Tips For Choosing Your NYC Hostel
I recently received an email from an Italian couple who would be coming to NYC for the first time, and were seeking advice on which hostel to stay at. During my travels, I’ve had the pleasure (and sometimes the horror) of hostels ranging the gamut from boutique-like gems to having actual pigeons nesting in the broken-out windows (I’ll let you use your imagination on which city that happened in!) There are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned to go by though, and this is what I shared with the Italians:
1. Using the right website. I immediately directed them over to HostelWorld, my go-to site for everything hostel booking. You can easily compare prices, see recent photos, and see what amenities each offers. Easy, straight-forward, and the best prices. Period.
Outside our hostel in Kyoto, Japan.
2. Picking the right neighborhood. As we locals know, location is everything in New York. Before coming over you should have a basic outline of what it is you want to see and do while in town. Then, book the hostel around that so you don’t spend tons of time and money commuting everyday. Planning on hitting up the big museums? Something on the Upper East Side would be best. Want to do the touristy-midtown circuit? Book a Times Square hostel. Interested in the Brooklyn art scene? Head out to Williamsburg. Location, location, location.
3. Match your hostel to your personality. Like people, hostels have personalities of their own (which can often be determined in advance by reading online reviews.) Some are social butterflies, some keep to themselves, some are night owls, some have curfews. When I was younger, I was more than happy to bunk up in a room sleeping 8 girls, but on my last few hosteling trips I’ve definitely felt it necessary to splurge for a single room. A good sleep equals a happy Jess.
Enjoying a communal hostel dinner.
4. Bells and whistles. I’ve stayed at hostels that are more equipped for functional living than my own apartment. Some provide free breakfast/coffee/tea, most provide free wireless. Often times hostels will host pizza night for free or minimal cost, coming equipped with a fun night of charades with other hostel dwellers. Other such extras could include free bike rentals, sheets and towels, and my personal favorite…an on-site furry friend. Nothing says home like a welcome-kiss from Fido.
What are your go-to tips and tricks when booking a hostel?
By: Jessica Tiare Bowen
In my experience (which isn’t *huge*), the main aatndvage to hostelling is the relative cost. There are other differences, though, that could be viewed as aatndvages: firstly, you meet a lot of other people from all over the world. Often the staff are very open to speaking English and helping out their guests with travel advice, etc. Hostels sometimes organise activities, guided tours and transportation for their guests. Also, hostels often have cooking and laundry facilities that hotels don’t.
Great points, Ramona! I love the organized activities!
Beyond the cost, its more social. You meet polepe you wouldn’t meet otherwise. So it depends on what kind of experience you want. Also, say a hostel in a city costs €20 and the cheapest hotel costs €25. The hostel might very well be nicer, because that’s on the higher end of what a hostel costs (depending of course on where you are) versus a very cheap price for a hotel. The hostel might be cleaner, have a freindlier staff and be more pleasant than a hotel that costs so little. Also, private rooms in hostels are like having the privacy of a hotel but without the cost, if you don’t want anything incredibly special but just want a place to lay your head at night and spend a little downtime. In hotels, you often pay for lots of services (gym, concierge, pretty lobby, swimming pool) that you may or may not need or want.
So true about paying for services that you may not even use! Very important to take into consideration when booking.
I’m definitely a location-personality-dependent kind of person when it comes to booking hostels. For NYC though, I don’t highly recommend hostels, I’ve recommended Airbnb or guesthouses a lot more. It’s a bit weird only because I’m a big hostel fan when I’m traveling, but since NYC is my hometown, I feel like people should experience it on a more intimate level. I’m really just biased! haha!
To me, the thing about finding a place to stay in NYC depends on whether the person has been to NYC or not. If not, I’d definitely recommend a very central location, only for the convenience. I’ve come to find that people don’t really give NYC much time as it needs, so a more central location saves time and money in the long run. And then of course, if a person’s been to NYC once or twice before and especially a bit more familiar with the city, then I recommend for them to start looking at other neighborhoods such as the UWS, LES, or in Brooklyn.
Antoinette | love.antoinette recently posted..Patagonia Highlights
Thanks for the tip, Antoinette! Central location is always nice if you’re trying to pack a lot in…the more subway stops to choose from, the better:-)
Great Photos!
Thanks! They’re from my trip to Japan;-)
Great information for the young adults lodging while travelling…and bringing their parents they leave behind into the light with a peace of mind!
Thanks! Another great thing about reading reviews is you can see what past lodgers think of the hostel’s location in terms of safety, which is always a must-do before booking!
Great advice, to be honest I’ve never stayed in a hostel before – I wouldn’t even know where to start so this is fab xx
Scarlett recently posted..3 Things you can’t help but love about Christmas
Yay, glad we could help you out, Scarlett!:-)
This is great information! The hubs and I are planning an NYC for next year and I definitely need to know how to choose a hostel there
Fab! As it gets closer, feel free to email me and I’ll give you some more specific recommendations;-)
a lot of hostels have ktcnheis. it’s nice to be able to cook sometimes, esp. if you’re travelling for a long while. and you meet so many lovely people in hostels from all over the world, they can also tell you things about other destinations that you wouldn’t find in a guide book. if money weren’t an option, i’d still stay in hostels more than not. i’m not super social and into going out and all that but i just ended up meeting the most interesting, amazing people travelling. i’ve stayed with a couple i met in a hostel when i visited their country, i dated a boy i met in a hostel whom i’m still very close to.
Exactly! If you want to save money on food, a kitchen is definitely a huge plus! And you can try your hand at creating local cuisine with the help of the hostel owner;-)
nice post, I’m a bit too ancient to want to do this now, but such a great way to keep your costs down!
fiona maclean recently posted..More from Mince – Ration Book Eating
Haha, agree…they definitely lose allure as you get older, but fantastic way to travel on a budget!
These are great tips, Jess. Hostels come in all types and fit all tastes – I’ve only stayed in a hostel once, would do it again. Without knowing it, I followed all your pointers.
InsideJourneys recently posted..Jamaica’s Rockfort Mineral Baths
Awesome! Thanks for sharing:-)
I haven’t stayed at a hostel ever either but I like the idea of picking one that matches your personality – I imagine it would make the stay a lot more interesting
Thanks for the tips!
Andrea Naomi recently posted..Is it TOO Late
Absolutely! If you’re really into meeting other people, for example, lots of hostels will host fun get-togethers at local bars. Great way to meet other travelers and locals at the same time, especially if you’re traveling solo!
I only remember hostels from my time at school. Lately I was thinking of using hostels again, but so far didn’t go for it. Thanks for the good advice.
Chris recently posted..Basil and Garlic Chicken Thighs
Haha, if it’s been awhile, I’d recommend checking out the single room option…a lot more privacy for just a little more money:-) Thanks for reading!
I have to admit I’ve never stayed in a hostel, but I’ve always been intrigued by it. I’ll have to look into it the next time I go to Europe or NYC. These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Cari Lorine recently posted..A Newlywed’s Life: Business Trip Blues
Haha, they are definitely not for everyone (as many of my friends and family members often remind me), but if you’re looking for a unique experience on a budget, it’s definitely worth considering:-)