10 Things to absolutely know when staying at a Hostel as a Senior
A must read for mature travelers.
They used to be called youth hostels, but in today’s age, they’re available to everybody. Nevertheless, once you reach a certain age, it becomes more challenging to stay in them. But the low rates of shared accommodations help you to save money and not to blow your travel budget. Personally, I like interacting with the other people with whom I share a room and have picked up valuable tips for future travel destinations from other fellow travelers. I have not encountered any ageism. Nevertheless, hosteling for seniors can be a challenge. Here are the most crucial hints on how to survive.
Don’t always go for the recommended hostel.
The places that are featured in Lonely Planet and other guidebooks and are frequently reviewed on the internet are often overbooked. Other hostels in the vicinity might be just as good and even cheaper. For example, in Medellin, everybody flocks to Los Patios hostel, while Masaya hostel, a few blocks away, is just as good. Even Rango hostel not stared in the guidebooks is lovely. Actually, I liked the last two better; I stayed at all of them. But as it is newer, Masaya did not make it into the latest edition of the travel guides. I found it by searching highly rated hostels on www.booking.com. Another source of reviews is mouth-to-mouth. Always ask your fellow hostel roommates where they stayed before and if they liked it. That way, you get a better sense of what to expect at your next destination.
I noticed recently that there are more and more chain hostels catering to remotely working global nomads. They focus on offering better common areas for those who stay longer than the average backpacker.
In that context, I’m not a great fan of the Selina chain, which is considerably more expensive than the average hostel with a nicer designed foyer, but the actual bedrooms are just as dingy as those of cheaper places.
Avoid party hostels like the plague.
Each larger destination has one. Usually, you can tell by the pictures posted on the hostel’s website if they fall into this category by showing photos of lots of happy young people toasting each other.
Once I accidentally booked such a place in Cambodia. When I arrived, I looked around and the receptionist seeing the expression on my face was smart enough to immediately offer to rebook me in a nearby place more suitable and even called me a taxi. If you are not so lucky, you will find that the place is incredibly noisy from pool or rooftop parties and that people will enter and leave the room all night long.
Bring earplugs and/or earphones for your cell phone.
Unless you are alone in a hostel room in the countryside, there is always something or somebody bound to be noisy. Bring earplugs! If earplugs don’t work, just listen to music on your cell phone that puts you to sleep. Even watching a movie on my phone under the covers puts me to sleep. Thrillers are my favorites. I never find out who did it as I am usually already asleep.
Be the first one to use the bathroom or take a shower
When lots of people share the bathrooms, take a shower at an off time, when your roommates are not awake yet or before everybody comes home from dining or partying. That way, there is no waiting, you can take your time, and you might be lucky that nobody has left their hair in the drain yet.
Lay out all your stuff in the evening when the lights are still on
If you wake up early like me, make sure you have everything on hand that you need for the early morning hours. That way, you can sneak out of the room with the minimum amount of commotion when you’re supposed to keep the room dark as everybody else is sleeping. As I need to take medication first thing in the morning, I always put it out with a bottle of water so I can reach for it right away without rummaging through my bags. I just wish that those young kids would learn that lesson when they leave to catch an early bus or train rather than stomping around the room, illuminating everything with their cell phones.
Always opt for the room with the fewest beds
Most hostels offer rooms with different numbers of beds. even if it costs more money. It minimizes your chance of being in the room with the one idiot that keeps talking late into the night or arrives drunk at an ungodly hour,
Always ask for a lower bunk bed.
This is a no-brainer for anybody whose bones creak when climbing up steep ladders. When booking, you can send a message to the hostel asking for one. Usually, that works.
Bring a sturdy non TSA approved padlock.
I find the TSA-approved luggage locks too flimsy, and you never know who owns those TSA keys. Today most hostels have lockers where one can use one’s padlock. Personally, I keep a sturdy brass number lock. In places with no lockers, I put my valuables in the lockable pouch that I afterward put in a locked suitcase. Somebody can take the whole piece of luggage, but it’s not very likely.
Invest in an extra-long cord for your phone charger.
The better, newer hostels have individual outlets to charge your phone right next to your bed. But you might end up in an older place where the electric outlet is across the room. You will thank for this suggestion if you prefer to sit on your bed while checking your e-mails and not on the floor next to the outlet.
Be flexible! Every hostel is a different scenario.
Staying in Corumbá, a remote town in the Pantanal close to the Brazilian — Ecuadorian border, I was delighted to be the only person in a hostel and enjoy some privacy. But not having any locks on the door when I was the only person around was somewhat disconcerting. A fork that I found in the kitchen solved the problem. Although I doubt it would’ve resisted any serious intruders, it at least deterred any casual wandering into the room while I was asleep. Although there are some standard features, every hostel stay in its way is unique!
Staying in hostels is always an adventure! It makes for the good and the bad. If you enjoyed my suggestions, please click the like button and follow me for other stories. Are there any suggestions you like to add from your own experiences?
