Suez Canal signs $2bn first-phase deal to build petrochemical complex in Ain Sokhna    ICJ holds Israel responsible for worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza    Omar Hisham announces launch of Egyptian junior and ladies' golf with 100 players from 15 nations    Egypt, Sudan discuss boosting health cooperation, supporting Sudan's medical system    Cairo Metro's Line 4 project with Japan gets cabinet green light    Defying US tariffs, China's industrial heartland shows resilience    Pakistan, Afghanistan ceasefire holds as focus shifts to Istanbul talks    Beit Logistics invests EGP 500m to develop Safaga Integrated Logistics Center    Egypt's Social Housing Fund, United Bank sign deal to expand mortgage finance cooperation    Survivors of Nothingness – Part Three: Politics ... Chaos as a Tool of Governance    EU's Kallas says ready to deepen partnership with Egypt ahead of first summit    Egypt's Sisi hails Japan's first female PM, vows to strengthen Cairo-Tokyo ties    Egypt's exports to EU surge 7.4% to $8.7b in 8 months — CAPMAS    Egypt makes news oil, gas discoveries in Nile Delta    Egypt, France agree to boost humanitarian aid, rebuild Gaza's health sector    Egyptian junior and ladies' golf open to be held in New Giza, offers EGP 1m in prizes    The Survivors of Nothingness — Part Two    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Health Minister reviews readiness of Minya for rollout of universal health insurance    Egypt screens 13.3m under presidential cancer detection initiative since mid-2023    Egypt launches official website for Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of November opening    The Survivors of Nothingness — Episode (I)    Al-Sisi: Cairo to host Gaza reconstruction conference in November    Egypt successfully hosts Egyptian Amateur Open golf championship with 19-nation turnout    Egypt, WHO sign 2024-2028 country cooperation strategy    Egypt: Guardian of Heritage, Waiting for the World's Conscience    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Traveler's tips: Your guide to picking a hostel
Published in Ahram Online on 24 - 07 - 2017

Hostels are great! They're a way to get immersed in travelling culture--meet backpackers, mingle with the community, and get clean, cheap accommodation instead of booking a fancy hotel.

But hostels are not always easy to choose. They're like watermelons; you've got to try to pick the right one.

Room types

There are two main types of accommodation in a hostel:

• Private rooms
These are just like hotel rooms. They can sleep 1, 2, 3, or up to 4 people. They're usually less expensive than a 4-5 star hotel room, and are closer to a 2-3 star hotel price. If you ask me, they're not the best way to stay in a hostel!

• Dorms
The core of hostel life. Dorms usually host between 4 and 16 beds, usually bunk beds. Some are mixed gender and some are male or female only. For me, that's how you get the best of staying in a hostel. Very cheap accommodation and a real adventure!

How to book

There are two well-known websites that give you everything you need: hostelworld.com and hostelbookers.com. They are both full of resources so pick whichever you prefer.

Finding the right hostel for you

There are five main criteria on the websites that you need to look at when trying to find your perfect hostel.

1. The overall score
That's your main filter. When you open any of the hostel websites, make sure to filter the search results to a rating of above 70 percent.
And don't forget to check the number of reviews! If a hostel gets 90 percent but only has 5 or 6 reviews, then they're probably fake. Make sure to only pick hostels with at least 500 reviews!

2. Budget
Your budget should be your second main criterion. How much are you willing to pay for a hostel room or bed in a dorm? In Europe, don't pay more than $20 for a dorm (aim for less, but this is the max). But I suggest putting your filter up to $25 and filtering more later.

3. Security
Security is a very important aspect for any hostel traveller. To assess the security of a hostel, there are two things to check. Firstly, the security rating on the hostel page itself, and secondly the reviews and comments of the users (more on that later).

Also, it's 2017--make sure the hostel has lockers; it's a basic security need (you will find this info on the facilities page).

4. Location
Location is very, very important. Make sure to stay in the city centre. If you check the prices, you will find that hostels on the outskirts of the city are much cheaper, but believe me, you will pay much more for transportation. Stay in the city centre and save money by walking more!

If you don't know how to find out if the hostel is close to the city centre, put the hostel's address into Google maps and find the directions to the main city square.

5. Facilities
Make sure that the hostel provides the facilities that are musts for you!

For me, the list would be:
• Free wifi
• Hot water
• A common room
• A kitchen/coffee machine/ vending machine
• Free linens
General tip: Make sure to read the “latest” reviews carefully, and take a note of the most repeated reviews. But don't be over-cautious—remember, nowhere is perfect.

And finally, hostels are a lot of fun, so enjoy the experience!


Clic here to read the story from its source.