What are Hostels?
Hostels provide friendly, inexpensive overnight accommodations for travelers of all ages. Guests stay in multi-bedded, separate gender rooms and receive linens and a pillow upon check-in. Most hostels offer fully equipped self-service kitchens, dining areas, secure storage and common rooms for relaxing and socializing with other travelers. All Hostelling International hostels assure travelers the utmost in quality standards including cleanliness, security and service.
Hostels provide friendly, inexpensive overnight accommodations for travelers. Hostelling International hostels assure travelers the utmost in quality standards including cleanliness, security and service. Hostels offer dormitory-style rooms with separate quarters for men and women. Some hostels also have private family and couples rooms. All hostels provide a blanket and pillow. Linens are often included in the price, or are available for sale or rental. Most hostels offer fully equipped self-service kitchens or cafeterias, dining areas, secure storage and common rooms for relaxing and socializing with other travelers. Some hostels have laundry facilities, travel libraries and concierge service. There are a few that even have hot tubs, swimming pools, barbecues or an ocean at the front door. Most urban hostels have secure 24-hour access and are handicapped accessible.
Hostels are fundamentally a form of budget accommodation which bridge the gap between hotels and Bed and Breakfasts. More often than not they cater to backpackers, students, travellers and those on a budget but a good number also have facilities for groups, families and those with special needs. To try and pigeonhole hostels is complex as there are so many types but the basic ingredients that characterise the majority are cheap, basic beds dorms or rooms; fun group atmosphere and facilities (kitchens, restaurants, bars, tours, bike-rental etc.) which the modern traveller finds useful and appealing. In some regions, North-Western Europe especially, there are a profusion of hostels on well travelled routes. In other regions such as Southern Europe, pensions, B+B’s, and budget hotels take in backpackers but tend to lack the hostel atmosphere and facilities. The increase in popularity of budget travel has lead to Hostels opening in almost every popular tourist location. These independent h
The answer to this question is becoming more and more difficult to define as hostels are changing all the time. Up until a decade ago hostels offered a unique form of accommodation where rooms were dormitory style with bunk beds, where you may well have had the pleasure of sharing bathroom facilities with up to 30 fellow guests, where you had to be in by midnight or face the prospect of sleeping in the street and where the noise of fellow room mates almost guaranteed many sleepless nights – you probably get the picture. The good news for any of you who might have reservations about taking a shower in the company of strangers or sharing a bunk with someone whose personal hygiene leaves quite a bit to be desired is that hostels have changed a great deal for the better. Today, many hostels are not unlike budget hotels where the only significant difference is the price. For example, many of the hostels listed on this site offer private rooms with en suite facilities, smaller dorms for grou
• The answer to this question is becoming more and more difficult to define as hostels are changing all the time. Up until a decade ago hostels offered a unique form of accommodation where rooms were dormitory style with bunk beds, where you may well have had the pleasure of sharing bathroom facilities with up to 30 fellow guests, where you had to be in by midnight or face the prospect of sleeping in the street and where the noise of fellow room mates almost guaranteed many sleepless nights you probably get the picture. The good news for any of you who might have reservations about taking a shower in the company of strangers or sharing a bunk with someone whose personal hygiene leaves quite a bit to be desired is that hostels have changed a great deal for the better. Today, many hostels are not unlike budget hotels where the only significant difference is the price. For example, many of the hostels listed on this site offer private rooms with en suite facilities, smaller dorms for grou
