Hostel 101: Part 2 Booking & Preparing for Your Stay

I will admit, that as I prepared for my first experience at a hostel, I was nervous and overwhelmed because it was such a foreign concept to me. Once I arrived, I quickly realized that there were things I wish I'd known before I got there, but I adapted in no time and realized there were ways to work around every obstacle. Sometimes, the challenges and lessons learned are what make the experience. But... here are a few tips I can offer to make your inaugural hosteling experience minimally stressful:

Choosing and Booking Your Hostel

Research before you book! Use online resources to make sure that the hostel where you end up will be the best one for your travel-style. Every hostel can be a bit different. Are you planning to party all night  on your trip, or do you want a more laid back atmosphere so you can relax? Using a site like Hostel World will give you access to most of the information you will need to make a decision as to which is right for you, including reviews from other travelers who have stayed in each hostel before.

A few things to consider:

1. Location! Location! Location!--The best part about hostels is that they are usually located in very accessible areas, close to all of the action. Consider if the hostel is located near public transit or in walking distance of attractions.  If not, will you be renting a car, and is there parking available nearby? How much will parking cost?

2. Amenities and Services--Does the hostel provide airport pick up and drop off? Are linens and towels included in the cost of your room or is there an extra fee? Does the hostel offer tours and events? Are any meals included? Will there be a charge for Wi-Fi? Is the hostel 24 hour access or is there a curfew?

3. Guest Ratings--Keep in mind that a business can't please every person, so your hostel doesn't necessarily need a 100% satisfaction rating. Typically, if you find a property with at least a 75%, you will do well on your stay. But don't ignore the advise and warnings of prior travelers. Read their comments and decide if the complaints are things you can deal with. Travelers will often leave a few valuable tips on fun things to do in the area. 

4. Memberships and Travel Insurance--Many not-for-profit hostels will require you to become a member to stay at their property or pay and extra daily fee. I became a member of Hostelling International & found that it was well worth the initial $28 investment. Not only did the membership come with free travel insurance (a very wise idea--you never know what can happen!) and discounts on tours and area attractions, but HI gave me a discount code for a free night. The membership more than paid for itself!

5. Room Type and Cost--Many hostels have a variety of room types to choose from. If you are traveling solo, most hostels will only allow you to reserve a bed in a same sex dorm, but if you are with a group there are co-ed dorms available. As well, you can usually chose between a basic dorm room (bathrooms and showers are usually locate don the same floor) or a room with an ensuite bathroom that you will only share with your bunk mates. The occupancy of a dorm will typically range between 4 to 12 bunks and several locations will have at least a few private rooms available. Of course, a dorm with fewer beds or an added bathroom will usually cost a few dollars more per night.

Preparing for Your Hostel Stay

One of the unique issues of hostels vs. hotels is that of storage space. In a hotel, you can lay your suitcase & belongings out anywhere, but in a hostel, you are sharing your space with several others. Along with not taking up more than your fair share of the space, you want to make sure you can keep any valuables safe. Generally, when you rent a bed, a locker will also be assigned with it. However, most facilities expect you to supply your own lock, or you may be able to purchase one at the front desk. These lockers tend to be large enough to store your carry-on sized luggage as well as a laptop case or purse. I myself have mastered the art of traveling light, so fitting everything into the locker has never been a problem for me. But if you don't quite have a knack for traveling without your entire wardrobe & closet of shoes, or if you must take pricey equipment with you, call the hostel and see if they have other storage options available, such as additional lockers for rent or a luggage storage service. If your larger bag just contains clothes and items of lesser value, I frequently encounter large suitcases left out in guest rooms with no issues. 

Top items to pack that you might not naturally consider:

1. A Lock. For your locker. You need one.

2. Earplugs. People sometimes snore at night. You probably do too on occasion, but people are too polite to tell you. Deal with it. If you are a particularly light sleeper though, you may consider bringing Benedryl or Unisome along to help you out for the first night until you adjust to the surroundings. I don't recommend using any prescription sleep aids though. An "Ambien Episode" amid a room of total strangers could prove for some very embarrassing stories.

3. Shower shoes. Not to worry, because I frequently run into Housekeeping at hostels as they are cleaning the bathroom, but just as they were in the college dorms, a pair of cheap flip-flops for the stand-up showers are not a bad idea.

4. Beach Towel. Usually a towel will be included with your linens at the hostel, but if you plan on going to the beach or going swimming, it's a good idea to make room in your bag for an extra one of your own.

5. Toiletries. Unlike fancy hotels, you won't find mini, doll-sized bottles of herbal shampoo left out on the counter. Nice hostels will have a liquid soap dispenser in the shower stall, but if you need to condition, bring your own or plan to buy some when you arrive.

6. Hairdryer. This is NOT at all a necessity, since every hostel I have been to has been nice enough to have hair dryers in the women's bathroom/ shower areas. However... in the mornings, during high traffic times, it can be difficult getting access to one of these devices & to not feel rushed when it's finally your turn. If you have room in your luggage, your own beauty appliances are a "nice to have." There are great travel-sized models available for dryers, straighteners and curling irons alike. But if you are lucky enough to be naturally beautiful or you don't plan on getting "gussied" up for anything, a hat and a pony tail holder will suffice to cover any hair emergencies.

For more information on hostelling in the US, see my previous blog: 

Hostel 101: A Guide for the Misinformed American Traveler

The Lady’s Guide to Packing Light for Warm Destinations

Any gentlemen readers out there may feel a little left out on this post… But let’s face it, most of you pack for trips by sniffing a few t-shirts and pairs of underwear to make sure they seem clean and throw them into whatever bag you can pull out of the attic.

But girls…we like to be prepared. For EVERYTHING.

Even if we know we’ll probably just spend our travels shopping and sitting on the beach, never once requiring anything more than flip flops and a swim suit cover-up, we feel we should pack outfits “just in case.” You know… just in case we get invited out to a fine restaurant or say…to meet the Queen. But in a world of $25 checked baggage fees (each way!) and the long lines at the check in counters, it’s a great asset to be able to fit everything you need into one carry on bag. Here are a few things I always consider when packing my bags…

1. The necessities. You probably can’t go without your basic toiletries and underwear so pack these first.  Luckily, these don’t take up much space. Since airlines require you to limit your liquids to 3oz bottles or smaller all fitting into one quart sized bag, it is easy to control your urges to go overboard on products. You may even want to just plan on buying some things once you’re there, or if you are staying in a hotel, consider if you can survive on their tiny complimentary toiletries for one week.
2. Pack as many lightweight fabrics as possible. Sundresses are great for warm destinations. They’re comfortable, look cute, and they usually take up very little room in your bag. Also you can generally pack a few accessories to make the dress appropriate for either day or night.
3. Mix & Match. Take pieces that you can wear in different ways. You might be able to wear a top with a flowy skirt for a daytime look at the beach and then wear that same top with jeans and heels for a cute “going out” ensemble.
4. Accessories!! Belts, scarves, or pieces of costume jewelry can do wonders to change up an outfit! The best part is, they are generally small, so feel free to pack several options. Just avoid bringing anything of extreme value. Stick to traveling with things that are easily replaceable.
5. Don’t take every pair of jeans you own. Denim is generally bulky and also very hot. If you can, just live without jeans altogether for your trip, but if not, just take your favorite pair that you can wear with the most outfits. Luckily denim is a fabric you can wear more than once between washings without it looking (or smelling) unkempt. Just try not to spill...
6. DON’T take every pair of shoes you own. I generally take one pair of flip flops for the beach or pool, one comfortable pair of walking around shoes, and one pair of dressy heels for that just in case event. I mean, do you really plan to go sight seeing and walk around for hours in your stilettos? No matter how cute they are, that’s a bad idea…
7. Go back over what you’ve laid out to pack before stuffing it all in the bag. I can’t tell you how many times I have taken my entire closet on a trip and then ended up never wearing ¾ of the stuff. Ask yourself, realistically how likely you are to wear various items, and you can usually pull a few things out. You don’t want a totally packed suitcase. Why?
8. Vacation Shopping! I’m a girl that hates to go near the mall when I am at home, but put me in a different city & I am ready to tear up the outlet malls and boutiques looking for deals and great pieces that I can’t get back home. You’ll want to leave plenty of room in your bag for new items you might find. If you know for a fact you will be shopping, you might even want to only take one or two extra outfits in your bag and plan to get your wardrobe for the rest of the trip once you are there!
9. Roll, don't fold. It's a thing and it'll change your life! Not only will you be able to fit way more in your roll-aboard suit case or back pack, but it makes your items less likely to wrinkle in the mean time! The military uses an even more precise method often called the Ranger Roll or Navy Roll. I usually just...roll. But if you want to learn the uber efficient precision method, click this link! http://youtu.be/tPYlSOAnijA
10. Electronics & Gadgets. Take the phone, maybe the tablet. But leave the laptop at home if you can.  My iPhone 6 Plus is my new favorite travel item! Now I have all the technology I need in one (almost) pocket-sized device and I can almost always leave my Laptop, iPad and Cannon dSLR camera at home, unless I need them for something specific. It's less of your expensive items to keep track of and less to weigh you down. Just don’t forget to pack your charger, and remember not to leave it behind. From my previous experience working in the hotel industry, I can tell you that phone chargers are the #1 most left behind item in hotel rooms!

LA Bound!

Basically, the only way I manage to console myself after returning to the "real world" from a trip is to immediately start planning and looking towards the next escape, even if it is months away. Planning for a trip is almost (but not quite) as exciting as actually going! I don't try to map out every waking moment, and print off detailed itineraries, but I love to search sites like Yelp, Zagat, and Four Square for interesting restaurants I'd like to visit or special events in the area.

I began thinking about a return visit to the Los Angeles area before I even boarded the flight home, this past January. I had spent less than 3 days in California at the tail end of a Las Vegas trip, and discovered it wasn't nearly long enough. I mean really...80F and 0% humidity in January?!? How could I not fall in love? Thanks to an iPhone airfare app that alerted me to an unbelievably cheap round trip rate to LAX (we're talking under $200 in total...jealous you didn't see it first??) I will be returning in exactly two weeks!

A few of the highlights I'm planning for this time:

* A one day intensive Stand Up Comedy Class in Hollywood!

* Gourmet Food Trucks  

* Karaoke at the Gaslight in Santa Monica

* Reading If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster (my favorite author!) on the beach...

*And of course I'll be getting my fix at Baja Fresh and In'N'Out Burger!!

If you should see me with my eyes a little dreamy and glazed over in the next several days, it's because mentally, I'm already on my way. Bon voyage!!

Hostel 101: A Guide for the Misinformed American Traveler

I’m not inherently wealthy, so a lot of people wonder how in the world I manage to afford to travel as often as I do. There are all kinds of practical budget tips and discount sites I’ve stumbled upon to make travel more affordable, but the biggest asset that I have discovered in the last few years is the hostel.

Though hostels are a very common style of accommodations in Europe and other areas of the world, few Americans are even familiar with the concept. I have benefited greatly from their availability in regions where I would have been priced out of the hotel market, so I wanted to take the opportunity to dispel some of the common misconceptions that might be keeping other adventure-hungry individuals from realizing their full travel potential!

Myth #1: Hostels are a European concept and are not available in the US

I was amazed to discover just how many hostels there are within the US, especially in larger cities. Hostels such as those in New York and Chicago range from buildings that cover an entire city block and have occupancy available for several hundred travelers at a time, to houses that have been converted into more cozy accommodations.  To see if there is a hostel available in your next travel destination, one of my favorite sites is HostelWorld.com It works in a very similar style to Hotels.com in that it allows travelers who have stayed to leave comments and reviews on the property so you have a more realistic view of what to expect and can make an informed decision as to what location will best fit your needs.   

Myth #2: Hostels within the US are for foreign travelers only

You will want to verify the policies of the particular hostel you are looking to stay in because these rules do vary, but many hostels will gladly accept US residents as long as your place of residence is far enough away according to the hostel’s guidelines. One of the larger organizations, Hostelling International consistently accommodates US residents as long as you live outside of the state of your destination.

Myth #3: Hostels are not safe

Ok, Seriously people. It was just a movie!!!

When I discuss my travels with a new person and mention hostels, inevitably, the first thing they bring up is the 2005 horror film Hostel. I’m a bit annoyed that this one unfortunate movie (or two if anyone actually saw the sequel) has caused so many people to dismiss this very practical concept as something dangerous and frightening.

Remember summer camp as a kid? Remember your freshman year of college in the dorms? This is the type of arrangement that you’ll be getting yourself into:

NOT this:



Honestly, the scariest thing I have ever encountered at a hostel is not having an outlet close enough to my bunk to charge my phone…

Myth #4: It’s really awkward to share a room with strangers

You’ll be surprised by how quickly you can acclimate to the situation. Keep in mind that most travelers are in the same boat as you. They are strangers in an unfamiliar area who probably don’t know anyone locally. Remember when Mom used to tell you not to be afraid of insects because they are more scared of you than you are of them? This is often the case with your bunk mates as well; except I’ve never met a fellow-traveler that I had to concern myself with the potentials of poisonous venom… At least not that I know of.

Some people assume that sharing sleeping quarters with strangers as opposed to staying in a private hotel room would be risky. But my argument to this is that you actually have added safety in numbers. Think about it… If someone breaks into your hotel room while you are by yourself, who is going to save you? Even if you scream, your neighbors will more than likely assume something raunchy is going on through the walls rather than take the initiative to investigate… But in a hostel, with 4-10 beds in the average room, who is going to try to attack you with that many witnesses?

In all seriousness though, and I can’t stress this enough— Hostels take great care to ensure the safety of their guests. Safe, affordable accommodations that give the average person an opportunity to see the world is pretty much the whole idea. In facilities where I have stayed, there are key-card access points to even get to a floor where guest rooms are located and also 24 hr supervision of the front desk next to the only entrance. Men’s and women’s dorms are usually kept separate, though for mixed groups many will have co-ed accommodations also available.  

Myth #5: Hostels are only appropriate when traveling in large groups

If you are traveling with a group of 4 or more individuals, then hostels may very well be your best option. Many locations will have more private rooms available for groups traveling together. But the reason that I loooove hostels is that they are IDEAL for the solo traveler. If you are like me and too anxious to get out into the world to wait on friends who have the time & money to accompany you, a hostel provides you with controlled opportunities to meet other travelers to hang out with. Most hostels host cheap or even free tours, as well as pub crawls, barbeques, and movie or game nights to give you a chance to interact with others. And since you won’t have anyone to split the cost of a hotel room with, it will almost certainly be your cheapest option.

Myth #6: Only hippies stay in hostels

It’s true that the laid-back, free spirits of the world tend to be drawn to the hostelling experience & chances are you will encounter some granola types. But if that isn’t your scene, fear not. In my stays at hostels I have encountered people of all different kinds, including students, internationals, and business travelers. In my opinion, the variety of people you’ll get to know is what gives travel it’s richness and makes the experience memorable.

This is just the start to my blog series on hostelling. I'd love to know what other questions you all may have, or if you would like to contribute a hosteling experience of your own, please contact me at BrkFstAtTiffs@gmail.com!

And for more information on hostelling in the US, visit my next blog:
Hostel 101: Part 2 Booking & Preparing for Your Stay

Why Travel

For the majority of Americans I interact with on a daily basis, a "vacation" is just seen as the opportunity to do nothing for 1 or 2 weeks each year, and "travel" is merely the alternative for that person who prefers to "do nothing" on a breezy beach instead of staying at home on the couch... Ultimately, I keep encountering this idea that travel is the anti-work; the anti-responsible--and therefore I take a bit of flack for the unsusally high number of trips I take each year. It's often conveyed to me that this is not something a wise person commits a large portion of their time and money to--at least until they reach retirement age when their investments are already settled and life is winding down. I guess the thought is that I should forego travel to prepare for having a family someday and to build up my nest at home; to prepare for "real life."  For me though, the experience of travel is real life. Is it not far more beneficial to see and experience new places than to invest my money into fancy furnishings (that children would end up destorying anyway) and a big screen TV on which I can observe other people seeing & experiencing life? Personally... I prefer to experience life from the "1st person" perspective.

The benefits of traveling go so far beyond an opportunity to decompress from the strain of a day-job, although I won't minimize that advantage. When a person spends 40+ hours every week amidst the ever-repetitive, daily grind, it can be difficult to connect to any deeper purpose in life. Taking some time to step out of our usual existence that is defined by "what we DO" gives us a chance to change perspectives, take deep breaths, and learn "who we ARE," and most importantly how we, as individuals, fit into the bigger picture of this world we all share.

The knowledge a person gains from seeing, tasting, touching, interacting with, and learning from real-life experiences can never be matched in a book or a classroom. Sure, you can visit a neighborhood Italian restaurant chain & curl up to Eat, Pray, Love to imagine a contrived idea of what it might feel like to walk the streets of Rome, but can that ever convey to you the awe of standing in the shadows of the Coliseum? Or teach you how to communicate with a person who speaks another language? It may give you plenty of fodder for daydreams & vague impressions, but it's unlikely that it will ever give you that cognitive understanding that people all over the world, despite differences in customs & traditions, are ultimately just like you in how they need, hunger, love, and dream.

So many prejudices and so much lack of compassion exists in the world, because we don't always make it a priority to learn about the lives and perspective of others. And out of what we neglect to understand-- fear grows, judgement grows, and eventually hate grows. It wasn't until I started following world-wide affairs that I began to understand just how "small" my own world is and how little my base of knowledge covers. My day to day reality is not the reality of people in Cambodia or the Middle East, or for that matter, it isn't even necessarily the reality of another middle-class, twenty-something, woman in New York City or across the street from me. It's true that you have to walk a mile in another man's shoes before you can begin to understand him... But sometimes you need to fly or drive a few thousand miles & abandon your comfort zones in order to start that journey towards understanding.