Mark Abadi/Business Insider
- A hostel can be a great place to stay on your travels.
- But it’s hard to choose a good hostel before you arrive.
- A traveler who’s stayed in nearly 100 hostels, and worked in one, explains how to tell if the hostel you chose is safe, clean, and a good place to stay — or not.
For millions of travelers, hostels are the preferred choice of lodging.
The benefits are obvious: Hostels are generally inexpensive, conveniently located, and a great way to meet other travelers and share recommendations. As long as you don’t mind sharing a bedroom and bathroom, they’re the perfect place to stay when you’re on vacation.
But hostels can range widely in quality. I would know — I’ve stayed in close to 100 hostels on four continents, from an uber-fancy, palace-like hostel in Paris to a $ 1-a-night gem in Hanoi, Vietnam. I even spent one summer working at a hostel in New York City.
While most hostel experiences went off without a hitch, I’ve also learned the red flags that scream “avoid this place.”
Here are nine red flags to watch out for before you unpack your suitcase:
The hostel has a different name or address than it does on the website
Shutterstock
It’s a huge red flag if you show up to your hostel and find it operates under a different name than the one listed online.
The same thing goes if you make your booking online, only to receive an email instructing you to go to a different address than the one listed.
Both of those things could be an indicator that the hostel isn’t actually a legitimate business, and is trying to skirt authorities by concealing its name and location.
The location seems sketchy
Michal Switon on Flirk
Safety is the most important factor in choosing a hostel, and you shouldn’t settle for a hostel in a sketchy neighborhood just to save a few bucks.
When you arrive to check in, it’s not a bad idea to explore the neighborhood surrounding the hostel to make sure it’s in a a well-lit, high-trafficked area. If you are getting bad vibes from the area, there’s no shame in switching hostels.
The doors aren’t locked when you walk in
Flickr / Paul Cheek
It’s important for hostels to secure their entrances in some way, like requiring a key to get in or having guests buzz a doorbell from outside the front gate. Bonus points if there are security cameras outside the front door and in the reception area. The hostel I worked at required guests to enter a combination on a push-button lock to enter the lobby.
Even in good neighborhoods, hostels can be lucrative targets for criminals, and your hostel should take precautions to ensure the safety of its guests.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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