Youth hostels

[Lucky Rathen]

I've never stayed at one. How do they work. Do you just turn up and get a bed? Or you do you have to book them or something. If for example I was just wondering around Edinburgh, could I just turn up at one and get somewhere to kip? Do you have to actually be a youth or is that just a clever name?

[Camie]

just a clever name. I've always booked mine in advanced but i'm sure you can just turn up. Great place to try out is the High Street youth hostel on Blackfriars Street. They are apart of the Macbackpackers group or something if you want to google it.

[Stichman]

You don't usually need to book, that's the beauty of them. Although depending on the season and location, sometimes they do fill up pretty quickly. Never fear, youthfulness isn't a requirement!

If I'm in Europe, I try to book in advance through Hostelworld - especially handy if you're arriving somewhere late and don't want the hassle of traipsing round looking for somewhere.

Hostels & Youth Hostels Worldwide - Online Bookings

[pogofish]

Depends on the Hostel. If you are in the SYHA, you should be a member, or belong to your home country's YHA. Other commercial hostels no but the standard can vary considerably. Some are absolutely excellent, whilst others are glorified doss-houses, with similar admissions policies.

If you are going to be staying in a non-SYHA hostel, I'd look for personal reccomendations first, then take a good look at the place before you decide to stay.

City/tourist-hotspot hostels can get very busy, esp Edinburgh in the summer. Booking ahead is always a good idea.

If there are a couple of you going & you can plan ahead, you can often pick-up special offers/advance prices on Travelodge type places, which are sometimes very close to a hostel in price.

[pogofish]

Originally Posted by Camie

just a clever name.

In the UK, yes now. However, the movement started-out as a genuine young person's thing & there are still a few national/regional associations that give priority to under 25s.

Here of course, it is the older folk/families keeping our hostels going. Apart from the main cities/destinations, there simply does not seem to be enough younger people using them & the association here is kind-of facing a crisis of confidence/direction just now.

Which is sad, because they are closing & selling-off hostels in some lovely places where there is little or no reasonably-priced alternative accomodation.