The backpacker who told me hostels are a rip-off now and hotels are cheaper - debate?

So I was at a coffee shop yesterday and overheard this older guy telling his friend that hostels in Europe are now $50 a night while budget hotels are $60. He said you lose the social vibe and pay more for a bunk bed. That got me thinking, is he right? I've booked hostels in Barcelona for $35 a night before but that was 2019. What's your experience been lately, are hostels still the budget king or have hotels caught up?

2 comments

2 Comments

alice_palmer2016d ago

Nah, hostels still win if you're traveling solo and want to meet people.

tessa_clark7415d ago

Isn't the whole point of hostels the experience though, not just the price? I gotta disagree with @alice_palmer20 here because I've seen plenty of solo travelers just scroll on their phones in common rooms. Hotels give you privacy and a real bed, and if you're paying $50 for a hostel bunk, that's basically what you'd pay for a no-frills private room on a good deal. The social vibe isn't guaranteed either - I've had hostel stays where nobody talked to anyone. If you're clever about booking off-season or using last-minute apps, hotels can easily match or beat hostel prices in most European cities now.