Staying at a hostel, is it safe?

Discussion in Travel started by erikao1o • Mar 6, 2014.

  1. erikao1o

    erikao1oMember

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    I was wondering what everyone's opinion on hostels is. I've stayed at a number of hostels across Europe and Asia and have found that I always have a lot of fun when I'm staying at one. Has anyone had a bad experience at a hostel or a particularly good one? What do you think are the advantages of staying at a hostel?
     
  2. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    It really depends on the hostel and the location.

    For me, I have stayed in a few and I prefer to only do it when I'm traveling with someone else. Sometimes hostels end up having large rooms where a whole bunch of people sleep in bunk beds and share a bathroom. This is fine, but if it's just me, my stuff my easily get stolen or worse, so I would rather use the buddy system.

    I've never had a problem with them and the main benefit is the price. Because you're skipping all the hotel fluff of TV, cable, privacy, etc, then you pay the bare minimum. It's especially nice if all you really need to do is catch a few hours of sleep and are staying in an expensive city (like NYC).
     
  3. costin

    costinActive Member

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    I always searched for hosteld dedicated to young visitors, it`s a lot of fun and I still keep in touch with people met for the first time years ago. Indeed, in a big room with talkative persons you won`t have the intimacy you are used to, but it`s an experience that has to be lived once in a lifetime;)
     
  4. Adryan

    AdryanMember

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    I think it depends upon the type of people you live with if the people in your surroundings are good then you will enjoy and if not then you will take the first flight to your home!!!!
     
  5. isabbbela

    isabbbelaWell-Known Member

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    I only ever stayed at a hostel once in Los Angeles. I was all by myself, and I can't recommend it enough!! I had the best time there, met the best people, the hostel was in the heart of Hollywood, had fun activities, dirty cheap prices, wifi for free, breakfast for free. I highly recommend young people, people traveling on a budget and people traveling alon to stay in a hostel when traveling. The only important thing is to always check reviews and recommendations from people who stayed at the hostel to check if it's clean and safe. That is important. But in general hostels in places like the US and Europe are pretty safe (and fun)!
     
  6. emilyrose93

    emilyrose93Member

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    Yes! The best way to book a hostel is through

    Log In

    It has reviews for each hostel posted by people who have stayed there. Some hostels will obviously be safer than others, so just do your research first and you'll be fine! Most hostels also have "Female only" rooms, or even private rooms, so if you're worried you can stay in there.

    If you are sharing a room I think it's always a good idea to follow some basic safety precautions, like having a padlock on your suitcase or putting your things into a secure locker. Take your valuables with you when you leave and keep them close to you when you sleep. The most dangerous thing about a hostel is probably theft, not really personal safety, in my opinion, so just focus on keeping your belongings in a safe place.

    Obviously if you are staying in a sketchy area, then you will need to take more precautions than somewhere else. If I was staying somewhere I felt was a bit dangerous I would rent my own room, and put in a door-stopper with an alarm when I was sleeping. They aren't expensive, you just wedge it under the door and an alarm goes off if someone opens the door. Also, check to see if the hostel you are staying in has security measures, like a security guard or a lock-out time (eg front door is locked after 10pm, have to use a pin code to get through the door after that).

    Overall, I really highly recommend staying in hostels! Just keep your wits about you and take the necessary precautions to stay safe.
     
  7. erikao1o

    erikao1oMember

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    I love that everyone here seems to have had a great time when they stayed at a hostel, I'm happy to hear that my experiences are similar to those of others. I think that hostels are a great way to save some money, plus you get to meet a lot of new and interesting people. A lot of the time hostels will be located in the downtown and busy areas of the city. Getting a hotel in a similar area would cost loads more! yay hostels!
     
  8. mikelouis

    mikelouisActive Member

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    I think they are quite safe it all depends in the neighborhood they are situated. Some will be safe but others not. If you are going to stay for a few days then it will not be much of a bother. I have an experience with them but normally I prefer renting an apartment with a friend other than staying in a hostel.
     
  9. prettycolors

    prettycolorsActive Member

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    With so many review sites on the net I'd say it's very safe to stay at a hostel. Just Google your hostel along with the word review and you're bound to find quite a few written by people that already stayed there. By reading reviews you can also see the pros and cons of each. One thing to look for is also the location of the hostel. Why some do have good reviews with great customer service and accommodations they're located in areas that could be dangerous. All in all, if you do it properly, staying in hostels while traveling is a great way to save money and also safe.
     
  10. postergirl

    postergirlMember

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    Geez! I don't know about the whole Hostel thing! I saw the movies! Part 1 and 2 and I'm staying away from Hostels!
    Haha!! Seriously, a friend of mine ONLY stays in Hostels when she travels. She loves it. It's the only way to see the world on a budget. I guess it depends on your needs/wants. I personally love the resorts, but I am not opposed to staying in a Hostel in order to save money.
     
  11. delusional

    delusionalActive Member

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    I don't think it's unsafe. I have stayed in several hostels and have never had a problem. Maybe there are some thieves occasionally but this almost never happens. Everything is guarded very well.
     
  12. kasi

    kasiActive Member

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    I think hostel is also safe place for the visitor because all the security is much better as compare to the hotel in my point of view and have much experience of hostel life..
     
  13. Hedonologist

    HedonologistActive Member

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    I've only done it once, and that was when all 8 of us booked a room. I've never done it with stranger and I would be quite averse to that actually. I know one person who did and they said they wouldn't recommend it.
     
  14. Ashlee

    AshleeActive Member

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    erikao1o! I always stayed at a hotel but with the grace of God I did not have any bad experience. I have been staying at many hotels but I always found them perfect in food, services, cleanliness and all other aspects. There are just few hotels those are not very good but average. I think you must check out all details of hotels on the internet.
     
  15. DonnaIReilly

    DonnaIReillyActive Member

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    Yes, I find all the hostels I have stayed in when traveling have been safe, this to me is one of those questions, because you can stay in a hotel and it not be safe. I think it depends on the location also and country also. Here in Ireland it tends to be more fun in a hostel, because you find a lot of musicians on the road, who get their guitars out for a sing song in the evening :).