Debate: hostel dorms vs cheap private rooms for solo travel

I spent a week in a 12-bed dorm in Barcelona last summer and it was $18 a night but I got zero sleep because someone came in at 3am every night. The next week I paid $45 a night for a tiny private room in a hostel and slept great but my budget was wrecked. So which side is better for saving money long term? You save on accommodation in dorms but you end up spending more on coffee and energy drinks to function. Has anyone found a solid middle ground or just learned to sleep through anything?

3 comments

3 Comments

west.casey7d ago

Oh man, "budget was wrecked" is exactly how I felt after trying the private room route in Prague. I did the exact same thing you did, went from a loud 8-bed dorm to a solo room and my wallet was crying by day three. The coffee and energy drink thing is so real though, I spent like $10 a day just to function after those dorm nights, so the savings were basically gone anyway. My middle ground has been booking 4-bed female only dorms with curtains, they cost like $25-30 and I actually sleep okay because less people coming in and out. It isn't perfect but it keeps my budget from being "wrecked" while letting me wake up without needing three red bulls.

gray_morgan6d agoTop Commenter

Four bed dorms are still dorms though. You're still sharing a bathroom with strangers. Still dealing with someone's alarm going off at 5am for a flight. Still have to lock up your stuff every time you turn around. I tried that route in Lisbon and ended up lying awake listening to some woman snore like a chainsaw for three hours. Private rooms aren't cheap but you get actual peace and quiet. Plus no awkward hallway encounters in your pajamas trying to find the shower.

ben_lewis6d ago

The 4 bed female only dorm with curtains is the sweet spot for sure. I started doing the same thing after my third or fourth hostel where I woke up to someone's phone flashlight at 3am. Those bigger dorms are basically a gamble on whether you get a light sleeper or a party person in your room. Smaller rooms cut the noise way down and the curtains mean I don't have to socialize before I've had coffee. It still costs less than a proper private room but I actually walk out the door feeling human.