There is a special place in hell for people who don't wake up to their own alarm/s.

As a person who stays at hostel almost every time I travel solo, I can guarantee these are some great tips! The points she mentioned are so on point, especially the part about starting conversation and making friends. Thank u for sharing this video, it was a great reminder of the awesome memories I made during my stay at hostels. It can be super fun and sometimes even wild if u meet the right people that u can vibe with ;)

Second rule is so important! I once stayed in a hostel where a guest arrived at 2am, turned on the main light, tried to shove a too big suitcase into a metal locker and then proceeded to watch videos without earbuds on their phone in bed. 😤

Glad she’s addressed the way she says hostel right from the start lol

I only do female-only or single rooms in hostels after my first hostel experience. I went to Amsterdam and stayed in a super lowkey place, everything else about it was great, but a straight couple decided to stay in a room with 6 beds instead of getting their own. Every night the man would come down to the bottom bunk and they would touch each other and whisper in each others ears. Couldn’t fall asleep, was so uncomfortable. Their heads were literally a foot away from mine because our beds were perpendicular to each other. I’m not a prude at all but I didn’t sign up for THAT.

Jesus I think you’ve just taught me more social skills than anyone ever has. This isn’t a backhanded compliment.

Reminder!!! Even if it's the afternoon people travel throughout the day/night and still need to respect them. I.e. asking to turn on the light. Amongst other things it's all about respect when staying in a hostel.

Glad she said the disclaimer at the beginning. Otherwise there would be much hostelity

She's a bundle of energy

I always try and find hostels with curtains on the bunks. It’s such a big deal for me, I hate the idea of people watching me sleep and privacy is great. Just close the curtains and relax and watch some Netflix, no one will bother you. If you’re new it’s the a good way to ease into it, but also now I’ve committed to it.

Thank you! Leaving for Europe in a few weeks and will be my first time in hostels, so this is so helpful!!!

Thank you so much for this video ! I relate to a lot of things that you’re saying about organizing your bag, the essentials one should bring while traveling in hostels, etc. You’re truly helping me out planning a 6 weeks long trip in Europe 🤩

Thank you for the information! I was really nervous about booking a hostel and you definitely relaxed me 💓

Very very useful video been using hostels for a handful of years. The part about starting conversation and making friends is very accurate lol. Thanks for the video!

I'm 61 and will be backpacking through Britain this summer. Some of the time I'll *actually* be backpacking since I'm taking lightweight camping gear. I used to stay in hostels all the time, but now I'm afraid I'm going to be the old snoring guy that everyone hates. I booked a newly listed AirBnB in Edinburgh so far in order to avoid that issue. I'm still debating what I want to do in Inverness.... - BTW, your pronunciation of "hostel" is historically correct, even if uncommon now. The word "hostel" was revived from Middle French (same spelling) by Sir Walter Scott for his historical fiction. In modern French the word became "hôtel" with the "ô" representing a dropped "s". That came into modern English as a loan word: "hotel".

I'm taking off for Europe soon, so this video was very informative. Also I love your energy Jemima! Keep up the good work and safe travels!

thank you this was super helpful! i never rly traveled alone or honestly ever so these are great tips

Thank you so much for this video!! I want to go to Vancouver but hotels are really expensive and I'll probably travel solo. I found a cool looking hostel but it would be my first time in a hostel so I was anxious about sharing the room with others BUT at the same time I wanted to meet new people. Your video really helped me to make up my mind :) I think I will give it a try

I want to go backpacking so much

One great tip the top of the beds always look pretty clean however always look under the mattress for anybody that's been sick or bloody covers and the bed bugs which can make you ill I worked in award winning hostels and they were always finding the white bed bugs

Thank you, I was curious as a women in her 30’s to travel and be in hostel.

Very good tips. I have been staying in hostels for over a decade at this point. I have stayed in hostels in 11 countries, all of which were in Asia, with the exception of the US. I have a few comments/additions. First, depending on the city and the prices, private rooms can be a great way for families to save money on accommodations. I booked a private suite for myself, my sister, my brother-in-law, and my niece in Chicago for $45/night. A hotel would have easily been $100/person/night, and an Airbnb would not have been much better. We ended up canceling because of covid, but it was good to at least know my niece would not have had to shower in a shared bathroom with strangers. Also, I was lucky enough in Mongolia to have stayed at a hostel that planned custom tours. The owner canceled one night of my stay so I could go stay in the countryside for a night. While I was away from the city, she held my valuable and my luggage and kept them safe, at no extra charge. Take advantage of stuff like that if you can.

Yeah, Hostel’s are for the very young. The absolute worst part of staying Hostel’s what is the snoring, which sounded like dueling banjos in the movie Deliverance with Burt Reynolds. Intentionally come in loudness of the story, we get louder, and louder, until one of the snoring parties would wake up or stirs. It was so awful. Beautiful old chargers home in sandboard Park, San Jose was unbelievable. And the top floor of the hospital in Granby lake, Colorado was magnificent.

You have shared some great tips here. As someone who runs my own hostel I agree with most of your points.

The main thing that worried me when I was sleeping in a bottom bunk was if someone comes back to the room drunk and pees in the bunk above me. I saw a pic of that on reddit (whilst laying on the bottom bunk) were it seeped through the mattress and it grossed me out the whole time I was there.

Perfect timing. I backpacked quite a bit in the past (20 years ago) and stayed in some amazing hostels (Denmark, London, Scotland). I'm heading to Italy in May and have booked a couple of hostels. I'm a bit apprehensive as I am a lot older now...

Thank you for the information! I was really nervous about booking a hostel and you definitely relaxed me

Are you insane? I've been in over 70 hostels on five continents. There is nowhere in the world where it's not insanely rude to turn on the main light at 7am while everyone is still sleeping jesus.

My friend went to Colombia & stayed in the hostel had a drinks with one of the guys in the hostel he met & he woke up in the hospital after couple of days. He lost all his belongings watch, wallet, ipad, laptop, jewelries. They tried to take his kidney. Thank God he was okey

hooking up... laundry rooms, patios, balcony's, bathroom stalls... keep your eyes open for quiet secluded places...

Hearing you talking about room size I immediately thought about that one hostel in edinburgh so when you mentioned it I was like "oh! Yeah! This!" lol

As someone who lives in a colder climate, I love talking about what the weather is like where they’re from. When in doubt talk about the weather lol!

This is very useful. Im going backpaing across russia by the trans-siberian railway all the way to Vladivostok and im Planning on staying only in hostels for budgets shake and to make it more of an adventure.

Ohhhh you stayed at Old Town Hostel in Edinburgh right? Looooved these rooms, so spacious!!!

this was a great video, I loled a couple of times especially for the meme you played for the lights segment haha

I stayed in a 52-bed dorm room in Iceland once haha - biggest one by far though

Hahah lovely general tips. I am Albanian and living abroad, I currently came back in my country and in the hostel I am right now in Tirana (city that I lived 7 years previously)electricity went off for 30min (still going) 😂 I searched tips about hostels online & here I am in your channel Is my second experience in Hostel I chose female only room option and is the second time I have all the room only for me (perhaps because of winter) I am sorry for your towel 🥲 I usually book airbnb / hotels or apartments but hostel is way more convenient in terms of saving the money for something else than sleep. I am liking so far ! Good luck!

Thank you! Checking this out on my first solo trip and wishing to have some good conversations in brugge.

Hi, this will be my first time travelling solo in Europe in February. I am going to Spain for two weeks and looking to sleep at hostels. Thank you so much for this video. I was anxious but after watching your video I think that I'm actually excited for this adventure lol! :)

Thank you so much for this video! Always have the best advice 👍🏼

I can't sleep if I hear a mosquito flying in the room, and any movement of fhe bed wakes me up... I don't think a hostel if for me :(

I didn’t even think of the possibility that people hook up in hostel dorm rooms 😂 like what is really wild to me I guess it depends on the time of day. Like if it’s 1pm and no one is there that’s fine I’ll just leave out and take a walk around the town but if im coming in the hostel around midnight to go to sleep I do not want to hear that 😂

thank you so much for this, i am traveling alone to Japan for the first time in october and booked a hostel in Gion / Kyoto.

Brilliant tips, never knew there are mixed dorms but then I have never been a hostel person.I travel solo but try to have a budget for a cheap room than going in a hostel, still, lovely tips for people staying in hostels

Bottom bunk always!

Don't know how I ended up with this in my feed but the points you make were also pretty relevant back in the nineties when I did a lot of backpacking on my own. I always used to talk to people in the dorms and common areas and I'd say well over 95% were friendly and chatty as well, you can weigh people up pretty quickly. It's the people that make hostels and at the end of the day most people are happy to socialise and share their stories. The worst hostels I found were the ones who had a lot of long term residents or who accepted large groups coming off overland tours as they tended to be pretty bonded and weren't always that welcoming although were always pleasant enough. I used to try and do my 'bag shuffling' the evening before if I had an early start so when my alarm went off I was up and grabbed my stuff and out the door hopefully not disturbing too many people. At the end of the day though most people were pretty tolerant as it works both ways. If anyone moans too much about occasional disturbances it's sometimes worth pointing out to them that they do have the option of booking a hotel room. Back in the day most hostels were happy to recommend and/or book onward accommodation, although maybe these days wouldn't do it as people have their own smart phones. They also often met long distance buses especially in South Africa/Australia and took people to their hostels but don't know if they do that now, probably worth asking though as it was very convenient. Some of my best memories and laughs were from staying in hostels and doing associated trips/activities. Just do it, you wont regret it.

Omg, get a private room if you want to have sex. It's very awkward and won't think of it ever in a public place even if you're just two for a moment, unless you're used to it coz you always do that. 😅

Hey you're back!!! Great video and hope all is well! (It's Courtney in Brooklyn 🙂)

thanks for this! i’m going to europe for two months and im super nervous about hostels! but i really feel like i need to meet new people

Wow 😊 interesting I’m not a shy person I downloaded hostelworld app… wanting to use it for future trip to live in Europe… it’s best to write ✍️ down everything on notebooks 📒

Everything you said is so accurate and relatable! (I'm also team bottom bunk 😎)

Pack your bag before you get up!!!

I pack a tiny push light that fits in my personal bag for getting ready when I don't want to turn on the main light. It takes up barely any space, I'm not wasting my phone battery, and I'm not trying to figure out where to place my phone so that I can see and not blind anyone by accident because I have a flashlight I'm waving around trying to see things with.

first hostel stay was 1963 . uk . nz aust nz tassie last when aged 69 fun times always solo around aus totaly 5 times every train incl ghan to darwin. jumping crocs .

The yellow square hostels in Rome, Florence and Milan are great

Any person who uses snooze is insane. Who wants to get woke up just to go back to sleep for 3 mins then get woke up again. How can these crazies fall back asleep knowing that alarm is just gonna start blaring in a few minutes and you have to shut it off. Also you know you can turn around in bed right? You dont have to sleep head to head you can sleep with it at the other end

Im glad ive never stayed in a dorm room before , and only once in a private room hostel . I guess I would have met more ladies , had I though !

thank you, this was helpful.

Australian - Bunks, Bounce’s, Mad Monkeys, Base’s and Nomads are the best.

Hostels are a nightmare if you need to sleep at least 7 hours. Usually in hostels the 'silent night' is between 2am and 5 am .. if you are lucky

What a topic. I try to disturb as less as possible. If I need a light I use a light if I can avoid light I avoid light if I need a alarm I use a alarm .,….

I will see that next week

What’s the average age range at a hostel? Staying at a hostel by myself for the first time soon. I’m 36, hoping to meet not only like 20 year olds 😅

Thankyou Jemina for your honest tips. Looking forward to traveling Europe in hostels. Great vid🙂

Watching this from my hostel bed in Florence

Any recommendations for a hostel in Paris? A solo female traveler

Not so sure about alarms, a hostel I stayed in had a rule to turn your phone on silent in the dorms

Thank you! Europe here i go 🙌

I'm gonna be staying in a hostle for the first time when I visit Calgary, I'm gonna be in a 4 bed mixed room and based on the pictures its small AF. I'm hoping to get a bottom bunk near a window.

How can you tell if hostels are party hostels or not?

Thank you very much! This does help me prepare. I am new to the idea. Can one store a large checked-in bag (Large Size - 30”x19”x12” or 76.2 x 45.72 x 30.48 cm) in most hostels? Would you recommend capsule hotels instead?

When I heard the sex thing, I was almost convinced to give up the hostel experience. 😮😮

Don't plan on getting much sleep in a hostel. People snore, sick people go travel anyways and cough the whole time. I even had packed solid cough medicine and offered this guy who was keeping everyone awake with his coughing, the bastard rejected the cough medicine. Luckily, he left after one night.

Pleaseee, what hostel did you stay in in Edinburgh?? I'm planning a trip in Feb next year. Loved the video!

I need a single room as I can't stand sharing. It's difficult to find such spaces so usually I end up paying more and staying in hotels. Dorms are just not for me no matter what the price saving. I like the communal space such as longe or kitchen to meet people, I just can't sleep with them.

I'm always screwed because I can't wear earplugs because my ears just start hurting so bad. The problem is that I always end up with one really bad snorer and there is nothing which makes me more aggressive. I can't sleep ffs :')

When you didnt book your hostel in advance and they didnt have a free room, what did you do? Just in case I ever get into that situation haha

What about applying perfumes/deodorant in the dorm? Like guy wakes up 5am and sprays bloody AXE on him like crazy, would you be annoyed too?

Thank you so much, very helpful video. I'm going to prauge this summer and I would love to know the name of the hostel which ahd plenty of activities. Thanks again : )

She has much Energy as me having a Red, Bull C4 ,Monstet,Viper,Psycibillian mushrooms.and a can of Aloe Vero Drink tp cool mr dwn on a Las Vegas Strip.😅

so what to do if there is no rooms in hostel, what to do? where to stay?

I have a question; a friend of mine is 17 years old and I wonder if it's an enormous problem if he's the only one in our group who is not 18+. Could you possibly fake it? And will they even check?

Recommend hostels!!!!! Algarve, Lisbon, Porto?

I live in a hostel for like 7 months 😅 best time of my life

I love you, random traveller woman

Do people steal stuff? How do you deal with staying in rooms with people you feel uncomfortable with?

Which hostel in prague did you mention for hostel acitivities?

notice boards great in hostels share rides common did not hear you mention

Really great advice I'm more worried about being body snatched and sold is that a worry or naw

Thank you so much for sharing those tips! I’m planning to travel America in hostels, but I haven’t been to any hostel before. What I am curious is, is it safe to charge my phone or laptop while I take a shower? I’m little nervous if someone would steal it. What’s your advice on this?

Hahaha, the Classic, "Do You Like, .......................Stuff..?"

Whoa. "Have a chinwag" @ 7:15. New vocab unlocked 💯

Great Video! have you had much experience with couch surfing app?

On the topic of sex I've noticed thats generally what a lot of guys are constantly hoping for when they frequent hostels.

i’m always paranoid to get pickpocketed. am i supposed to always take my stuff with me? for example, when i go take a shower or such

love it

Lots of good perspective here. On sex in hostels, I would add *don't bring your guy into a women's-only dorm* for the love of God. I woke up to a girl giving a bj in the safe space we'd all paid for in Istanbul. He worked at the hostel so no one did anything about it. Also consider the possibility that someone walking in on you having sex in a women's-only dorm may assume you're being raped and go for help. Don't let boyfriends into the women's dorm to hang out either. Istanbul again, I stayed in a room with a girl whose boyfriend (?) banged on and screamed through the door for half an hour in Farsi at 2AM because she hadn't answered a text. Another person's women-only choice may reflect a safety choice based on a risk that hasn't been communicated to you. In Catania, Italy I stayed in a unisex dorm rooms where people paid for two bunks and slept in one ' but we're Irish' she said giggling, as if that explained everything. They couldn't take a hint and make it awkward for everyone else for three days. Even when it's not sex. And about the top or bottom bunk choice. If someone will clearly have a struggle on the top but they're last to arrive please be as kind as you can. I will forever be grateful to a Polish girl who gave me the bottom bunk when I was in my second trimester of pregnancy carrying twins. Ya gotta pee all the time and you can't climb a stupid ladder without feeling big enough to tip the whole bed. I wish hostels had sober-only rooms! And yes, you will definitely get robbed in a lot of places.

Nice vlog.

27, been on a few 'holidays' in my time, but haven't really achieved much and just want to go and see the world before i'm old and it's too late.. but like HOW DO YOU START?! I currently work and i'm thinking of just saving for 6 months to a year and just going somewhere? but how much do you need roughly? thanks

I think the rules are common sense.