Tried staying in hostels for a month instead of hotels - here's what changed

I spent June bouncing between hostels in six cities across Spain and Portugal. My nightly average dropped from $85 to $22, but the real difference was having to pack light and wash my own sheets every few days. The kicker? I met more locals in hostel common rooms than I ever did sitting alone in a hotel lobby bar. Anyone else find that hostels force you into a more genuine travel experience, or am I just getting cheap in my old age?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_karen8d ago

I'd rather pay $85 for a shower door that actually locks.

derek_burns8d ago

@the_karen I get that, but I read this article recently about how hostels are way safer than people think because of all the security measures they have now. Most places in Spain and Portugal give you a key card for your locker and the dorms have cameras in the hallways. Plus the staff is usually local and can tell you which bar has the good cheap tapas without the tourist markup. You might be surprised how nice some of them are, I saw one in Barcelona that had private pods with curtains and actual charging stations. The bathroom situation can be hit or miss though, that's probably the real downside.