10 Tips To Avoid Staying At A Bad Hostel In 2026
The best hostels help you meet fellow travellers, get a great night’s sleep and protect your precious travel budget. But not all hostels are created equal… A bad hostel stay can really affect your time in a destination and leave a bad taste in your mouth.
So, how do you know if you’re picking the right one? There are a few key things to look out for – 10 to be exact! After over 12 years of travel and over 100 nights spent in hostels I’m sharing my tried and tested tips and tricks to help you make the right choice, every time.
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My go-to hostel booking sites:
1. Choose pods over open bunks
Firstly, the type of hostel you book is really important. Traditionally you’d only find hostel dorm rooms with the classic open bunkbeds similar to a child’s bedroom. But more and more you’ll find hostels offering dorm rooms with pod style bunks. I’ll insert a photo below to help explain this but essentially the pods give you a whole lot more privacy and in my experience make for a much more comfortable night.
Pods will often have a curtain that comes across the bunk giving you a private space to relax and sleep away from prying eyes. Due to the way they’ve been built, they’re generally a lot more solid and stable than bunkbeds too – so no more rocking if the person above or below turns over! Lastly, the additional structure and curtain keeps more noise and light out, so you’re less likely to be woken up if people move around in the night.
Plus, in my experience they’re no more expensive than classic bunkbeds so where you can, choose the pod!
2. Check for personal outlets & lights
Another key thing to look for is what’s in your bunk or pod space. You really want to see your own individual outlet to charge your phone and a personal light so you can control the lighting in your area. Again, many pod style beds will have both along with some extra storage built into them, but in bunk rooms it’s key to check.
You don’t want to be waiting for a spot on the single outlet in a room of eight bunks with a phone on 1% battery. Likewise, if there’s just one overhead light for the whole room, it’s either on or off and that means you’re getting ready for bed in the dark or someone’s left the light on while you’re trying to sleep. So this one might sound small, but trust me it’s important!
3. Focus on cleanliness over style
It’s easy to be drawn to more trendy hostels that are nicely decorated or have more decor, but the more hostels you stay in the more you realise, cleanliness is priority. From fresh sheets and dust-free floors to sparkling bathrooms and mould-free showers, look for hostels that prioritise simple design and cleanliness over stuff.
We all know a room with more decoration or soft furnishings is harder to keep clean than simple wooden or tiled floors and minimalist decor. So embrace a dose of minimalism and look for cleanliness over style.
That’s not to say stylish hostels can’t also be clean but in my experience, the more utilitarian hostels might be a little ugly but they’re spotlessly clean. Mostly because their cleaning teams can wipe and wash everything down, and often with higher strength cleaning products. So no colds and illnesses spreading here!
4. Avoid en suite dorm rooms
Speaking of cleanliness and bad smells, another lesson I learned the hard way is to avoid dorm rooms with en suite bathrooms. In theory an en suite might sound like a good choice – it’s restricted to just your dorm and super close.
But what happens when someone gets an upset stomach… Having lived through this myself I can tell you not only will you be using another bathroom as they’ll be in there a while, but the smell will join you in the bunks too. Nope, that is not where you want to be – so steer clear of dorm rooms with attached bathrooms and embrace the bigger shared bathroom options!
5. Look for the best kitchen facilities
Another perk of hostel living is being able to save money on food by cooking in the hostel kitchen. Again, the size and scope of facilities in every hostel kitchen is different so head to the list of amenities to check beforehand.
Some hostel kitchens will only have a hot water kettle and mini fridge, others will have multiple ovens, pots, pans and freezers. So if you do want to cook, I recommend looking for hostels with more extensive and physically big kitchens so you’re not all crammed in.
The best hostels will also have clear kitchen etiquette and rules mapped out, including how to properly name and date food in the fridge, recycle waste and ensure a clean space. So if you spot any of those measures, you’re probably onto a good hostel!
6. Check for the best location
Of course, if a hostel is spotlessly clean and packed with facilities but in the middle of nowhere that’s also not helpful. Choosing a hostel in a location that’s close to your destination, has access to public transport and is safe is super important.
So don’t forget to check exactly where a hostel is before you book it. I also use Google maps to check how close a hostel is to the major sights or places I want to see. Most of the time I like to be within walking distance to save a little money too. It’s also worth doing a quick Google search to see what people are saying about the area – i.e. is it a nice area? is it a safe area? are there good coffee shops or restaurants nearby?
You’ll soon get a feeling if this is the right spot for you, so take your time to properly research before you take the plunge, especially if you’re staying for multiple nights!
7. Choose organised activities & common areas to meet people
As I mentioned in the introduction of this blog, one of the best things about hostels (particularly if you’re solo travelling) is the opportunity to meet fellow travellers.
I’ve never spent the night in a hostel and not spoken to at least one person. The communal living really makes it impossible to at least not have a quick chat with your fellow dorm mates. From an elderly French couple cycling across Luxembourg to a German girl exploring Vietnam solo and a Swiss woman taking on one of the longest trails through the Alps, you’ll meet all kinds of incredible people.
To make this process even easier (if that’s what you’re looking for), pick hostels that help you form connections. That could be a great common room with games and places to sit and chat or organised nights out, cultural events or cooking evenings. Lots of hostels offer many extra services like this and are usually super affordable to join.
8. Pick hostels with lockers
Now back to the practical advice for a second – securing your belongings. No one wants to lug all their luggage around while they’re out exploring and so being able to feel confident about leaving it at the hostel is key.
For the best secure storage, choose a hostel that has lockers. They could be freestanding lockers or attached to your dorm bed/pod. Just make sure they’re fully lockable with a padlock (don’t forget to bring one!) or hostel key. You might find some also let you set your own password code, so there are lots of options. Just make sure they’re close or in the dorm room and definitely secure!
TOP TIP: If you can’t leave your luggage in your hostel, use an app like Radical Storage to find a local shop or restaurant where you can safely stow it for a small fee. Your back will thank you later!
9. Opt for free breakfasts
Another great perk to look out for is breakfast included with your stay. This is just another good way to save a little cash and make your mornings a little easier.
If a hostel is offering breakfast, depending on where you are in the world it’s likely to be quite simple with cereal, bread, jam, fruit and eggs. But for the price, you probably can’t go wrong so if you’re stuck between two great options, opt for the one with free breakfast!
10. Always check multiple review sites for red flags
Now my final point might sound obvious but when you’re excited to book your getaway, it’s easy to quickly overlook red flags. But having made this mistake before, I’m now a bit review obsessed because the chances are, if there’s a problem other people will have mentioned it before.
So take the time to have a bit of a scroll through the hostel’s reviews on Hostelworld.com, Booking.com (if they’re on there too) and also Google reviews. Hopefully all three places will tell the same story – that it’s a great spot. But if you start to see multiple mentions of hygiene issues, angry owners or lack of hot water, it could be time to look elsewhere.
There we have it, those are the top 10 things I look for when booking a hostel. All learned the hard way so you don’t have to! 😂 But all jokes aside, generally speaking if a hostel has great reviews and the key features I’ve mentioned you’re going to have a great time. I’ve made some brilliant memories in hostels and I hope you do too. Happy travelling!
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