 🤣🤣 but I really enjoyed your video here on what not to do 😂 The guy with the beard really 😒
Mark Wolter, love your videos. Great! You have actually taught me a lot! :)
Wolters, whoops!
I stayed with a stewardess in New York, I made a reservation through booking. There were four Turkish-German worker girls or worker girls studying in Germany in my room. I'm trying to sleep with my curtains closed, but it's impossible, they are always shouting, laughing and talking. I complained to Booking several times. I opened the curtain and looked to see who was in the room, I had a phone in my hand. I thought I'd take their voices and complain down below, but then I gave up. This time they opened my curtain and started to compromise me. They lied to me, saying you did, even though I didn't take a picture. Apparently they are the daughters or workers of Turkish workers working in Germany. When I said I complained about you, they started shouting at me, asking why you complained about us.
Where is the location at 11:20?
Also, one thing that might be a good idea would be to use dryer sheets for your shoes to help with the smell
this was a really interesting video to watch, but I still have a couple of questions, you recommend to bring like an extended outlet with multiple ports, but won't that take up to much space, and when are you supposed to charge your phone ? cuz people might steal it and how do you wake up since you can't use a clock ?
What exactly is a hostel, and what's the difference and the pros and cons between that and a hotel?
RUready2rock this is a good article: medium.com/@haylinicole/the-hostel-vs-hotel-experience-542a7afd7cf0
Generally, hostel rooms have a bunch of bunk beds in a room and multiple travelers can stay in them. Multiple people buy the beds in the room. For hotels, you buy the whole room and you (plus family/friend) stay in it. Because there are more people in hostel rooms they are typically cheaper.
Super nice video 😁
I stayed at a hostel once and I check off every item of your jerk list 🤦♂️🤦♂️😅
Now that I've seen this video, I am not staying at a hostel.
I must be the only person who has had a mostly positive experience with hostels. I spent two months backpacking in Europe when I was in my late 30s. Do your research, follow the video's advice. Not all hostels are the same. Hostelworld and Hostels.com are great sites to check out. My only caveat is that I did it before the proliferation of smartphones. I'm sure they cause their own problems.
so true. the research makes such a difference. 5 minutes of research can make so much difference
Couldn't agree more. I've had great hostel experiences and 99% of the people I've met have been awesome as well. Only had one bad hostel experience but it was also a hostel in England that was $7 a night (most in the area were $25+).
Where in England did you find a hostel for $7 a night? That is ridiculous.
@@kms50549 Brighton. It was called The Kings Arms Hostel. I don't know if it is still a thing anymore. It was bad to begin with but then the roof fell in the day I left. And idk if it was exactly $7 but I remember it was under $10.
@@kms50549 I saw that video, you don't want to go there... Unless you want to be almost raped or caught by police because your roommates do cocaine in the same room. And roof falling on your head is another thing...
I met my best mate travelling…. Forget about making mates during school, wait til you go travelling that’s when you’ll make you’re mates for life.
Like that murder movie Hostel.
Love the video guys !! Just 2/3 weeks ago I was looking for such information .. great video !!!!! Any more on Hostels info ???
What questions do you have?
Don’t have specific but I’m 56 yo and staying with young just a bit weary. I’ve never stayed in one but was told to try. I’ve always look for hotels/b&b/AirB&B/etc. As long as prices are working for me. One of the biggest things is sharing bathrooms - a no no !!!!!
@@alexanders.7719 I would research hostels that often host an older crowd. I stayed at Hatters on Newton in Manchester and there were all age groups. People from 18-50ish. However, it did have shared bathrooms. But you can find hostels that have private bathrooms. Or like one private bathroom (door locks) but you share it with 6-8 people.
I am staying in a hostel for the first time in London for one night. The one thing I worry about is my bag. I am going with a carry on so I hope they will let me take a lock with me when I take my carry on
Never stay anywhere where the toilet set never cools down,! ....
Was in a hostel in London where this old creepy dude would walk around the dorm naked. Thank you angel back packers.
BED BUGS!!!
He is so adorable
Thanks
And never get hostile in a hostel.
Great video
I don't do hostels. I want my own room and bathroom. It's money well spent. If I can't afford my own hotel room, I can't afford to travel. I just returned from a ten day holiday in the UAE. I'm not even sure there are hostels there.
I almost never visit them, too. But there are private rooms in many hostels, and sometimes they turned out to be better than comparable hotels. For example in France cheap hotel rooms often are extremely tiny, while a private room in a hostel was a palace in comparison. It always depends on the respective hostels. Some are modern, well equipped and offer plenty of space.
@@ronik24 Italy is my favorite country in Europe and I always stay at a pensione that I find on Tripadvisor. In April '14, I went ti Venafro in the province of Mollise as my great grandfather was born in the nearby town of Pollizzi which had no hotels. I ended up having the entire Marquis' palace for myself: www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1201170-d570934-r200922277-Dimora_del_Prete_di_Belmonte-Venafro_Province_of_Isernia_Molise.html
@@barbarawissinger I gotten past the age where I can rough if and, fortunately, no longer have to. I visit the UK once each year, but I'm a UK citizen and always stay at a friend's place. On other trips, I always use Tripadvisor and stay in a B&B or hotel with high ratings. I've never worked up the courage to use Air B&B.
I used to in my early 20's, but I would feel ashamed to share a room with strangers now. Either I pay for a private room or I don't go.
@@mrbushlied7742 but... AirB&B can also just be an entire apartment you rent. And sometimes even cheaper than a cheap hotel room or comparable price. In any case, I also have avoided hostels. I haven't seen a single cheap hotel yet that I would trade for a hostel, but that's me. I don't like socializing too much. If I'm on holidays, I'd rather just see the sights and spent time at the beach or whatever.
hello wolters!~ good job!!☺☺👍👍
IGUAZÚ FALLS!! The day I spent there is possibly my favourite day of my life 😭😭😭
OMG I'm a UIUC grad too! I had no idea you're a professor there!
I was in a hostel in New Zealand, 4 women in the dorm, and one woke up at 6am and started up her laptop and was banging the hell out of the keyboard. Not cool. To be considerate is the best thing you can do.
Does the locker accommadate carry on luggage?
I want Mark as a professor and then drive to airport together hahaha
Mark lost weight perfect