Hostel Life: Female Dorm or Mixed Dorm?

Have you ever contemplated staying in a hostel, but were too worried where (eeeek!) and with who (double eeek) you were going to be placed? This is a common fear among first-time hostel dwellers. I can tell you a lot of reasons why hostel living isn’t the best, but I can also tell you some of my best times have been spent with the people I meet in my hostel dorm room. If you are contemplating staying in a hostel for the first time, here are the differences. The good, the bad, and the ugly of staying in a mixed room versus staying in an all-female room

All female rooms are normally cleaner

Take away the (usually dirty) men, and you will be shocked how much cleaner staying in a hostel is. Sometimes they even offer towels for the female guests! It is the reason why you never lived in a frat house in college. Most boys don’t care about cleaning shared space, but females tend to be more neat and stick to their own area. If you are stickler for cleanliness, try an all-female dorm.

Mixed Dorms are cheaper

When you throw in boys and girls, it is normally a few dollars cheaper. It is because they know they can leave the place more of a pigsty, and it normally sleeps a lot more people. If you don’t mind a crowded space, go with the mixed dorm

All female rooms are quieter

Without the drunk Aussie boys rolling in at all hours (if you’ve stayed in a dorm before, you know what I am saying!), you will notice how much more respectful girls are to “quiet time.” Note how many beds are in each room when deciding on a hostel, and you might be able to make an educated guess about how often people will be rolling in at all hours of the night. 4 beds means only 3 other people can be coming in when they want. Much easier for sleeping!

Mixed Dorms can be more fun

Regardless if you’re single or taken, staying in a room

with the opposite sex can just be a little more exciting. You are traveling, so people are already in the mood to meet other people (or you should be because it is fun!) and people just throw out the vibes to mix and mingle. I have met life long friends, both male AND female in dorms. Take a chance!

So what decisions should you make? Decide what the trip is about, and how important sleep is to you. If you are looking to meet great new people, consider a hostel. Regardless of where you sleep, I guarantee you you will have a good time!