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Hostels, hotels etc.; Sleeping :patterns, attitudes, strangers
Topic Started: Nov 25 2016, 05:21 AM (359 Views)
blizzard
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I wanted to write something about the expectations travellers have when it comes to comfort.

I travel for the overall experience. I will not allow my accommodation ruin my day. Of course I prefer a comfortable, clean, safe room of my own - which I have always managed to obtain unless my sleeping space is a seat on a plane, train or bus (or some form of accommodation). If I am not happy with a place I generally remain for my one or two nights simply because I hate having to pack everything up over and over. I will ask for a different room if necessary. I also write reviews about where I have stayed; poor service, lumpy beds, disgusting bathrooms etc. receive, at times, scathing reviews - I know these are read and, like me, travellers often make decisions based on these. However, I also speak to management when possible.

I have stayed in some dreadful places. Black mould, bedding and towels worn through, cockroaches, dreadful service. Not always just at hostels. I have also had wonderful experiences in places I would not have expected much more than basic. Lovely, simple rooms, free items from the fridge (water being absolutely the best in hot areas), assistance beyond necessary, coffee (always a plus).

The one accommodation I have not experienced is sleeping in a dorm and sharing a washroom. I go out of my way to avoid these, usually at more expense. Therefore, I cannot really comment on what to expect. However, I had to laugh when my daughter, currently in Australia, (prices for accommodations are quite high there) complained that she is in a four bed, mixed, dormitory room where there is an "old man". She seemed to think a youth hostel (the place belongs to YHA but is not solely for youth) should not allow old people. I said discrimination is no longer allowed - she did not reply. I was tempted to ask what she would have said to anyone if I had been turned away due to age. I had been seriously considering dorms for my next long trip.

Any thoughts out there about how to have a good night's sleep when travelling?
My conclusion, there is not anywhere that will please everyone.
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David
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I used to be on the road all the time and my only requirement was that the accommodations be clean. The rest of it is the "adventure" part
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heatseeker
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I try to avoid hotel rooms these days in favour of apartments.

More room to stretch out, and the option of cooking rather than dining out.

Wifi is a must, clean is good. All the rest is pretty much optional.

Daughter and I just returned from London, where we spent four days in a great place, just opened a month ago. We each had a studio apartment with everything and, I guess to fill the place, a bargain price of C$129 a night.

http://www.sacoapartments.com/serviced-apartments/uk/london/leman-locke/
Edited by heatseeker, Nov 25 2016, 05:32 AM.
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Delphi51
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This reminds me of a little adventure my cousin and I had in France about 1972. The Paris youth hostels were full so we were directed to a low cost hotel, which happened to be in the "red light district." No adventures there for us; didn't even try the bidet. But the next day we went to see the Palace of Versailles outside Paris. It was so interesting we stayed late and found ourselves on the streets in the dark. We were actually looking twice at dog pens when there was a shout from across the street, "Are you looking for a place to stay?" Well we were two healthy young men so we figured we could handle anything. This guy took us to a college dormitory with 6 or 8 beds but no occupants and said we were welcome to stay free! It was clean and comfortable, the only discordant feature being the toilet in the middle of the room with no privacy at all. We were sure grateful and it was certainly the friendliest thing that happened to us in France.

The next day we got on a train heading to Switzerland (we had student rail passes), got tired of the train somewhere near mountains and detrained at a village. We got big bottles of Coca-Cola at a ridiculously low price and fresh bread and spent two nights in the nearby bush. The next day we hitch-hiked toward Switzerland and coined the term "CHintzerland" from the CH sticker on expensive Swiss cars that zoomed by.

In Swizerland we stayed in the wonderful, clean youth hostel at Lausanne several times. And the one high up at Zermatt. We had some food with us and cooked with an American guy and two Australian girls who made a fine meal with our pooled groceries.

Ah, the fun we had when young!
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sooty
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I've stayed in youth hostels in England and Scotland, usually eight bed single sex dorms, a bonus were the four bed ones. Haven't been able to manage top bunks for years so my real requirement is a lower bunk. YH won't reserve one but try to help if possible. Probably this last year in London was my final time in a dorm. I was sick and not sleeping well. In the UK Premier Inns and Travelodge are cheaper than the better hotels and often close to transport. There are good deals online and costs vary on different days of the week.
Lots of older people in the UK hostels.
YH membership saves you money when travelling and is often linked to other deals. Most important is cleanliness . I usually sleep on a towel as a pillow.
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Delphi51
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In Britain with a BritRailPass, several nights we went to Scotland and back, sleeping on the train. We also had a place to stay with an old friend of our uncle who had been his nurse in Scotland during the war. We took a bus from Heathrow toward this Langley, Slough, Bucks.
Got tired of the bus and walked for a few hours.

That base made a huge difference for us, especially when cousin got sick on strange English beer. I left him recuperating and headed off to see Stonehenge. I got tired of trains and did quite a bit of country walking. When it got dark, wet and cold I crawled into a stack of hay bales for the night. How nice it was to see and touch Stonehenge before the fence.
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Trotsky
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Quote:
 
I've stayed in youth hostels in England and Scotland, usually eight bed single sex dorms, a bonus were the four bed ones.


Sooty,
Are you at all bothered by the thought of bedbugs?
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Delphi51
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I never worried about bedbugs at the time. The hostels were pretty well kept. Blankets were provided but we had to bring our own "sleeping bag", a bag made of thin material like a cheap sheet, and use it.

My last experience with a hostel was about 1990. We walked about 10 km up Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper with our two children in early spring. Not too cold but lots of snow. No blankets were provided so we slept in our warm Canadian sleeping bags. Great little adventure.
http://www.hihostels.ca/westerncanada/1440/HI-Mount_Edith_Cavell.hostel
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blizzard
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Trotsky, perish the thought!
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sooty
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No worries to bed bugs. The UK and Australian youth hostels have to maintain a certain standard. In today's world the speed of social media would affect bookings if bad reports listed.
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Trotsky
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Geez, I'm afraid even of a Hilton.
Edited by Trotsky, Nov 30 2016, 04:21 AM.
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swing
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swing
Am I the only person who dislikes camping, hiking, and staying in hostels? I consider this roughing it and would rather stay within the comforts of my home! It could be I was raised on a farm and had enough "roughing it" in my youth. I prefer the amenities of a condo, even dislike hotel rooms, too claustrophobic for me.
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Olive Oil
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swing
Nov 30 2016, 05:19 AM
I prefer the amenities of a condo, even dislike hotel rooms, too claustrophobic for me.
I'm like you, Swing. Sometimes I feel I can't breathe in a hotel room. It's like the air is old and used. The air conditioning is always deadly-- noisy and too cold. What would be worse however, is staying with someone. I feel so intrusive waking up in someone else's home. I avoid it like the plague.
My DD has a worse problem. She has trouble using strange toilets. Six weeks in Germany was very painful for her especially with a lack of salads thrown in.
Edited by Olive Oil, Nov 30 2016, 06:02 AM.
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erka
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Bedbugs are a new phenomen - they were unknown (or hushed up until recently.)

Unlike many, I never camped or roughed it while growing up -stayed with cousins/aunts on a reciprocal basis. Camped and hostel'd for the first time in my 40's Now it is hard to find hotels that will accommodate 2 dogs so camping (or renting a pet friendly yurt or cabin) is my preference as the dogs are my family.



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blizzard
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I doubt camping will be high on my list of choice these days.
i am still unsure about dorms, except that may be all I could afford in Aus.
Glad to hear about the expected standards in the U.K. and Aus!
Too bad the same cannot be said for China. Thailand was alright, I shared with my D, we stayed in places that would be considered quite decent, even the hostel in Bangkok was good.
Edited by blizzard, Nov 30 2016, 09:16 AM.
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