Thursday, August 20, 2009
You don't have to be in Europe to stay in a hostel. For students trying to see the United States on a budget there are more options than dodgy motels and expensive hotels. Try one of the thousands of hostels available throughout the U.S. With dorm-style rooms costing $10 to $40 per night and private rooms available for a little more, you can stay in the heart of many downtown areas very cheaply.
Hostels can also provide you with more than just a place to stay. The staff members, being locals, are full of information on places to go and things to see that you wouldn't know about otherwise.
Most provide a fully functional kitchen and some even provide free meals. Kyle Willmore, front desk clerk at the Green Tortoise Hostel in San Francisco, says the Green Tortoise saves its customers money by giving them the means to cook their own dinners, rather than go to restaurants.
Along with the cheap rates, free meals and hot showers, hostels give you great opportunities to meet fellow travelers.
“Between your room, the dining area and the common area or TV lounge, you meet people from all over the world. You’re bound to find a traveler to hang out with,” says Patrick Evans, Student Travel Association representative.
Hostels may not be the fanciest places you’ve ever stayed. But if you can survive living in the dorms, you can definitely survive staying in a hostel.
A good place to start your U.S. hostel search is the Hostel International website, hiusa.org.
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