Life shouldn’t pass by without having tried all that you can try. This is the motto that I strive to keep alive in my head and put it into practice every single day of my life. No matter how bad it might seem at the moment, a new experience represents a wonderful memory. And it’s better to have a life of which you can be ashamed but remember it with a giggle on your face than to regret the chances that you missed.
Staying in a hostel is one of these experiences. Whether you are short on money or you simply want to see how the hostel life is like, you should do it. Still not convinced? Here are nine reasons that will do the trick.
Why to Stay in a Hostel: 9 Excellent Reasons
1. Blended cultures – you will be amazed by the amount and varied type of people who choose to stay in a hostel. Most of them are solo travelers who seek to enrich themselves spiritually and who have amazing stories to tell to those who will take the time to listen. It is truly inspiring and rewarding to be close to open-minded people.
2. Community – the experience of being part of a community is often underrated. This is the best feeling in the world! Knowing that you can get with people you have never seen in your life and do stuff together can offer a great night. Plus, lots of hostels organize movie nights or the famous pub crawls which guarantee infinite fun and a new gang of friends.
3. Information – most hostels are packed with useful information for those who want to discover the city or are interested in the closest touristic attractions. These represent the perfect manner to find the best places to visit without spending a fortune.
4. Freedom – as opposed to a hotel, hostels offer more freedom to their guests. The atmosphere is more laid back than at hotels and people can rapidly start conversations with their lobby neighbors. Because they are there to live the moment and because they want to enjoy every conversation and every piece of human soul they receive as a free gift.
5. Safety – contrary to common belief, hostels are very safe having at all times persons from the staff who can respond to clients’ needs and assure that strangers don’t enter the hostel. Not to mention that there are keys to pretty much every room in a hostel so no unauthorized person enters.
6. Bars – All hostels have bars, the perfect place to meet with fellow travelers and enjoy your time. Connect with them using Godashboard and meet up for a lovely time. All In Hostel in Berlin is the best example for this. Start with a drink and then continue your night by going to different bars. The atmosphere and adrenaline are unique!
7. FREE WiFi – I can’t believe I didn’t start with this. All hostels offer free WiFi and while this might seem normal for some of us, you should know that not all public places do it. In some hotels you might be required to pay a certain fee if you want to browse the Internet.
8. Public kitchens – most hostels have a public kitchen that allows guests to cook their own meals and even to take cooking classes. The Abraham Hostels in Jerusalim is a great example of hostel where you can join their cooking classes and shabbat dinners.
9. Light packing – hostels teach you to pack light because you don’t have a lot of storage space. Not to mention that if you travel a lot you will not be able to carry a lot of things. Hostels teach you how to pack right and light, leaving behind all those things you thought you need.
If you ever get the chance to stay at a hostel, do it! It will be different, it will be weird at first but it will a lot of fun!
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