Picked a hostel over a cheap hotel in Barcelona last week

I had the choice between a $25/night hostel dorm or a $45/night hotel room in the Gothic Quarter. Went with the hostel. Shared a room with 5 strangers. Got a free walking tour and breakfast out of it. Saved $140 over a week. Would I do it again? Yeah, but only if I pack earplugs next time. Anyone else feel like hostels are hit or miss for sleep quality?

2 comments

2 Comments

daniel5525d ago

Friend of mine did the exact same thing in Barcelona two years ago. He thought he was being clever saving that cash, ended up in a dorm with a guy who snored like a lawnmower and someone else who came back at 4am drunk and turned every light on looking for stuff. By day three he was a zombie, couldn't enjoy the walking tour cause he kept nodding off. He caved and moved to a hotel mid-trip, spent more in the end cause the hotel rates were higher last minute. Earplugs might help some folks but for him the chaos was just too unpredictable to deal with. He says hostels are fine if you're young and can sleep through anything, but he's not doing that again.

cameron6844d ago

Oh man, @daniel552 that story hit me hard because I used to be one of those "hostels are the only way to travel" people. I was all about saving a buck and thought anyone paying for a hotel was just wasting money. But hearing how your friend ended up a zombie by day three and had to scramble for a last-minute hotel... that completely shifted my perspective. I guess I always figured earplugs and an eye mask would fix everything, but you can't control the chaos of random roommates unless you get lucky. I think I've been underestimating how much a good night's sleep is actually worth, especially when you're trying to enjoy a vacation.