A First Timers Guide to Staying in Hostels
Staying in hostels is a MUST if you’re travelling Aussie in true backpacker style! Hostels are ideal for saving money, an epic place to meet fellow travellers and a load of fun. If you’ve never experienced hostel life before and are wandering what it’s all about, then this is the post for you…
We’ll be sharing with you…
- What to expect from staying in hostels
- Busting myths on hostels
- Our favourite hostels on the East Coast
- What to avoid when staying in hostels!
There are a load of epic hostels all over the place in Australia. Whether you’re travelling short-term or for a longer period of time you are for sure going to be spending a large chunk of that time staying in various hostels.
Click images to see more.
Time to hit the road?
First up, don’t listen to anyone who talks bad of hostels – yes they’re cheap and cheerful, but don’t knock it till you try it ay!? Plus, the East Coast is full of preeetttttty nice hostels, so you wont really be ‘slumming’ it at all. It’s all part of the experience yeewwww.
So, let’s get to it! A first timers guide to what it’s really like to stay in a hostel. Between the lot of us here at Ratpack, we have stayed in a bunch of hostels all over Australia, so we’re about to let you in on all the tips and tricks you need before setting off on your epic adventure.
What is a hostel?
A hostel is basically a form of shared accommodation.
There are usually different sized dorms (usually with bunk beds), a kitchen and food storage (so you can cook your own meals) and a chill out area to get to know the other guests.
Some hostels also provide the option to stay in a private room. This is ideal for couples or those of you who prefer your own space – these are usually more expensive though!
Why are they great for backpackers?
First of, they’re usually the cheapest option of accommodation and backpackers love a good bargain – more money to spend on epic tours and adventures.
Plus, they’re a great place to meet people – which is what it’s all about right!
with RatPack Travel?
What room type should I choose?
There are usually a few room options, so check out the website before booking to see what suits you best.
Mixed dorms – so dorms for both male and females. These usually range from 4 beds to 10 beds.
Female dorms – if you’re solo travelling as a female, this may be the option for you.
Private rooms – some hostels have this option. This would be ideal for couples or those of you who prefer your own space. You can get a single bed or double.
What facilities does a hostel have?
Hostels differ, but this is a list of what you will typically find in a hostel:
- Kitchen
- Food storage and fridges
- Bathrooms
- Common area
- Reception
Some more cool things you may find include:
- Rooftop pools
- A bar
- A gym
- Cinema
- Surfboard hire
- Games rooms
- One hostel I stayed in had a music room – kitted out with a didgeridoo!
What are hostels really like?
Ok, time for some myth busting. Hostels get such a bad rep and we have no idea why! The majority of the hostels in Aussie are awesome.
Are they dirty? No! this is such a common misconception. They are cleaned as a hotel would be. The rooms and bedding are cleaned regularly.
Are there bed bugs? Again, no of course not! None of us have EVER encountered a bed bug whilst staying in a hostel.
Are there weirdos? There shouldn’t be! Hostels are for travellers and backpackers like yourself, your rooms will be full of like-minded people all around the same age.
Are there events at hostels?
Some hostels are great at hosting events to allow the guests to get to know each other. We highly recommend you get involved in these – even if they do seem a bit cheese!
We’ve been to hostels that host:
- BBQ’s
- Pizza nights
- Bar crawls
- Wine and cheese nights
- Film nights
- Communal meals
- Sunrise walks
Top tips for staying in hostels:
Right, so now you’re up to scratch on surviving hostel life, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid the tour desk – they will rip you off knowing your last minute urgency and take advantage of that. Chat to us instead!
- Take some cash ready for your key deposit.
- Bring a padlock if you want to lock your backpack or locker.
- Always label your food!
- Ear plugs and an eye mask might be handy.
- Be respectful of your roomies, if you’re getting up early pre-pack your bag and get your clothes ready before.
- If you’re setting an alarm, pop your phone under your pillow.
- Bring a long phone charger and multiple USB charger to reach your bunk and charge all your kit.
- If you ever feel uncomfortable in your room or feel that it is dirty, don’t be afraid to chat to reception. (Sophie once changed rooms when she checked in because there was beer bottles left over from the night before haha #flashpacker and Holly once got upgraded to a private dorm because a dodgy plug sparked by her bed! I also milked it a little bit ahaha)
Our fave East Coast hostels
Melbourne – Space hostel
Sydney – Sydney Harbour YHA
Byron – Backpackers Inn on the Beach
Surfers Paradise – Bunk
Brisbane – Summerhouse
Noosa – Flashpackers
Agnes Waters/1770 – Cool Bananas
Airlie Beach – Magnums
Magnetic Island – Base Magnetic
Cairns – Tropic Days
We hope these tips and tricks have you all geared up and ready for your first hostel experience. Hostels are the best place to meet new people and experience new things – you’re gonna have the time of your life!
Jules (RPT Blog Writer) – Stay tuned for my next piece…
From our RatPackers
Reuben was fantastic..he walked me thru how to do everything on line!! I'm computer illiterate 😔 explained everything re gear, insurance, etc..I was so impressed..recommend this company to anyone Ratpack also does all the searching for you for the best deals, a win win situation ..
I’m really glad to find this service. Reuben, the agent that helped me, was really helpful, communicative and informative about my travel needs and requirements. He found for us the best price for a campervan in the market (we also did our own research, but for sure he got the best option) and he made sure to follow up, answer my questions and call me to give me information about what we were looking for. Thank you very much!
I had Ben talk me through the entire process of booking a campervan, it was very seamless and he was beyond helpful. I strongly recommend this company for any future adventures.
Ben did everything to make sure we got the best deal! He was very kind, friendly and made sure we got everything we needed for our trip. Everything went quick and somooth and we can't wait for our east coast road trip!
Jenna rescued our trip! Her incredible support, coupled with excellent communication and a positive approach, made all the difference. I highly recommend reaching out to Ratpack for an exceptional experience. :)
Jenna was so lovely and so helpful to help me book a campervan for my first time going to WA!! Would 100% recommend this service. Thanks Jenna!
Excellent communication. Fantastic response to all enquiries I made, Joe was great from the beginning would recommend highly 👍
Rat pack (Joe is the man!) was an incredible resource for my friend and I to book a camper van for our upcoming trip next month. We had tried looking ourselves but vans were disappearing FAST and despite our worries, Joe hooked us up with a great option and discount. He was patient, well-informed, professional, and reassuring - just what we needed. Thanks rat pack, keep up the amazing (and free!) services… you’ve started us out on the right foot for an amazing adventure ahead!
I can't thank them enough for how quick and personal my booking was! They really got me the best deal even with a last minute booking and made the booking keeping in mind everything that we wanted! 100% going to us them to book ny next trip!!
Really straightforward system to book our camper, Gregg was really helpful and thorough - looking forward to our trip!
*Incredible service* *they don’t lie about the discount (around £500 for us!!)* *Easy* I just sent them a WhatsApp message, loosely detailing mine and my girlfriends plan. I got a response the same day, we then scheduled a phone call to discuss our plans further. Gregg was the chap who helped us out, and he couldn’t have made it any easier. We explored all options, types of motor, dates, prices, route of the trip. We covered all bases and within 30/40 mins we confirmed our travel. We will 100% be using these guys again for our following trip! Thanks:)
Jenna was amazing and so so helpful at getting us organised so late minute. And even directed me to another colleague to help me organise my activities when travelling up the coast. Super exited for our adventure now 🚐
George made the whole booking experience super easy and smooth for me. Would definitely recommend!!
Fair play to Reuben he made my experience of booking a campervan so easy! Great guy, found the best rates and went out of his way to make sure I had the best option! Highly recommend
Service impeccable avec Ben! On cherchait un van depuis quelques semaines déjà et on commençait à se perdre au travers toutes les compagnies et options possibles. RatPack nous a vraiment permis de trouver un van qui correspondait à ce qu’on voulait. Ben a répondu à toutes mes questions avec patience et gentillesse. Je recommande 100%
