Hostels vary massively from the cheap and cheerful to the more luxurious ‘glamping’ experience with accommodation in yurts or tents. Some hostels are downright dirty but most are bright and airy with cool artwork which is often painted by travellers as they pass through.
When booking hostels you can choose between the party hostels where the action and interaction is non-stop or more tranquil places where lazing around quietly in hammocks is the norm.
Some include breakfast in the price and most have well equipped kitchens so that you can cater for yourself. Others come complete with cafes or restaurants attached and nearly all have a bar or at least a fridge stocked with beer and soft drinks for guests’ use.
Whilst dormitories with bunk beds are the cheapest nightly option, more and more hostels are catering for couples or singles who want a bit of privacy in a private room. Many establishments offer at least one female only dormitory and many dorms now have en suite bathrooms.
Hostels are also an option for people who are new in town whilst they find a more permanent home and as nomadic working becomes more widespread you can find all sorts of people living and working out of hostels via the internet.
And don’t go thinking that hostels are just for the wild, young backpackers either. Obviously the majority in the party hostels will be young and often loud, but there are plenty of mature travellers opting to stay in hostels. If you have never stayed in a hostel, give it a go. There is etiquette among travellers and there are rules. If you want to meet people and you want to discover the best places to visit and the ones to avoid you can find out from first hand experience. Often you will end up teaming up with other travellers and hostel staff on trips, nights out and even onward travel.
To read reports on some individual hostels click on the following links.
Colombia
Armenia – Casa Quimbaya Backpackers Hostel
Armenia – Casa Quimbaya Outdoors
Ecuador
Mindo – Biohostel Mindo Cloud Forest
There are a variety of website which can help you find a hostel, but Hostelz.com compares information and prices from several of the mainstream sites and puts this information in one place. Click on the link to the website and see for yourself.
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