Blog #17 - 🛏 Staying in a Hostel - Hostel Experience and Tips - Extended Version

Other questions:

Mixed Dorms vs. Same Gender Dorms

I have only stayed in one mixed dorm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and it was a mom-and-pop type of hostel. I only had one guy roommate. Therefore, I can’t speak too much about the experience of staying in a mixed dorm. The number of roommates will vary (as mentioned above) based on the hostel you stay at.

The female dorms I have stayed at have been safe and comfortable. I’ve met many female roommates who were traveling alone as well and we ended up exploring the city together, taking each other's pictures, and doing the touristy stuff together. In Hawaii, I had all female roommates, but I didn’t spend too much time getting to know them since I went to visit my friend I met online (we Facetimed for a while before meeting in person).

Hostel Sizes

The number of people (room capacity) allowed in your hostel room will vary based on the hostel you stay at. Some allow more than 8 while others don’t. When you book a room, you should be able to see the number of people allowed in your room and the gender (mixed or same-gender). Most of the time, the more people allowed in one room the cheaper the room is and sometimes mixed dorms end up being cheaper than female dorms. It depends on the hostel and the location. You can always check the hostel website you're interested in and see how many people can stay in one room by checking

Rooms (Comfort)

The comfort of a room will vary vastly based on each individual and the hostel. Some people can easily be comfortable with whatever bed you give them while others are more selective. For example: When I stayed at Generator Miami and Generator Barcelona - they were both in different countries but managed by the same company. The bedsheets they provided us in both hostels were white down comforters. They were so comfortable. On the other hand, when I stayed in Hawaii at a small boutique Hostel, they provided us with very thin sheets and it was not a comfortable bed. However, since I was staying for such a short period I dismissed it and stayed out of the room completing things on my itinerary.

I enjoy reading reviews of other people’s experiences and how well they slept and their comfort. If I see a review that shows that a lot of people had a similar problem in the same hostel (whether it’s safety, unsanitary beds, cockroaches, or bed bugs) I automatically skip that hostel (or hotel).

Making Friends

It’s way easier to make friends in hostels than trying to be friendly with people in public places (in my opinion). I try not to focus too much on making friends. I rather focus on the controllable, which for me is enjoying my trip with or without people and exploring the city I am visiting. Some people will sit in common areas and try to meet people that way. Some people will come to talk to you or you can go up to them. In Generator Miami, a lot of people sat near the pool before 8 p.m. to find people to hang out with during their trip.

Being friendly and introducing yourself to your roommates, making small talk, asking them why they decided to travel to that city and what made them choose the hostel, etc. can open up a conversation. This is how I found out that one of my roommates in Miami came alone and was scared. It was her first time traveling alone without her boyfriend. We ended up going to the beach together, taking the trolley, visiting Lincoln Rd., and going to Publix.

I think the friendship part comes along naturally if you just focus on being kind and doing your thing. Just remember to always be SAFE and trust your intuition Some hostels have free or paid group events you can participate in, that's another good way to make friends. Overall, be open to meeting people but always be safe and take precautions (don't trust people too quickly, watch your drink - even if it's water, and make friends with the hotel staff).

For more tips, this is a good article: "Ten Solo Female Travel Safety Tips" - The Blonde Abroad

Creepy Guys or Roommates

Stay in well-lit areas, don’t go out too late by yourself, and don’t share specific information about your itinerary plans (time of visiting certain locations, etc.). If the individual that is making you uncomfortable is in the same room as you, make sure to ask the hostel staff to change rooms. Better safe than sorry. If they can’t do that, don’t be afraid to find a safer hostel/hotel. As always, always check the reviews and ensure your safety!

P.S.- If there is a specific question that I didn't answer and you're curious about (pertaining to this subject) you can leave it in the comments below. :) 💋

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.

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