Welcome to the Hotel California
Thursday, May 20, 2010
When I go travelling, I like to stay in hostels. The vibe of a hostel is just so different to that of a motel. Generally, everyone there is a similar minded, budget conscious traveller (as opposed to a tourist). Unlike a hotel, there are numerous opportunities to interact with the other travellers .... watching TV in the common lounge; cooking dinner in the kitchen; having a drink at the bar.
I seem to have an accommodation pattern I follow when I go travelling:
1. If I'm travelling within Australia, I stay in a single room in a hostel or cheap motel. I think it's because I'm generally travelling for a specific purpose and on a schedule, so the need and time for interaction with others isn't as high.
2. When I'm travelling overseas, I stay in a dorm for 3-4 nights and then spend 1 night in a single room in either a hotel or hostel. I'm quite an independent person that needs my space, so every few days I need to have some space just to catch up on things - even things as basic as being able to remove everything from my backpack to re-pack it. I've stayed in mixed dorms, female only dorms, even dorms in Japan with tatami mats instead of bunks!
But before now, my trips have been less than 1 month in duration, and I have a general itinerary in which I want to follow - thus the ability to meet fellow travellers and follow them on a whim hasn't been high. Plus, on my past few trips I have travelled with friends/partner, so I haven't suffered from solitude. This time though, I want to stay in dorm rooms and I want to meet fellow travellers - I have months of travel at my disposal this time!
The first time I stayed in a hostel was when I was 17. Instead of staying on the Gold Coast with my friends for Schoolies Week, I decided to travel around Australia for 3 weeks. I booked several nights in a hostel in Sydney as the first part of my trup, and then at the last minute my Mum decided to come with me. When we arrived at the hostel, we were confronted with no lift (six flights of steps); rusted faucets and sinks; creeky steps; cockroaches - in general, it was a total fire trap and just like a jail! As soon as we entered the room, my Mum said, "Give me the phone book - we're not staying here!" I managed to persuade her to stay at the hostel as this was 'my' trip, but she still brings up the 'fire-trap hostel' to this day - she will never stay at a hostel again! Luckily, hostels these days are more like hotels - clean, safe, and numerous facilities.
I've been looking at a few hostel websites across Borneo in advance of my trip, and there are a few key items I look at when reviewing the hostel:
1. Freebies:
* Free breakfast (even if it is just toast) removes the cost of one meal
* Free filtered water allows me to fill up my drink bottle for the day's activities (I'm a water junkie, so this is key)
* Free wi-fi - I deliberately purchased an iPhone last year with this trip in mind ( a) so I don't have to carry both a phone and an iPod; b) to allow me to surf the web as I travel; and c) for the entertainment factor and other useful applications like alarm clock)
2. Location. There is no point in staying at a cheap hostel when it's a 45 minute bus ride from the CBD or key tourist attractions.
3. Security. I have had a few bad experiences in the past year, so this is key for me. This includes electronic key cards, lockers, and location of hostel.
4. Price. Note this is not a high priority for me because I'm a 'flashpacker', not a backpacker. I prefer to stay somewhere clean and safe, as opposed to saving every cent by staying at the cheapest place in town.
I seem to have an accommodation pattern I follow when I go travelling:
1. If I'm travelling within Australia, I stay in a single room in a hostel or cheap motel. I think it's because I'm generally travelling for a specific purpose and on a schedule, so the need and time for interaction with others isn't as high.
2. When I'm travelling overseas, I stay in a dorm for 3-4 nights and then spend 1 night in a single room in either a hotel or hostel. I'm quite an independent person that needs my space, so every few days I need to have some space just to catch up on things - even things as basic as being able to remove everything from my backpack to re-pack it. I've stayed in mixed dorms, female only dorms, even dorms in Japan with tatami mats instead of bunks!
But before now, my trips have been less than 1 month in duration, and I have a general itinerary in which I want to follow - thus the ability to meet fellow travellers and follow them on a whim hasn't been high. Plus, on my past few trips I have travelled with friends/partner, so I haven't suffered from solitude. This time though, I want to stay in dorm rooms and I want to meet fellow travellers - I have months of travel at my disposal this time!
The first time I stayed in a hostel was when I was 17. Instead of staying on the Gold Coast with my friends for Schoolies Week, I decided to travel around Australia for 3 weeks. I booked several nights in a hostel in Sydney as the first part of my trup, and then at the last minute my Mum decided to come with me. When we arrived at the hostel, we were confronted with no lift (six flights of steps); rusted faucets and sinks; creeky steps; cockroaches - in general, it was a total fire trap and just like a jail! As soon as we entered the room, my Mum said, "Give me the phone book - we're not staying here!" I managed to persuade her to stay at the hostel as this was 'my' trip, but she still brings up the 'fire-trap hostel' to this day - she will never stay at a hostel again! Luckily, hostels these days are more like hotels - clean, safe, and numerous facilities.
I've been looking at a few hostel websites across Borneo in advance of my trip, and there are a few key items I look at when reviewing the hostel:
1. Freebies:
* Free breakfast (even if it is just toast) removes the cost of one meal
* Free filtered water allows me to fill up my drink bottle for the day's activities (I'm a water junkie, so this is key)
* Free wi-fi - I deliberately purchased an iPhone last year with this trip in mind ( a) so I don't have to carry both a phone and an iPod; b) to allow me to surf the web as I travel; and c) for the entertainment factor and other useful applications like alarm clock)
2. Location. There is no point in staying at a cheap hostel when it's a 45 minute bus ride from the CBD or key tourist attractions.
3. Security. I have had a few bad experiences in the past year, so this is key for me. This includes electronic key cards, lockers, and location of hostel.
4. Price. Note this is not a high priority for me because I'm a 'flashpacker', not a backpacker. I prefer to stay somewhere clean and safe, as opposed to saving every cent by staying at the cheapest place in town.
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