Jasmine Directory

Hostels normally provide sociable budget oriented accommodation where guests can rent a bunk bed in a dormitory while sharing things like the lounge, bathroom or even kitchens. They can either be mixed or same sex, with some private rooms available. Since most resources are shared, the hostel provides a cheap accommodation option for groups on vacation.

Choosing a hostel

The kind of hostel you choose should fit your travel needs. It should be centrally located where you can walk to the local attractions easily. Avoid unhygienic hostels since they bring more harm than good. Look for the ones in a secure location where there are very few security concerns. The less the people in the hostel, the less you have to worry about loosing your luggage. While most men don’t have any problem sleeping in a mixed dorm, women could be uncomfortable especially if they are mixed with strangers or people they don’t trust. Females also need more privacy than males.

What to carry

For the security of your belongings, always book hostels that have lockers where you can you’re your important stuff. Bring a lock so that you can put some limitation to the people accessing your property. Never bring any irreplaceable document or gadget. Whether you are staying in a luxury hotel or a budget hostel, there are things you cannot afford to lose. This could be an expensive Rolex watch, a valuable wedding ring, a hereditary pearl or your academic documents. You will worry less if you leave your valuable stuff at home. There are some important things you have to carry such as your passports, identification documents and cameras. Always ensue that they are kept hidden or close to you to avoid tempting thieves in the hostel.

Cash

When staying in a hostel, it is advisable to use electronic money than cash. Don’t carry too much cash since money is easy to steal if mistakenly misplaced. The less the money you have, the less that can be stolen fro you. All the cash you carry should be hidden in your pocket or concealed in a locker. You may want to invest in more personalized money packs such as waist wraps or suspenders which cannot be easily reached without your attention

Important documents

When staying in a hostel, you don’t know who to trust and who not to. It is easy to lose important documents that you carry along. Make copies of your debit cards, birth certificates, credit cards, passport and drivers license. It is cheaper to replace lost documents if you had kept copies.

Your phone

If you bring your phone along, make sure it is always charged and has credit just in case you need to make emergency calls. Store the emergency numbers for the local authorities on the phone. Keep it on so that you can dial your own number with another phone in case it’s misplaced.

After checking in a hostel, ask for the hostel contacts and carry them along with you. Make sure that someone knows that you are in that hostel and always speak up if you notice anything suspicious.