We’re a couple of guys who, even in our late 30s and 40s, still prefer hostels to hotels. That said, we’ll stay in some pretty nice places if the opportunity arises. Aside from those rare occasions though, we’d choose a 4-bed dorm in a nice hostel any day because we feel the experience is better when you interact with lots of people. And if we really want an intimate experience, we’ll use Couchsurfing. We have a whole section dedicated to that which you should read.
Most hostels are staffed by people who know the area very well and know you’re on a budget. Hostels usually have bulletin boards with activities that are happening in the area. Some even include information about ways to save money.
The people
Another reason we like hostels: we just love the types of people who stay there. Most times, you meet people with the same goals as you who’ve already been in your chosen city for a week. They’re eager to tell you what worked, what didn’t, and how they’d have done it differently if they had a do-over. This is valuable and will make your experience worthwhile.
Food
This is not true everywhere, of course, but most of the hostels we’ve stayed at include a free breakfast – usually coffee, tea, local fruit, cereals, and breads.
Many also have a fully equipped kitchen. Go to the supermarket, buy a few day’s worth of good food, and cook your own meals. That can be a tremendous savings, and it’s often nice to share meals and cook your favorite dishes for others you meet.
What you’ll find here
On this page, you’ll mostly find hostel reviews and reviews for inexpensive hotels we found where hostels were not available. But you’ll also find reviews for an occasional luxury property. Sometimes, we need “a vacation from our vacation” and want to pamper ourselves a little bit. Not often. But sometimes the mood strikes us!
By the way, we normally book our hostels at Booking.com. If you use that link to book your accommodations, we’ll make a little money at no cost to you. It helps us keep this place running, and we really would appreciate your support.
Hotel & Hostel Reviews
North America
Downtown DC Hostel – Washington, DC
Sweet Peas Hostel – Asheville, North Carolina
Marin Headlands Hostel – San Francisco
South America
Jungle Lodge Hotel – Tikal, Guatemala
Europe
Dreamy Castle Hostel – Minsk, Belarus
Full Moon Design Hostel – Budapest, Hungary
Baroque Hostel Budapest – Budapest, Hungary
Maverick Lodge Hostel – Budapest, Hungary
The Ultimate Guide to Svalbard Accommodation – Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Norway
Hotel Belarus – Minsk, Belarus
Asia
Marina Bay Sands Hotel – Singapore
Hotel New Tochigiya – Tokyo, Japan
Six Degrees Backpackers Hostel – Jakarta, Indonesia
Edelweiss Boutique Hotel – Bali, Indonesia
D’City Hotel – Dili, East Timor
Flute Boutique Hotel – Jaipur, India
LVIS Boutique Hotel – Male, Maldives
Middle East
Setareh Hotel – Isfahan, Iran
Rose Hotel – Yazd, Iran
Hotel Eram – Shiraz, Iran
Fardis Hotel – Tehran, Iran