HOSTELS and

Their Ability to Unite International Travellers

In June 2022, I embarked on my first-ever backpacking adventure from the North to the South of Thailand. Slightly naive to the fact that my backpack was literally half my size and packed full to the brim with TikTok recommended travel ‘essentials’, I set off from Bangkok to Chiang Mai to spend two nights at an elephant sanctuary turned hostel in the jungle.

Here, I met a wonderful group from the midlands, a confident Dutchman, and a crazy Chilean couple (who had DIYed a bong out of bamboo and spent the majority of their time permanently high – cannabis had been legalised in Thailand a week before I arrived). We spent two nights together in an open-air hostel with just a wool blanket and moth-holed mosquito net for protection. Experiencing the Thai jungle at night is something I will never forget. The sounds, the breeze, the air. It’s all very unnerving – honestly, it felt like we were participating in the opening scene of a horror film. But being surrounded by this welcoming group of strangers made it all feel somewhat normal. We stayed up late chatting about our travels, future plans, and what we would do when we returned home. Writing about it now makes it seem like some kind of fever dream.

After being dropped back to Chiang Mai bus station, we all went our separate ways. To me, this is the beauty of staying in hostels with other like-minded travellers. You share pieces of yourself with others; if they have similar plans maybe you’ll travel together, or maybe you’ll just share a life experience with them before continuing on your route. The transient nature of hostels and their ability to bring people together (even briefly) is unmatched. I would pick a grubby hostel over a budget hotel any day!

Words by Olivia Griffin Design by: Soyal Khedkar

Hostels are a great opportunity to meet people when travelling. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of my most inspiring friends when staying in hostels. Although they don’t always provide the most comfortable experience, and I caught Covid in a hostel in Vienna, they offer an affordable, exciting way to travel that is arguably better than a fivestar hotel. I’d choose to spend a month in hostels all over Europe instead of a week in a hotel in Spain in a heartbeat. Granted, hostels teach you vigilance as not everyone has the same mindset as you, but you learn to trust your gut, know when to speak up, and how to get your sleep in the strangest of circumstances.

The ability of hostels to unite individuals from all over the world is such a unique experience. It almost feels like a school trip, except you have the freedom to do whatever you want. I’m lucky enough to have met friends who, within twelve hours of knowing them, celebrated my new job by dragging me to a boat party in Budapest. I’m thankful for the new friendship group that I spent three amazing days with, exploring Vienna and watching The Sound of Music in our dorm. I had the opportunity to visit them at university in Birmingham, as well as all the way in Virginia.

Once, whilst my friend and I were backpacking France, we were worried about visiting Marseille due to having heard bad things. However, after meeting a new friend in our hostel, she introduced us to the best of Marseille. We ended up having the best 24 hours exploring islands off the coast, drinking wine, eating cheese, and admiring the street art and cathedrals. Therefore, meeting international friends in hostels is a great way to connect to the world. There is no better way to gain experience and meet people different from yourself than when you travel broke and stay in hostels.

Words by Jasmine Dodd

One of the most fun and social hostels I have ever stayed in was Ben and Greg’s Beer Hostel in Krakow, Poland. I hadn’t stayed in many hostels post Covid-19, and I forgot how fun they can be. Hostels which have less of a social atmosphere are still lovely, but as I solo travel a lot, meeting people in hostels whilst away is essential to me. When I arrived at Ben and Greg’s Beer Hostel there was a line to check in, so I went upstairs to the social area. There was a big group hanging out and talking about where they were all from, and they soon asked where I was from. I’m Australian, and I soon met many fellow Australians along with British, Dutch, Portuguese, New Zealand, and American travellers. We spent the night having dinner in the hostel, playing drinking games, and going to Polish ‘shot’ bars. The night ended at 4 am with a snowball fight and making snowmen. When I moved on to a new hostel in Warsaw, I ran into one of the girls I had previously met and spent a few days discovering the city with her. Then, I was in Venice a few months later and ran into one of them there too! I’ve stayed in 25+ hostels all over the world which has led to me making friends everywhere. When I visit a new country, I often get to meet up with friends from previous hostels. In 2019, I made a friend at a hostel in South Africa and ended up spending Christmas with her and her family in the Netherlands last year. Although hostels can be daunting at first, they give you the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and have experiences you’d never expect.

Words by Mahala Gainer

What do you do when you fly to Portugal for what is supposed to be a romantic week, only to find out the guy you’re dating has met someone else and dumps you on day two? You cry by the pool. But the next day you go solo sightseeing and talk to the American girls sitting across from you on the buggy. They convince you to check into a hostel. You go on a date that same night with your tour guide. You realise you’re not as alone as you thought you were. And you pack your bags and leave that prick.

I had never stayed in a hostel prior to August 2022. It had never appealed to me, a creature of comfort who desired the luxury of fluffy pillows and privacy. Hostels sounded scary and uncomfortable and full of creeps. I was surprised by what I learned; you can make an insane number of friends when you need to. Being alone and heartbroken in a foreign country forced me to speak to strangers and be more open than ever before. I shared a room with seven girls and enjoyed the camaraderie more than I could’ve ever anticipated.

On my first night, I made dinner in the shared kitchen that was bustling with backpackers preparing penne. Entering the dining hall, I felt overwhelmed until I saw two girls around my age and made a beeline for their table. They were friendly and welcoming, and I soon found myself pouring my heart out again about what had happened. In more new faces I found support and friendship. We all went on a night out together in Lisbon and picked up other travellers along the way. It was magical and I’ve never felt less alone.

In hindsight, I think everyone needs to get dumped abroad and check into a hostel. It was sort of the making of me.

Words by Laura Schjoett Design by: Soyal Khedkar