Staying in: Airbnb or Hostels for Solo Female Travelers — World Sparkle Photos

Choosing between Airbnb or Hostels as a Woman Traveler

If I got a dollar for every time I’ve been asked which one I prefer I’d probably have about $500 extra in my savings account!

Okay, maybe more like $20 but still...worth the mention!

But in all seriousness, which one would YOU pick as a solo female traveler?

I know that there are a few more options on lodging, like staying at resorts or big chain hotels. However, in some places, those options turn out to be more expensive or isolating for a solo adventure.

On the other hand, there are other options like couch-surfing or being an Au-Pair, where lodging is mostly free, but your privacy and freedom are somewhat compromised.

So, if you rather save up money or prioritize your safety by choosing to stay in an Airbnb or hostel, then how do you know what are the differences?

What do you look for in order to make your final decision?

In this post, I’m going to share with you some tips and tricks I’ve learned from experience as a solo traveler who has stayed in a mix of both!

Still not sure on the whole solo travel idea or unsure if it’s for you? Let’s talk about it!

Blog Post Cover for Travel Blog, staying in: what to choose as solo female travelers between Airbnb and Hostels

Choosing accommodation as a solo traveler

In the past few years, I’ve opted to stay solo at about 35 places listed on Airbnb, and about 15 hostels!

These numbers might not seem like a lot to you but to me, they are an accomplishment. Would you believe me if I told you that when I first started to solo travel, the thought of having to stay at one terrified me?

But I went for it; I got through my plans, and it was shortly after that a friend started picking my brain about how they could book theirs.

She asked me questions on what she must look for to ensure she picked the right choice for her! Well, I came to realize I had some insights I needed to share.

I mean, I 100% believe that if you’re traveling solo for the first time, your lodging can either make or break the solo experience abroad!

So which one is the best pick?

The reality is that there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your type of accommodation.

Your decision should be based off the purpose of your travels, priorities, and what you want to get out of your stay!

But unlike when you travel with friends or family, where it’s easier to choose a place that just provides enough beds for everyone, choosing lodging when you travel solo needs a bit more research to account for the following factors:

Safety & Privacy

Proximity to main areas/ areas you want to explore
Transportation options
Budget
Check-in and Check-out Times

Specific amenities such as luggage drop-offs or use of washing machines, kitchen use, etc

The good thing is that both Airbnbs and hostels meets all those & even more!

In addition, since both options have a certain level of social environment, you can also count on always having someone looking after you in a way that a hotel concierge may not be able to do.

When to Pick an Airbnb

Pros and Cons List of Airbnbs for Women Solo Travelers — Solo Travel for Women - Pros and Cons of Staying in an Airbnb

Airbnbs are more like rentals and you can choose to rent a room or the entire place.

If you’re a solo traveler that prefers to have their own room (and hassle-free bathroom!) but still be able to come in a home, where there’s a family because it makes you feel safer, then booking an Airbnb is the best option.

In my experience, I’ve always chosen a room in a home with a superhost that is either a couple, or just a woman, and that they live there.

Thankfully, I’ve only had great experiences! Even though I’m introverted and reserved, I always felt like I became their friend or part of their family.

But the best part was that even the friendliest hosts still respected my time and privacy and did not force themselves into my daily routine.

So, if you can relate in being friendly but wanting your own quiet sanctuary when you travel, then just know that there are hosts out there that will absolutely understand if you aren’t feeling social all the time.

But with that said, also keep in mind that staying in an Airbnb means having limited opportunities to meet people since you are literally choosing the private and quiet life. And although there’s ways to remedy this (like booking day tours and pub crawls), if it’s not what you are looking for, then I suggest you consider looking into booking a hostel!

When to Pick a Hostel

Pros and Cons list of staying in a hostel for women travelers — Solo Travel for Women - Pros and Cons of Staying in a Hostel

Now, are hostels always just for the extroverted, young or social people? No, not at all!

If you’re looking for connections & friendships abroad, then this is the place to stay at. Just know that with all things, it takes time to research and understand what you are looking for!

As you begin the online search for the perfect hostel that meets your wants and needs, you’ll come across many that cater to a variety of travelers, all in the same building.

At first, I didn’t think that was possible and I had this belief that all hostels were for party-type people that almost never slept.

Girl, I laugh now knowing how wrong I was!

So what changed?

My turnaround point during my travels was when I stayed in a co-ed room that consisted of 22-pod beds during my stay in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Had I not given it the proper time of day during my research, I would have never booked it. I had been traveling for weeks and was tired of sharing bunk beds. I really wanted a private room but it was out of my budget; the cheaper option was this multiple-pods beds in a co-ed room.

It honestly sounded like a nightmare to me. I imagined lots of guests coming in and out of the room in the middle of the night by being loud and bringing ‘special guests’ (if you know what I mean).

But after looking closely into the reviews, photos, location and amenities it offered, I said ‘what the heck, why not’ & gave it a shot.

The key was that I would remind myself that if I didn’t like it once I got there, I could always book something different if I really had to.

...And, I’m so glad I didn’t have to at all.

Not only did I surprisingly get the privacy I craved, I was also able to talk to other travelers (that are friends to this day!) in the kitchen, lobby, and other social areas of the hostel. I got the experience of finding connections with like-minded people who were also traveling & enjoyed it for the sake of traveling.

It left me wishing that I had chosen staying at hostels more often!

Staying In: Airbnb vs Hostels for
Solo Female Travelers

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What to Look For —

Now that you have some insights on the pros and cons for both Airbnbs and hostels, here are some key things to look for to make sure you are picking what’s right FOR YOU for your solo trip.

Let’s get started!

PHOTOS

Photos are a huge part of business success and it’s very rare when an Airbnb or hostel doesn’t have photos at all. Not having photos should be a red flag!

First impressions are a real thing – Thus, when you find lodging that catches your attention (in other words, it’s low-cost) the first thing you should look at are the photos! These serve as an invitation to see what's waiting for you if you book the room.

Pay close attention to whether the room has few or lots of windows for proper air circulation and lighting; that the bed is not disguised as an air mattress; that the room also shows what amenities you should expect to have access to (like a closet, locker, or TV); or if you are sharing bunk beds, whether they are double, or triple beds.

Other things that may not be AS critical as the things I mentioned above are checking the floors if they are carpet or hardwood & if there is air-conditioner (or a heater, if in the winter) installed in the room.

The more you check, the better. This will help you feel confident in your choice since you’ll know what you are paying for before you book!

AMENITIES

The amenities portion is pretty straightforward but oftentimes get overlooked. People will book a place then come to find out that their expectations were not met but it was simply because they didn’t know what was and wasn’t offered.

But when you travel solo, you should be familiar with this so that you can make a plan for several aspects of your trip.

Like for example, if you will be traveling for almost two weeks with only a backpack-worth's of clothes, then it would be good to book a place that has free access to laundry facilities. Or, another example is that you opt out of packing bathroom essentials because you think the hostel will have some, but when you get there, there’s none.

So, just makes sure you find out what kind of amenities they offer. A few ideas to get you started on your research are:

Essentials for the shower
Towels & bed linens
Any sort of electronics such as hair blow dryer
Laundry and Drying services
Housekeeping on a daily or weekly basis

Lockers for your use (this is more common at hostels but some Airbnbs might have them too. If that’s the case, make a plan to bring your own lock & keys!)

Lastly, if you are booking an airbnb, do make sure the room can be locked from inside! You can find out in the photos or the description, or message the host to ask! While you are there, communicate with the host and ask if there are certain curfew rules that you’ll need to follow. You have to remember that you’ll be renting a room in a house where people live so you want to make sure that you are able to have similar curfew flexibility as you would have if you were staying at a hostel.

LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO CENTER

Proximity to the center will be important to you if you're traveling solo for the first time.

You want to make sure that you are in a place that is close to the main area of the city where you can actually walk if you have to!

In this age, it’s very easy to rely on Uber, taxis or buses (if their network is commuter-friendly) but sometimes it can be tedious so you rather just walk. Trust me, it happens!

I do believe that it can also make for a better travel experience to be as close as possible to the places you want to visit or the things you want to do. This is especially true if the transportation network is not as complete or easy to navigate as we would like it to be.

For example, picking a place to stay in Madrid, Spain will be much easier than picking a place in San Salvador, El Salvador. That is mainly because Madrid has a good underground metro system that connects you to several parts within city limits and beyond! But in San Salvador you will need to rely on other types of transportation that aren’t easy to navigate on the first go.

Lastly, take into consideration that if you want to go out and explore at any time of the day, you want to feel comfortable with the idea of coming back at any time. Do your research on what parts of town are safer during different times of day and choose whichever one provides more peace of mind!

REVIEWS - STARS AND COMMENTS

Reviews will always be relevant and up to date!

Reading reviews is a critical part of your research-- They go hand-in-hand with the items I discussed above (No. 1 and No. 2). Using booking sites like Airbnb or hostels.com will allow you to read reviews galore and you can ultimately use this to guide your decision to book.

You will undoubtedly find many reviews that will be short and sweet, or the opposite, you know...“worst hostel ever”, but you’ll never know the true story behind it. So, don’t get swayed by those. Take some time to scroll through the reviews until you find one that is more in-depth and recent.

What you want is to find those that are honest, that describe something within the place or room, and that makes you feel confident that the place offers what you see on their photos and descriptions.

CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT FLEXIBILITY

Last but not least, it’s wise to understand what the check-in and check-out times are.

Nowadays, Airbnb hosts and hostels around the world are very understanding and flexible about check-in times because, a lot of times they are travelers themselves and they know what it’s like to have to wait until your check-in time comes up.

If your booked flight happens to arrive in the wee hours of the morning but your check-in is not until 3 PM, reach out to the Airbnb host or to your hostel and ask them if it’s possible for you to come by an hour earlier OR even better, if you can just simply drop off your luggage & then come back when the room is ready. This is so that you can still enjoy your day and go out exploring without having to carry your heavy backpack everywhere!

The same thing goes for check-out times. If your flight leaves at 6 PM but check-out happens at 11 AM, think about what will you do in the meantime. If you still want to have some time to explore the city or eat before your flight, ask whether you can leave your luggage for a few more hours & then come back to pick it up. This usually works best if your lodging is not out of the way.

Worst case scenario, they’ll say they can’t take your luggage before your check-in time. So, this is when you need to decide whether to search another Airbnb or hostel to book, or search alternatives on how to fill the gap.

In conclusion

Your decision to book an Airbnb or hostel will heavily depend on what you are looking to get after looking at all the information they provide you on their booking descriptions and photos.

In addition, writing down your desired limits on location and proximity to the center, as well as how much gap time you have between your flight times and check-in/check-out hours will shape your search into whatever will work best for YOU!

Travelers will often look at lodging as just a place where they come to sleep and shower (and yes, that is the goal because you need to be out there exploring as much as you can!) but if you are the type of person that needs to stay in to recharge, then you want to make sure you spend time researching for what will bring you comfort during your travels.

After all, we are all different and need different things to feel our best. So, when traveling why not just get lodging that will help you rest well so that you can enjoy your days to the max? I think you can agree that it does sound like a great plan!

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