HO(S)TEL

So we have all heard that hostels are diversifying, no longer just for the poor backpacker, right? But, honestly, who believes that? I’m sure there are a lot of people who still think that hostels are not for them; in fact, before I started working here I thought hostels were not my thing. Every time I said to myself “I’m just travelling for few days, I might be better off paying a little more and stay somewhere more comfortable”. But you know what? It is never ‘a little more’ and I always end up being all day out and just going to the hotel to sleep! But since I saw for myself how clean and comfy hostels are (at least our hostels!!), I started choosing them over hotels, and here are some reasons why I have become an advocate for staying in hostels:

1.    Hostels are cheaper and you can save for new journeys. This one is the first, as it is the most obvious. It is so easy to pick up the travel bug and always wondering where your next destination is. It is definitely like this for me (The more you travel, the more you want to keep travelling), but the money is always an obstacle. So here is the thing: hostels are usually way more cheaper than hotels, so you will spend less and save money to keep doing what you like most: travelling.

2.    To socialize with strangers. After a long day exploring the city, a hotel can be quiet and full of people keeping to themselves. Nightfall is the best moment of the day in a hostel: everybody is wearing comfy clothes after having just showered and the kitchen and the living room become a meeting place. People sharing their day at a table full of new friends from all around the world, telling some funny stories, eating tasty food and, above all, it is a place to create new experiences you will be sharing with family and friends for years to come.

3.    The people working there like to travel too. Usually, the people working in a hostel are people who love travelling themselves, so they have been there and done that; ask them about it as they often have a cool story and may know well what you are looking for and give you some ideas.

4.    You can get to meet people from all over the world. So picture yourself cooking in the hostel’s kitchen and suddenly you realize you forgot to buy eggs and your carbonara won’t taste good without it! But the person next to you has plenty of eggs and so he/she offers you one, and you both start talking about recipes and, after a while, you are chatting about the difference between your countries. All of a sudden, you are making plans to sightsee together next morning and instead of exploring the city by yourself you will do it with someone you didn’t know at all 24h earlier.

5.    They are your home far from home. That is one of the things that defines hostels; it looks and feels like home. Each one is different from the rest and has its own personality. You will be able to do things you could do at your place, like watch a movie in the living room in your pyjamas; but this time you will be surrounded by other travelers. And hostels are also where you will have someone to talk to when you come back from an amazing day; and that is always great!

Friday evening at The Hostel Box