- Current Age?
48
- Nationality
USA
- Where do you live now?
USA
- Occupation
Technician
- When it comes to travel accommodation (but leaving out crashing with friends, family or people you meet on the road), how often do you stay in hostels?
Sometimes a hostel, sometimes a hotel or B&B, etc
- Where have you hosteled?
Asia, Europe
- Would you stay in a hostel again on future trips?
Yes
- Why or why not?
All I am looking for when I travel is a place to get a good night's sleep. Most hostels provide this at a reasonable rate. The money I save by staying at hostels is better spent experiencing the sights and culture of the places I am visting. If I want the comforts of home, I will stay home.
- Out of all your experiences hosteling, what was your:
- Best Moment
Meeting some interesting people.
- Worst Moment
Got to a hostel before check-in time and they did not have a secure place that I could leave my pack until I could check in. Quite an inconvenience.
- Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
Sometimes the hostels are in out-of-the-way locations, therefore hard to navigate to in a strange land.
- Biggest surprise?
That most hostels are comfortable and have other ammenities than just a place to sleep.
- Do you ever book any of your hostel accommodation in advance?
Sometimes
- Why or why not?
I usually try to keep my options open so I don't like to make a commitment. I do contact the hostels in advance to check on availability for the dates I will be there. If it looks like a busy time then I will book in advance. Not nice to be wandering aimlessly around with a heavy pack looking for a place that isn't full.
- Who is the most memorable person you met in a hostel and why?
The lady tending bar in a hostel in Brussels. Very interesting. Had some good stories to tell.
- Why do you stay in hostels, as opposed to other types of accommodation?
Mainly value, but a lot of people staying at the hostels are less stuffy than you meet at hotels.
- Is there a hostel you'd recommend to other travelers? If so, what is it and where?
Sleep Well, Brussells, Belgium
- What is the biggest myth people have about hostels and hosteling?
That they are all exclusively for young under-30, single travelers. Some do have this policy, but most welcome all ages and I have seen families at hostels.
- Why do you like to travel?
It's a big world with lots to see and do.
- What is your advice for other travelers wanting to stay in hostels?
A lot of hostels book without requiring a deposit. If you change plans then please have the decency to cancel. Also, use the internet to research the hostels where you will be staying. The sites are getting better and more informative every year.
