ACCOMMODATION - Europe On a Budget - page 73

The hostel bar often has the best deals in the city.
Hostel bar. If you want a hostel with a lively social scene then search for one with a bar. The
beer prices at hostel bars are usually affordable and sometimes it's the best deal in town. Plus,
drinking in the hostel is safer than wandering the streets drunk after a big night out, and you
don't need to worry about getting back to your hostel.
The bars do get a bit noisy, so you might want to book a hostel without a bar if you're a light
sleeper—or don't enjoy drunk people.
Free Wi-Fi/computers. Free Wi-Fi is fairly standard in hostels. Most hostels have com-
puters with Internet access, but there is usually a charge to use them. Some hostels have free
computers with free Internet but there is usually a long wait to use them since they're always
occupied.
Washing machines. If you're a long-term traveler a washing machine is a great luxury.
Hand washing your stinky socks (and trust me, your socks will stink) isn't fun, so having a
machine do all the work is a miracle. Some hostels charge to use the machines, but many
don't. The biggest problem is fighting for a machine that isn't being used since most hostels
only have one or two washing machines.
Good location. The location will have a big impact on your hostel experience. Obviously,
it is much more convenient if you're located near the sights, bars, clubs, grocery stores, and
public transportation. Hostels that are farther away from the sights are normally cheaper, so
you'll have to decide what is more important.
HOW TO FIND A GOOD HOSTEL
Finding and booking a hostel is incredibly easy thanks to the Internet. The two biggest sites
are HostelWorld.com and HostelBookers.com , but there are a few other sites like Hostels.com ,
Hostelz.com , and Hihostels.com . These sites are great because they allow you to read past re-
views of other travelers so you can judge the quality of the hostel before you book it.
I mainly book with Hostelworld.com or HostelBookers.com (they don't charge a booking
fee) because they are the two largest sites, and they have the most hostel reviews/community
base. Hostelz.com actually compares reviews and prices from all the major booking sites so
they're a great place to search for reviews. Additionally, they pay real travelers to review and
take photos of hostels so they're a helpful resource.