How to Keep Your Sanity While Staying in a Hostel
When I first started traveling, I was most nervous about staying in a hostel because, let’s be honest, they don’t exactly have the best reputation. Being from the USA, we don’t really have many hostels here, so the idea of staying in a shared space while on vacation can be a lot to wrap your head around. Luckily I had the experience of going to overnight camps when I was a kid, so sleeping in a room with a bunch of other people wasn’t a completely foreign concept to me.
After traveling to 6 continents, I have now stayed in dozens of hostels and they’re not as scary as I once imagined. Here are some tips that I have learned about how to keep your sanity while staying in a hostel.
Set your expectations going in
So much of your travel experiences will be affected by your expectations going in. If you’ve never shared a room with strangers, this may be a hard thing to wrap your head around. One of the benefits of staying in a hostel is to stay in an accommodation that is cheaper than staying in your own place. But remember that old phrase, you get what you pay for? While your wallet may like the price of a hostel vs. a hotel room, remember there’s reason you are paying that price.
While I try to be mindful of the fact that I’m staying in a shared space, not everyone has that same mindset. While I have had many great experiences staying in hostels, I’ve had a few bad ones as well, and it has never had to do with the hostel itself. It’s the people you’re staying with. Set yourself up for success by mentally preparing yourself to stay with people who may not be as respectful of others as you are. Everyone has different travel plans and schedules, so this may include people needing to wake up and pack up at all hours of the day or night. You may be staying with some less-than-tidy roomies. And don’t forget the typical age range for people who stay in hostels is a bit younger, so also consider that people will be coming back from late night partying. Essentially - you’re back to living the college dorm life!
If your main priority is to stay on the road longer, you can do this by cutting the cost of your accommodations. You can also put some of the money you saved on accommodations towards special experiences in your destination. Try to keep your main goal in mind (traveling longer/having cool experiences) to help mentally push through some of the less-fun parts of staying in hostels.
Things to look for in hostels that will make it better
Not all hostels are the same. I’ve stayed in private rooms in hostels that have an ensuite bathroom, and I’ve also stayed in a 16 room dorm with a bathroom down the hall that is shared with every room on the floor.
Lockers
Rooms with less people
Female/male only (if mixed, stay with more people)
Curtains on the beds (pod hostels - literally my favorite!)
Breakfast included
Kitchen to cook meals
Common spaces to hang out - if it’s too rowdy in the room, it’s nice to have an alternative place to hang out
Near transportation
I would also highly recommend reading many reviews about the place before you book. People with bad experiences are more likely to read reviews, but it’ll give you a good idea of it’s safety and cleanliness.
Even if you know you’ll be in town for a while, you might want to book only 1-2 nights at a hostel at first to make sure it’s where you want to be for a longer stay.
Things to bring that will help with your sanity
Here’s a list of things I highly recommend bringing along if you’re staying in a hostel.
Eye mask
Ear plugs / noise canceling headphones
Sleep sheet
Travel towel
Headlamp
Cable lock (or two) / long locking cable if no lockers
Travel power strip
Flip flops/shower shoes
Positive attitude - I know this one’s cheesy, but it really goes a long way!
Beyond this list, try to pay attention to the things you need to sleep peacefully in your own home. If you need white noise, consider finding an app or a playlist you can listen to as you fall asleep. Take stock of your “can’t sleep without” items or habits, and make sure you bring them along with you on the road!
Staying in hostels is part of the quintessential travel experience, and it doesn’t have to be a disaster! Set your expectations properly, book the right hostel for you, and bring along some must-have items for keeping your sanity, and you will have a great experience!
Do you have a great tip for keeping your sanity while staying in hostels? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy travels!