I get free breakfast, which I love because it saves me money and time. 5. Lastly, I really appreciated the cleanliness of the hotels. Hostels are often pretty cramped and small, and I’m not a fan of being surrounded by other people’s stuff.
I recently returned from a three-week solo travel trip to Portugal, where I visited Lisbon, Sagres, Lagos, Peniche, Sintra, and Porto. During my stay, I tried out both hostels and hotels for accommodation. I stayed in nice, highly rated hostels that cost around 50-70$/night and 3 star hotels that cost around 110-130$/night. Although I met some great people in the hostels and it pushed me out of my comfort zone, I ultimately preferred the hotels.
One of the main reasons I preferred staying in hotels is because I’m an earlier-to-bed, earlier-to-rise kind of person. Most of the people in hostels tend to stay up late, making it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. I find it really important to get a good night’s sleep when I’m travelling since it helps me stay energized for each day.
Another reason I prefer hotels is that I like having my own space and privacy. After a long travel day, I sometimes just want to take a quick nap or be alone for a while. Hostels make that impossible, since there’s usually always someone around. I need my alone time to recharge.
The hotels I stayed in also provided complimentary breakfast, which I appreciated because it saved me money and time. Lastly, I enjoyed the cleanliness of the hotels. Hostels are often cramped and small, and I’m not a fan of being surrounded by other people’s stuff.
Overall, I found that my solo travel experience was much more enjoyable when I stayed in hotels. I felt more rested, had my own space, and appreciated the complimentary breakfast and cleanliness. Although I met some cool people in hostels and it was a great learning experience, I still prefer hotels for solo travel.