Warning: I had to pick between a $19 hostel bunk in Lisbon and a $52 private room, and I'm still not sure I won | Budget Travel Hacks - Opinions Matter
Warning: I had to pick between a $19 hostel bunk in Lisbon and a $52 private room, and I'm still not sure I won
Last spring I booked 5 nights in Lisbon and sat on this choice for like 3 days. The hostel was $19 a night in a 10 bed dorm near Rossio, and the private room in a guesthouse out by Alameda was $52. I went with the hostel to save roughly $165 over the trip, and honestly it was a mixed bag. The first two nights I slept fine, but night three this guy in the bunk below me came in at 4am and turned on the overhead light to dig through his bag. On the other hand I met two people from Toronto at the free breakfast and we ended up splitting a day trip to Sintra, which saved us each about 20 euros on the train and tours. So the cheap option gave me both a bad night and a good friend, and I can't tell if the math works out. The private room side of me says I would have slept better and actually enjoyed the city more. Where do you all draw the line on dorm beds, is it strictly about the savings or does the vibe matter more?