The Truth About Hostels

When my long-time friend and travel partner-in-crime, Crystal, invited me on a spur-of-the-moment five week tour of Europe last year, I could not have been more esctatic. I envisioned us spending our days lounging on exclusive white sandy beaches in the French Riviera, sipping overpriced cappuccinos in trendy Roman cafes, and dancing the nights away in fashionable London nightclubs. Yes, it was going to be fantastic. That is, until I took a look at my checkbook balance, and reality hit me like a brick to the back of the head. If this trip was to happen at all, I realized, I would have to learn the art of budget travel. And I was fine with trading in my monogrammed luggage and first class plane tickets for a sturdy backpack and a demotion to coach. But then came a chilling realization: We would be staying in hostels.

Yes, hostels. Think musty, bunk bed filled rooms, dirty mattresses, and dirtier roommates. Not to mention the grimy, locker-room style bathrooms, cold showers and nonfunctioning toilets. Understandably, I was less than enthusiastic.

Well, in the end, not only did I (somehow) survive my budget Euro trip, but I also managed to have an amazing time. And once I got past my initial snobbery, I quickly discovered that hostels aren't merely an unfortunate inconvenience for the broke traveler. Hostels offer an array of useful services and provide backpackers with the opportunity to experience aspects of their travel destination they might have otherwise overlooked.

I have become quite the hostel expert, as I've since spent countless nights "bunking it" in various hostels throughout Europe and South America. And I've found that there are many reasons why travelers, budget or not, should consider making hostels a part of their next big trip.

1) Hostels are cheap.