Hotels vs Hostels vs Airbnb
Finding somewhere to stay for the weekend trips during my study abroad trip has been the number one stress. Growing up, the idea of hostels or airbnbs never crossed my mind. My family trips mostly consisted of hotels or VRBO houses. Once I began growing up and taking trips on my own I realized that hotels can be much pricier than I was expecting, and cheap airbnbs worked out better for my friends and I. Trips to Providence consisted of small airbnbs without most of the luxuries that come with hotels, but that doesn’t mean it was any better or worse. Now, traveling around Europe, hostels seem to be the most popular kind of accommodation I search for.
Hostels, to my knowledge, are not very popular in the United States. I always thought of them as a very European accommodation. There are so many different reasons as to why someone would want a hotel, versus a hostel, versus an airbnb, and in this article I hope to give a bit more insight on those reasons.
To begin, if you are unfamiliar with the differences between a hostel and an airbnb or hotel, let me explain. A hostel is like a hotel, but the bed being rented is typically a single bed unless renting an entire private room. Usually rooms come with bunk beds, either four or six.
Generally, hostels can be thought of as the cheapest option but this won’t always be true. Some hostels can become pricey depending on the location, perks, and the type of hostel. Some hostels in Europe are considered “party” hostels, or “beer” hostels, meant for traveling 20-somethings who are looking to make friends. Other hostels are better for the business traveler or someone who enjoys quieter nights. However, in cities like Prague, Vienna or Berlin a hotel may not be much more than a dorm-style bed. The difference is how picky a traveler the group may be. A con with staying in a hostel is the strangers ability to possibly steal belongings. Because hostels are typically shared dorm-style rooms, the ability to have a neighbor with sticky fingers is much higher than being in a private hostel room, hotel, or airbnb. The only way to combat this is to always keep very expensive items on your person.
Airbnbs are more like a vacation rental, with the option to rent a private room but a shared space or the entire place. Airbnbs are great for someone who is looking for a middle ground between hotels and hostels. A traveler staying in an Airbnb may have to share a common space with the host, and it may also be nice to have a point of contact for the local eats, places to see, and to hang out at. The locals tend to always know the best places for things like that!
Some travelers prefer the luxe life of a hotel, which is totally fair. There is something to be said for enjoying having a front desk system, someone to call if there’s a problem with the room, and general perks. However, hostels have the same continental breakfast and front desk system that a hotel may have. The difference is that in a hostel, I have to put my own sheets on the bed and don’t have a minifridge. As a young traveler, personally, I don’t find myself needing the luxuries of a hotel. Hotels and airbnbs tend to be a bit lonelier than hostels, as hostels offer a social space that perhaps a hotel or airbnb wouldn’t be able to offer.
If it was to come down to price, the price tag also is dependent on the time of the year, or even week. Weekend hotels, hostel rooms, and airbnbs will always be significantly more expensive than those on weekdays. Traveling during low seasons, between September and May, will most likely save money. Another important factor has to do with fees. Airbnbs charge extra for more guests, while some hostels will charge for a towel or renting a lock. Hotels will include tax as well, so there are several different fees to take into consideration when making decisions. It doesn’t matter which one a traveler goes with, fees will always come with the accommodation.
Looking at prices for each of these options also takes into account how many people are traveling. For me, I have always traveled with a group of friends and therefore the hostel’s private room rate was split between at least four people. Airbnb charges extra for the number of people and I would most likely have to share a bed with someone. Sometimes, sharing a bed with a friend can be a bit uncomfortable, depending on how well I know that friend, and so I would recommend Airbnbs best for smaller groups, duos or trios max.
Last minute deals with apps like Booking or HotelTonight may be a good option for those looking to stay in a hotel. Whether that is all someone knows, or perhaps putting sheets on the bed isn’t a traveler’s style, there are many different avenues for a hotel to fill up their spaces.
There is no way of knowing what will be the best for yourself and other travelers until you’ve tried them all. As a frequent traveler myself, I have stayed in both airbnbs and hotels, so trying out hostels was not only a bucket list experience but a necessary experience for the traveling I did. All three types of accommodations come with both their own pros and cons!
