The thought of sleeping in an unventilated room next to 16 smelly-footed strangers can be slightly offputting for some people - but when you're trying to stay in Paris for $20/night, it's the trade-off you make. I get it.
What I don't get is the concept of a "premium" hostel. Yes, it looks pretty and yes it's Instagram worthy. However, you pay two to three times the price to stay in a room that still:
a.) smells like that one traveler who hasn't showered in days and,
b.) has that random person snoring at volume 50
c.) charges you like $8 to use a towel for the night.
We deserve to treat ourselves better.
The world tells us millennials that we value experiences: but what about the experience of comfort? Of not worrying about missing that 7:00am flight to Copenhagen because the dude above you decided to bring a girl (or guy) over at 3am? (STILL SALTY)
Having to book a same-day flight could blow a huge chunk of your travel budget, even in Europe. And that is why I always budget extra for private accom. I'm not talking about staying in luxury: just a normal hotel or a regular Airbnb to me is already worth my guaranteed sanity.
Wouldn't you rather it actually feel like a vacation when you travel?
I love going out for drinks and having a good time when I travel. There's also no better feeling than knowing I can sleep through my hangover the next day without being interrupted by the frantic packing of the girl above me who's about to miss her 7:00am flight to Amsterdam.
Peace of mind. (And World Peace please?)
I'd rather buy the insurance, the comfort, and the well-rested face for a day of touristy Instagram pics, or know that I'm spending the absolute minimum to stay in accommodation abroad. Anything in between just doesn't seem worth it to me.
Do you agree? Disagree? Why/Why not?
