Staying in hostels are a rite of passage for any backpacker. They can help stretch your budget further and are a great way to make new friends. I personally love staying in hostels when I travel and have probably stayed in well over 100 different ones across 6 continents. I enjoy the fun and interaction that can be had. But, they can also be a challenge. Cohabiting with that many people of all ages and cultures under the same roof can be difficult. While most people are just there for a good time and want to get along with everyone, sadly there are some people who can be rude, messy and inconsiderate, making it unpleasant for other guests. Something which I have experienced first hand many times. So, in order for it to be an enjoyable experience for everyone, there are certain common courtesies and unwritten rules which all backpackers should stick to and hostel etiquette which should be followed.
1. Don’t turn on the light when people are sleeping
This is one of the most annoying things about sharing a room with other people. It’s late at night and everyone is trying to sleep, then someone comes in and switches on the main light, waking everyone up. Very poor hostel etiquette. If you are entering a dorm late at night and the light is already off, the use a head torch or light from your phone to find your way around in the dark. Many modern hostels also have individual reading lights above each bed which can also be used in the evening, instead of switching on the main light and disturbing everyone. However, I find that some of these individual lights can be just as bright so it’s courteous to close your curtain around the bed if you have one or cover it slightly to try and minimise light.
2. Keep noise to a minimum at night
Just as annoying as people turning the light on when you are sleeping is people making noise at night. If it’s past 10pm, then respect your fellow travellers and keep noise to a minimum. In the dorm rooms ensure your phone is on silent, don’t play music or talk loudly, try and avoid slamming doors or rustling around in bags and take any phone calls to a communal area. Even in communal areas, be aware that noise can travel, especially in a small hostel. Think about the noise levels of your conversations, the TV or any music playing.
3. Pack your bags the night before
One of the challenges in a shared room is that people are coming and going at different times. If you know you have to leave early the next morning, then you should pack your bags the night before to avoid any unnecessary rustling or zipping and unzipping which can disturb your roommates. Alternatively, take your bag into the hallway or a communal area and sort it there so that people can sleep in peace.
4. Don’t steal food
This should be common sense but sadly some people in hostels think it’s acceptable to take other people’s food. It’s not. Most backpackers staying in a hostel will be on a tight budget so taking even a little bit of food can make a big impact to them. The same goes for anyone’s possessions, never take anything that is not yours. To help avoid confusion over food, always label your food or food bag with your name, room number and departure date. A lot of hostels will provide pens and labels to do this, but it’s always useful to travel with a sharpie so you can easily label your food.
5. Wash up your dishes immediately
Everyone has to share a kitchen and there is often limited cookware and utensils available. Washing up dishes immediately allows other travellers to be able to carry on and cook their food. Never leave dirty dishes for hostel staff to clean and put away, it’s not their job to clean up after you.
6. Don’t make a mess
Treat a hostel like you would your own home and keep it clean. Don’t leave litter everywhere, wipe up any spills, don’t walk mud or sand through the hostel and just tidy up after yourself. It’s shared accommodation and everyone deserves to live in a clean and tidy space.
7. Keep your belongings neatly stored
There is often limited floor space in a hostel dorm so keep your belongings neatly together. Many rooms will come with lockers or under bed storage so ensure you use these to avoid your dorm mates tripping over your stuff. Storing your belongings away also significantly helps staff when they come to clean the room as they don’t have to spend ages moving your stuff to clean the floor or when changing bedding.
8. Maintain good personal hygiene
No one wants to be sleeping next to someone who is sweaty and smelly. Ensure you shower regularly, use deodorant and keep your clothes clean to prevent any nasty smells which can be unpleasant to others.
9. Respect the staff
Hostel staff are incredible people, I know because I used to run a hostel. Get to know them and they can become amazing lifelong friends. They go above and beyond to make your stay memorable or to ensure you have a clean room to stay in, often for little or no pay. What they don’t deserve is to be on the receiving end of any abuse or drunk or harassing behaviour. Staff should always be treated with respect. Failure to do so will quite often result in being evicted usually without any refund.
10. Don’t get a dorm room if you snore
This is a tricky one because every backpacker on a budget should be able to stay in hostel dorms if they want to save some money. However, if you know you snore loudly, then consider whether that is fair on your fellow travellers to subject them to constant snoring every night while they are trying to sleep.
11. Keep your phone noise free
Everyone travels with a smartphone these days and they are such a great multipurpose device for backpackers. However, phones can be very loud and disruptive and it’s not fair to anyone to keep annoying people with your loud alarm or talking on speakerphone. Phone alarms should be kept as quiet as possible and never snooze more than once or twice as that is a sure-fire way to annoy your dorm mates. Also remember to turn your alarm off the moment you are awake. There is nothing worse than someone who has gone to shower and their phone is still in the bedroom with an alarm blasting, waking everyone up. At night, ringtones, notification sounds, and keypad sounds should be silent, and even in the day it should be kept as low as possible to avoid disturbing people. Never play music or videos without headphones in (unless people have asked you to do so) and don’t talk on speakerphone, as no one wants to hear your phone calls.
12. No sex in the dorms
People who have never stayed in dorms before might be surprised to hear how many people actually do have sex in a shared room. Needless to say, this is not nice for anyone and is not good hostel etiquette. Despite what many people think, just putting a sheet up around your bunk beds does not make you invisible or make it soundproof. If you want to have alone time with someone, then book a private room so that you don’t make anyone feel uncomfortable by your rampant activities.
13. Respect people’s right to privacy
Not everyone who stays in hostels are there to chat and make friends. Some stay in them because they are on a tight budget and have no other choice. Some people might want to keep to themselves because they are shy or maybe tired from working all day and don’t want to chat. Others may feel self-conscious sharing a room and may put up a sheet around their bed if a curtain is not provided. So don’t feel offended if someone doesn’t want to interact or push someone to hang out and chat if they don’t want to.
In hostels people often have to shower and get changed in shared spaces, so be considerate and avert your eyes if someone is getting changed or knock before entering the bathroom to ensure it’s not occupied. This is especially important if you are in a mixed sex dorm room.
14. Don’t harass anyone
Sexual harassment, verbal or physical abuse is unacceptable anywhere, not just in hostels. If you are found to be harassing a fellow traveller or a member of staff you will likely get evicted from the hostel. If you are on the receiving end of harassment when staying in a hostel, then make sure to tell the staff so that they can do something about it.
15. Communicate with your dorm mates
I’m not talking about chatting and getting to know them, I’m talking about checking with your dorm mates before you do anything in the room. Check with them if it’s ok to turn off the main light. Ask if anyone minds if you open a window if you are finding it too hot. Check if anyone needs to use the toilet before jumping in the shower if it’s an ensuite room. Just checking in with people can make a world of difference to the harmony of a dorm room.
16. Control your drinking
Backpacking is fun, you get to have adventures, make new friends and enjoy nights out and new experiences. So it’s normal that many travellers will enjoy a few drinks and some hostels even encourage it with nightly pub crawls or parties in their bar. However, consuming too much alcohol can be an issue, especially when you then have to share living space with other people. Drunk people can be loud, silly, abusive, harassing or just vomit everywhere. No one deserves to have to sleep next to someone like that. I have dozens of stories of drunken idiots in hostel doing stupid things. One guy passed out in someone else’s bed and started spitting in it, another was sleeping on the top bunk and was so drunk that he wet himself and it went onto the guy below. I’ve lost count of the number of people I have seen kicked out of hostels for drunken and abusive behaviour. So yes, have a drink and have fun, but know your limits and ensure that you are not a nuisance to the other travellers or staff when you are drunk.
17. Wear appropriate clothing in dorms
I cannot stress this enough, but if you are staying in a shared dorm, then please wear appropriate pyjamas, especially if you are in a mixed sex dorm. I had to have this chat with my husband Jon when we were first staying in hostels because he thought that loose boxer shorts were appropriate sleeping attire. I can confirm that it is not, especially when sleeping in the top bunk and having to climb a ladder. No one wants to catch an eyeful of any of your private areas and it can make people feel uncomfortable, especially females who may be sleeping in a mixed dorm.
18. Close the bathroom door when in use
Again, another thing which I thought would be common sense to everyone but sadly is not. If you are using the toilet or shower whether that’s an ensuite or the communal bathroom, then make sure you close the door. No one wants to see you peeing.
19. Don’t hog the facilities
Communal areas including the kitchen, garden and lounge are for everyone to use. It is unfair for someone to take up so much space that no one else can use that area. When cooking, try and keep all your ingredients and pots and pans in one area, don’t spread yourself around the kitchen. If you are on a sofa, just sit on it, don’t lie across it or take up seats with your bags. Other people may also want to use it. Also think about the length of time you are spending using the communal areas or equipment. Don’t spend ages in the showers or spend all evening monopolizing the pool table when other people might want to use it.
20. Respect all cultures and beliefs
One of the joys of travelling is meeting new people from all walks of life. There are so many different people who stay in hostels and it’s important to respect everyone’s culture, religion and sexual preferences. You might encounter older people, families or young couples. There may be Christians, Muslims, atheists and pagans. People could be from Europe, South America, Africa, Asia. Some people might not speak very good English; others might speak multiple languages. There may be gay, transgender or bisexual travellers. People may have different political views or be a vegan or believe in conspiracy theories. So, you need to be prepared for a huge diversity of people when staying in a hostel and be respectful to your fellow backpackers and their cultures and beliefs.
That’s not to say that you can’t be curious and ask questions or have healthy discussions about politics or religion, but you need to be mindful of what you say and how you say it. Direct discrimination, abuse, racism, sexism or other hateful speak is unacceptable wherever you are in the world. Also be aware that certain words or phrases might have different meanings in different cultures so just be mindful of that and don’t be offended if someone picks you up on it. For example, in the UK our slang word for cigarette is an offensive term in America. Likewise, be aware that people might dress differently, have different diets, or celebrate different occasions. But this diversity of people is one of the beautiful things about travelling the world.
One final point about hostel etiquette
The above rules are just some of the main things I’ve seen time and time again in hostels. As a general rule, don’t do anything you wouldn’t like done to you. Think about it: would you want to be woken up before an early start? Would you enjoy sleeping next to someone with bad body odour or loud snoring? Would you want to be made to feel uncomfortable or threatened by a stranger? Or how about having to wait ages for a shower because someone decided to do a full pamper routine when you were in a rush? Just be considerate and think about your fellow backpackers. When everyone follows good hostel etiquette, the whole hostel becomes a much more enjoyable experience. And if you do witness unacceptable behaviour, remember that you should always tell the staff, they are there to help. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or have a terrible time when staying in a hostel.
Want to know more about hostel life, then read What is a hostel and what to expect?
