When I quit my job to travel at the end of 2019, I fit in 3 big trips before the pandemic hit hard–3 weeks in India, a month-long Eurotrip, and just over 2 weeks in Costa Rica. I stayed in hostels every single day on those trips except for a 4-day stint in London where I rented a private room in an Airbnb and went on a theatre binge, seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 and 2, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, and Waitress in that time. But I digress…
I wanted to write about the hostel experience from the perspective of an almost-30-something because it is different than hosteling in your early 20s (many people might feel like they are past the age where they could deal with staying in hostels once they approach 30). I went on my first backpacking trip to Nicaragua at 23, so I have that to go off of as a personal comparison.
Younger me was more shy and unsure of herself. She was also broke ( 🙂 ) so the choice to stay in hostels then makes sense. However, the affordability (and flexibility) is too good to pass up, even as an almost-30-something. Yes, by 29 my living standards have definitely gone up, but I loved being able to stretch my budget and have more money left over for experiences and activities. And at 29, I was still young enough to deal with the inevitable stays that end up as busts– like almost all of the hostels in India or the one in Belfast.
I laugh thinking about it now, but I’d rather not stay somewhere again that has a sink with a hole in it so that the water you use just gets all over the bathroom floor. Or somewhere that never gets hot water in winter–those showers were a frozen type of hell that did not set me up with a winning attitude for the day. I can’t forget about the good stays though either like the time I paid for a bed in a 4 person dorm but got it all to myself. Or the time I stayed in an 8 person coed dorm and nobody snored!
Back to shy and unsure me at 23. I was nervous to talk to people and probably relied on alcohol a little too much to do so. As an almost-30-something, you know who you are and you generally just don’t give a f**k about impressing anyone. It was easy and fun to make new friends, even without alcohol. Yes, the majority were younger than me, but the majority of them were lovely.
By 30, your reckless days are hopefully behind you, and you don’t have to participate with the youngsters when the night starts heading that way. I feel like a grandma saying youngsters haha, but when you’re around 18-year-olds that’s how it feels–that decade of age difference is a big one. I met people my age or older, too, (such a wide range of people stay at hostels) and made some amazing connections and had great conversations I wasn’t expecting. Let’s also admit there’s still more than enough room for a few wild nights at 30 😉
I don’t want this post to come off like I think being 30 is old. It’s not. However, most hostelers will be 18-26 years old, and some hostels have age limits (usually around 35). I think that can scare almost-30-somethings from staying in them. It’s something I thought about when planning my trips for sure. Will I be uncomfortable? Will it be too chaotic and loud? Will I be annoyed by all the youngins? Will I meet anyone I’m interested in talking to?
The people I’ve met traveling have sometimes stayed more vivid in my mind than the places I went to. They can make or break a trip, to be honest. By staying in hostels, I’ve met so many wonderful people that I’ve spent wonderful days with. It’s fleeting, but the socialization hostels offer is so worth it and will lead to amazing memories (and you can’t beat the price). Do some research before booking one, and read reviews until you find a place that seems to be your speed. I tended to avoid party hostels but still looked for places with a good atmosphere that put on events.
I know I have a few more hostel stays up my sleeve, and I can’t wait for the day we can start traveling again. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts and your best hostel stories (and which one is your favorite)!
