For the past two years I've had a membership with Hostelling International but I guess I haven't had the balls to actually stay in a hostel yet. There looks to be some cool hostels in Seattle, SF Bay Area, and Hawaii that I would consider staying in but I'm so use to staying in hotels when I travel that I don't know how I would handle my stay in a hostel. I am definately planning on heading up to Seattle for the Manchester United v Celtic match this summer and one of my lodging options is the big hostel right there in downtown near the waterfront.
I've never been in a hostel in this country yet. For the first few trips I took in Europe, I tended to find cheap(ish) hotels, where I could have my own room, a TV, etc. That's cool, but you meet a lot more people if you're in a hostel, especially if you're around student age. My favorite HI hostel? Porto. This place, when I was there, was magnificent. It's a little outside the city center - you have to take a bus, but it's really nice inside and out (excellent bar inside), and it's situated right where the river meets the sea, near the Foz district, so you get great views. It's comfortable, it's clean, there's a good supermarket directly across the street (it's in an almost suburban residential area), and so you can save money by cooking in the common kitchens - meeting people along the way (and that's a nice thing about going the hostel route, IMO). The only knock I have on it is that it's a bit small and fills up quick; I wanted to stay 3-4 nights but could only book 2, so I had to leave Porto early. Still, highly recommended. I lived for a month at the hostel on Marylebone Road in London a couple summers ago (was taking a TEFL class, and that was the cheapest accomodations I could find). Living in the dormitories downstairs is like being in an army barracks, only tattier. BUT, this hostel has the cheapest pub in London in my experience (cheaper even than Imperial College's student union, and that's saying smething), AND it stayed open till 2 on Thurs. and Friday nights; I don't know how, as it wasn't a 'club'. Lisbon's hostel is ok. Nothing special, but fairly central. Lago's (Lagos, Portugal) was filled to the brim with carousing Canadian and Aussie backpackers. Ok, I guess, but not really my thing. Copenhagen has a dearth of hostels - the one I knew of was a ways out of the city, and I got booted after one night because they were overbooked. Luckily, there are a couple decent cheap hotels right down in the city. The only hostel in Italy I got to was Sorrento's, which was all right. Again, nothing special. Assuming you're on your way to Capri from there, you shouldn't be thinking about hostels anyway - you should be on your way to the Villa Eva in Anacapri.
Never been to an HI hostel outside of Europe. Many cities have more than one - depending on what type of traveller you are you might prefer one over the other. For example: in Amsterdam the most popular youth hostel is the one in Vondelpark (always full of teenie boppers on their first trip to Europe). A cheaper, more mature (cooler) alternative is the Stadsdoelen (near the red light district). PS: wherever you go, make sure to bring earplugs because there will always have a snoring room mate.
I hostelled across the country/US a few summers ago... very interesting...... stayed in many a HI ones, and enjoyed the HI mem'shp perks. * HI Dixie near St. George, UT is GREAT!! - Looks like a dive, but is wonderful!!! The men who run it are really divine... in the most wholesome way. I had a room to myself, as it was only me and one male staying there the night I was there. After a day of hiking and being burned in Zion, entering the cool- AC'd, SUPER CLEAN hostel was great! Totally relaxing.... and only $15/night! Plus two full bathrooms to myself if I chose.. This was likely my fave of all. Definitely worth the extra drive to it.. * HI Glenwood Springs (C0) - interesting.. 4 nights/$14. I stayed and did "Night Clerk" work- saving me $25........ okay. Nice location, on street parking- not good... closed 10a-4p can be a prob... only one bath.. kinda sketchy.... Gary, owner, is great....... good discounts around town.... Remember extra blankets.. it's cold there. * HI Boston (Hemenway St)- big, clean, GREAT kitchen... immense trips around town... must have a reservation! They are even happier when you are a member and have a res. when they are busy= no rooms.. NOT the best place to stay the night before an interview when you are sick...the noise factor and cold bed were problems... but a great one... though pricey $30ish. * A random one.. Lazy Lizard in Moab, UT for $8.56/night for a bunk...all around okay...the sketchiest of bathrooms.... and kitchen facilities..but.. it was a place to rest my head.... I've never had a prob with the hostels.... the first I stayed at was the HI in Boston... lucky to find overnight parking across the st. on Boylston for $10......... beyond that... ahh..some are good, some are great, some are... scary.... (see South Dakota)...... but all in all.. I always felt safe... for the most part.
My criteria for staying the night in a strange town: Must have a clean, private bathroom with hot water, a shower, clean glassware, and a clean floor. Must not ever have people that I'm not traveling with in the same room as me. Must have cable television. No bunkbeds. Ever. Must be able to leave my stuff in the room all day long - after all, I paid for the room. Must take major credit cards. Must have candy machines, ice machines, and soda machines near by. Must have coffee in the lobby and access to a newspaper machine. Must have a clerk at the desk all night long. Must have a phone in the room. Must have maid service. If in the city, must have valet service. So if you all could point me to any hostels that have all those, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.
Believe it or not, there are some that fulfill all your qualifications. But for the price you're going to pay, you might as well just shell out for a 1 star hotel.
1 star hotels don't have clean bathrooms, coffee in the morning, a clerk at the desk or valet service.
I have stayed in numerous hostels in Europe and Africa and they were all great fun. Getting wasted every night with other travellers and swapping stories and getting advice on where to go makes travelling so much fun. The only hostel I've stayed in America was in New York City. I was planning to go for just a long weekend but baulked at the price of hotels. I found one right downtown in Chelsea for $25 a night. It was perfect, so central - walking distance (ok , a long walk) to the Village and Central Park. http://www.chelseahostel.com if you're interested.
a good stay in amsterdam is the bulldog... the people who work there are the nicest you could imagine, great location to the hash bars/ect... met loads of great people from across the globe... i recommend the white widow (imho the best)_ cheers phishy
That's a block or two away from where i goto school You ever goto the Marylebone Tup when you were there? Its my after/during school drinking place.
I stayed in a San Francisco hostel a couple of years ago for spring break - pretty decent for the money. If you're going to be traveling a lot and not spending too much time indoors watching tv - hostels are the way to go - just a place to sleep and keep belongings. Rented a car and drove down to Santa Monica and stayed in a nicer hostel there, 1 block from the ocean- we were in a room with 6 other guys but besides sleep and changing we weren't there much.
I liked the Glenwood Hostel, probably because the people I met were really cool, especially the Argentine who gave me a couple Heinekens. The DC one isn't in a great area, and's a bit far from some things, although Dupont Circle's about a 20 minute walk away. Denver: nice and clean, has locker space in the dorm rooms, internet, cheap breakfasts, and you can walk downtown in 15-20 minutes. I stayed there while I was setting my apartment up/waiting for the mover to come. North Conway, NH: went with a bunch of friends so it was naturally a blast. Crawford Notch, NH: Run by the Appalachian Mountain Club, this was the best hostel I've ever stayed at. Comfortable, heated, and in an isolated enough location that I felt like I was in a remote cabin.
When I travel in Japan, I stay in nothing but hostels. For one thing, hotels are super expensive, but hostels are clean, cheap by Japanese standards, the people are nice and the food is top notch.