Have you considered a hostel for family travel?

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Have you considered staying in a backpackers or hostel for family travel? Initially this thought might be absurd. Aren’t hostels for young partying backpackers who stay up all night and sleep all day?

Generally, yes!

But with some research a hostel provides a budget friendly alternative to a hotel and can be lots of fun!

What is a hostel?

A hostel, or backpackers, contains dormitory style rooms for budget travellers who are seeking simple and cheap accommodation. Bathroom, kitchens and lounge areas are shared spaces. A simple breakfast is usually included along with tea and coffee all day.

Hostels often have private rooms and may have private bathrooms.

Can babies and children stay in hostels?

Not all hostels allow babies and children.  Those that do allow children might still have a minimum age limit for children (eg 2 years old).

While some hostels have family rooms they might have the facilities for a baby – for example the option of a cot.

Why stay in a hostel?

One of the main reasons to stay in a hostel is the price.

Hotels in some major cities can be very expensive, have tiny rooms and no common areas.  This can create a cabin-fever atmosphere which is not enjoyable for anyone!  Hostels tend to have good common areas (kitchens, lounges) where you can have some space to play or relax.

But, on the flip side, if you are paying per person then sometimes a hostel ends up being more expensive.

Hostels also have a different atmosphere to hotels. There is a hum of excitement and you can meet some very interesting people.

How to book a hostel

HostelWorld is one the major booking engines for hostels. There are filter options for private rooms and family rooms.

See the below sections for how to pick a good hostel that suits your needs.

TIP | When searching for accommodation be mindful that many hotels/hostels in SE Asian countries will allow children to stay for free if using existing bedding even if you have specified the number of adults/children. If you are happy to bed share then this is awesome and saves money! But I don’t find sharing a bed with 2 adults and a sweaty octopus that enjoyable. It can be really time consuming to scroll through the information of each listing to see the bedding configuration and whether extra beds can be added, and can give a false sense of cost if you have only just started your research. This is further frustrated by the fact that some search engines allow you to select “family rooms” but then just give you basic rooms that you can book 2 of. Try searching as though everyone is an adult and specify only 1 room.

How to choose a good hostel for family travel

When choosing any accommodation it is important to think about what your family needs to enjoy the stay.

What do you want?

Firstly, think about what you want in your accommodation and why you are considering a hostel.

If you answer “Yes” to all of these then a hostel might work for you:

• Are you travelling on a budget?
• Are you happy to share a bathroom?
• Can you tolerate some noise at night or early in the morning?
• Can you survive without a TV in your room?
• Are you willing to share the common areas such as kitchen and lounges?

My preference is for clean, friendly, mid-range accommodation with a good common area.  We like to have time away from the room to play cards or do a quiet activity.  I am happy to share bathrooms and enjoy not having a TV in the room.

Extra points if the accommodation has a cheap restaurant within the building, or close by.

Family friendly

Check that the hostel allows children to stay and check any age restrictions. Age restriction are generally due to the absence of private rooms for families and having shared bathrooms.

A great way to find out if the hostel is family friendly is to look at the reviews.

TIP | Have you heard of packing cubes? They are seriously awesome and have their own dedicated post here.

Room type

Most hostels have private rooms, or the option to book out a whole shared room.

Make sure you understand what you are booking so you don’t accidentally book a shared room with strangers.

I always book private rooms for, well, privacy, but am happy to share a bathroom.

Price

What is your budget?

This will be influenced by the location and what standard of accommodation you want. Pick your budget and compare your options to find what works for you.

Some things to note

• The cost of paying per person for a hostel might end up the same as a hotel
• Remember your “why” rather than focusing on the price.  Don’t dismiss a hostel if it is more expensive that a hotel when it might actually have better features. Hotels are generally the default option in our minds but keep that beautiful mind open to other options!
• Hostels generally include basic breakfast.
• Hostels can be surrounded by cheaper food venues to suit that travel style
• Tours organised through hostels can be cheaper (generally for a reason though!). Check tours against reputable sites such as GetYourGuide to see if they are comparable. 

PLAN | Head to the Travel Advice page for more travel planning advice.

Location

Hostels are not always in the centre of the cities near the main tourist areas which could be a disadvantage. Or, you may love that the hostel is in a quieter area and surrounded by cheaper food outlets with a more local atmosphere.

Check the location of the hostel and consider:

• Is the area known for partying or being family friendly?
• Is there public transport nearby or options for taxi, car rental etc?
• Is the area nearby to what you want to experience?

Space

The main reason I have chosen hostels in the past was the preference for a small room with a shared bathroom but a large common area. This to me was a better option than a small hotel room with small bathroom and no common area.

The common areas not only provide space, but can be really social and have a fresh atmosphere.

Safety

Read reviews of accommodation online to get an idea for their level of safety. Review if the neighbourhood sounds suspicious, any reviews of petty theft from rooms etc.

Hostel rooms often come with lockable storage or safes.

Check out sites like HostelWorld and TripAdvisor or other family travel bloggers for guidance. Also read reviews for whether the hostel sounds like a party location or is in an area with lots of nightlife = bad sleep and cranky kids!

TIPS | Read the simple tips in this post to help keep your passport safe.

Breakfast included

One of my essentials is for breakfast to be included, or have the ability to prepare our own breakfast with a bit of space. I cannot be trusted to eat a bowl of cereal on a bed if there is no table! Ditto for the child!. Generally this is included, but double check to avoid disappointment.

Keep in mind that breakfast at a hostel will be basic (toast, cereal, fruit) and you will need to prepare it yourself. Hostels will sometimes leave fruit out during the day too.

Other accommodation for family travel

Hotels and hostels are obviously not the only options for family accommodation. The rise of holiday rental sites such as Vrbo provides a rich diversity of options. All the above advice is still relevant for choosing any accommodation type.

TIPS | Read more tips for family travel here.

Final thoughts

Please don’t dismiss the idea of staying in a hostel as a family because the default preference is for a hotel. Hostels can be an enriching experience while being budget friendly.

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