Features of hostels
Hostels are very similar to hotels but they have their special features of accommodation. Therefore some people prefer only this type of lodging for the night, and other try to avoid hostels. Firstly it is connected to the fact that such mini-hotels’ structure is similar to dormitories. Beds can be in one room; living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms or shower cabins are also of general use. Though hostels are much cheaper than hotels and they have a peculiar comfort, a lot of people still prefer to choose rooms with minimum number of neighbours who can invade their personal space.
Dorm room in Artist Hostel on Moskvoretskaya Bank, Moscow
Each client has inquiries on comfort of accommodation therefore one person will see only pluses of hostels instead of hotels, the other will see only minuses. Let’s consider positive and negative sides of hostel accommodation in more detail.
Advantages of hostels
- Minimum price for accommodation;
- The breakfast which is included in the price, or the common kitchen where it is possible to prepare something yourself;
- Acquaintance and communication with a large number of people in a strange city.
- Additional free “offers”, which won’t be offered by hotels, for example: bicycles and scooters and an amazing company to play PS4 with.
- Low priced laundry services;
Our guests playing mafia in the café of one of our Artist hostels in Moscow, Kurskaya station
However a hostel is not a hotel, though there are single and double rooms in hostels too, but such rooms will cost you a bit more. If you like the atmosphere of the hostel, you could keep coming back. Travelling and staying in hostels is not expensive. Valuable experience, adventures, romanticism attract many tourists. Hostel rates allow tourists and vacationers to save their money and spend it on sightseeing and entertainment.
Disadvantages of hostels
- Invasion of personal space. Sometimes there are more than ten people in the room so it is hardly possible to have a rest properly. Mother and child rooms in Russia at the railway stations are designed like hostels.
- Thievery is also one of the downsides of staying in a hostel. If you have any items of value, it is better to use lockers or safe deposit boxes;
- Arrival and leaving of guests is usually limited by time intervals, and check-in, check-out also take place from 8 to 11 p.m. and from 17 to 23 a.m. For this reason, if you would like to sleep in, hostel isn’t the best idea.
- Not every hostel welcomes guests with children or pets therefore they will probably offer separate room.
- You will have to share showers and toilets, and sometimes lights could be turned on while you are sleeping.
Toilets and showers in the Artist Hostel in Moscow, Kitay Gorod, near the Red Square
However, despite some difficulties a lot of people stay in hostels and even live in them for a long time. Such services are much cheaper than the rental apartment and furthermore hotel accommodations.
Rules of accommodation in hostels
Each hostel often has the rules of accommodation therefore it is the best for all to observe them to be welcome guest in this place:
- it is important to abide by the rules of return and leave time. It is usually no later than 12 a.m. However many hostels work 24 hours a day;
- it is necessary to leave you rooms for the period of cleaning;
- smoking and drinking alcohol is prohibited;
- room can be female, male, general or individual;
- you can’t make noise and listen to the loud music;
- you can use services which are specified at the reception;
- check-in time is usually 1 p.m., check-out is no later than 12 p.m. However you have a possibility to agree on early check-in if there are vacant rooms or beds.
Advantageous, cheap, simply
Hostels in Russia are much cheaper than hotels generally because all conveniences are shared. In this case services are not quite different except that there are from 4 to 10 people in the room. Hostels help travelers to save money on accommodation if it is needed. Certainly the service won’t be of high class but you will always have clean bed, opportunity to have shower, have a rest and to communicate.
It is very advantageous to use hostels for such travellers who spend a lot of time in business trips, long journeys and journeys abroad. It’s a great chance not only to save you money but also to find new interesting interlocutors.
