You've heard of hostels (and if you haven't, know that hostels are the way to stay for you around the world) -- now the question would be: how to find hostels? Get a good start with this hostels guide.
About Hostels
© Kathleen Crislip
So, we just mentioned knowing about hostels: if you don't know, this is a great time to find out.. get the entire skinny on hostels and how hostels work here before scrolling down the rest of this page for a hostels guide:
Australian Hostels
© Kathleen Crislip
Australia knows how to do hostels, perhaps because this country wants backpackers and caters to us better than perhaps any place on the planet. You can work in Australia while you backpack the continent, you can rent or buy cars, you can do it all, and get the info you need for what you're doing next at your hostel. Some specifics: Sydney Hostels (and a special list of best Sydney hostels) Brisbane Hostels (pay special attention to the beauty Bunk Brisbane) Melbourne Hostels Katoomba Hostels
European Hostels
If you're heading out for the summer, you're statistically likely to be headed for Europe, and you'll be delighted to find that Europe, especially Western Europe, has a hostel or two near every central train station just about everywhere along the beaten path. Check out a few from perennially popular places in Europe:
Mexico Hostels
Mexico's a great place to try your travel legs -- easy, relatively inexpensive (compared to, say, London), exotically awesome, and warm and friendly. From mountains to rainforest to beach, you'll love this country from coast to fabulous coast -- and you can drive to Mexico! Figure on less than $15 / night at these Mexico hostels:- Acapulco Hostels
- Cancun Hostels
- Guadalajara Hostels (our fave is the Hostal de Maria)
UK Hostels
© Kathleen Crislip
There's more to the UK than London and Dublin -- but those are places you're likely to lodge upon arrival in the UK. Check out a few UK hostels:
US Hostels
If you haven't stayed in hostels yet, start by staying in one in your own hometown, or the next town over -- bag the budget inn thing and go for the gold in lodging where you'll meet like-minded travlers. Two we like on the two coasts:The Rest of the World
© Rachelle Bowden
Though we've listed a few fiery hot spots you're most likely to love, there is an entire globe to be trotted -- find a few resources for help with your own hostels hunt:
Discount Cards for Hostels
International hostel organization YHA (Youth Hostel Association -- or HI-- Hostelling International) issues hostel discounts in exchange for membership, and some independent country-based hostel organizations offer discount cards. Don't expect much, though...Hostels Have Private Rooms?
© Kathleen Crislip
Many hostels have incredibly awesome private rooms which completely rule. Take a look at a few photos from some of my fave private rooms from the past few years and see for yourself if it's worth the extra expense (2-3 times as much as a hostel dorm room) to you to book a private room next time -- or, if this is your first time traveling alone, whether it's worth the bucks to jump into the swim gradually -- if a dorm room sleeping up to 18 is the deep end, then a private room is the paddling pool and just as easy as a hotel room, except you're in hostels with all that that entails.
