Can someone tell me how the hostel system over there works? I may be planning a trip over there and everyone says that I should stay at hostels, but there is a serious lack of information beyond that.
Basically, there exists a system of hostels full of… Loose women who enjoy a fine American dick, or so the legend goes. However, upon staying at said hostels, you will undoubtedly be kidnapped, held captive, and tortured by wealthy individuals who find such violent behaviour to be quite satisfying.
Uh… right.
Anyways: the hostel system? For starters, hostels are affordable living spaces for tourists/visitors etc. Usually you book in advance, so it’s good to know where you’re going before you get there so you can check out the hostels and call one up. Or you can do what I did and show up at Barcelona and try to use some strange internet computer terminal and lose a euro and end up finding a place last minute… yeah.
There are various networks around the continent, and there’s also an international hostelling organization:
http://www.hihostels.com/
I found a good way to do things was to look up the various hostels in the city you plan on visiting and check out their prices, see if you need reservations, other rules etc. You want to make sure it has what you expect (internet and breakfast comes to mind for a good one).
There’s other hostel websites, you just need to do some searching for yourself. Where are you planning on going anyways? Because I stayed at a great hostel in Madrid called Cat’s hostel (I think that was it) as well as another good one in Nuremberg, Germany.
Good luck.
wouldn’t know much about other countries, but I know that in Germany you have to have a membership in order to be able to stay at a hostel, otherwise it gets expensive like shit. but a junior membership only costs 12,50 euros per year and you’ll get international discounts at many places. I’d use the link gila just gave you because that’s like the ‘major’ institution for that and they have the best databases/directories for available youth hostels around the world.
Hostels: usually okay to good accommodation for cheaper rates, though on less touristy places you may have to go for cheap hotels. I usually check more than one site (to see different reviews etc) but http://www.hostelworld.com/ has more countries than HI, if that’s an issue with you. As an aside, in many countries there is no age/membership penalty.
Keep in mind that you might not get private bed rooms or private bathrooms in these places, so bring essentials and watch out for your stuff.
and bring toilet paper. <.<;
There’s a Hostel in Ottawa, Canada if you ever want to come here. It used to be a courthouse though, and if you can sleep the whole night in one cell you sleep for free (it’s haunted or so it goes).
Anyway, Hostels are just places of cheaper accomodation, but most rooms are shared. They’re like RPG inns. One big bed room shared between all guests.
Yeah, this is true. Most of the time there are lockers you can rent out to keep your stuff in. I never had any thefts but I’m sure it happens often.
Oh and bring flipflops/sandals for the showers.
Also don’t forget your towel. Can’t Hitchhike from home without one. <_<
I can’t wait to bust into one on Sunday, shout “It’s Mana Holy Day! Gimme my free room, bitches!” and then jump headfirst into bed.
It is, however, just a legend.
just a legend.
Its weird. The past few years all I’ve heard about people doing is staying inside hostels. I’ve never done it and I don’t see myself ever doing it since I’d probably fucking kill someone. What’s driving everyone?
Some people don’t furiously want to kill 90% of the population with blunt objects.
They’ll only let you stay long enough so that they turn the lights off and then back on
Originally Posted by Cless Alvein
[i]
Quote:[QUOTE]Originally Posted by Kero Hazel View Post
I can’t wait to bust into one on Sunday, shout “It’s Mana Holy Day! Gimme my free room, bitches!” and then jump headfirst into bed.
They’ll only let you stay long enough so that they turn the lights off and then back on[/i][/QUOTE]
Nah. They’ll give him more time than that. Though how much more really depends on how long their sleeping at the inn music is. And he might get even more time asleep if the disembodied voice asking you if you want to save your game does so in the middle of the night or not.
Of course thats providing that the hostel offers sleeping accommodation instead of a meal which must be consumed in an entirely mannerless way. :hahaha;
Affordability, mainly. Hostels can be damn cheap, and even those cheap ones are probably maintained better than equally cheap hotel rooms. Not to mention it’s not bad sharing a room with other travellers, because you get to hear their stories and why they’re traveling etc.
Also you can get your own room.
Yeah that’s true. There are ones where you can get your own room, but I found those cost a bit more. If someone’s just backpacking, they might want to save the cash and share. I guess it depends on the money you have and what you find.