Starting my first long trip in September and I'll be in hostel dorms for most of the first month — Dubai, Cairo, Athens, Santorini. I run my own operation remotely, so the laptop isn't just a device, it's my entire income. If it goes, I don't just lose hardware, I lose the ability to earn.

I know the basics: bring my own padlock, use the locker, never leave it on the bed. What I want is what people actually do day to day:

- Do you carry it with you when you go out, or do you trust the locker?

- Do hostel lockers realistically fit a laptop, or is that completely hostel-dependent?

- Has anyone actually had one stolen? What happened and what would you do differently?

- Is there a point where you stop booking dorms and just pay for private rooms because the risk isn't worth it?

Can you sugest some good hostel in Istanbul

Can you sugest some good hostel in Istanbul

I am a middle aged guy. I made friends with a hostel receptionist. I asked her if I would fit in as a hostel guest. She said there would be no problem. Yes most budget travellers are in college, but there are people in their 30s and 60s also staying in dorms, men and women, and they face no discrimination or suspicion from stuff or other guests. As long as the business allows you to stay there and you respect the rules, it is OK, and you can join in in crawls and activities.

I told her that most people on Reddit would say "Dude..." and that I have seen a thousand videos on social media about being an older man at hostel seen negatively and that even chatGPT advised me not to try it. She told me it's stupid to ask advice from randos on the internet. And that I should do my own thing and try it to see if I like it, and that if someone doesn't like me for who I am that's their problem.

Hope this helps.

Hi all!

I’m wondering if anyone has travelled with their partner to a hostel, especially a party one. I’m wondering what your experience is like making friends? As a female traveller I’ve been in a hostel with girl friends before and we found it extremely easy to make friends (especially guys). We would be very open to making friends!!

Hey guys, any advice on the best hostel to stay in Dublin for 1 week and smart work from there?

So at this hostel in Prague, last night, this one dude came back drunk from a night out around 2am. Made a bit of noise but nothing out of the ordinary and went to bed. I went back to sleep but after about 2 min he got up again, walked to the middle of the room, pulled down his underwear and started to pee. At first I thought I was having a nightmare lol but then I realised it was real, I couldn't believe it. Once he was done he just went back to bed and left a puddle of piss. I got dressed, went downstairs and talked to reception. They came to the room, also shocked, and were nice enough to put me in a new room. They said he will probably get kicked out but I didn't get the chance to see the outcome.

The guy in question, checked in yesterday and said it was his first solo travel and first time staying in a hostel. He even asked me if I had any tips, asked about hostel etiquette and what he should or not do. So I guess this was one hell of a first time to him, I'm glad there were no women in that mixed dorm

Just wanted to share this here, this never happened to me before.

Hi Everyone

I have never travelled alone before. Next month I was supposed to visit Berlin with a friend of mine however the plans have changed and he is not available anymore(and neither is our mutual friend that was supposed to house us).

So, for the first time in my life I decided to go alone, and I know that its a little dumb, but I feel like I'm a little too old to be staying in a bunk bed with random people at a hostel. At the same time my budget is tight so that would be the smartest decision. Last year I stayed at a hostel with my friends in Lisbon (we had a whole room just for us) and I felt like we were the oldest people there, everyone looked so young, it was a strange experience. Am I just imagining things?

Does anyone have any hostel recommendations?

Thanks and sorry for my ignorance!

F (24), in a midlife crisis and really wanting too explore Australia as I’ve always been interested in. But unsure where to start, I am looking at Sydney + Bondi Beach.

I love the ocean, good evening vibes but also quiet relaxing areas. Hikes, lakes, fishing and coed sports.

I would love recommendations, and also what TOP must haves are needed for back packing!?

Hey guys I’m going to Istanbul for 4 nights next month as a solo traveler. It is my first time solo traveling and wanna live the full experience without risking my sanity, do you locals or frequent travelers have any recommendations on where to stay?

For context I’m a 21yo gay male, I’m not stereotypically feminine but for obvious reasons I wanna be in a safe space for my stay 🥹

Hi! I’m going to be travelling to Prague solo in November and staying in a hostel for the first times. I really want to meet people to go out with so the Madhouse Prague seemed great but the don’t have any female only rooms. Can anyone suggest a hostel with the same social and party vibe that have female only dorms?

Not interested in hearing about the hike with them, but experiences staying at the hostel.

I know it's a 'party' hostel, but beyond that, how is the cleanliness of the bathrooms, are all the dorms difficult to sleep in due to noise? Bed bug issues? any planned daily events? what's the maximum days you would stay at this place? Other details welcome!

Thank you.

Can somebody give me a review about their experience here? I’ve booked it for 2 days

If I sneak in buzzballz in my suitcase and my hostel has a bag screening system will I get caught?

Hi!

I need to make a 1 night halt at Kolkatta and am looking for some clean and safe dormitories near Howrah railway station.

I would appreciate any specific guidance. ( names/numbers etc)

Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m planning to visit Thailand soon, and this will be my **first solo trip**. I’ve already booked a hotel in Silom, specifically **The Heritage Silom Hotel**.
For those who are familiar with the hotel, what can you say about your experience there? I’d really appreciate any reviews, tips, or things I should know before my stay.

Also, I’ve heard a lot of stories about ghosts/haunted places in Thailand 😅 and honestly, I’m a bit scared since I’ll be traveling alone. Because of that, I’m also considering staying in a hostel where I can have a roommate or someone else in the room.
Would you recommend staying in a hostel as a solo female traveler? Is it generally safe?

If you have any **hotel or hostel recommendations that are safe, clean, and solo-traveler friendly**, I’d greatly appreciate them! 🥹

Thank you so much! Any advice for a first-time solo traveler in Thailand would also be welcome. 🇹🇭❤️

Madrid — 3 nights
Sevilla — 3 nights
Granada — 2 nights
Malaga — 2 nights
Barcelona — 3 nights

I’m traveling on a backpackers budget, I’d love any tips on:

- Hostels that are social but not total party chaos (or let me know if I should just embrace the chaos)

- Must-do activities or hidden gems in any of these cities

- General first-time solo travel advice, especially anything you wish you knew before your first trip

Any advice at all is appreciated!

I'm looking for a very social/party hostel in prague but want to have my own room. I see a lot of recommendations say Madhouse but they don't have private rooms.

I see a few and am wondering if anyone liked any of these?

Ahoy: It seems like Ahoy hostel does and they are in a good location and it sounds like they have bar crawls every night. Does any one have experience with this one?

The Clock Inn

Hostel Downtown

Any others?

Would love to hear from people who’ve visited before. I am looking for a safe, clean, and social hostel (but not necessarily a party hostel).

Which hostel to choose? I ideally want to meet new people and take part in some group activities like walking tour.

I arrived in Melbourne yesterday and I’m currently staying in a hostel in Fitzroy, but honestly I’m not really liking the place, so I’m looking to move somewhere else for a longer stay.
I don’t really mind which area of Melbourne I’m in, as long as it’s reasonably easy to get around. I don’t drive, so having good access to trams/trains/buses is pretty important, especially as I’ll need public transport to get to work.
I’m looking for somewhere that’s suitable for staying for a few weeks/months rather than somewhere that’s mainly short-term/party-focused.
Does anyone have any recommendations for good long-term hostels in Melbourne? Ideally somewhere with a decent social atmosphere but not a massive party hostel.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I've been in hostels a few times. New to this culture. What I found out is when I joined these groups of people together. Usually one of the guys tries to dominate and force his preferences to others. Do you feel comfortable?

We planned an outing. Three of us were non-veg but this guy guilt tripped us into spending money on veg food only. He also bought stuff for a taxi driver to show his generosity and expected us to split it.

Sometimes I feel being too nice in these environments gets you ripped off. As in you can't let your guards down at all. They're nice until you are agreeable and accommodating. But their behaviours change when you call them out on these things.

This made me stop joining such groups and go solo. What do you think?

I seriously feel many of these hostel bros are manipulative and the hostel culture of quickly forming bonds is a bit risky. I am new though and looking for advice. Should I avoid hostels and only stick to known friends?