Safety Tips For Staying in Hostels

Trust Your Instinct

Meeting new people is by far one of the reasons I love hostels so much. I’ve made incredible friendships and lived incredible experiences that never would have taken place if I hadn’t stayed in hostels.

But, whilst it’s been a rare experience for me, there may be times you end up in a room full of people that make you uncomfortable. Perhaps they don’t mean to, or perhaps they do, but if you feel you can’t trust your hostel dorm mates, make sure to trust the hostel staff. Many of them will have seen the worst and best of travellers and won’t want to put their guests in danger.

Research the hostel location

It can be hard to know if a hostel’s location is in a safe neighbourhood or not. The best way is to Google “dangerous areas of London/Paris/etc…” and then see if your shortlisted hostels are located in those districts.

If you do end up staying in a neighbourhood that makes you feel unsafe, know that you can always move hostels (your safety is more important than the cancellation fees). Alternatively, you can avoid walking alone late at night by taking group pub crawls from the hostel and/or be exploring the city after dark with a group of friends made in the hostel.

Arrive at the hostel before dark

You’ve done your hostel location research, but fears for safety always intensify after dark no matter whether your neighbourhood is safe or not. But most importantly, some hostels are tucked away down side streets and without large signs, which can make finding them quite a mission!

Drink Responsibly

I really hate that I’m having to write this – mainly because of the way in which a drinking culture is so often used as an excuse for rape culture. So before I go any further, I believe that the perpetrator in every assault is entirely to blame and not the victim for what they may be wearing, drinking, or saying.

Being drunk can make you appear weaker to fight off potential harassment. If someone wants to attack you, you come across like an easier target when you’re stumbling around alone at night.

Being drunk can make you weaker. If you’re so drunk you can’t walk, you’ll find it a lot harder to fight someone off you or your belongings.

Know where your nearest embassy is

In the event that you do experience an attack on your personal safety, whether sexually or otherwise, heading straight to your Embassy can provide you with a safe space to discuss the events.

Women-only rooms and/or hostels

For those girls that feel really unsafe staying in a mixed-dorm, there are hostels out there that offer female-only dormitory rooms. These are shared rooms in which men are not allowed to book or enter at any time – even if they are with a female friend.