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WHAT ARE HOSTELS?
The answer to this question is becoming more and more difficult to define as hostels are changing all the time. Up until a decade ago hostels offered a unique form of accommodation where rooms were dormitory style with bunk beds, where you may well have had the pleasure of sharing bathroom facilities with up to 30 fellow guests, where you had to be in by midnight or face the prospect of sleeping in the street and where the noise of fellow room mates almost guaranteed many sleepless nights – you probably get the picture. The good news for any of you who might have reservations about taking a shower in the company of strangers or sharing a bunk with someone whose personal hygiene leaves quite a bit to be desired is that hostels have changed a great deal for the better. Today, many hostels are not unlike budget hotels where the only significant difference is the price. For example, many of the hostels listed on this site offer private rooms with en suite facilities, smaller dorms for groups of between two and eight or larger dorms where you could share with up to twenty others. As well as the rooms themselves, they offer bars and restaurants, 24-hour opening, self-catering kitchens, Internet cafes and many more added facilities. Despite this, many hostels have remained old school and you do need to maintain an open mind when choosing this form of accommodation. Don’t expect luxury because in all but a few cases, you won’t get it.
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DO YOU NEED TO A HOSTEL MEMBERSHIP CARD TO STAY IN HOSTELS?
There are no membership requirements for any hostels listed on BoliviaHostels.com.
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WHAT IS THE ATMOSPHERE IN HOSTELS LIKE?
There are as many different atmospheres as there are hostels. Each one has a different scene. Part of the adventure of hostelling is experiencing the variety. Sometimes you will find yourself in bed by 9 pm and up at 6 am with the chickens gathering eggs. In others you may party until all hours in a world-class cosmopolitan city and sleep until three the next afternoon.
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WHAT IS A TYPICAL DORMITORY LIKE?
Dormitories are often, but not always, separated by sex. There will be between 2 and 10 people sharing a room with bunk beds. Sometimes, particularly during peak seasons, large rooms sleeping as many as 30 people are made available but are not commonplace. As well as this, quite a lot of hostels now offer private rooms. For example a hostel will have smaller dorms (4-6 beds) which can be booked by an entire group so that you have the room to yourself. And, as mentioned in the first answer on this page, many are not unlike hotels offering private single, twin and double rooms with en suite facilities.
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DO HOSTELS HAVE KITCHENS?
Yes, most do. Self-catering kitchens are another way that hostels can save you money. They are usually equipped with basic cooking utensils including pots, pans, and dishes. Hostel kitchens also serve another really popular purpose however. They are a great meeting place where you can sit around and talk with fellow guests for hours on end comparing tavel notes.
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WHAT IS A HOSTEL CURFEW?
A curfew is a time by which all hostellers must be inside the hostel and usually in bed. Many hostels no longer have curfews. If you find yourself staying at a hostel with a curfew, however, and you return after the stated time you will find yourself sleeping outside.
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WHAT IS A LOCKOUT?
A lockout is a time during the day when the hostel is closed. Usually this occurs so the hostel can be properly cleaned. In small home hostels this is the only time the owners can leave their home to get out and do errands. Most urban hostels, however, do not have lockouts.
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DO I NEED TO MAKE A RESERVATION TO STAY AT A HOSTEL?
We would always advise that you book your hostel in advance. Most of the hostels listed on BoliviaHostels.com can be booked online so that your bed is guaranteed before you get to your destination. If it is not possible for you to book in advance, it's best to call ahead to see if reservations are required or accepted – particularly during peak holiday or festival season. It's also best to plan to arrive in the morning. This gives you the best opportunity to get a bed and leaves you with options if the hostel is full or does not meet your expectations. This is particularly true if you are traveling to a popular city destination (Sucre, Santa Cruz, La Paz, Copacabana). At some hostels you can reserve for other hostels in advance. Inquire at the hostel you are staying at to see if they can make reservations at any other hostels for you. Then do your research and see if the hostel they recommend is somewhere that you would like to stay.
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WHAT IS A SLEEP-SHEET?
Basically a sleep-sheet is two sheets sewn together to form a sack. When you go to bed you get inside the sleep-sheet so the bed always stays clean. Many hostels will rent sleep-sheets to you for an additional cost. Sleep-sheets are being used less and less frequently, however, as more hostels provide regular bed linen. This is changed every one to three days depending on where you stay and more often than not the cost is included in the price. Every hostel we have seen also provides blankets.
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CAN'T I JUST USE A SLEEPING BAG?
Probably not. Many hostels do not allow sleeping bags. Because sleeping bags have lots of tufts and seams, it's easy for bugs like ticks to get inside the sleeping bag while you are camping and later come out when you unroll the bag in the hostel. Sleeping bags are also much heavier than a simple sleep-sheet and much harder to wash. So unless to plan to go camping you may want to leave the sleeping bag at home.
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WHAT DOES 'ENSUITE' MEAN?
Ensuite means there is a private bathroom in the room. If this is not indicated in the room type description, then it means the bathroom facilities are shared with other rooms.
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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TWIN ROOM AND A DOUBLE ROOM?
A twin room is a private room with 2 single beds in it accommodating 2 people. A double room is a private room with one large bed accommodating 2 people.
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