How Not To Be ‘That Person’ In Hostels


If you’ve never stayed in a hostel, even if you do all the time or are just new to them, here are some tips to not make you the person that everyone in your dorm room will complain about whenever hostel horror stories come up.  I like to think most of these are common sense, but well, they’re on this list for a reason.

Don’t turn the lights on while everyone else is asleep

This is just mean.  And I mean this after like, two in the morning or if the majority of people are already in bed.  If it’s 8PM and someone is sleeping, I’d still turn the lights on, but just be quiet, because that’s considered pretty early.  Use your own discretion here, though.

Don’t have dorm orgies

Do I really have to explain this?

Don’t pee on people or their stuff

I have heard a few too many stories of people having their stuff, or themselves, peed on or thrown up on in the middle of the night by drunk people.  One was even a brand new Louis Vuitton bag.  I know they’re usually drunk and probably think they’re in the bathroom, but still.  If you have a friend that you see doing this, try and redirect them.  If you find out the next day you did do one of these things, offer to wash their stuff or to get them new things.  Something.  Apologize and don’t leave them hanging with pee or vomit clothes.

Pack the night before if you have to leave super early

If you have to catch a bus or taxi at like, 4 or 5AM, pack the night before, preferably before everyone is asleep.  Do this especially if you have plastic bags or plan on zipping and unzipping a lot of things.  More on that below.  If you’re a super fast, quiet packer, do it in the morning, whatever, just don’t be loud or turn the lights on.  Use a headlamp instead.

Avoid plastic bag rustling in the morning or late at night

This is just mean if people are trying to sleep.  This goes for zippers, too.  They’re a lot louder than you think they are, especially in a quiet room.  Let people sleep.

Don’t set an alarm for super early and snooze it for an hour then sleep in anyways

I don’t get this.  I might do it at home, but that’s because there aren’t 10 strangers in my room that I am waking up.  This is the worst if they snooze the alarm for an hour at 5AM then don’t even get up until 10 or 11 anyways.  I mean, why?  Did you have a dorm orgy with the lights on at 3AM and skip out on your bus?  Is that it?  If it is, I want to hear that story down below!

Don’t have loud conversations in the middle of the night

This mostly happens when people are drunk, but it’s probably never stopped sober people either.  Keep the conversations quiet and to a minimum or hang out in the common area until you’re ready to stop talking.

Don’t touch peoples stuff unless you ask to move it or they ask you to give them something

If their stuff is all over in front of your bed or something, ask them to move it, don’t move it for them.  If it’s a closed backpack, I’d say it’s ok to slide it around a bit so it’s out of your way, but don’t go touching all of someones stuff unless they are on the top bunk and want you to hand them something.  That’s just pushing boundaries a bit.

Don’t hog all the outlets

One time I stayed in a hostel dorm with six beds and two outlets.  Like, one outlet with two plug spots.  It was right next to the door and there was an old naked man sleeping next to it.  I don’t think that part is relevant, just something to be shared.  Don’t be that guy that uses up all the outlets while there’s a room full of people trying to charge things.  I would highly recommend investing in a good portable charger for this specific reason.  Of you really need to charge something look around in the common area.

Now, don’t let this scare you off of hostels.  While these may not be the most pleasant experiences, the good outweigh the bad.  If you’re a light sleeper, maybe just get a private room instead of a dorm and pick more chill hostels than party hostels.  These tips will help you have a great hostel experience.

Do you stay in hostels a lot?  What would you add to this list?  Are you guilty of any of these?

What NOT to do in hostel dormshow-not-to-be-1

7 thoughts on “How Not To Be ‘That Person’ In Hostels

    1. Hahah, it’s not actually that scary, I haven’t encountered most of these but hear the stories. Loud people is most common. I’m glad it made you laugh though! 😀

  1. Hahaha yes!! I have two questions though – who the hell PEES in a dorm, and who… the hell… has a Louis Vuitton bag in a dorm?!? Like even if you do, that shit should be in a locker, right? This is great though!

    1. Hahaha, right?! Everyone I heard of doing it was very very intoxicated. And the girl had just gotten it somewhere in Europe on her trip. I agree though, that should definitely be in the locker!

  2. I might just print this out and bring it with us to our next hostel 😛 One of my fave “that guy” in the hostel was this douche in our 12 bedroom dorm in Peru that insisted on turning ALL of the lights out at 7pm and having total silence. Why? Because he’d just come back from a silent meditation retreat and his internal clock was reset. AND THEN, he woke up at 4am, TURNED ON ALL OF THE LIGHTS, and made a bunch of noise b/c he had to go do sunrise yoga. I wanted to KILL HIM.

    1. Hahah yessss. That guy sounds awful! I mean, why not go be awake in the light of the common area!?

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