Hostel, hotels that are very reminiscent of dormitories. For young travelers in Europe who want to travel but have a low budget, this alternative is immensely popular. In Greece on the other hand, although in recent years this approach has begun to change, it is one of the last options.
The same happened for me too. Even though I am a travel enthusiast, the idea of staying at a hostel to save money and maybe staying one more day, was stressful and I didn’t think of it as a possible option. I thought that I wouldn’t be safe, that living with others wouldn’t allow me to be comfortable, that I wouldn’t have my comforts and that so many more…And yet when I tried it I changed my mind.
Let’s take a look at 5 misconceptions that can prevent you from staying at Hostel, although they are a great choice for a low budget trip.
1) Ιt is really cheap so it will not be clean and comfortable.
This is the first myth about Hostels. Like any other hotel, Hostel wants guests, after all. They want tourists to come and stay satisfied. That is why they will make sure everything is clean and as it should be. Satisfied customers leave good reviews and these are your ally, when you are looking for a room to stay it is important to look at the reviews of the most recent visitors, the facilities that your accommodation has, pictures that may be there that show the rooms, etc. It is also important to search the hotel site in addition to a room search engine to be 100% sure that it is reliable.
2) It is not safe to sleep with people you do not know.
I won’t lie, in part is correct and logical thinking. Our parents told us when we were kids not to talk to strangers, there will always be dangers and they should always keep this in mind, but this shouldn’t prevent us from gaining new experiences to try things, to challenge ourselves, to overcome our fears and insecurities. From personal experience, I haven’t encountered any security issues, but you can still control it. There are many Hostels that the receptionist always sleeps in a room inside the hotels so that he can help you if you need anything. However, if you are very insecure you can look for Hostels that also provide single or 2 beds (if you are with friends) rooms, but of course at a more expensive price than the rooms with bunk beds.
3) If it is really cheap will be far from the city, it won’t be worth the trouble.
I am guilty because I have said this, being skeptical and even biased about Hostel I hadn’t looked for locations because I was sure that to have prices like 10 – 20 euros per night it is impossible to be in the center. And why bother going back and forth instead of paying some more money? Of course, there will be Hostels that are much farther from the city to have very low prices but if you do some research you will see that there are a lot of cheap Hostels in the city center but even if they aren’t in the city center, they will definitely have close transportation. Which you can use to move around comfortably.
4) I am shy / I am not an extrovert and I won’t feel comfortable.
When you are not very social or shy obviously it will be a big challenge for you to stay in a room with other strangers and not feel a little bit out of place. But take it as a chance to challenge yourself, an opportunity to get out of your shell to meet new people. Hostels are a must-have for any acquaintance. You meet people from all over the world with the same passion as you, travelling. You can learn things about countries you want to go to, other cultures, and be inspired for your next trips. Usually, Hostels organize various events in their common areas so you can meet your roommates and other guests of the building, get to know each other play games, try new things, and have a great time.
5) I have stayed at Hostel once and I did not like it at all.
Certainly, there will be these kinds of situations, either the conditions of the Hostel that you have stayed were not good, or the staff didn’t satisfy your needs with its service. There are many things that could possibly happen and there is always the possibility that not everything will go according to plan. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it again. Just because a Hostel didn’t meet your expectations doesn’t mean that all Hostels are the same. With good organization and proper research, you can find hidden gems in the alleys of the cities or villages you visit.
I don’t know if I convinced you or you still have doubts, but I hope that you are going to give it a try and choose to stay in a hostel for your next trip. Staying in a Hostel has a lot to offer you with first and foremost awesome experiences and stories to tell after your trip.