Before you arrive in a foreign country, I would recommend emailing or calling ahead and reserving a night or two at a hostel that you have picked out from your guidebook. This way you don’t have to worry that you won’t find anything open when you arrive, and also gives you the flexibility to move to a different hostel after a couple days if you don’t like it. 

Sometimes though you may “wing it” and try to find a hostel after you arrive at a new location. This is a good option if it is not during the busy travel season and you want to check out the area/building first or you simply want to stay at out-of-the-way places that are not in your guidebook.  One tip though: Try to arrive early in the day at your destination and locate a hostel as soon as you arrive.  Its no fun arriving at 10PM at night and walking around with a heavy backpack in a strange town where you don’t speak the language just to find that all the hostels are booked full for the night!

Rooms

Hostels typically offer a number of different types of rooms you can stay in. Be aware that hostels often mix genders in the same room, but many also offer men or women specific rooms as well.  If you want a gender-specific room (like women’s only) be sure to request it or they assume you want mixed gender and they will put you there!

The biggest hostel rooms will typically have 8-14 people in it which are, of course, the cheapest.  For the very budget minded (or deep sleeper) backpacker this is a good option.  Just be aware with that many people in the same room, you may not always get the best sleep (i.e snoring, people coming in and out, etc).

The medium sized hostel rooms are where I usually prefer to stay (4-6 people).  They are still relatively cheap but are also are typically more peaceful then the biggest rooms. It’s also, in my opinion, easier to socialize if there is only 2-3 other people in the room than 10 people.

The smallest rooms are for 1-2 people and are useful if you are travelling with a significant other or if you just want a break for a night or two from the backpacker crowd. Be aware that they are almost as expensive as a hotel room and tend to fill up ahead of schedule.

Bathrooms also vary considerably.  Some places have a private bathroom for each room, while others may have one shared by the entire floor.  Be aware that in some European cities, some hostels offer showers but you have to insert coins into a machine near the shower head if you want hot water. I have taken several unpleasant cold showers when I did not have the right change, so keep this in mind when booking.

Curfews and Lockouts

Some hostels have curfews where you must be back to your room before a certain hour (anywhere from 11PM to 2AM depending).  If you are not back by the curfew they will not let you in! They do this to provide some peace for the rooms so people are not coming and going in the middle of the night as backpackers often do.  If you like hitting the pubs and clubs this would not be a very good option. Few hostels still do this and those that do are often good at warning you before you check in

Some hostels have lockouts during the day.  In this case, a hostel may require that everyone be out of their rooms between 11AM and 3PM to allow for cleaning and for changing the bed sheets, etc.  Usually this is not an issue since you should be awake and exploring the area by this time!

Sheets

Many hostels provide pillows but not sheets or blankets for your bed.  You have to bring your own sheets or rent them from the hostel for usually US$1-3 a night. Some backpackers make “sleep sacks” which are simply two sheets sewn together in the form of a sleeping bag. I prefer to rent the sheets in order to save space in my backpack and the inconvenience of washing them.  But if you are very budget conscience, bring your own sheets or sleep sack and save some money.

Washing

Some hostels also have coin operated washing and drying machines on premise. Most others will have laundromats near by.   Some hostels sell small bags of detergent for around a dollar, so check with the front desk before buying a large box of detergent at the store, which in all likelihood you would have to throw away later since they are usually too big to carry around.

Kitchen and Food

Almost all hostels offer full kitchens for you to prepare meals.  They will often have large refrigerators and freezers for you to store your food. They also will provide all the necessary cookware and utensils you need.  Some budget conscience backpackers will almost always prepare their own meals at their hostel while others never use the kitchen and always eat out.  I typically will do a little of both so I save some money while also experiencing the local restaurants. If you use the kitchen be sure to clean, dry, and store all the cookware and utensils you use! It is considered very rude not to do this and can even get you kicked out of the hostel if you flagrantly abuse this courtesy.

I recommend pooling your resources with other backpackers by purchasing and cooking a meal with several others at the hostel. It is a good way to socialize, experience some different food, and save money at the save time. 

Next: The Trip - Transportation