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Met a guy in Lisbon who thinks hostels are a waste of money, and I couldn't disagree more
I was in Lisbon a few months back, sharing a dorm with this older guy, maybe in his 50s. Over breakfast, he told me point blank, 'You're throwing cash away on these places. A private room is the only way to travel right.' He said he'd rather stay in one city for two days less than 'put up with the noise and shared bathrooms.' But for me, that $25 a night bunk is the whole point. The kitchen lets me cook cheap meals, the free walking tours start in the lobby, and I've gotten my best trip tips from roommates over a beer. That social map you get just by being there saves me more than any private room ever could. Has anyone else had this argument, and what's your best hostel story that saved you a bunch of cash?
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the_andrew1mo agoMost Upvoted
Yeah, that bit about the social map saving more than a private room ever could is so true. I got stuck in Budapest once when my train got canceled, and a guy in my hostel bunk knew about a local bus service that wasn't in any guide. Cost me like three bucks for a ticket, versus the eighty the travel desk at a hotel wanted to charge for a last minute fix. The free city walk from that same hostel also showed me a cheap market I ate at for days. Those little tips add up to way more than just a quiet room.
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mark3611mo ago
I was totally that guy in my late 20s, swore by cheap hotels. Then in Krakow, my hostel roommate tipped me off to a local bus that cost a dollar to the salt mines, versus the $50 tour. The free breakfast was huge, and the staff mapped out three free walking tours that showed me the whole city. I saved hundreds that week just by talking to people in the common room.
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