Hostels, the New Way to Travel on a Budget

For those who do not know what a hostel is; by definition, a Hostel is a supervised, inexpensive lodging place for travelers. You can buy a private room or a bed in a dormitory. Living areas are shared. There is usually a live-in owner or house manager to help when you need it. It is a wonderful alternative to more expensive hotels and motels.

Europeans have known for years the joys of staying at Hostels for a fun and inexpensive way to stretch their travel dollars. After decades of popularity in Europe, hostelling has become the newest travel craze in America.

Today’s hostels are no longer just for the young. Most hostels give travelers a choice of private rooms with or without a private bath, or a bunk bed in a dormitory sharing a bath. Dormitory rooms can be female only, male only or mixed. As a result, families with children, singles, couples and retirees have all discovered hostels as a great way to stretch their travel budget. Some hostels specialize in providing travel services just for seniors. “Elder Hostels” have become very popular with seniors on a fixed income who want to travel, learn and socialize.

Hostelling started in Germany to give city kids a chance to see the countryside. Soon hostels spread across Europe gaining in popularity with young people as a safe way to have a bed, shower plus security as they backpacked through Europe. Staying at a hostel was a great way to meet other young people from around the world. Making new friends was easy, since travelers stayed in dormitory rooms in bunk beds, sharing the kitchen, living areas and bathrooms. Hostels began to spring up in the United States as Americans who enjoyed their European hostel experience brought the idea home.

When you think about what you do on vacation, are you normally looking for an interesting city, attraction or beach to enjoy? Do you plan to fill your days exploring, shopping, eating and having fun? At night are you tired and just need a safe, clean, quiet and comfortable place to sleep? Then hostelling is for you.

In today’s tough economy, our travel budgets have decreased along with our bank accounts and retirement accounts. Hostels give travelers a chance to get away for a few days or take that family vacation without ‘breaking the bank”. While prices vary from place to place and season to season, dormitory beds typically cost from $15 to $22.00 per night, and private rooms range from $30.00 to $60.00 and up per night, depending on the room and number of people in the group. Reservations are recommended, but most hostels welcome walk-in traffic.

American hostels must be licensed in their state and provide security locks in all the rooms. Hostels are usually located in residential areas within walking distance to the area attractions. When you stay at a hostel, other guests, neighbors and employees are happy to fill you in on the best places to see and great places to eat. Best of all, local businesses will typically supply the hostel with plenty of discount coupons for restaurants, bike rentals, museums and local attractions.

It is important to understand what hostels will and won’t provide so you know what to expect before you get there. While only some hostels provide breakfast, they usually all have food storage and refrigeration available so you can bring your own food. Most American hostels provide linens, while many European hostels do not. There could be free Wi-Fi for your laptop and/or a house computer to check your email. If you are traveling by car, make sure parking is available. If you need a ride to or from the airport, they can usually find transportation for you. Most hostels have websites, so check the internet to see their rates and amenities before you make a reservation.

As you can see, a Hostel is like staying with friends or family, much more personal than a hotel or motel. It is that feeling of being with friends and of course the tremendous savings that has made hostels the cheap travel alternative and the latest travel craze in America.