I was in my mid-twenties when I took my first, solo international vacation to Peru. Staying in hostels was a no-brainer: cheap, social, and full of activities. I met so many people through hostels who I'd go to dinner with, take tours with, or swap tips for where we'd been and where we were headed.
Yet, for all of the perks of hostels, they've never exactly been "comfortable." People come into the room at all hours of the night, sometimes you accidentally book the party hostel when all you wanted was sleep, and at night – especially in summer – you sweat into the bedsheets because one girl complained the AC gives her chills.
In your twenties, you just deal with it. So what if you didn't get a great night's sleep? You'll sleep after you get back from vacation.
But now that I'm in my thirties – yeah, I'm still staying in hostels. 😂 For different reasons – I'm not necessarily looking to make friends everywhere I go – I've realized that hostels still make sense. And I'm not the oldest one in the room either. I remember meeting a 50-something-year-old woman in one of the hostels I stayed in.
You’re never too old to stay in hostels, but you might be too old to put up with them.
Here’s what I’ve learned about making hostels work for you as you get older – and when I throw in the towel and get my own room.
