Staying in a hostel is different to everything else. It is more intense than sharing a flat, because you are basically sharing not only the shower. You also share a room and therefore a lot of privacy. Being polite and showing respect is a good start to a happy hostel stay, but here are some general rules you should keep in mind, when it comes to staying in a hostel.
Although I am not the best in that it always helps to have a smile on your lips. (I am the worst example here probably, as I have what people call a “resting bitch face”) But saying Hey and showing some interest can break the ice easily and does not cost you a cent. 😉
Try to keep your stuff together and close to your bed. Don´t leave your toilet bag in the shower. (Others might take something and imagine everyone would leave it there …)
Don’t eat on the room. Crackers or some little snacks are ok of course. But no one wants to smell the rest of the pizza you left under the bed. No one except the mice 😛
If you wanna have a party, do so in the common rooms but not in the dorms of the hostel.
What is super important is, and where we would all agree on, is that we all need our sleep. Most of the people will not be on the room during the day anyway, but at night it will be backed. So here are some tips to a healthy sleep for all of you:
- Don’t turn on the light when someone else is sleeping. When reading late use a little lamp like a torch or the light of your phone.
- Turn your phone on silent mode. No one else cares how many messages you get.
- If there is a bathroom in the room it is a good advise not to shower in the night as you might gonna wake up the others.
- Prepare your PJ´s + toothbrush and past before so you don’t have to search for it when you get home late.
- If you are leaving early the next day pack up everything the day before. Nothing is more unpolite than to start rearranging your stuff at 4am.
I personally always try to keep everything as clean as possible. Also in the common areas, especially the hostel kitchen, I find it very important to throw away your trash and also after cooking – do your dishes! What is very helpful for the staff is not only marking your food but also adding the date you are leaving. This helps them to sort it out, in case you might forget to give it to someone or throw it away yourself.
What Do´s and Don´ts did you experience when staying in a Hostel?
If you are still a newby to traveling you might wanna have a look on my post on what a hostel is, how to find and book it and where and what you should bring with you. And if you can´t decide if this is the right spot for you, here are the Pro´s and Con´s of staying in a Hostel.
