Backpackers Beware! Hostels not always cheaper...

willowthecat

...particularly if you're a couple.

My boyfriend and I tend to spend our two week summer holiday just generally travelling all over Europe. Last year I spent on average £35 - £40 a night staying mainly in hostels in a double room. This year I'm really struggling to find hostels in that price bracket. Now I know everything is about 15-20% more expensive anyway with the weak pound but I guess my point is, if you want a cheap holiday don't automatically think that hostels are cheaper.

For example I've managed to get a 4* hotel in Budapest for £50 a night including breakfast. For a double room in a hostel I'm looking at £55 - £60 a night without breakfast.

In Prague I've managed to get a 5* hotel for £50 a night including breakfast whereby when I've looked at hostels its £50 for a double with shared bathroom and anything between £60 - £80 for an ensuite!

Now I know that you get access to kitchen facilities in hostels, but I've got my travel kettle and I'm very experienced in preparing a hotel room picnic I'm also well aware that you don't get to meet people in hotels, but then again I'm getting too long in th tooth to be partying *every* night

IMO hostelling is still the cheapest option if you're travelling alone or a couple that doesn't mind sharing a dorm, but it certainly isn't as cheap as it used to be.

mah_jong

i looked into prices for hostels, apartments and hotels for my wee stays in Poland and Hungary. In Budapest we stayed at a good hotel getting 4 nights for the price of 3. A better price than the hostels. We had a twin with en suite. The hotel was not central but good transport links.

In wroclaw we went for a hostel, the hotels there were dearer but perhaps less competition! lovely room, new furniture, twin with en suite and very central!

breakfast at the hostel was basic but included in the price, hotel was the full range!

So the message as always shop around! Do the research

SallyD

Quite right, shop around - hostels/YWCA/YMCA cheap enough when travelling alone but as a couple hotels are often cheaper especially IBIS/Mecure when they have offers.