She had been staying in them for a while at this point whilst touring around the country, and I always scoffed at the thought, but was slightly jealous of how she could afford to stay at a different place every couple nights. Luckily, a few years ago my lovely younger sister changed my entire perception after we stayed in a hostel in Kyoto, Japan. Prior to my experience, I was always under the impression of a hostel being this dingy establishment of cramped bunkbeds situated either in the heart of a busy city or the outskirts of town, filled with backpackers who couldn’t afford to stay anyplace else, with no food, and probably a really gross bathroom. Last time I was in town, I stayed at a lovely hotel which I was tempted to return to, but thought I’d go a different route this time around.īefore we get into some of those questions, some of you might be thinking, “What is a hostel?” I stayed in a hostel to be exact), and asked you guys on Instagram if you had any questions/concerns about the hostel life, because I’m aware it isn’t always the preferred type of accommodation for some especially if you’re a solo female (Muslim) traveler. As long as I’ve got a bed to sleep in and a bathroom in decent condition (okay, hot water too, lol) I tend to be alright!ĭon’t get me wrong: I have and do stay at hotels, and can definitely be about that fluffy pillow life at times, but there are alternatives out there which are just as good for a fraction of the price. I personally enjoy spending my travel budget on doing stuff as opposed to where I lay my head at night - again - depending on where in the world I’ve headed. The need for a fluffy pillow, a shower in only the most pristine of conditions, carpeted flooring, a closet with hangers, and whatever other comforts of home aren’t necessarily going to be givens once you leave for your travels.ĭepending on where and why you’re jetting off, you’ve almost always got somewhat of an idea of what you’d like to spend a chunk of your budget on: Tours, all-inclusive resorts to just chill and never leave the premises, food, a concert or event you’ve flown in for, shopping, sightseeing.
Everyone’s got different needs in general day-to-day life, and while traveling, those needs tend to be magnified to a million and one (for some).