Dealing with Hostel's Bad Reputations

Hostels often get bad raps - they're loud, smelly, considered generally unappealing by people who consider themselves to be more 'civil'. Or, at least, better funded. The benefits of hostels are numerous, however, there is a grain of truth to their reputation. A few simple tricks will help you cope better with the things that make them less than appealing.

Noise: The easiest way to combat noise is a purchase that will cost you 50 cents: earplugs. If you want to invest a little more dough, bring along an iPod or another music player. If you have some extra cash floating around, skip the 100-person dorm rooms larger hostels in Paris, Bangkok and other large cities boast and book into something smaller.

Dirt: Bathrooms are usually the most offensive room in a hostel (the unscrubbed pots and pans in the kitchen make claim on second place). A light pair of flip flops slip easily into your bag and onto your feet for late night runs. Females may want to practice their 'hover' before visiting some bathrooms in SE Asia.

Odor: There are rooms that smell, it's true. Before searching out other London hostel offers, first see if it's your roommate that is giving off the offensive stench. If it is, a simple change room request will usually do the trick.

Dangerous: Some hostels are located in bad parts of town, just like some restaurants, shops and popular tourist attractions. Check out guidebooks to see that they have to say about your next destination and look for a hostel that has safety measures in place, like a buzz in door, security cameras and a monitored front desk.