Four Reasons to Avoid Staying in Hostels

Hostels are a great way to find cheap accommodation on a trip, but there are a load of annoyances that go along with the price.

Some of these include:

1. Lack of privacy.

2. Noise.

3. Dirty bathrooms and kitchens.

4. Crappy rooms.

Lack of Privacy
So, the first point is lack of privacy. If you stay in a hostel, you will probably be sharing a room with at least 3 other people. These people will be walking in and out of the room. They will be packing and unpacking and shuffling and playing music and hanging out. You may be sleeping and they may be talking. They may lay things on your bed or leave their crap all over the room.

Noisy
The second point is noise. If you are a light sleeper, do not stay in a hostel for long. People are constantly coming in and out and it will likely not quite down until 1 or 2 in the morning. You will hear belly laughs until midnight at least--in most places. So, if you want a peaceful place to sleep, do not stay at a hostel.

Dirty
The third point is dirty facilities. Probably the vast majority of hostels are not cleaned often or well enough. The "communal" toilets and showers get damp and dank. Water that is spilt on the floor tends to stay there. Garbage and other peoples things tend to collect around the sink.

Kitchens are probably the worst. Unknown items tend to accumulate over days and weeks. These "items" begin to rot and "mature." The cookware is usually dented and old or insufficient. The cabinets are usually from another era.

"Crappy Rooms"
The fourth point is "crappy rooms." The rooms tend to be about as nice as the buildings that the rooms are in. They tend to have creaking floors and 36 layers of paints on the trim. The beds may sway back and forth from lack of screws.

So, this is what it is really like to stay in a hostel. It is cheap and an "adventure", but if you really need a good night sleep or want to relax, its probably not the place.