Anyone have experience staying at a hostel in a foreign country?
Are they very safe?
Seems sketchy to me.
Are they very safe?
Seems sketchy to me.
Hostels
- Thread starter HawkMachine
- Start date
My kids have stayed at multiple around Europe. They've also noped out of a couple after gauging them and then moved on to others. There are good and bad in every location. As a fully grown adult, I'd feel sketchy about staying in one though.
I've stayed in hostels in Amsterdam, Scotland and England.
It was safe at the time. Clean but not fancy. A great place to crash but not necessarily a place to hang out.
This was in the 1990s, so probably not a good reference point for you.
It was safe at the time. Clean but not fancy. A great place to crash but not necessarily a place to hang out.
This was in the 1990s, so probably not a good reference point for you.
I recommend watching the movie hostel before you go.
Hostels are an awesome way to travel for low cost. They can be an absolute blast. They can also be sketchy. I've stayed in nice ones and not-so-nice. Be a bit careful and they can work out wonderfully. Also, sometimes there are hot chicks that you can meet.
I'm not staying at one and I can't imagine I ever will.
It's my daughter, she's staying at some on a 2 week travel.
IDK, young pretty girl from America just scares me.
It's my daughter, she's staying at some on a 2 week travel.
IDK, young pretty girl from America just scares me.
BTDT x3. It's what the kids do. Hopefully she's traveling with people?
They’re very safe. Especially in Germany and Austria.
Stayed at one is Lisbon and never felt unsafe. We did upgrade to a private room vs the shared rooms. But I think each one will be different. A little research goes a long ways
Not this time.
She normally travels with a friend but this time is solo.
She's not even 23, yet she's a world traveler.
Already planning her next trip which will be Thailand.
She's trying to travel as much as possible before she starts med school.
I'm not paying for any of it so I can't really complain, just worry. LOL
Hell I worried about her flight. She might have been on a plane for 20 hours total. SMH
I think she has her own private bedroom but then shares everything else.
That was my understanding. I could be wrong.
Yeah, my oldest did some travel jaunts by herself when she lived in Germany that I was glad to only find out about after the fact. Thailand gets into the vicinity of more concerning. Super safe place but a kid on her own.......?
I stayed at one in Florence, Italy with my wife and kids a few years ago. We were only staying two nights and wanted to experience it. Overall it was positive, of course it was no frills and uncomfortable beds but the people running it and the other guests were all very easy going.
Probably between 40-50 different ones across Southeast Asia, Europe, Central and North America.
As you can imagine, they vary widely. I've stayed in ones that are $5 a night. I've stayed in one that have 20+ bunks. I've stayed in private rooms within hostels that are competitive with hotels.
As you can imagine, they vary widely. I've stayed in ones that are $5 a night. I've stayed in one that have 20+ bunks. I've stayed in private rooms within hostels that are competitive with hotels.
Thailand will be with her best friend.
They both traveled around Europe for a month last summer.
These little shits have been everywhere.
Me? I've been to Canada fishing a few times and made it down to Tijuana once. LOL
You should watch Taken right before she leaves. That will put your mind at ease.
I wish she traveled with pepper spray but it's illegal in the country she's visiting.
We’re going to need to see pics in order to know. Only then can we provide proper advice.
If I was still traveling solo - marriage casualty - I'd generally choose to stay in hostels, although likely more towards smaller dorms/privates and less towards the 8+ occupancy dorms.
- Affordability, especially with respect to location and amenities such as on site laundry, food & bev
- Sociability, via dormmates, common areas, oftentimes a hostel bar, organized activities (bar crawls, walking tours, themed nights, etc.)
The worst thing that most people may experience is theft, or a bad night's sleep from snoring/poor dormmate behavior. Again, mileage may vary, and can differ b region, but a lot (most?) of hostels employ 24/7 front desk, key card access to the front door and key card access to the rooms.
The only aspect that I would judge riskier is if it's a 'party' hostel where there's a good chance one of your dormmates may be black out drunk or on drugs and they become a risk to share a room with. I've had some weird encounters with people in those states and I've certainly been one before, but nothing that was ultimately unsafe or stopped me from comfortably sleeping.
Most hostels also have all female dorms as an option.
- Affordability, especially with respect to location and amenities such as on site laundry, food & bev
- Sociability, via dormmates, common areas, oftentimes a hostel bar, organized activities (bar crawls, walking tours, themed nights, etc.)
The worst thing that most people may experience is theft, or a bad night's sleep from snoring/poor dormmate behavior. Again, mileage may vary, and can differ b region, but a lot (most?) of hostels employ 24/7 front desk, key card access to the front door and key card access to the rooms.
The only aspect that I would judge riskier is if it's a 'party' hostel where there's a good chance one of your dormmates may be black out drunk or on drugs and they become a risk to share a room with. I've had some weird encounters with people in those states and I've certainly been one before, but nothing that was ultimately unsafe or stopped me from comfortably sleeping.
Most hostels also have all female dorms as an option.
hawkeyetraveler
HB Heisman
My no pic daughter has used them extensively in France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland. She is 22 and had no issues. If your daughter is as worldly as you say I’m sure it will be ok OP.
Also if you figure out how to give her good advice on these types of things without the appearance of hovering please let me know your secret. Still working on that even though my kids have their heads screwed on better than their old man.
Also if you figure out how to give her good advice on these types of things without the appearance of hovering please let me know your secret. Still working on that even though my kids have their heads screwed on better than their old man.
I've got a lady friend no pics, that takes solo trips all over the globe. She regularly stays in hostels because they're so affordable. She's mentioned that as long as you do your fair share of research, you can usually distinguish which ones will be a safe bet and which ones won't be. She's never mentioned any issues to me when we've been talking about her trips.
Some are pretty 'swanky' with decent beds, almost a 'cubby' in the wall, personal locker, personal reading light, personal electrical outlets, towel provided, daily cleaning service, high performing AC.
Other times it's essentially a room, with as many bunk beds as you can reasonably fit and a free for all.
Not an totally uncommon sight:
Photo I took from the entrance in a Luang Prabang Laos hostel room.
Other times it's essentially a room, with as many bunk beds as you can reasonably fit and a free for all.
Not an totally uncommon sight:
Photo I took from the entrance in a Luang Prabang Laos hostel room.
FWIW, my children are in their 40s and we still hover. My wife does more than I do, of course.
She's extremely mature/responsible.
This is going to sound moronic but I think she can do "greater" things than be a doctor. This is a young lady you want running a state/country. No I'm not kidding. Only problem is that she would lean more left than right. LOLOLOLOL
She's gone all over the country (van she bought on her own) and outside of the country.
I've never given her financial assistance or even advice on her travels. She literally does all the planning herself. I don't know how she does it all honestly.
I'm 100% out of it.
I typically don't worry too much about her as I trust her decision making. Her mom and grandparents worry the most.
So complete strangers are sharing this room??????
As I mentioned earlier, I THINK she has her own room.
After seeing this image, I sure hope she does.
No F'N way.
They certainly started as complete strangers to me. Conceivably all could have been strangers to begin with, but often times there's pairs or small groups traveling together that wind up in the same dorms.
Getting a private room in a hostel is a great happy-medium. Most of the social benefits, a lot of the financial savings, but a lot more privacy. A lot easier to have sex in than a dorm or occupying a bathroom. So that's a nice plus.
I was lucky enough to spend 3 months in Europe when I was 21.
Stayed in nothing but hostels, some I had a private room, some where shared.
Met the most amazing people, some I still have contact with 20 years later.
I certainly understand your concern, but I don't believe it's anymore dangerous than a hotel.
Stayed in nothing but hostels, some I had a private room, some where shared.
Met the most amazing people, some I still have contact with 20 years later.
I certainly understand your concern, but I don't believe it's anymore dangerous than a hotel.
Sending her a snap right now so I'll be able to sleep tonight. LOL
I think she's 19 hours ahead.
I figured this is a fitting thread for this, my best 'it's a small world'. In 2013 I was in a hostel in Budapest, met two guys from Brazil. I tell them I'm from Iowa. They tell me they just met a guy from Iowa when they were in Copenhagen. They start pulling up Facebook to see if I know the person. I figure there's no way. But what do you know, it's former Iowa football player Paki O'Meara. Who I mostly knew of, rather than properly knew.
Anyways, I send Paki a FB message telling him the story. Two years later we happened to be in Cambodia at the same time and I stopped and visited with him for a bit on the beach in Sihanoukville.
I think he lives in New Zealand now.
/CSB
Anyways, I send Paki a FB message telling him the story. Two years later we happened to be in Cambodia at the same time and I stopped and visited with him for a bit on the beach in Sihanoukville.
I think he lives in New Zealand now.
/CSB
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