My worst travel day ever was in Rome last June and everyone disagrees with me about hostels

Everyone says hostels are the best budget option, but I spent one night in a 12-bed room near Termini Station and got zero sleep because of snoring and street noise. Woke up with my wallet lighter by 40 euros for a locker I couldn't even fit my backpack in. Has anyone else had a bad hostel experience that made you swear them off?

2 comments

2 Comments

white.seth1mo ago

Could the real issue be that hostel quality just varies way too much between different cities?

the_susan1mo agoTop Commenter

Honestly yeah, I stayed at a hostel in Prague that was basically a palace compared to the one I booked in Berlin. Prague had these massive lockers, breakfast included, and the staff actually remembered your name. Berlin? Felt like a converted squat with one bathroom for like 40 people and the shower water was cold half the time. But then my friend stayed at a different hostel in Berlin and said it was amazing with rooftop views and free walking tours. It's wild how much the same city can have totally different experiences depending on which one you pick. Makes it hard to recommend any city based on just one stay.