It is easy to go to BootsnAll.com, punch in the city you will be arriving in, pick the first lodging that pops up, book it and cross your fingers. As one may guess however, this can lead to a stay in a place that is less than expected, or downright horrible. Booking the right place to lay your head and mingle with other travelers (or not mingle if you're so inclined), can determine how you end up feeling about the entire city you are visiting. Experience teaches that a crappy accommodation often breeds stories of dissatisfaction with entire countries. As superficial as that sounds, it pays to take steps to avoid finding yourself in this position.
While most of the following can loosely apply to booking budget (or not so budget) inns, the focus is on hostels. Generally I have found they suit solo, budget travelers more than those in groups. Booking an inexpensive inn and splitting the cost with a travel partner can often be the same price or cheaper than each paying for a bed in a hostel, and it comes with more privacy. Traveling alone and on a budget, you will almost invariably find booking a single bed in dorm style accommodation more economical.
For starters it is important to understand what a hostel actually is, what you're booking yourself into. There are a lot of preconceived notions about what type of accommodation it affords. The simplest way to correct misconceptions is to say they are all wrong. A hostel can be anything from an old abandoned factory, gutted, cleaned and converted into a truly modern place to lay your head, to a small boat with a few beds inside, floating in a canal. It can be an old three-room apartment filled with cots, or a historic castle that once housed wearisome royals. The sleeping accommodations can range from a private room with two to six beds to bunk-bed type sleeping arrangements that put 15 to 30 people in one room. It is safe to say that most hostels nowadays have a variety of sleeping arrangements to choose from, but one can usually find the dorm style sleeping as a choice in any place that calls itself a hostel.
What probably defines a hostel more than anything is a greater communal atmosphere. Travelers tend to mingle and facilities may be offered that you would not find at a hotel, such as a usable (in reference to permission to use, not necessarily its cleanliness) kitchen. Those choosing this type of accommodation usually provide their own or rent towels and sometimes bed linens. The crowds seem to be on the youngish side. Although a more youthful generation of travelers tend to frequent hostels, the days of a place calling itself a "youth hostel" are gone.
Today you would be hard-pressed to find any place turning away Euros because of age and sometimes (although this seems to be fading out) rules of conduct (smoking and drinking are ambiguous, or left to your own discretion). Most of all, however, you will not find a rating system such as the one-to-three stars. This means that doing your research is important, unless you love the thrill of walking into the unknown and taking things as they come. If that were the case, you probably didn't make it this far into the article.
Know yourself before you know your hostel. What kind of person you are may not be the same as what type of traveler you are. At home you be neat and tidy, not very social and always punctual. On the road in a foreign country, things change. In fact, your trip may give you the release from being the clean, reclusive time keeper. This doesn't mean you'll buy a new wardrobe and make people call you moon-flower. Consider what you want out of your trip, your next destination. Try to anticipate how you will feel once you arrive.
Hostels have personalities, like you. Match yours with your hostel. You may find a "friend" to visit again. Ask yourself such questions as: Am I or do I want to be more social? Do I smoke or drink? Can I deal with or sleep through people coming in and out of my room at any time, or would a curfew be more desirable? Do I carry a laptop when I travel and need extra security in my room? and the like.
Once you have figured out what kind of stay you will be looking for, you will want to see what your options are. It is safe to say that hostels usually offer more in-house perks than budget inns. Finding the cheapest bar in town right in the basement of your hostel is not uncommon. This can be a great way to unwind on a budget, while exchanging future hostel tips with other travelers after walking around the city all day.
Many hostels have common areas where relaxing around a television, trying to decipher the Simpsons in French, or partaking in a game of fussball passes more time than expected while waiting for your next train. You might be surprised at the number of facilities that are beginning to offer huge projection televisions with cable or satellite as part of the entertainment included in the price of a bed. On a similar note, with the decrease in the size of laptops and the increase in travelers who can't leave those behind, WiFi connections are becoming standard in many locations. If this isn't available, there is probably some way to access the Internet and write home, or download your videos to YouTube.
Then there is breakfast. Although the offerings can be meager and its inclusion is becoming less and less standard, many hostels provide some sort of breakfast to get you up and on your way. The usual fare is toast, cereal, jam, butter and coffee or tea, but here and there, you will run into a selection of deli meats, even pancakes and eggs to order (The Generator in London and Berlin have some of the best breakfast selections). The key is to get up early enough to get into the dinning room before breakfast comes to an end
Some hostels enforce a curfew or lock-out period. While this practice is dying, it does exist; you will probably want to avoid it. Pay attention to the description of the hostel when booking. The lock-out period may be a feature you will likely just have to deal with from time to time. It usually happens between 11:00 am. to 3:00 pm. You will be asked to leave your room (maybe the entire building) while they clean up, change sheets, prepare for new arrivals. While this may seem annoying, it is likely that you will be out and about enjoying the city.
Of utmost importance when choosing a place to sleep is to consider what you will be doing when you're awake. Knowing what sites to see in any given city is a give-in, but knowing where they are in relation to your hostel takes a little investigating. Look through your guidebook, find a map of your next destination and get an idea of where things are. Finding a hostel in the vicinity where you are headed certainly minimizes your walking time and the costs of metro tickets. This will not only give you additional time to see more things, but it will give you some bearings in the city when you arrive.
Get an idea of where the train station or airport you are arriving at is in relation to your sleeping quarters. There is nothing worse than arriving in a city at 10:00 p.m. only to find you still have two bus rides and a four-block walk to reach your accommodation. Write down directions, it saves more time. Understand the scale of the maps and talk to other travelers about what areas you should avoid. It isn't necessary to plan out each day and route, but knowing you won't have to travel far every time you forget you camera or need your jacket is a comfort.
Being close to major tourist attractions and ritzy neighborhoods costs. Sometimes it pays to stay a bit farther out of the city center. Overlooking the Arc de Triomphe or having the Roman Forum as your front yard will obviously cost more each night. Expect to pay anywhere from 10 Euros to 35 Euros per night per bed. A rule of thumb is that if you're paying more than 25 Euros, you can probably do better. A lot depends on the city, the country, what you are willing to spend.
When using booking sites, take time to read reviews. They can give you a sense of what to expect. A great review does not always translate into a great place and vice versa. Even better, talk to the people at your current hostel. They will give you the most current information. A terrific hostel one year is not always the same 12 months later. Keep your ears open; you may just find a jewel not even listed on the web.
There will be times when you have to pick the cheapest place to stay due to time. This can add to the excitement of a European trip. With a little planning though, you can limit the stress of hunting down a bed after you arrive in a city, having to deal with a lack of vacancy and hating every minute you have to spend under the sheets of a poor decision.
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