Posted by davidjbutler.info on January 20, 2009 under Hostel Life | 
Anyone planning on traveling and visiting a hostel should make reference to Hostelworld
I have found that they have helpful reviews, and that you can obtain excellent rates. It is not enough though to just check the % rating though as the comment review is, in my opinion, more important. A user may rate a hostel very low but do so with relation to a stated policy. It is important to determine the context of a positive or negative review. Some people may vote it positively because it was a great party atmosphere, while another will find that a negative attribute.
Other hostel sites include
HostelBookers
Hostelz
It is worth checking all these sites, as they may have hostels in areas less publicized such as Leeds
Posted by davidjbutler.info on January 16, 2009 under Hostel Life |
The first question you ask when you decide whether to stay in a hostel is “should I pick the 4-bed, 6-bed, 8-bed, large-dorm, etc…”
While it is sometimes easy to decide between “male, female, and mixed” – obviously mixed because then you might meet the girl of your dreams sleeping just above you. That’s almost in your bed right?
The size of your room is the factor which determines the price per night of the bed. If you are with 3 of your friends, I think a 4-bed is justified, otherwise you may as well sleep in the large dorm. Regardless of room-size, you can still end up sleeping in a room with a chronic snorer, someone who’s sick, or any other undesirable person.
While a bigger room will result in a statistically higher percentage of this happening on average, one will have the same effect. Staying in a larger room though will allow you greater relative distance to this person. You also have more room to spread out during off-peak seasons.
A smaller room can provide you with greater privacy though. This is a more intimate setting, and only a couple people will see you in your “unmentionables”. These smaller rooms also may not have en-suite bathrooms, which depending on your perspective will be a negative attribute – but that’s a question for another article.
Posted by davidjbutler.info on January 13, 2009 under Galway, Hostel Life |
I arrived here on the 6th of January, 2009.
This hostel is located seconds from Eyre Square in Galway, Ireland. This is an excellent choice because it allows easy access to the centre of the city, shop street, and many bars, pubs, and clubs.
There is a public kitchen, and common area where many people who haven’t left to enjoy the city hang out. It is quite easy to meet people in this hostel due to the central common room area.
The rooms are warm, and very clean, and most have en-suite bathrooms.
I think this is the most multi-cultural hostel I have stayed at with an even distribution of French, Spanish, Canadian, German, Finnish, and the list goes on.
Posted by davidjbutler.info on under Hostel Life |
Located next to the Natural History Museum in London England, this accommodation is my current favorite for the touring traveller.
This hostel is located a couple minutes from the South Kensington Tube station, and with an Oyster Card (an excellent option), has easy access to the entire city.
This hostel has a “No Alcohol Policy”, but with the variety of pubs, bars, and clubs in the city, alcohol in the hostel is not necessary. Affordable drinking can be obtained within minutes of this hostel.
The only negative is that there is no public kitchen.
Posted by davidjbutler.info on under Hostel Life |
I arrived in London, England to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2008.
This hostel was the cheapest available, at £10/night in a 15-bed dorm. Locker’s are not included in the price. If you are traveling with a computer, or anything that needs to be locked up, you will need to rent a locker at £1.50/night, bringing the actual total to £11.50.
The room I stayed in was stuffy, and not very comfortable. Featuring “puke pillows”, these plastic pillows and plastic duvet make the room feel quite budget.
This hostel has close proximity to the train stations, and food areas, but unless you are determining your trip by location alone, I believe you can do better.
Posted by davidjbutler.info on under Dublin, Hostel Life |
I arrived here October 29th, 2008.
This is an excellent hostel located directly across the Liffey from the Four Courts Judicial building in Dublin, Ireland. It is about a 10 minute walk along the quay’s to O’Connell street, and the center of the city. On this journey you will pass by the “Temple Bar” area, the nightlife capital of the city.
Beds in this hostel range from €10 to €25 for a shared room. If you are not staying in a private room, or fully booking the shared room with your group, then I would recommend staying in the largest available room.
During the week this is a generally quiet place to stay, but on Friday and Saturday it turns into a social place to start for a night out. I’ve met some fun people to go out with, and have some social drinks in the hostel before going out to the Temple Bar, or any of the other social places.
Posted by davidjbutler.info on under Hostel Life |
Afraid?
So was I. Before I left on my adventure to Ireland I had never stayed, nor considered life, in a hostel. After nearly three months having my primary residence a hostel, it is not bad. I actually enjoy it. It reminds me of my first year in University.
My first hostel was the Four-Courts in Dublin, Ireland. I booked a bed in a 6-bed room as the concept of a “12-bed Dormatory” seemed quite intimidating. However, as my stay extended from 1-week, I realized that there is nearly no functional difference between the two. Either way you are sharing a room, and nearly all non-private rooms are the same. People get up in the night, come in late, etc, but I believe that the bigger rooms are more beneficial.
A long-term traveller appears more likely to book into a larger room, while a short-term partier will pick a smaller room. This has meant that I have had a better sleep in the larger rooms, than in the smaller rooms, as people get up a bit later, are quieter (sneak in if coming in late at night, rather than making a racket).
However, these better sleeps could be a by-product of my accustomization to hostel culture. I don’t notice cars driving by, while other people have noted the next day “did you hear the accident outside last night”.
If you are planning a trip to a hostel, I would recommend reading the reviews. If it has a review >75% then you will probably have an enjoyable trip. Check to see why people have given a bad review.
If you are planning to tour a city, then a hostel with a “no alcohol policy” may be beneficial. This means that you will not have rowdy guests who will party all evening in the hostel, and be loud in the bunks. However, if you are looking to party, then this crowd will be one you want to associate with, and the alcohol policy will be a negative aspect.
I have enjoyed stays in both types of hostel, and enjoyed both. In my opinion it is necessary to determine what you plan to do with your time, and to be aware of what you’re signing up for.
