When you think of a hostel, the image that comes to mind may be a drab, indescribable establishment full of backpacking kids. Maybe that was a little true then, but hardly the case anymore. It’s time to rethink staying in a hostel. You can expand your travel budget and feel safe in excavations that may give some hotels a run for their money.
Matt Kepnes, who runs the budget travel website nomadicmatt.com and is the author of How To Travel the World on $ 50 a Day, has stayed in nearly 1,000 hostels over the years. What is important? Free lockers. “Great hostels depend on a central neighborhood, free wifi, a common room, kitchen, cleanliness, and organized social activities so people can meet,” says Kepnes.
When choosing hostels, he looks at user reviews, pictures, amenities and star ratings on sites like Hostelworld. “See what your fellow travelers are saying. The consensus will be pretty much right. Choose the hostel that the majority of travelers agree with. “
This is where travel gurus and others share their favorite hostels.
HI New York City Hostel
This New York City hostel is the largest hostel in the US and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. It also has one of the largest outdoor spaces of any Manhattan lodging provider. There is a huge outside deck to relax in after driving around town all day. Show your cue stick skills at the pool table. Keep yourself busy with lots of games when you hang out in the hostel. The location, on the trendy Upper West Side, makes trips to Harlem, Midtown and the main attractions of Manhattan easy.
Rado Boutique Hostel, Santiago, Chile
Rax has been traveling different continents for more than a decade and operates the travel website nomadsunveiled.com and the travel podcast. The Rado Boutique Hostel is a favorite. “I enjoyed staying there and have extended my stay a couple of times. It was also recommended to me by other friends who were there. “He says it’s small and modern. One of the best features is the kitchen and living area which is spacious and located on the top floor. There is a large open air deck where you can see the city. “The breakfast buffet is fulfilling and varied. For a hostel, the price is in the upper range. I remember paying about $ 18 a night, ”he says. It is conveniently located in Bellavista, which is known for its night life. The hostel is right next to Patio Bellavista, a lively area with shops, restaurants and bars. Another popular natural landmark, Cerro San Cristobal, is just a 5-minute walk from the hostel. There is a subway station just across the main street. It is also within walking distance of other attractions such as the Lastarria district and the city center (Plaza de Armas).
The Bivvi Hostel, Breckenridge, Colorado
The Bivvi is ideal for outdoor lovers and offers shared and private rooms. It’s on the Breckenridge Free Ride bus route which makes it easy to get to and from the mountains / towns and is also a short walk to town. Enjoy the 10-person outdoor hot tub with views of Ten Mile Mountain. Shared rooms start at $ 45 a night. Breckenridge offers hundreds of miles of walking and biking trails, new restaurants and shops on historic Main Street. There are more than 30 pieces in public art collections in the city. Check out the new AirStage, a 1975 Airstream Ambassador mobile travel trailer that’s been retrofitted on a preform-anywhere stage to bring the joy of much-needed concerts around town safely.
Kos One Canggu, Bali, Indonesia
Alexx from the travel blog FindingAlexx.com has visited and stayed at more than 57 hostels on her adventures. Her all time favorite hostel is Kos One Canggu in Bali, Indonesia. “Though considered expensive compared to other options in Bali, a total of $ 20 a night gives you a comfortable bunk bed in a female or mixed dorm with a trunk, a curtain for privacy and your own electrical outlets. Outside the room there are shared bathrooms and lounge areas. Best of all, though, is the huge pool with an in-pool bar, two-story waterslide, and floating bean bags, ”says Alexx.
She says Canggu is in “a super chilled out neighborhood that is popular with digital nomads, with brilliant restaurants, funky shops, and easy access to great surfing spots and beach clubs. The most famous cultural site is the Tanah Lot Temple, an ancient Hindu temple that stands on a rock just above the waves. Cheaper than the luxury hotels in Seminyak, Canggu is more elegant than the tourist traps in Kuta and is known as the island’s hipster capital. “
Maarten Cox, owner of the online travel guide Gecko Routes, is big on Kos One too. He has stayed in around 100 hostels and has been traveling Southeast Asia for several years. “It’s only a 5 minute walk to the main beach in Canggu, but the best thing about this location is the pool. I’ve never seen a hostel with a pool like this before. Let’s leave their great pool parties on Saturdays alone. “
It’s easy to meet people too. “At breakfast (which was fabulous) travelers make new friends all the time and, like their gym, the common area overlooking the pool and pool bar. We played beach volleyball, took surfing lessons together and even organized a volcano hike with people who lived in the hostel. Last but not least, the beds were some of the best I’ve ever had in a hostel. Super comfortable, with a good ceiling, curtains, charging plug and lamp. Anything you can ask for. “
HighRoad Hostel, Washington, DC
The HighRoad is located in the middle of the busy Adams Morgan district, which has an eclectic food scene and bars with live music. If you want to nestle after a day or two of sightseeing, don’t worry. There’s free Wi-Fi, free Netflix and Hulu, and a mini library collection donated by fellow travelers. Even better is the common room, a stylish drawing room with a cozy fireplace where you can see DC nightlife right on your doorstep in Adams Morgan. You don’t even have to go to get food by attending free dinner nights, ice cream parlors, hot chocolate nights, and movie nights. Sleep well on the hostel’s memory foam mattresses and enjoy luxurious bedding, towels, reading lamps and bed dividers. Free computers are available.
Hostelling International, Chicago
The avid traveler Roger Senpai loves this multi-storey hostel with its huge kitchen and accommodations (e.g. playroom, sofas, library). “It’s bigger than most of the hotels I’ve been to. The amenities are really amazing, free breakfast buffet, fully stocked washrooms and drinking fountains on every floor, lockers to store your luggage and valuables, and more, ”he says. The hostel is located in the heart of The Loop (downtown Chicago) so you have a nice view of the L train and the skyscrapers. He says, “For a semi-private room (with 3 other people) I pay a fraction of what I would normally pay in a hotel, especially in the city center.”
Notch Hostel, North Woodstock, New Hampshire
Located in an old house in North Woodstock, Notch Hostel is ideal for those who enjoy walking. The hostel not only offers rooms, but also the Carrigain Cabin, a converted tool shed. Backyard tents are also available. Stay in a shared or private space and enjoy the kitchen lounge areas, gardens, fire pits and terraces. If you’re not a hiker, you’ll love the quaint town of North Woodstock with its shops, restaurants, and breweries. There’s family fun like Alpine Adventures, Clark’s Bears, the Lost River Gorge, and Whale’s Tale Waterpark.
