There’s no denying that hostels are a fantastic travelling resource for many people. They host countless tourists every year. The chance to stay somewhere, sometimes for less than $10 a night, is often the only way long-term travellers manage to fulfil their exploration dreams. As such, it’s difficult to pour too much scorn on cheap accommodation options like these.

Still, it is worth noting that hostel life isn’t for everyone. For one, there’s the issue of not being able to leave your luggage behind without the risk of theft. The majority of hostels also operate on a packed bunk bed system which means that you’re right in the thick of things with other travellers. If you’re travelling as a couple, cheap accommodation like this even makes it impossible to sleep in the same bed. That can go some way towards ruining the romantic vibe you may have been after when you booked your stay. And, let’s be frank; hostels in some destinations aren’t exactly the most sanitary places. If you’re concerned about cleanliness, then, this may not be the best option for you.

The trouble is, you can’t afford a long-term trip at top-hotel prices. If you opted for accommodation like that, you might find that you could only afford five nights or so compared to ten you might have managed in hostels. This leaves you with a difficult decision, but there are more options than you realize. The fact is that the hostel or posh hotel isn’t all that appears on the accommodation scale. There are plenty of other options which could see your cheap accommodation without the exposure of a hostel. You just need to do the following to find them.

Compare hotels

In reality, hotels aren’t exclusively expensive. As with anything, there are both pricey and cheap options. Admittedly, you would be hard pushed to find a hotel which will cost you less than a hostel. Still, that doesn’t mean you have to pay through the teeth or cut your vacation short to make this option work for you. All you need to do is make sure not to settle on the first option you find. By heading to sites like www.hotelscomparison.com, you can keep up the search until you find the best possible option. You may find that comparisons like these even allow you to play hotels against each other to get the best price. Take your time here, and you could well find a hotel that costs less than $30 a night. That isn’t bad going for the comfort of a private room. Admittedly, you won’t be looking at the five-star quality here, but that shouldn’t matter a great deal. As long as you have a private space and a place to leave your belongings, you’ll already have more than you would in a hostel. Forget worrying about whether your room has a minibar. This is just a place to rest your head without twenty other people around you.

Avoid tourist hotspots

Even with the best comparison tool going, you’ll struggle to find cheap hotels in areas like New York, or Rome. These are top tourist picks, and hoteliers know them well. As such, you can bet even the prices of low-quality private rooms are through the roof. Still, that doesn’t mean hostels are your only choice. By taking your travels even as little as fifteen minutes out of the main areas, you could more than half the price of that hotel bill. Even with the cost of transport to reach central areas each day, you can bet this will save you a fortune. Looking further afield also has the benefit of ensuring you can avoid crowds. That means you can forget queuing for hours to check-in or having to book a year in advance. Instead, you’ll be able to stroll right in and get a peaceful night of sleep. All in easy reaching distance of the places you want to see.

Consider property in your favourite places

We know what you’re thinking; there’s no way that property could cost less than a hostel. And, in many ways, you’re right. But, if you return to a specific destination multiple times a year, investing in a property like those found at https://rumahdijual.com/ could work out much cheaper than you think. That rule applies to any destination you can’t get enough of. Admittedly, you would need to afford a large amount upfront. Either that, or you’d need to agree to ongoing mortgage repayments. Still, this could work out cheaper than paying hundreds for hotel stays each visit. If you rented the property in question when it wasn’t in use, your trips away could start to pay for themselves. Not even a hostel stay could promise that. Of course, this does have the downside of tying you to one location. But, if it’s a sport you love enough to keep coming back, that probably won’t bother you much. If your profits from this reached the right heights, they could even start paying for vacations elsewhere. That would mean being able to spread your wings again without the expense.

Don’t be afraid of Airbnb

It’s also worth noting that a new and surprisingly cheap accommodation method has come to the market in recent years. While this may still cost a little more than hostels would, it’s often a much cheaper bet than a hotel stays. We are, of course, talking about booking into an Airbnb. This is a big business now. The majority of destinations across the world have cheap options listed on this site. In some cases, you will find that the most affordable choices are rooms in other people’s houses. Still, these have the benefit of being private like a hotel room. More often than not, hosts also provide locks on doors so that you can keep your bags there during the day. Even if there aren’t any locks, the reviewing system ensures you can check that your hosts are trustworthy. If you do your research, you may even be able to find a free-standing apartment for less than you’d pay for a hotel room. Even better, the only compromise you would need to make would be to clean up after yourself. We say that’s a small price to pay. So, put your reservations to the side and take a look at what’s available. The low rates on offer might surprise you.

Stay with friends

Lastly, it’s always worth considering a stay with friends. Often, this works out even cheaper than a hostel would. You may even find that your friends are willing to put you up for nothing more than a contribution to food, and your company. Again, this does have the downside of meaning you’re limited in where you can go. But, it does bring the pleasant addition of friendship to any trip you might take. If you’re good at making friends during your travels, you may soon find that you have connections in various countries. That way, you can travel for less all over the world. All without ever having to face another horrendous hostel bunk.

Conclusion

It’s a lot easier than you might think to travel for cheap without hostels. All you need is to get your thinking cap on and be willing to compromise along the way. Accept that you won’t be able to stay in expensive hotels without paying for them. Then, sit down and consider how you can achieve half-decent cheap accommodation for less.