Hostels are great for many reasons. But booking a hostel can be overwhelming with so many options out there. How do you choose and book a backpacker hostel from the never-ending list of search results?

Well, it all depends. On you. There’s something to suit everyone in the world of backpacker hostels, but it’s knowing how to choose a hostel that’s right for you that can be challenging. You might not always pick a great hostel, but this walkthrough of how to narrow down the options will help.

Whether you’re solely after budget accommodation, want a fun and relaxed vibe, or want to stay up all night partying – there’s a perfect budget hostel for everyone.

So let’s go through how to choose and book a hostel. With tips and tricks on how to pick the right backpacker hostel that’s just what you’re looking for!

 

What are you after in this hostel?

This should be your very first question. What is your aim, your desire, your goal for staying in this hostel?

Below are some example questions you can ask yourself that will help you determine what hostel to book.

Some common questions you could ask:

• What’s my budget for a hostel?
• Do I want to be close to a certain area of the city? Downtown, or near a specific attraction?
• Is there a minimum overall, or specific rating I’m comfortable with? (My partner needs a cleanliness score of at least 7/10 for it to be considered).
• Do I want a dormitory or a private room? (Yes, many hostels offer both).
• Are there specific facilities I’m looking for in a hostel? (Kitchen, pool, laundry, parking, etc.)

They don’t need to be super specific answers to the above questions. But answering the questions most important to you will help you define what you’re looking for in a hostel. You can find many things to consider about booking your hostel after the step-by-step walkthrough of booking a backpacker hostel.

 

Step-by-step walkthrough of booking a backpacker hostel

 

 

 

 

 

How can you narrow your selections of hostels

The good thing about hostels is there’s usually a ton to choose from. There’re relaxed hostels with a fun vibe, shoestring budget hostels that only have the bare minimum, party hostels – the list goes on and on.

The problem with there being so many hostels? There’s sometimes an overwhelming amount of options to choose from.

So, how do you narrow that list of 100’s (possibly 1000’s) down to one?

Luckily, pretty much every hostel booking website will have a variety of filters you can use to search only the hostels that fit your specific criteria.

Before you really know what filters you should be using, make sure you answer the question in the heading: “What am I after in this hostel?” above. You need to know what you’re after to pick the best hostel for yourself.

Here’s a rundown of the major filter options you can use to fine-tune that search on your hunt for the perfect hostel.à

 

What is the price of the hostel

For most travelers, the price will be one of the biggest factors in choosing a hostel. You’ll need a place to stay every night you’re on the road, and the cost of accommodation adds up quickly.

Backpacker hostels are usually the cheapest options out there – but a cost doesn’t always reflect quality.

It’s worth mentioning the time of year in many locations around the globe will change the cost of hostels. For example, the screenshot above is New Years Eve in New York.

 

Where is the backpacker hostel located

The location of a hostel is another great filter to use to narrow down that seemingly endless list of properties to sleep at.

If you want to be first in line to a major downtown attraction that is always busy, you might want to filter the hostels that sit a kilometer or two from the city’s center.

The great thing is, you’re the one in charge. You can set a location and use the map to quickly narrow down the available hostels on offer.

 

What is the overall rating of the hostel

Another great way to determine the best hostel for you. Every hostel has a rating score based on previous customer reviews. This gives an average of how good the hostel is.

Ratings are a little more reliable than comments sometimes (read more about comments below). Usually, if the ratings are bad, it directly reflects the property. You also should take into consideration the number of reviews.

Are there 1000 5-star reviews? Or just one – which could even be the owner of the hostel.

Ratings on Hostelworld (much like Booking.com, and other accommodation sites) use a rating system judged by former guests. Anyone that decides to leave a review rate all aspects out of 10, what you see when you bring up a backpacker property is the average of these reviews.

 

What are the facilities offered

If you’re after a specific perk with your hostel, this is where to pay good attention. The list of facilities gives an insight into the atmosphere and operation of the hostel.

After a pool to escape the searing sun? Want to save a little extra money by cooking for yourself in a kitchen? Bicycle hire right from the hostel? This is where the list of features available in the hostel will be listed.

If you see any variation of “attached nightclub”, chances are this is a party style hostel and a peaceful sleep at 2am might not be possible.

It’s also a good idea to keep your expectations in check. Outstanding hostels for less than $10 a night, with free beer and a swimming pool, are few and far between- not to say they don’t exist, because they definitely do. But you likely won’t be hopping from one to the next.

Where backpacker hostels are in the world is a huge influence on what facilities are common. For example, it’s pretty rare to find a hostel in Japan with a full kitchen, but it’s the total opposite in Europe. Many hostels throughout Southeast Asia have swimming pools (a couple even have saltwater pools…) But few in Europe will have them.

Included breakfast is always a great perk in my mind. Even if it is a plain breakfast, it’s handy to not have to find an early morning meal on your own.

It all about finding the best option with what’s available.

 

Private or a dormitory-style hostel

Many hostels offer both a bed in a dormitory and a private room with multiple beds.

The private rooms kind of offer the best points of a hotel – privacy – mixed with the benefits of a hostel – interaction and meeting new people.

A private hostel room will be more expensive than a bed in a dormitory. But they are often much cheaper than a hotel room.

Staying in a private with a partner or close group is a great thing if you want your own space and security. They are great for the beginning or end of a trip, or any day you want to throw your things all around and repack your bag. Or for when you just want to make sure have a good sleep!

There’s nothing wrong with spending a little time to yourself in the peace and quiet, rather than being in the same room with random people. This alone time helps prevent burn out on the road and is a great time to reflect on your adventure so far.

Once again, where you are in the world will often affect how private your hostel dorm room is. Hostels throughout Japan will commonly have a privacy curtain to block the line of sight from all other guests. This is quite a rare thing throughout Europe, for example.

Some backpacker hostels also offer gender-separate rooms. It is a pretty common feature for hostels. Make sure you read exactly what you’re booking before confirming that reservation.

 

Read the comments and reviews of a backpacker hostel

Comments can be informative, or they can be petty and a terrible source to rely on when picking a hostel.

The main thing is to look for a few comments that say roughly the same thing. If there are 5 comments saying the staff are wonderful – then yeah, chances are that would be true. However, if there’s one comment saying the staff was rude and unhelpful, I tend to take them with a grain of salt.

So yes, the comments are a fantastic way to judge a hostel or pick between the top two or three. They are made by real travelers who felt strongly enough to voice their opinion.

However, definitely enter into the comments section with a cautious mindset. I’ve seen the pettiest things in hostel comment sections. One hostel comment I read once gave a one-star review for the reception not being open at 3am, when nowhere in the hostel description said 24-hour reception.

People sometimes leave negative reviews because they feel hard done by. But not all of them are justified. The girl in Ho Chi Minh City who had her shoes stolen after leaving them outside even after being told not to? Yeah, you probably had that coming – not the hostel’s fault.

Super valuable, but always take the comment section with a large grain of salt, because people can be petty, or just prioritize different things.

Comments and reviews of hostels are great ways to get a feel what a budget hostel is like.

 

What things should you take into consideration when booking a backpacker hostel?

Booking the best hostel is sometimes difficult. It’s all about discovering what you’re looking for in choosing a hostel.

Budget, party, centrally-located, facilities – there are plenty of things to take into consideration. And most of them are pretty easy to get your head around.

Below are a few things you should consider that may go against your preconceived notions of budget backpacker hostels!

 

Price isn’t always a reflection of the quality

One of the biggest mistakes I know I used to make is that thinking the more I spent on the hostel, the better time I would have and the better the hostel would be.

That’s not necessarily true.

I’ve stayed in amazing hostels for much less than $10 a night. On the other end, some damn awful hostels for more than $50 a night.

While the price of a hostel bed is a good indication of quality, it is by no means the only factor to consider when booking a hostel.

 

Not all hostels are open to every traveler

Some hostels are closed to certain travelers. Some have an age limit on guests, keeping it strictly as a youth hostel. Others restrict some genders. I’ve even heard of hostels not allowing people that are residents of that country to stay in the backpacker hostel.

Often, hostels will have gender-specific dorm options. Many capsule hostels in Japan are an example of this.

It’s always a good thing to double-check the criteria of guests the property allows.

 

Hostel owners aren’t always truthful

Sometimes the backpacker hostel owner (or whoever writes the descriptions for the property) isn’t totally truthful. Usually, it will over-sell or omit some information rather than an outright lie.

It is difficult to spot these at times, as you don’t know something is up until you’ve paid. Usually, it’s not that big of a deal, rather an inconvenience.

Like the backpacker hostel in Japan that announced a “fully stocked kitchen” – it had a toaster and a kettle.

There are times where the situation is unbelievable – like my 6 person dorm in Cancun, Mexico that had actually had a group of 14 drying all the towels they owned at once, draped up over every surface of the hostel room.

 

The truth isn’t always in the hostel review comments

I mentioned this above, but despite taking them with a grain of salt, it’s important to make sure you get the most of the comments.

Booking a backpacker hostel is difficult if all you have to go on is what the manager or owner says about it in the description. This is where guest feedback helps a whole lot.

The issue being, people can be petty, or the guest had unrealistic expectations. Personally, I only leave honest comments. If something was shit, I’ll say it was. But there’s no point blaming the staff or the facilities if it was beyond their control.

 

You don’t need a hostel bar or club to have an atmosphere

Unless you’re looking for drinking and dancing into the early hours of the night, you can find a great atmosphere in many different places in a backpacker hostel.

A common room is usually what hostels offer. The size and vibe differ greatly from one hostel to the next.  Many hostels use these common rooms to get guests together, ranging from group meals to pub crawls.

The atmosphere of a hostel is often also less about the hostel itself and much more about who is staying at the hostel.

You don’t interact with furniture; you interact with people. The comfy chairs and relaxed setting just makes it easier to connect with others.

 

How to spot red flags when booking a backpacker hostel

 

Other than going through the description or list of facilities, there are a few ways to spot red flags when booking a hostel.

Once again, comments are a fantastic tool. The grain of salt rule still applies, but guest comments can be honest and patterns are easy to pick up on.

The last 5 comments mention loud beats tearing down the paper-thin walls? Or things getting regularly stolen? It might be best to look elsewhere.

Another way to spot red flags is through images. Does everything look similar as it is described in the description of the hostel? These images will usually be taken in the “best light” possible, meaning the owner will only show good pictures of the hostel.

Spotting red flags before you book a backpacker hostel isn’t always easy, or even possible. Sometimes, it just goes wrong. There’s a band on next door, or someone gets a little drunk and noisy in your dorm. It’s all part of the cons of staying in hostels. You never really know what you’re going to get until you’re there. Still, staying in backpacker hostels are my favorite form of travel accommodation.

 

Talk to other travelers about the best hostels

Another great way to choose a hostel that suits you? You will likely meet some cool people along the way that you instantly connect with, chances are you might like the same hostels they’ve stayed at other places.

Ask the people you meet! They can also give you a heads up for places to avoid as well.

 

Final words about choosing a backpacker hostel

These days, travelers are treated to a variety of hostel options in most cities and towns around the world. All them options can make it difficult to choose the best backpacker hostel from the list.

By using the tips and tricks outlined above you can be sure you’ll give yourself the best chance at finding a great hostel to sleep in. If you make a mistake, there are plenty more hostels out there to try!

Do you have a backpacker hostel booking tip you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments below – along with any questions you have about booking hostels.

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Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown