Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hostel

what is a deposito bancario in mexican parlance?

dahliachewswell — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:39:49 -0800

CheapMexicoVactionFilter: I'm communicating via email (in spanish) with a seemingly very nice hostel in Oaxaca about booking a 3 night stay...they won't do an online credit card deposit, but want something called a "deposito bancario" (literal translation: bank deposit)? Anyone know what exactly this means in Mexican hostel parlance and is it sketchy? as a note: the hostel does not seem sketchy and is recommended by lonelyplanet, just can't figure out what they're asking me to do (and therefore if i want to do that...)

Hotel and food recommendations for a solo traveller to NYC

une_heure_pleine — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:52:42 -0800

Visiting New York for the first time (from Australia) in a couple of weeks. Will be travelling solo, and am looking for hotel and food recommendations. (I did search, but the answers are a few years old now, or aimed at different budgets)

I'm perfectly happy with my own company most of the time, especially during the day. Even so, I'd like to meet a few people to go for a drink or dinner some nights, as I'll be there for two weeks. In the past when I've travelled solo, I've stayed in dorms. I'm a bit older now (late 20s) and have less tolerance for all-night boozing and general grottiness.

So, any suggestions for either a hostel with private rooms that's friendly but not party-central, or a budget hotel with a sociable common area where I might meet people? Budget is ideally no more than $80 per night but could stretch for the right place. Private bathroom is nice but not necessary.

Alternately, suggestions for other places to go/things to do where I might meet some people to hang out with for a night?

Also, I'm interested in checking out a couple of the better restaurants in town. I'm expecting to have to do this alone unless I randomly meet another foodie. Any ideas for restaurants in $30-for-a-main-course bracket where I'll be treated like a human being despite being there alone? My preference is for high quality, innovative food, rather than just wherever is hot right now.

Should I join Youth Hosteling?

jefficator — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:44:45 -0800

Is joining Youth Hosteling International cost effective for me? In the UK, if you stay in a YHA Youth Hostel, you pay 3 pounds when you're not a member of YHA.

Joining Youth Hosteling costs $25. That means if I pay 3 pounds six times, then I've lost money compared with being a hostel member.

So here's my question: is this 3 pound fee charged per hostel, or per night? If its charged per hostel and I stay in four hostels, then membership is not cost effective. If its charged per night and I stay ten nights in hostels, then membership is more cost effective.

Does anyone know the best course of action for me?

Best American hostels?

smackfu — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:58:49 -0800

What are the best hostels in the U.S. and Canada? The various hostel finder sites are aimed at people who know where they are traveling and want to find a place to stay. This works well in Europe where they are usually a dozen choices so you can travel anywhere, but not so well in the US where some major cities have zero good hostels. And I don't really care where I go, I just want to go away for a long weekend and not spend much money.

You can define "best" however you wish, but not requiring a car would be a big plus.

What's a good Vancouver hostel?

msbrauer — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:51:55 -0800

I need a place to stay in Vancouver on Sunday before a flight. What's a good and cheap hostel in Vancouver, Canada, close to easy transportation to the airport (i.e. the Quick Shuttle)?

Cheap, but fun Europe!

lattiboy — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:19:10 -0800

Help me plan an October European vacation (starting/ending in Madrid) on the cheap! Since AskMe was SO helpful last time, I thought I'd try a bigger project:

I picked up a pair of airline tickets to Madrid for an incredible price about a month ago and now I'm freaking out about 10 days in Europe and the costs associated with that. I'll be traveling with my fiance and we're open to just about anything (we would like to avoid non-private hostel rooms). The travel dates are from October 1st until the 10th.

We'd like to see as much as possible (Paris and London especially) for as little as possible.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

PS The conversion rate being what it is, if EASTERN EUROPE is realistic, I'm all over that!

Youth hostel in London?

malapropist — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:39:21 -0800

I'm going to London for a week in August. Can you recommend a good hostel for a young traveler type who wants to meet other travelers and have a good time? Just wondering if anyone had a sweet hostel in London for a young traveler that they could recommend unequivocally.

My only hostel experience before was staying at the Green Tortoise in San Francisco, and it was pretty ideal: cheap rooms, a common dining/party area where you could bring beer or liquor in and hang out, talk to other people staying there, even smoke pot as long as you were somewhat discreet. The hostel organized pub crawls down the street on Wednesdays, and even had internet connected computers for everyone to use. I thought it was an ideal place to stay, and I'm looking for something like this in London.

It seems there are a lot of hostels in London, but looking through listings it's hard to tell what kind of a place a certain hostel is, whether it's a straight-laced hotelish type place, or if it's more of a traveler's hostel, and some reviews of places I've seen have depicted certain places as crapholes.

I'm looking to just rent a bed in a dorm room, I've never done that before and want to see what it's like. I was curious, what can I do with my backpack (that'll be my only luggage) if I want to say, go to a pub or something. Any chance a hostel would have lockers or something? Or should I get one at say, a train station? Is there really a secure way to store my backpack for a few hours or maybe a day at the most at a time? I mean, when I'm out seeing the sights and taking pictures and whatnot, I won't mind carrying the backpack, but sometimes I'll want to just leave it behind somewhere. Previously, I'd just leave it in the room I'm staying in, but if I'm just staying on a bed in a communal room, what should I do with it?

Does anyone know of a specific hostel in London that sounds like what I described above, or is just generally a fun place for a 23 year old guy in London by himself for a week? Thanks!

ugh. I'm going to be homeless in Paris.

amtho — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:27:46 -0800

I need to find a place to stay in Paris, starting tomorrow morning. I'm starting to panic. Oh yeah, and I have a migraine, haven't had any food on my stomach since yesterday, and generally feel awful. I feel pretty stupid. I had an apartment lined up, went to see it today, and it smelled like smoke -- a lot -- in the bedroom. In my current state, it made me want to cry. Smoke and migraines don't go together well. I felt so bad, though, that I paid the guy 20 euros to let me take a nap there before I tackled the metro and the trip back to my current lodgings.

Ugh. I'm looking at hostels, but will a dorm room be OK if I'm still getting better? And I usually keep food around since I'm vegetarian; can anyone recommend a specific hostel, with vacancies from tomorrow?

I've looked at a few relevant threads on AskMe, but didn't get a plan of action from them.

My French is pretty bad, too.

Hostelling in Miami Beach, theft-free

spherical_perceptions — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:05:57 -0800

MiamiFilter: At the end of May, as part of a longer trip, I will be spending a couple of days in Miami, I will be staying at a hostel in Miami Beach. This is my first hostelling experience and I am a bit concerned about theft of my belongings since one of the hostel reviews I've read indicate there may not always be enough lockers for all the guests (I chose it for location and social aspects). I will also have to park a rental car, probably in a municipal parking garage. Is it safe to leave some clothes/stuff in the car? How big is car crime in this area? Finally, I've read various tips online about how to survive the hostel experience, but any specific tips applicable to Miami would be appreciated.

I know I won't need the kitchen sink, but what do I need?

theraflu — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:31:04 -0800

Visiting London on a budget and confused about logistics. How do I plan and pack? My spouse and I, who have never been out of the US before and have never attended a music festival that's not close to home, want to visit England for a week this summer and attend one while there.

The plan is to fly cheap, hole up in hostels for a few days and purchase an Oyster card, with which we can get around London and see the sights on a budget. This alone wouldn't require too much packing (I plan on utilizing the one bag idea for this, so that I'm not keeping too much stuff on me at any one time--especially in an unlocked tent). To get to the concert grounds, we'll just hop a train/bus/whatever the day it begins and pitch a tent for the weekend.

We already own a tent, a two-person sleeping bag and an air mattress, but I know that this will be way too much to pack for an overseas flight and a couple of days staying in a hostel. So this question is multifaceted:

How do I pack light to accommodate for both halves of the trip (hostel living in the city, and tent-dwelling in the country)? This will be in late July heat and I don't want to haul around a ton of stuff all week.

Should I bother bringing outdoor gear for one weekend, or should I buy gear while there? They say "don't bother bringing x because the odds you'll need it are very low", but surely this is a special situation. Where can I buy this stuff in London, and on a budget?

Any other relevant advice/tips for a first-timer at both overseas travel and slumming it in a tent for the weekend? I want to maximize the fun and awesome stuff I'll get to do and see, while not spending too much (damn exchange rate!)

looking for affordable and cheap hotel/hostels in Los Angeles and San Diego

waylaid — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:26:31 -0800

Looking for a quiet and affordable hotel or hostel (w/private room) in Los Angeles and one in San Diego during the first week of June! I really don't need anything nice, just a secure place that's close to a mass transit station (i know getting around via transit isn't the easiest, but bear with me...!). Even a shared bathroom is fine... There's a lot of low-end hotels on Priceline, Kayak, and other places, but I obviously can't tell what's okay and what's not. I know with the economy being down, there should be deals out there. I do a lot of traveling in the US, but normally stay with friends, so I'm not sure what to look for...!

Stay in Takayama for April 14-15

olya — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:34:17 -0800

Need a room in or around Takayama, Japan for April 14-15 - everything looks booked. Mefi, help! Are there any nearby cities? My parents are going to Japan in April, and they are trying to book a room in (or around) Takayama for the night of April 14-15 (2009). There is a festival in the town, and everything looks booked up. Can any one familiar with Japan or the area recommend either a place to go sleep, or a near-by hotel/hostel/anything that would allow them to catch the festival?

Price is not a strong limit - obviously nothing crazy, but all suggestions will go at the moment.

Thank you!! Mefi mail that's preferable, or olya@olya.org if that's easier.

We don't speak Japanese, so it is tricky to check anything that doesn't have an online form.

more bang for my meager buck

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:35:50 -0800

I'm going to Rome for one week in February. How can I cheap out on lodging while there? I'm traveling with my boyfriend. The trip itself is only affordable to begin with because of the awesomeness of EasyJet. We're planning on trying to couchsurf but, if that doesn't work out, do you know of any hostels/hotels/monasteries where we can stay for less than 30euros/night total cost? (if you have any other advice on enjoying oneself in Rome while not spending much money, that's welcome too!)

Making hostel reservations is what this question is about.

theiconoclast31 — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:54:21 -0800

I'm going to Europe in December/January. How do I make hostel reservations? I'll be traveling with one friend for about a week, and then by myself for another week and a half. My ideal hostel is warm, safe, and my stuff won't get stolen. We're not too afraid of roughing it, but we're going in the winter. So how (much) should we plan?

When should we book? My dad says that hostels might get filled now, but we'd like to wait until we're on the road (for the sake of flexibility).
For the backpacking MeFites, how did you plan your trip? What do you wish you had done differently?
What are some good forums or websites with hostel reviews and travel tips? I've already read the threads regarding travel guides.
What are some alternatives to hostels and hotels?

Answers need not be specific to Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland, but that's where I'll be going. Thanks!

Work in the rokies?

a007r — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 09:20:04 -0800

I'd like to work in the rockies does anyone have info about that? I am a student from Quebec who will have his undergraduate degree in December. I talked with a friend and we have heard that it is possible to work in hostels or in ski centers in the rockies in Alberta or British Columbia. How does it work, can we get lodging for free? Are the wages good? Any tips? We would like to work there from febuary to march give or take. We will travel to and from there by car if it makes any difference.

Screw Chevy Chase

Christ, what an asshole — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:03:51 -0800

I'm looking for underrated, obscure European vacation stops. A couple friends and I are going to Europe for a month (Nov/Dec), and we plan on doing the whole Eurorail/hostel thing across several countries. 1/3rd of the destination stops are for my choosing, and while I know they'll be making the saturated, obvious choices like Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, etc., I'd like to spice things up with places that don't automatically spring to mind but offer the same level (if not more) of awe. Ideally, cities that aren't automatic tourist stops where most everyone speaks English and there's a McDonald's on every corner (but also not so far out of the way from mid-Europe like some hole-in-the-wall, Eastern-European Caspian city).

What sort of places have you visited that you would recommend?

Help me find a place to sleep.

defben — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:02:10 -0800

I'm currently backpacking through Europe and was given an invitation to Oktoberfest for this Friday. I'm really excited about this, but can't seem to find any places to stay that aren't booked or very expensive. I'd like to spend Friday and Saturday night there, giving me the opportunity to see the rest of Munich. What are my options in the area to find a place to sleep? Are there non-hostel options or perhaps one that isn't well known?

Please help me overcome my aversion to staying in hostels.

jason's_planet — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:02:29 -0800

Please help me overcome my aversion to staying in hostels. I want to travel more. Unfortunately, funds are a bit tight, so staying in expensive hotels is out of the question. I understand that there are hostels serving the lodging needs of people like me, people whose horizons exceed their incomes but I'm not sure if those would be appropriate for me. I'm older than the usual age profile for hostel travelers. For that reason, I'm not sure if I would be welcome. I also have a fairly negative attitude toward hostels; I tend to view them as grubby, shady establishments filled with odoriferous, America-bashing hippies and iPod-snatching thieves.

But I recognize that my prejudices are not based on any real experiences, good or bad. I would like to open my mind a little bit and consider hostels as a possible travel option. I'd like to hear what your experiences have been and whether you would recommend them as places to stay for someone who isn't going to be making partner or winning the lottery anytime soon.

So what is it like to stay in hostels? Do they welcome people over the age of 35? Are they clean and safe? Is it possible to use them just as places to sleep? (I'm not really into the idea of hostel-as-party or hostel as a place to hangout.) I need a bed, access to a bathroom, and a place where I can lock up my stuff. Anything beyond that is gravy.

And in the event that you tried hostels and found them lacking, what sorts of budget alternatives would you propose?

Thank you very much for your time; I look forward to your answers.

Southampton - fun and cheap?

CruiseSavvy — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:59:05 -0800

Can you suggest fun and cheap places to stay and things to do in Southampton, England? I'll be in Southampton for several days at the end of this month, and would love to know about any good places to stay (hostels?) and fun things to do.

I'd rather not spend more than $100 a night on a hostel / hotel ... and less would be even better. I don't mind sharing, but prefer a women-only dorm. I won't have a car, so public transport or walking distance to the cruise ship terminal is important. (I'm in town to take pictures of ships.)

Are there interesting museums or must-see historical / cultural points of interest?

Also, where's the best place to get online with a laptop? (I'm guessing Starbucks is my fallback, but if there are cooler / cheaper options I'd like that too -- I'll have lots of photos to post each night.)

Thanks!

Rollin', rollin', rollin' on a suitcase.

mdonley — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:33:21 -0800

I am looking for two very specific things regarding my one-night layover in London this Wednesday/Thursday and my insanely heavy rolling suitcase. 1) A hostel with a lift/elevator (or all on one level!). I will have a huge rolling suitcase full of a year's worth of stuff and would prefer to not throw out my back hauling it up stairs.

Budget: £20-25 (less is fine); Zone 1 preferable, near Paddington Station or a Piccadilly Line station (with a lift/escalators!) perfect.

2) The path of least resistance (fewer/no stairs, more lifts/escalators!) to this hostel from Gatwick on Wednesday evening, and from this hostel to Heathrow T5 on a Thursday morning (my flight departs at 12:50, so I won't have to deal with an early morning scrum, hopefully). I'm happy to take buses/coaches, the Tube, overground trains, whatever, as long as I'm not paying, say, £10 more than I would or some alternate transport.

Recommendations for cheap hostel accomodation in Singapore

dohmer — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:29:57 -0800

I'm a single 25 year old male staying in Singapore for a couple of days in June I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for cheap places to stay? I don't know what part of Singapore I should stay in so recommendations/experiences would be welcome, I would prefer to stay in hostelish accommodation with people about my own age.

How do I get off the urban circuit with a Eurail pass and a backpack?

ontic — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:57:19 -0800

Backpacking through Europe: Help me find places other than big cities to explore using my Eurail pass. A little background may be helpful. I'm from the US, just finishing up a semester teaching abroad in London where I've done the big city thing quite thoroughly. Long ago I bought a Eurail pass for a trip around Europe after the semester was over. Originally, that trip was supposed to be Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Rome, etc. I still want to see a few of those, but I'd also like to find non-urban places and smaller towns accessible by my Eurail pass, ideally with cheap, hostel-like lodging nearby. My Eurail pass is the "any 15 days in 2 months for all of Europe" variety.

As an example, I'd like to see the Alps, but would love to stay in a hostel outside of urban areas. Yet I have no idea how to find such places.

(Also, I'm doing this for all of May, so about four weeks, and if anyone wants to meet up anywhere, drop me a line!)

Jesus Just Left Chicago, But Is There Room at the Inn?

lukemeister — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:57:46 -0800

Can we find a room in Chicago for $100/night? My wife, 14-year-old son, and I are flying there for the first week of April. We'll split time between one sister in the distant suburbs who has room for guests and one in the city who does not have room. The sister in the city suggested City Suites in the Belmont-Sheffield neighborhood where she lives, which sounds nice, but it's close to $200/night. Can we find two beds for under $100? I read this thread, but the places mentioned there looked even more expensive. We'd consider a hostel, though I suspect my wife and I would be the oldest people there! We really don't want to stay in (say) Itasca. If we can't be in the city itself, we'll stay with sister #1 and commute.

Extra credit for suggestions on things to do in the city - plays, music, museum exhibitions, sports. My wife and I have been there lots of times, but our son has not. The Cubs will be in town. Is it already too late to get tickets?

Where to stay in Melbourne?

adamk — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:27:57 -0800

Where to stay in Melbourne, Australia? Need lodging for 5 nights in mid-April. Looking at hostels, but there are so many options and neighborhoods to choose from! Thanks to everyone who gave advice in this thread a few months ago.

My flights are all booked, and next month I'll be flying: Los Angeles -> Sydney -> Brisbane -> Cairns -> Melbourne -> Los Angeles. I have hostel bookings in all of the cities except Melbourne.

Using sites like TripAdvisor, LonelyPlanet and HostelWorld I've found a few different hostels that all seem quite reasonable, but they're all in different parts of town and I'm looking for any advice.

In the city center there are options like Greenhouse Backpacker and Urban Central. In North Melbourne there are options like YHA Melbourne Metro. In St Kilda there are options like Cooee and Base.

Does anyone have any insight into these hostels, or the parts of town that they're in? I'm a 24 year old guy who is traveling alone, so I'm interested in staying places where I can meet people to hang out with, or duck out on my own for a day of exploring without needing to travel too far to reach the interesting attractions.

Sydney Hostels & Apartment

Black_Umbrella — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:25:31 -0800

Sydney questions: Which Sydney hostel should i stay at for international orientation week at University of Sydney? Which Sydney hostel should i stay at for international orientation week at University of Sydney?

I will be staying 1-2 weeks. It looks like Glebe is closer to the school, is that a good thing? Is it useful to be closer to campus during this time?

Perhaps Bondi or callaroy...atleast Callaroy lends you surfboards so i don't have to rent / buy one yet.

Note, after orientation i am going to be staying until the middle of January so i will need to find a place to rent during that time. Any information that helps with that would be great. No i have never been to Australia before.

I scuba dive & surf a lot, any good places to go??