As a first time traveller or you’re looking to go alone and travel solo, this decision is often one of the hardest to make before booking that big trip. Some would say – if you don’t like being around people that much you should definitely book a hotel! 😆
A bed in a dorm room will cost you approx $10, where a private room comes in around $80. The difference in price is quite substantial and you might be wondering where your budget is best spent while on the road. Do you go for comfort and privacy or are you more into the social vibes of hostel life…
Should you stay in a hostel or hotel?
We are all very different, what is good for one person, may not be so good for someone else. The only way to really know is by weighing up your options and trying to find the sweet spot when making these big decisions. We’ve broken down the good, the bad and the ugly when travelling in either a hotel or a hostel;
Staying in a Hotel
We all dream of that luxury escape with an infinity swimming pool and a super king-sized bed. But in reality, is hotel travel right for me? Let’s find out…
The Good 👍🏼
- You’ll have a room to yourself with all the space in the world
- There is the option to order room service to your door
- The room will be cleaned almost every day
- Lots of hotel options have swimming pools
- The pillows are usually pretty FREAKEN awesome!
- Lastly… everyone loves a private bathroom 🚿
The Bad 👎🏼
- The cost per night is high and not hugely sustainable for long travel
- Rooms are often very standadised unless you go for 5* or boutique options
- It’s very easy to fall into the ‘All inclusive’ world of low quality/high volume dining
- Easy to get lost amoungst the 100’s of rooms within the property
The Ugly 😵💫
- Once you arrive and get checked in at can feel quite lonely locked away in your room
- Anything outside of your room rate can be quite expensive
- You’ll be mixing with anyone from children up to old aged pensioners
Staying in a Hostel
Over the years hostel’s have found themselves to be one of the more preferred options for young travellers due to the social energy and insanely good value. But, is it worth the sleepless nights to save the pennies?💰
The Good 👍🏼
- Can be very social as you’ll be sharing with other travellers
- The price point makes it attractive if you’re on a budget
- Works great for long-term travellers (2 months or more)
- Some hostels even have entertainment/events in-house
- Staff that work at hostels are usually passionate about travel
The Bad 👎🏼
- You’ll be sharing a room with a number of different people (from 3-20+)
- Rooms are often mixed sex dormitories
- Bathrooms are shared and often limited
- Facilities are limited (more often without a pool)
The Ugly 😵💫
- You can be stuck in a room with smelly people.. ewww!
- Travellers often have sex in dorm rooms (even on the top bunk… classy! 😂)
- Hostel’s often try and maximise the amount of people in 1 room
- Loud music and noisy guests will almost definetely happen
In summary, it’s easy to see why young travellers would go for the more social dorm-style accommodation even if you could be stuck with a smelly, noisy snorer that ‘might’ keep you up all night! The prices of hotel rooms just don’t make it very attractive for a young gap year traveller that’s just finished their first year of part-time employment. Who wants a fancy room on your own in Bangkok anyway? Surely doing it will other people is way more fun than being on your own!
What if you could have the best of both?
What I am about to introduce you to is something that’s been around for a very… very long time! Have you heard of ‘Group Travel’, ‘Group Trips’ or ‘Package Holidays’? Well, let me break down exactly what group travel looks like and how it measures up against your typical hotel/hostel experience.
What is Group Travel?
It is exactly what it says on the tin – a group of people travelling together, sharing experiences and there is usually a whole bunch of things included. More often than not there are age brackets on who can join these tours (18-30’s, 40+ & then the oldies retirees 👵 ). These group tours are generally a bunch of strangers led by a tour leader that effortlessly brings everyone together to become a little travel family.
Some travel companies include very little (room, tour leader and a few excursions) or others like us include absolutely everything (accommodation, activities, local experiences, local guides, tour leaders and a bunch of meals). These trips often have extra services like airport collection and transfers at the end of your trip.
The Good 👍🏼
- Share the expereince with like-minded travellers (same age, interests & mindset)
- Common to have hotel accommodation instead of dorm style rooms
- Tours are led by an experienced Tour Leader, making it super safe & hassle free!
- The itinerary is often planned out to maximise time and experience
- It’s easy to budget your finances considering a bulk of the trip is paid before you leave home
The Bad 👎🏼
- The cost of these trips can appear to be ‘expensive’ vs a $10 a night dorm room
- The itinerary is built out to give you the best experience over the time frame (little flexibility)
- You’ll be expected to pay your trip before you leave home
The Ugly 😵💫
- You won’t have the opporunity to have lazy days where you just sit and do nothing
- You’ll be sharing the adventure with upto 16 other people
- Carrying your backpack is the only way to get around
- You’ll absolutely NOT miss home for 1 second!
- The last day of the trip will break your heart 💔
Whether you’re looking to travel solo or bring a friend along for the ride, our group tours in both Australia & South East Asia are the perfect balance of culture, adventure & party nights out. You’ll arrive as strangers and leave as the bestest of friends. There really is no better way to backpack than with Feel Free Travel 🤙🏻
Here are a few useful links to help with that planning;
👉🏼 View all Trips
👉🏼 Frequently Asked Questions
👉🏼 Check out our Reviews
👉🏼 Why choose us?
👉🏼 How does it all work?
If you’ve got any burning questions or just need a little travel inspo… jump in the DM’s with the team via either Whatsapp or Facebook.