It’s the best of times and it’s the worst of times. Hostels can be a great place to meet people, but they can also be the worst place in the world if you don’t know how to behave yourself. I’ve been traveling since high school, so I’ve learned quite a few things along the way—even though I’m not as traveled or worldly as some people are! Here are some tips for what to do and what not to do in your hostel stay:
Don’t be a jerk.
- Don’t be rude to other guests. In a hostel, you’re all in it together. It’s not your dorm room or apartment; you’re sharing space with dozens of people who are probably just as tired and stressed out as you are. So treat everyone with respect, even if they’re not being super friendly themselves (which is often the case).
- Don’t be loud in the common areas. This includes talking loudly on your phone and playing music through headphones–both annoy everyone around you! If there’s an activity going on that requires some noise (like karaoke), wait until after it ends before making more noise than necessary again.
- Don’t steal from other guests or the hostel itself (or any other businesses). Although theft isn’t usually a problem at places like these due to their size and staff presence, there have been instances where someone has stolen something from another guest or even from their own room/locker at night when no one else was around (and thus couldn’t see them do it). You’ll feel terrible if this happens because most travelers are very trusting people who assume others will behave similarly towards them; don’t ruin someone else’s trip by stealing stuff!
Don’t be messy.
The first rule of hostel is: don’t be messy.
If you leave your stuff lying around, it’s going to get stepped on and broken, which means more work for the cleaning staff. If you leave food out, it will attract bugs that will spread disease and make everyone sick (and also smell bad). If you leave dirty dishes in the sink or dirty towels on the floor, then someone else has to take care of them–and they probably won’t appreciate having to do it for someone else’s lack of cleanliness! Finally, if your bed isn’t made every morning when housekeeping comes by…well…it just looks like no one cares about their space or wants a clean room!
Don’t steal from people or the hostel.
- Don’t steal from other guests. It’s not cool to take someone else’s stuff, and it’s even less cool when you’re in a shared space where everyone can see what you’re doing. If they find out, they’ll probably kick you out and your reputation will be ruined.
- Don’t steal from the hostel itself–it belongs to someone else who has worked hard for it, so don’t be an asshole!
- Don’t steal from other people’s rooms either; that’s just rude and disrespectful in general (unless it’s something small like shampoo). If someone catches you doing this kind of thing, again: your reputation will suffer greatly as soon as word gets around about what happened between both parties involved with such an incident happening here at “Hostel X” during its opening week back in June 2017…
Keep the door closed when you’re in the bathroom.
- Keep the door closed when you’re in the bathroom.
- Lock it, too! Don’t forget to lock your door, especially if you’re showering or using the toilet. It’s easy to forget how much privacy we take for granted at home when there are other people around us all of the time. Even if it seems like no one else is around, don’t risk it–you never know who might be watching!
Take out your trash.
- Put your trash in the bin.
- Don’t leave it on the floor.
- Don’t leave it under your bed, or anywhere else in the room for that matter unless you have permission from staff members or fellow guests, who may not appreciate having to step over or around piles of garbage while trying to get around their space.
Know how to lock up your room and bag properly.
- Know how to lock up your room and bag properly.
- Lock the door of your room when you leave it, even if it’s just for a few minutes. A lot of hostels don’t have keys for rooms, but they do have locks on them that can be opened from the outside with a master key or by an employee who has been provided with one (or both). If someone breaks into your room while you’re gone, they may take anything valuable lying around and leave without being noticed by staff members or other guests; this includes laptops, phones, wallets/purses and even clothing items if they’re easily accessible through windows in backpacks or suitcases! Some people also recommend keeping valuables like jewelry locked away in safes provided by hostels–if not yours at home then theirs here–to avoid theft altogether
Hostels can be fun for everyone if you play by the rules
Hostels are a great place to meet other travelers and locals, learn about the local culture, and save money on accommodation. In order to make sure you get the most out of your hostel experience and avoid any awkward situations, here are some things you should do in a hostel:
- Be friendly! The people who run hostels want their guests to have a good time so they’ll be more likely to come back. Don’t be afraid of making friends with other guests–they can show you around town or give great recommendations for restaurants or bars. Also, don’t forget about staff members; they often know all sorts of cool places that aren’t listed online but might just become your favorite new hangout spot!
- Don’t bring alcohol into dorm rooms unless it’s allowed by house rules (some don’t allow alcohol). If there’s no rule against drinking in public spaces like common areas then go ahead but try not overdo it–you’ll still want some energy left over before bedtime!
Conclusion
We hope you have a great time at your next hostel! We know that it’s not always easy to remember all of these rules, but if you follow them and pay attention to what other people are doing in their rooms, it can help keep everyone safe and happy.
