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I’ve been staying in hostels for years, but after spending four months straight in hostels throughout SE Asia (45 in total), I think I can safely call myself an expert in booking a hostel.
There are certain things I would I search for when booking a hostel, and it depended on what I was in the mood for. Meeting new people? Relaxing? Finding comfort? Saving money?
I learned what to look for in photos and reviews on Booking.com to determine if a certain hostel was for me, and in this article I’ll share what they are!
Quick note: The links in this article are affiliate links, so I may receive commission if you book or buy through my links. Booking.com is one of those.
That being said, I would still recommend using Booking.com regardless. I started off using Hotels.com at the beginning of my trip because they offer a free night every 10 nights you stay.
But I realized that 1) hostels were cheaper on Booking.com, 2) there were much more options listed on Booking, 3) there were better environments at hostels listed on Booking.com, since more people used Booking than any other site and 4) as a result, there were way more reviews on Booking, so easier to judge a potential stay.
I did meet a couple people who used Hostelworld too, but Booking was generally the most popular and cheapest, and I personally like the website better. For those reasons, I almost only use Booking now when booking a hostel.
Without further ado, here are the filters to put on and things to look for in reviews and pictures when you’re booking a hostel.
Table of Contents
1. Nice common area
Especially if you’re solo traveling, you’re going to want a nice common area to socialize and meet new travel buddies.
Look in the photos if there seems to be a common area; I found that hostels with nicer common areas tend to be more social, since people are more likely to hang out there. Communal breakfast tables are great places to meet new friends, and sometimes hostels will have bars where you’re sure to meet people.
You can also check reviews to see if people mentioned anything about the communal areas or about the ease of socializing. Check the most recent reviews, especially if you’re traveling in off-season, since the vibe of a hostel can differ drastically on the season.
2. Bed Curtains
While it’s nice to socialize, I don’t think I would have lasted four months straight in hostels had it not been for bed curtains. Although I rarely found these in Europe, almost every hostel I stayed at in SE Asia had them. (Mostly because I actively sought out for them.)
It’s so nice having the privacy of a curtain to escape behind, and some hostels even have little capsules. These make you feel like you’re in a cozy little room, which I absolutely love, though I wouldn’t recommend if you get claustrophobic.
Beyond privacy while you sleep, they’re great for changing behind and letting your roommates know that you don’t want to be disturbed if you’re trying to get work done or take a nap.
Also, another thing with beds: make sure you have outlets and a reading light. Almost all hostels do, but check the pictures of the bunks to make sure. Some even offer handy boxes or shelves to lay your stuff on. And I’ve even stayed at capsule hostels with folding out tables for your laptop!
3. Free towels
This one may seem a bit silly, but I swear most long-term travelers judge the quality of a hostel by whether a hostel offers these. They’re hard to come by, and most people backpack with microfiber towels (I use this one).
It may not seem it, but it’s the ultimate luxury to have a fresh, fluffy, real towel when backpacking.
Usually only higher end hostels offer free towels, but I’ve encountered an occasional cheap hostel unexpectedly providing them. And if they do, it immediately becomes that much better of a hostel.
Some places offer free towels in exchange for a refundable deposit, so make sure to inquire. Other times you have to pay. It’s really annoying having to travel with a wet towel, since you constantly have to take it out every chance you get to air it out, so a deposit sometimes might be worth it. Especially if you haven’t washed your towel in a few weeks…
4. Cleanliness
This is a no-brainer, but it’s also one of the top things I look at. Check recent reviews to see if there are any complaints on cleanliness, but also be aware reviews can be deceiving.
Some people aren’t used to hostels and expect pristine conditions, but more seasoned backpackers are used to- and perfectly fine with- slightly more rustic conditions in exchange for dirt cheap prices.
This is actually true of all reviews: they’re very subjective, so don’t read only one review and judge the place. Go through as many as you can to get different perspectives.
One of the main things you want to search for in recent reviews if there were any bed bug complaints. Trust me, those are a pain. Everything else is manageable, but bed bugs are a huge inconvenience.
5. Good Location
Another no-brainer, but worth mentioning because it’s one of the first things I look at when booking a hostel.
Check where all the places you want to visit lay in relation to the place. Can you walk there? Is there public transport nearby? Also, is it close to the airport? To the bus or train station? Are there restaurants or cafes nearby?
Decide what’s a priority for you in the city or town you’re staying in, and check which hostels are in the best location for that.
6. Free Water Refill
You’ll probably be walking a lot- probably in hot weather- which means faster dehydration. Although water isn’t that expensive in most places, it does add up if you’re trying to hydrate yourself enough.
Some places charge a small fee for water refill, but it’s still cheaper than buying a water bottle at the store. Not to mention it’s much better for the environment to use a reusable water bottle.
I used this one, and I loved it because it collapses to become very small when it’s empty and can hook onto my backpack. Sadly, I lost mine on a bus in Bangkok, but I bought a new one when I got home- that’s how much I liked it!
7. Good Wifi
While perhaps not too important to some, this was essential for me. I was freelancing and working on this blog (welcome to Voyage Scribe, by the way!), so reliable Wi-Fi was a priority for me.
If you want to stay in contact with people back home, especially if you’re traveling without data, this should be a priority for you too.
Almost every hostel offers free Wi-Fi, as it’s a standard nowadays. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be good. In fact, you should expect it to be really terrible.
Booking.com offers ratings on the Wi-Fi, so I relied on those rating and on the reviews of past guests to determine if I’d be able to get work done at the hostel.
8. Pool
I was surprised at how many hostels I stayed at had pools. This of course depended on the location (they’re typically harder to find in big cities), but for the most part, it was easy to find a fairly cheap hostel with a pool.
When I searched for hostels, “swimming pool” was probably my most frequently used filter. Because who doesn’t like a nice swimming pool to relax and cool off in?
Pools are also a great place to meet your fellow travelers in, so hostels with pools can be more social. (Not always though. Again, search in the reviews for the social vibe.)
9. Booking & Renting Services
It’s so much more convenient to get picked up for tours and buses straight from your hostel. It’s also convenient to rent things like bikes or scooters from hostels, since you don’t have to worry about going somewhere else in town to return them.
Do your research and make sure the hostel offers the cheapest deals for these services. Sometimes they do, but sometimes they’re more expensive. You decide if you think the higher price is worth the convenience.
10. Free Breakfast
Especially if you can find a cheap hostel offering free breakfast, you’re really going to save money. Not that food was too expensive in SE Asia, but it adds up, and free is always cheaper.
It’s also a lot faster to eat breakfast at a hostel than to have to deal finding a restaurant, and you’ll definitely want breakfast to fuel your full day of activities.
Some hostels only offer toast, while others will cook meals for you. Fried rice with egg was a popular one in SE Asia. In fact, I grew tired of both rice and eggs during my time in SE Asia. But most places offered you an option of several choices, usually rice, noodles, toast or pancake.
Probably the best breakfast I had was at Vitamin Smiles Hostel in Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon). A Vietnamese woman would cook absolutely delicious traditional Vietnamese dishes for you, a new dish every morning. And if you wanted a more Western breakfast, that was available too, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
11. Laundry
Most hostels offer laundry services, but not all are cheap. Do your research on these if you’re running low on clean clothes.
Alternatively, I mostly hand washed my clothes, so if I needed to do laundry, I would look for places with a rooftop or an open, sunny place where I could lay my clothes out to dry.
12. Organized Activities
And last but not least, look for a hostel that organizes activities when booking. This is the best way to meet people in your hostel, and it’s how I met lots of travel buddies on my trip.
Sometimes they even offer events with free food or drinks. If you like free alcohol, a lot of party hostels (but not exclusively) I stayed at offered free drinks. From what I remember, those included Nana Hostel and Chillao Hostel, both in Vang Vieng, Laos, Vietnam Backpackers Hostel in Hanoi, Vietnam and Back Home Hostel in Hoi An, Vietnam.
Those were the main things I looked for when researching and booking a hostel for a new destination.
First time staying in a hostel? Check out my 10 tips!
Any other things you look for in a hostel? Let us know in the comments below!
