Youth Hostels – Not just a place to sleep

To me, travelling has never been about experiencing luxury in somewhere other than your home environment, it has always been about engulfing myself in different cultures, getting to know people with completely different backgrounds to me and creating memories that will last me for the rest of my life. I’ve found a great way of doing this is to youth hostel.

There are many benefits to youth hostelling (most importantly, you don’t have to be a ‘youth’ – all ages are welcome!). Not only is it cheap (I never spend more than €40 per night but quite often less than that), it is also a great way to meet a very diverse group of people. Historically, hostels might have been frowned upon but these days, if you know where to look, they are clean, welcoming and have great facilities. I use the ‘Hostelworld’ App which is incredibly easy to use, gives an accurate description of the accommodation and its location and a rating based on traveller feedback. The App also allows you to book, cancel and track your bookings.   

Without exception, the staff at the hostels I’ve stayed in have always been friendly, very patient with me speaking English with a Thai accent (a lot of people actually seem to like it and it can be a good conversation starter!) and very helpful when answering questions on the best places to visit and eat in that particular part of the world