I have to be honest, my experience with hostels is something recent. Before starting my European tour, in January 2012, I barely knew hostels. My favorite holiday ‘accommodation’ was either camping or friend/family houses.

Since I have spent almost every single day, of these last two and half years, in a bunk bed, I can tell you that staying in a hostel is one of the most beautiful thing during a journey. However not everything is bright, I had few moments when I was regretting to be in that specific hostel, for these specific reasons:
–Barefoot ‘lovers’: Everyone loves being barefoot from time to time, at home, at the beach, at the countryside … Why would you not use your shoes in a city and in a hostel where everyone use shoes? And if you like to stay barefoot anyway, at least wash your feet before going to bed!!!!

–Never without my shoes!

Again something related to feet.

This time is the opposite issue, though.
An hostel offers beds with mattress that had been used by hundreds of people before your arrival.
I’m fine with the idea of sleeping on such mattress, as I consider my-self a clean and tidy person, I expect most of the previous guests being the same.

I was shocked when I noticed that my ‘neighbour’ went to bed like shown in the photo.
For which reason someone should sleep without taking off his/her shoes?????

–Drunk teenagers (especially americans or aussies)

They are probably the worst nightmare that you can have in a hostel.

I know, in the picture I took during a pub crawl this group of young ladies look nice, georgeous, funny … they actually are like that, until their last 10th shots, 7th beer, 5th wine. After that they became like monsters. Screaming, talking loudly, disturbing and whatsoever.
Girls (this apply for young men, too!), hostels have beds because people would like to sleep after midnight. Have fun, drink, meet up with others, stay out as long as you want but do NOT disturb and wake up other guests, when you return from a party at 6am!

–‘Trolley’ tourists

My idea of hostel is very basic: a cozy structure, with a bunch of backpackers from all over the world, a common area, a kitchen where to socialize and share stories about trips and journeys. Nowadays hostels are un-luckly like that. Especially during the weekend when they are packed with ‘trolley-tourists’ or ‘weekenders’.

They are (usually a couple or bigger group) there just to escape from the boring working life, for a weekend or for a short vacation. Most of ‘weekenders’ check-in on Friday, in the late evening, they enter into the room, open the trolley luggage and complain to not have enough space for their 5 shoes and 10 different dresses. Later on they go to the first touristic restaurant to have a (over priced) dinner. Same thing for the bars and clubs. On Saturday you can see them walking like zombies without saying a word until they have recovered from a huge hangover. After that they might eat at a fast-food (as they have realized the waste of money during the previous night) and get drunk again. Sunday morning somehow they get up, pack all their untouched clothes and ask for a taxi to the airport. That taxi ride will be also their sightseeing tour.