Blog #16 - Staying in a Hostel ~ Hostel Experience/ Tips 🛏

This post is to help anyone who doesn't know what a hostel is, wants to know what it's like staying at a hostel, or is curious about the hostel experience, etc.

It's important for me to note that everyone's experience will not be the same and I am only speaking from my own experience.

I will do my best to not be biased but since some of these are going to be anecdotal and information based on the time that I visited please do your own research on each hostel and use or apply this information at will.

My first hostel experience to my most recent experience.

The hostels I've stayed at:

Generator Miami (my first-ever hostel experience ❤️)
Generator Barcelona
Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel
Ukiyo Hostel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Generator Miami (second time and it was just as amazing and even better than the first time.)

Before I stayed at a hostel, I was scared and was researching all over YouTube about other female travelers' experiences staying at a hostel alone and how they felt, etc.

Anytime I thought of a hostel I automatically came to the conclusion that they were unsanitary, gross, creepy, and unsafe.

Something that has helped is checking the reviews.

Note: While it can't be 100% impossible to avoid bad experiences at hostels or hotels it is important to always do your best to prevent unwanted situations.

How I do my best to prevent unwanted situations:

Checking the reviews of the hostel I plan to stay at… (Depending on what you’re looking for you’re decision factors

I do my best to always check the reviews from people who have stayed in the hostel (specifically solo female travelers- especially if I plan to travel alone), look at Youtube videos (if there are any), and see the location/area the hostel is located at (if it's safe and if it's near the attractions that I want to visit).

Choosing a safe area/location. Location preference will vary based on YOU and your travel plans.
Taking safety travel precautions and measures. Here is an article: 8 Safety Tips for Solo Female Travel Article.

Important:

Some hostels can be louder than others and are considered “party” hostels so make sure to keep that in account if you’re trying to get work done.

The way I find out if it’s a “party” hostel is by checking Google reviews of the hostel I’m considering and seeing if more than 3-5 people have said it’s noisy or hard to sleep.

Hostels typically have bars, restaurants, game nights, activities, and even DJ’s/events that may keep you up. Always keep that in mind or bring earplugs. ❤️😂

My main factors:

Is it in a safe area?
Walkable (preferably)
Close to transportation or the spots I plan/want to visit. (Example: Generator Miami was right next to the bus stop that takes you to the airport. I was scared to take the bus! But thankfully my hostel Roommate from Peru showed me how to take it. I saved $30-45 on an Uber ride and got to the airport. I loved it. ❤️) For reference: $30-45 is three pairs of clothes in Turkey, 1-3 nights in a hostel, and money I would rather set aside for souvenirs. 😂
If other solo female travelers had a good time or have positive reviews.

Overall:

Some people don't mind taking Ubers, taxis, or public transportation. Other people prefer being within walking distance to the touristy spots or places they want to visit while on their trip.

So far I have enjoyed staying at hostels that are walkable (good sidewalks, safe neighborhood- I check NUMBEO), safe public transportation, and/or short taxi or Uber rides to the locations I want to visit) to the attractions or spots I want to hit up during my trip.

Every hostel experience will vary based on:

The time you visit (peak season or not)
The hostel room type you choose. You can choose a room based on the same gender, mixed, and the amount of people 10, 6, 8 , 4, etc. (the number will vary based on the hostel and room capacities).

Tips:

Bring a lock. (I purchased mine in Walmart for less than $5.00)
Don't be flashy. Don't flaunt your belongings. You never know who is in your room or who can come in. After all, you're sharing a room with more than one person. Be mindful.
If you're scared and just starting out try staying in a same-gender room.
PO: If you want to try out a mixed dorm, stay in a hostel that is not a mom-and-pop just in case you want to switch rooms. Bigger hostels tend to be able to move you around to other rooms. Unlike Mom and pop hostels that are limited to rooms and spaces.
For long stays or when you're in the airport (optional): Bring snacks/easy-to-make food. Some hostels provide fridges or microwaves you can call in advance. If not usually having quick-to-make food like Ramen noodles or oatmeal has been helpful when I stay and don't want to grab food (usually you can get hot water).
Leave valuables that you most likely won't use or need during your trips or buy a cheaper alternative. (Example: One time I brought my GoPro never used it, luckily nothing happened to it in the hostel, but it's better to not take chances.)
Mindset: Stay positive and focus on the controllable. Maybe you won't get the best roommates (change rooms if you feel unsafe) or things won't go 100% to plan. Focus on doing what YOU can to stay safe and enjoy your trip no matter what.
Personal Tip: Bring sandals to take a shower in the hostel. (I learned this from my grandma.)

“Fungal and bacterial infections can often be acquired from the shower... All of these are much more common in shared showers, such as those at the pool, gym or in dorms..." - Emily McKenzie, MD, a dermatologist with the University of Utah Health. (University of Utah Health)

Just a heads up. :) 😂

Highlights:

(I'm not good with reviews like this. I'm going to do my best to provide information that stood out to me during my stays at these hostels. If you have any questions regarding one of the places I stayed at or hostels you can email me or comment below.)

Generator Miami My first-ever hostel experience. I thought hostels were gross/creepy but Generator Miami made me feel foolish. It was fun, I met people, and even though I didn't socialize with anyone in my hostel (besides my roommate) I loved being able to see other young people who were also traveling.
Generator Barcelona Showers were small, but I learned if you plan to travel abroad make sure to always call the hostel in ADVANCE to ensure they accept the payment type you plan to pay with. I was going to go to another hostel nearby but they didn’t accept Discover. A lot of other hostels when I was in Barcelona did NOT accept cash or debit cards even if you pay in full. :( Thankfully Generator Barcelona did accept my cc. That's why it's important to always bring different forms of payment (the foreign currency of the country you're staying in, cash (US dollars), your debit card, a credit card that you know will work abroad, etc). After this incident, I applied for a Bank of America Travel Rewards Visa Credit Card. I have yet to get denied abroad when using this credit card and there are no foreign transaction fees.

If you were wondering about the Bank of America card I used: Click Here. (This is NOT affiliated).

Note: Please make sure to choose a cc based on your needs and NOT go into unnecessary or unwanted consumer debt. I could care less what people say about Dave Ramsey; Thanks to him I've been able to manage my money better and avoid consumer debt. Find a card that works for you. This is not affiliated, I'm only sharing what has helped me. I still use my Discover student card (it's called Student Cash Back) when it's accepted abroad but I do my best to never use money that I don't have set aside for my trip (to avoid getting into debt).

Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel Bed sheets were uncomfortable but the location was great. The hostel is near the beach, the nice shopping centers, touristy spots, the zoo, and hotels such as Marriott and Hilton.
Ukiyo Hostel - Fort Lauderdale, FloridaOne night. I wanted to see what it was like staying in a mixed dorm. It was very different since it was in a home/neighborhood area. I walked to Publix with my hostel roommate - a 15-minute walk. It's great if you're planning to move down there since it gives you the neighborhood feel the vibe. The hostel experience was very different from my previous hostels. The room layout had two queen beds instead of the regular twin beds I've experienced at previous hostels. It was just me and my guy roommate. He was very respectful, thankfully but it was not what I thought it would be. I thought there would be 4 people or more/bunks. It was still a good experience and I'm glad nothing happened. 😂 For a full review of my experience, you can check YouTube - Charline Orozco - Ukiyo Hostel).
Generator Miami I went again and it was even better than the first time. I met some amazing people, had my first clubbing experience, went clubbing alone, and went to the beach every day, it was walkable.

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be considered as advice. There may be a few (or a lot) grammatical errors. Use/apply at will. This post is not sponsored. None of the links provided are affiliates.

✈ YouTube - Charline Oro

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