---
Why hostel? Why not private accomodation? hotel? couch surfing? Maybe i can help.
A budget traveler, in my experience, looks for the best accomodation at the lowest price. Assuming you're traveling alone, you want that place to be a way to meet people as well...unless you're antisocial (and in that case, people don't want to meet you anyway, asshole). If you're traveling with a buddy, that's not usually as big of a concern. Here's the skinny:
Private Accomodation, usually prevalent in central-easterne uropean and ex-communist countries. It is best for people traveling in a group of 2 or more. Generally you're given a room by an old man or woman who is looking to
make some $$, either because they're too old to work and borderline poverty or because they just want some extra income. Tourist bureaus can apparently help with this, but i've had no experience with this. Alternatively, hosteling websites sometimes display private accomodation. That all being said, the best way to find private accomodation is to look for the little old ladies at the bus/train/ferry terminals. If you are in a country like Croatia, there is absolutely no way you will miss them. You can haggle, but usually the price is cheap. I've heard tales of the little old ladies making dinner/doing laundry for their guests. (This particular mental image makes me really really sad, because i feel like it indicates something about just how much they need to rent out their rooms...either that or they're using travelers as an excuse to be grandma-ish...and that's just plain cute.)
CouchSurfing is an increasingly popular means of getting around the world without paying a dime. The concept is you post your couch on couchsurfing.com (my profile), and then join communities based on your interests/location/destination and simultaneously post bulleitens to the communities while searching for individuals who have listed couches at your destination. Often times, you will get a response in the positive - either "i can't host you, but I'd definitely meet up for coffee and show you around my town" (something i have taken advantage of myself) or "i have a couch, come over and stay with me!" The other great thing about couchsurfing.com is the social networking component. I mentioned that i found people to show me around their town. I have also used the interest-based communities to find Capoeira* groups in Lisbon with great success. If you're not going to actually look for accomodation, join to meet people. Another Example!! April 1st, a bunch of people are going to hold a free hugs day right by the Pompidou center. How else would you know where to get your free hugs fix?!The downside,
if you're looking for accomodation, is the issue of security. While CS.com does a very good job in terms of requiring user verification, there are some creeps out there. If you are going to go this route, just be smart about it. what might result is a fantastic experience.
Hostels, in my own opinion, are the best choice for the independent traveler
simply because they force you to meet other people. Since they are usually independent travelers as well, potentially on a similar route as yours, hostels are also a space for finding temporary travel partners or just to get advice (the best kind - first hand) from others who are in shoes similar to yours.
I mentioned earlier that selecting hostels is something i have some experience in. I think that it's very important to pick the right one for you, not to end up in a shit-hole (some backpackers put up with a lot of crap...) and to not be afraid to move to another if you're having a crap. Your experience in a city or town will relate directly to the people and atmosphere you surround yourself in, so it's usually worth it to pay the extra 2 euros if necessary. That being said, there are definitely ways to avoid the hostel social scene, but you are more likely to have a good time if you find the right place for you. So, here are some tipitytips:
*capoeira is a brazilian martial art which i have been playing (not fighting, playing) for 2.5 years. it's a great alternative to the gym and packed with culture/philosophy. for more information, leave a comment.
A budget traveler, in my experience, looks for the best accomodation at the lowest price. Assuming you're traveling alone, you want that place to be a way to meet people as well...unless you're antisocial (and in that case, people don't want to meet you anyway, asshole). If you're traveling with a buddy, that's not usually as big of a concern. Here's the skinny:
Private Accomodation, usually prevalent in central-easterne uropean and ex-communist countries. It is best for people traveling in a group of 2 or more. Generally you're given a room by an old man or woman who is looking to
make some $$, either because they're too old to work and borderline poverty or because they just want some extra income. Tourist bureaus can apparently help with this, but i've had no experience with this. Alternatively, hosteling websites sometimes display private accomodation. That all being said, the best way to find private accomodation is to look for the little old ladies at the bus/train/ferry terminals. If you are in a country like Croatia, there is absolutely no way you will miss them. You can haggle, but usually the price is cheap. I've heard tales of the little old ladies making dinner/doing laundry for their guests. (This particular mental image makes me really really sad, because i feel like it indicates something about just how much they need to rent out their rooms...either that or they're using travelers as an excuse to be grandma-ish...and that's just plain cute.)CouchSurfing is an increasingly popular means of getting around the world without paying a dime. The concept is you post your couch on couchsurfing.com (my profile), and then join communities based on your interests/location/destination and simultaneously post bulleitens to the communities while searching for individuals who have listed couches at your destination. Often times, you will get a response in the positive - either "i can't host you, but I'd definitely meet up for coffee and show you around my town" (something i have taken advantage of myself) or "i have a couch, come over and stay with me!" The other great thing about couchsurfing.com is the social networking component. I mentioned that i found people to show me around their town. I have also used the interest-based communities to find Capoeira* groups in Lisbon with great success. If you're not going to actually look for accomodation, join to meet people. Another Example!! April 1st, a bunch of people are going to hold a free hugs day right by the Pompidou center. How else would you know where to get your free hugs fix?!The downside,if you're looking for accomodation, is the issue of security. While CS.com does a very good job in terms of requiring user verification, there are some creeps out there. If you are going to go this route, just be smart about it. what might result is a fantastic experience.
Hostels, in my own opinion, are the best choice for the independent traveler
simply because they force you to meet other people. Since they are usually independent travelers as well, potentially on a similar route as yours, hostels are also a space for finding temporary travel partners or just to get advice (the best kind - first hand) from others who are in shoes similar to yours.I mentioned earlier that selecting hostels is something i have some experience in. I think that it's very important to pick the right one for you, not to end up in a shit-hole (some backpackers put up with a lot of crap...) and to not be afraid to move to another if you're having a crap. Your experience in a city or town will relate directly to the people and atmosphere you surround yourself in, so it's usually worth it to pay the extra 2 euros if necessary. That being said, there are definitely ways to avoid the hostel social scene, but you are more likely to have a good time if you find the right place for you. So, here are some tipitytips:
- use hosteling websites (hostels.com, hostelworld, hostelbookers, etc.) to research hostels, but don't knee-jerk and book online.
- look at both what the hostel says, and the reviews by hostellers. try and pick a place with a review above 85% within the 15-23 euro range (w. europe), 18 euros being the sweet spot. also, read the reviews on all the sites - not just on one, and don't just look at the numbers. Often times, if a hostel is misleading on their posting/website, a past guest will call them out on it.
- Once you have found a hostel (or a few) that you'd be interested in staying in, call them EVEN IF the site says they're fully committed. The way hostel sites work is that the hostel allocates a certain number of their total beds to each site - one site may show a hostel as full, the other not. even if they both do, there's still a chance the hostel themselves have a few slots available for direct booking. If you can do this, you save the 10% deposit + service charge.
- you should ALSO know that in many cases, the 10% deposit is actually not a deposit. The website takes your money and you never see it again. depending on your stay, you can save the difference between the list price difference of a good and a shitty hostel by simply booking through the good hostel's website/reception desk.
- If you are traveling with more than 4 of your buddies from university or high school, don't stay in a hostel. A hotel room would be cheaper. Save the rest of us the pain of dealing with you.
*capoeira is a brazilian martial art which i have been playing (not fighting, playing) for 2.5 years. it's a great alternative to the gym and packed with culture/philosophy. for more information, leave a comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment