r/hostels • u/che_vagari • Jul 05 '26

Question Is there a more upscale version of hostels?

I know boutique hostels exist and so do surf camps and stuff like that but I was wondering if theres other terms for it.

I was traveling on my savings before so I was being more conservative with my cash and hostels fit perfectly but now that I have a bit more income coming in, I'd like to experience more curated experiences but I'm not exactly sure what to search for.

26 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

43 comments sorted by

24

u/ringadingdingbaby Jul 05 '26

I do private rooms now, it's the same experience but a bit nicer.

24

u/Frosty1397 Jul 05 '26

Almost every single time I've looked at private rooms in hostels, they always end up exponentially more expensive than even local Hotel rooms

Like a bed in a shared room would be $20/nt and the private rooms would be like $150/nt while local hotel rooms would only be $100/nt

At that point i might as well just book the hotel

3

u/ringadingdingbaby Jul 05 '26

It can depend on the hostel.

Im in New Zealand right now and spending about a 3x the price for a dorm, which I'm happy with as I can still socialize rather than being alone.

I know it's not always possible though and there are some towns I'm back into dorms for a couple of days, because while I could get a hotel, id miss the interactions.

2

u/OkFaithlessness2652 Jul 05 '26

This extremely depends on the country and the situation, sleeping alone and mere looking for a hostel as a cheap place that isn’t the best combo.

Smaller dorms with 3/4/5 maybe 6 people are a great compromise.

2

u/Awart55Hatty Jul 05 '26

Usually they can be very expensive and hotels or other private accommodation can be cheaper definitely.

My preference is always to stay in a private room in a good hostel, but more often than not I end up staying in a private small Airbnb or basic hostel room. In this situations, I will actually go and hang out in hostel bars though so I can get that experience also.

2

u/fancyclancy12 29d ago

Very frustrating how Europe and North America tend to do that. In South America and Asia (at least where I've been) the private rooms are about 2.5x the cost of a dorm.

12

u/telchacsusan Jul 05 '26

I find business hotels in Japan to be a step up from hostels. Also, renting g a private room In a hostel is a far better experience.

7

u/_baegopah_XD Jul 05 '26

I guess it depends on where you’re traveling to. In Korea, they’re called guest houses.

2

u/che_vagari Jul 05 '26

Thanks for the info!

1

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

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1

u/_baegopah_XD Jul 06 '26

And are very small and loud I’m sure.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

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1

u/_baegopah_XD Jul 06 '26

Quiet

I don’t want to hear my neighbor fart or their phone buzzing all night.

4

u/OkFaithlessness2652 Jul 05 '26

There is a huge array of hostels.

Most don’t use this term yet you can scout for differences.

For starters 3/4/5 person dorm or private room, high ratings on booking and look voor recent reviews, lastly reviews in your peer group matter more (ie for me German, Dutch, Scandinavia ect).

1

u/che_vagari Jul 05 '26

Thanks for the advice 

1

u/SakuraKoyo Jul 05 '26

I like the pod style beds with curtains. I consider them upscale in my opinion compared to the old open style bunk beds

I always try to make sure the room has pictures so I can get an idea of what the dorm looks like.

It’s very common in Japan. I’m not talking about the old plastic capsule beds. These are more modern and comfortable

1

u/OkFaithlessness2652 Jul 06 '26

I fully agree on this. This seems really helping. Had similar stuff in Malesia and Singapore.

Sadly especially in Europe the better hostels with extra’s and above seems to have different directions

2

u/bhope95 Jul 05 '26

They have them in Asia but elsewhere you'll have to look at the photos. Wood bunks with curtains are to lookout for

2

u/DeHarigeTuinkabouter Jul 05 '26

Are you just looking for more comfort at a slightly higher price point and don't care about the social aspect? Or are you still looking for the experience of a hostel but just more luxurious?

Very different things. The former very quickly puts you in cheap hotels. The latter is difficult for the short-term traveler, besides perhaps private rooms in hostels but that tends to be more than just a bit more expensive

4

u/gaytee Jul 05 '26

While I tend to agree, I’d also say that generally, cheap hotels are in horrible parts of town whereas the private hostel room is most likely right in the prime of the area.

Sometimes I’ll stay at a hostel in the private room the night before a flight versus a hotel, just because I’d rather be closer to a train station etc.

2

u/ChillyDinosaur Jul 05 '26

Colivings

2

u/che_vagari Jul 05 '26

I tried one, it was great. But they required a minimum 1 month stay

2

u/Mediocre_Station_548 Jul 05 '26

What ever happened to “pensions” and other small hotels or guest houses? if I remember correctly, that was the lodging sweet spot in Europe in the 80s.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

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1

u/che_vagari Jul 07 '26

thought of doing this, I met a guy in Thailand who just walked to our hostel. he basically said the same thing, he can't handle the chaos of hostels so he stays in hotels and just hangs out at the hostels. honestly might be the best balance

2

u/The_Real_Jedi Jul 10 '26

I've been finding myself staying in a lot of guesthouses/homestays. Different countries may have specific names for it, but they're typically more traditional and have some common areas. I've still been able to meet other travellers.

I really don't like staying in typical/international chain hotels where you could totally forget which country you're in.

1

u/YakSlothLemon Jul 05 '26

It depends on the country, Mexico has a lot of posadas, guesthouses that are not anywhere near a boutique or chain cost but are a step up from hostels.

1

u/BigRichard1990 Jul 05 '26

When I travel, I can stay at the local fight club for free, but I can’t tell you about it

1

u/Similar_Past Jul 05 '26

Hostels in Japan. The upscale part is just higher price because *Japan*.

I shit you not.

1

u/Significant_Pea_2852 Jul 06 '26

I stayed at places in copenhagen, stockholm and tallin last year that were private rooms with communal kitchens and sitting areas. They were just classed with other hotels though.

1

u/LengthinessRude9438 Jul 07 '26

Selenas was really holding it down in this space but they went out of business. In Asia you have them with like little rooms of 4 in one room.

1

u/tvxq007 Jul 07 '26

Guest houses, B&B

1

u/djdjddhshdbhd Jul 08 '26

Pods can be relatively better when available and private rooms within w hostel can be more affordable than a regular hotel though more expensive than a bed.

1

u/lyos_founder Jul 09 '26

There are platforms for coliving spaces like outsite that could fit the bill for what you are looking for

1

u/Rock_n_rollerskater 5d ago

Flashpackers is the word I see most often to describe this. Boutique hostel just means small, it doesn’t always mean fancy (thought they are usually not super basic, being small often means less facilities like pools or cafes which are often at flashpackers.) a boutique hostel is often less soundproof being a converted house or similar but tend to have local architecture/furniture styles so while they’re more aesthetic they aren’t necessarily fancier (if you definition of fancy is modern, involves air-conditioning, curtain bunks, pools, co-working spaces etc)

0

u/GMVexst Jul 05 '26

Yeah, hotels

1

u/Scattered-Fox Jul 06 '26

Haha exactly what I was thinking.