Hangry Backpacker

”Should I stay in a hostel? Are hostels safe? Are hostels clean?”

These are questions many people have before they stay in a hostel for the first time. Hostels are not what they used to be, and the media portrayal of hostels is generally inaccurate. More travelers are choosing to stay in a hostel each year, and there are numerous reasons why you should choose to stay in a hostel on your next trip.

Hostels are typically filled with young backpackers, but this is not always the case. There are different types of hostels. Some are designed for the atmosphere and parties; some hostels are made to be quiet; other hostels attract surf bums, adventurers or even families.

The simple answer to the previous questions is “Yes.” If you’re uncertain whether or not to choose a hostel for your next trip abroad, here are 12 reasons to stay in a hostel: [Read more…] about 12 Reasons to Choose a Hostel on Your Next Trip

Hostels attract all types of travelers. There is no single type of traveler that embodies the hostel guest. People travel for a wide variety of reasons, and hostels bring different people from around the world together in a single place.

Hostels are the best place to meet people abroad. Where else can total strangers become inseparable friends in a matter of minutes? It’s part of the hostel experience.

However, hostels all around the world also attract a surprising amount of unique and peculiar travelers. I’ve stayed at more hostels than I can count in dozens of countries, and I’ve noticed a few common characters. It begs to question what might actually be considered a “normal” traveler in a hostel.

In fact, this unusual concentration of all kinds of travelers is what makes hostels great. Here are 24 types of guests commonly encountered at hostels around the world:

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1. The Party Animal

The hostel party fiend. This traveler is present in almost every hostel. The hostel party animal sleeps all day and rages all night. They’re always looking for a good time. If fun is what you’re looking for, stick close to them. Just don’t expect to get much sightseeing done the next day.

2. The Green Warrior

“Did you bring a reusable bag? Where is your water filter?! Think about the turtles!”

There are always ultra-hardcore, tree-huggers in hostels. I mean, we’re all for clean air and cleaner beaches, right? Lighten up, greenies! Nevermind the fact that they flew on a jet to get their “eco-retreat” in Bali. And half of their gear is rife with oil-based products.

That’s the green warrior in a hostel. Everything is a cause. Always starting arguments. No, you’re not doing enough to save the planet. Yes, they’re better than you. 

This type of hostel guest is exhausting. Just smile and drink your beer.

3. The Gamers

Seriously, sadly, why go thousands of miles across the world to do what you can do sitting on your ass from home?

Among many other things at home, I prefer playing music, working, watching sports and cooking over gaming. When I’m traveling, it’s a different story. I rarely go out of my way to watch anything on TV or stare at my computer.

Come on, gamers! Be present (or something like that).

4. The Highlight Hounds

The Champions of the Guidebook. These hostel guests have crazy schedules. They’re always trying to check off every famous landmark in the guidebook. If it’s on a “must-visit” list, the highlight hound will be there.

If there is a tourist attraction of remote significance within a hundred miles of the hostel, this traveler has it on the itinerary. However, they often have far too many plans to enjoy anything, and they rarely explore beyond the pages of “what to see in…”

5. The Workaholic

So, are you on vacation, backpacking or what? Every hostel has this type of guest. The hostel workaholic is always in front of a computer. 

These “digital nomads” as they like to call themselves keep odd hours to make their conference calls back home. They live on the road. Somehow, even though they’re always working at the hostel, they’ve already been everywhere and seen everything. It certainly beats a cubicle, though.

6. The Old Guy

This is my favorite type of traveler in the hostel. Every hostel seems to have an old guy hanging around somewhere. He (or she) is laid back, cheerful and never in a hurry. 

The old guy at the hostel is not impressed with where you’ve been or where you’re going, because they went there before it was cool, back in the day, which is somehow cooler. This hostel guest is my favorite person to befriend because they have the best stories and heaps of information.

The old guy in the hostel may actually be “the most interesting man in the world.”

7. The Thirsty

Well. Here we are. The concupiscent (look it up, or figure it out) hostel guest travels with one goal in mind. This person hangs on the arm of every tank-topped dude or shamelessly flirts with every girl in sight.

The desperation of the thirsty hostel guest is an entertaining sight to see, constantly striking out but relentless in pursuit of company for the night. Everyone has a reason for traveling, and I wish these people the best of luck (in a private room, please).

8. The Couple

Couples are, too often, the worst type of hostel guests. Too many couples in hostels never interact with anyone else. They’re stuck in a little bubble, oblivious to the world around them with no clue how annoying it is. Get a room, people.

I’ve traveled solo and as part of a couple. I understand the complexities of travel, especially backpacking, with another person. Thank God my girlfriend and I trust each other. And thankfully she’s cool and understands that we’re better traveling together on a shorter term.

Sadly, most of these long-term traveling couples have no idea the hell that awaits them. I’m not trying to be cynical, but traveling as a couple is a challenge. I’ve met far more travelers with sad stories than romantic tales. 

If you decide to travel for an extended period of time with a significant other, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Make sure to read these tips for couples traveling together before you screw it up. If you choose a hostel, try to be the fun, outgoing couple.

9. Surfer Bros

“The swells are sick, bro.”

Surfing. Nothing else matters. Pretty sure their skin is not all that’s been fried.

10. The Wonderwall-ers

Oh my God. Please, stop playing Wonderwall!

There is always a guitar-toting traveler in the hostel. If they’re not packing a guitar, they’ll find one and play it. If only they could learn something other than Oasis or Coldplay, perhaps my ears would stop bleeding.

11. The Homesick

The homesick traveler is the type of hostel guest that can be quite a downer. They’re always on the phone, looking a bit forlorn, Skyping or FaceTiming someone back home. If they would just put the phone down, they might realize hostels are full of kind and interesting people.

Homesick travelers are probably experiencing solo travel for the first time and learning a lot of valuable life lessons about themselves. Try to talk to them, but temper your expectations.

12. The Foodie

Ah, the hostel foodie (looking at myself, here). The hostel foodie is the best kind of friend to make when traveling. You might eat some strange food, or you might discover something you never knew you loved. And you won’t go hungry after befriending this person.

Some travelers research hikes and famous attractions. The foodie researches the best local food and where to find it. If you’re lucky, the foodie also might be in search of all the beer, too. But don’t even think of digging into that delicious plate of food too soon. Of course, you have to wait to eat until the foodie gets all of the appropriate pictures.

13. Outdoors-Obsessed

Traveling nature junkies are almost as obnoxious as the green warriors. If this person does choose to visit a tourist attraction, you can be sure there is a physical challenge involved.

The outdoors-obsessed traveler is always, first and foremost, thinking about the next trek. To this person, travel is not about culture, food or seeing famous sites. It’s about hiking, climbing, trekking, diving, mountains and more. When (if) the ultra-outdoorsy traveler finally takes a break, there are no chairs involved. If they’re not sleeping on the hard ground looking as cool as the Man With No Name, they’re probably dangling in a hammock.

The traveling nature junkie is the type of hostel guest that is going to talk about their gear. You don’t have a choice, and you better believe they have the best, lightest and newest North Face tied around their waste. Even when there are no mountains in sight, these travelers probably pack hiking poles.

14. The Fashion Forward

How do you have so many clothes? You’re traveling for months. Where in your backpack is their room for nine dresses?

Fashion forward travelers are a common type of hostel guest. These travelers are also puzzling. Their number one travel priority is to find something “like, super vintage and cute, but, like, totally exotic.”

My only question is – no, my main question – where the hell do you pack all of those outfits? I pack and wear a few shirts for weeks/months. Don’t worry. Everything is cleaned often, but fashion is not at the forefront of my travel brain. Yeah, I’m a large person, so, naturally, my clothes will take up more bag space.

I pride myself on packing as light as possible, but how can someone have so many clothes in one bag? Why? And then they go shopping for more. Someone should tell these fashion forward hostel guests that no one cares if they repeat outfits.

Remember, people: if you buy it, you have to carry it. Long-term travel and shopping is not a healthy relationship.

15. The Instagram “Model”

Let’s make this perfectly clear: You are not a model.

The Instagram “model” is the worst type of hostel guest. No, the worst type of traveler. Life for this poor, misguided clown revolves around social media. Desperate pleas for attention are the driving force behind their travels. 

Every situation is a photoshoot for these wannabe “influencers.” Even in hostels, they’re constantly in ridiculous poses, snapping photos and making everyone else uncomfortable.

Can’t you just drink your coffee without subjecting us to this cringeworthy scene? Not every activity has to involve duck face and wind-blown hair, and everyone knows you’re not really gazing out into the world. 

Okay, now seriously. Go look at a few of these idiots. Why do these faux models always look like they’re sniffing their shoulders? Please, stop.

16. The People Who Never Left

Some hostels are so great that you never want to leave. And some hostel guests never do.

Every (decent) hostel seems to have a traveler or two that has been there a while, perhaps too long. This type of hostel guest is usually fun or entertaining but probably a bit of a space cadet. They’ve been to a few too many full moon parties.

The hostel guest who never leaves finds a vibe they like and sticks around for weeks or months longer than planned. They probably end up volunteering at the hostel to get a free bed and delay the inevitable – moving on.

17. The Go-Getters

Every hostel has a go-getter. This type of hostel guest is always out and about and, somehow, always around. 

These future-CEO travelers stay up into the wee hours of the morning making the best of friends. Then, they wake up early, hike 10 miles, jump out of an airplane, see a few landmarks and take a cooking class before joining a group of people to watch the sunset.

If you want to feel lazy or guilty about not doing enough when you travel, find the go-getter. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep going and going and going…

18. The Travel Guidebook

Everyone loves and hates the travel guidebook – the person, not the actual book. This hostel guest is the type of person who knows everything about everything. When they travel, all of the research and history, where to go and what to eat – the stuff you forgot to do – it’s already bookmarked and planned in their head. 

Need directions, suggestions or information about your destination? Forget Lonely Planet. This person is a living, breathing travel guide. Find the travel guidebook guest in your hostel. All of the answers, and a whole lot more than you asked for, are with this person.

19. The Dirty Backpackers

Why does every damn hostel have to have this type of guest? The dirty backpacker is an all-too-common sight in the world of backpacking and hostels.

The dirty backpacker decides at some point that backpacking means personal hygiene is no longer important. They probably got some bad information from the green warrior and decided that skipping showers is better for the world.

The dirty backpacker is usually smelly and often shoeless and hairy. This person is a wannabe hippie that probably should have skipped Burning Man. Backpacking has opened their eyes and closed their bathroom kit.

Even though the dirty backpacker is an assault on the senses, this is usually a pretty happy, carefree traveler.

20. The Hypochondriac

Why does this person even travel? It must be hell. Constantly freaking out that you’ve got Japanese encephalitis or dengue fever, even though it’s obviously nothing more than a hangover and a sunburn. 

The hypochondriac is always visiting another pharmacy and complaining about inadequate local healthcare. Everyone is against them. 

Meanwhile, someone that is actually sick is lying quietly in their bed, slowly shuffling to the bathroom and trying to keep their violent diarrhea as quiet as possible.

21. The Dreamers

Every hostel has a few guests who speak of nothing other than past and future travels. The dreamer is fun to talk to at first, but their constant recollection of better places can be a bit much. Other times, though, hostel dreamers are inspiring and bring good ideas.

The best type of hostel dreamers are the funny ones. This person, with all of their crazy stories, will soon be the center of attention and have everyone roaring with laughter. Even though this type of hostel guest seems to be thinking about other destinations, you can be sure the current trip will soon be added to their repertoire of travel dreams.

22. The Poor Backpacker

Backpackers are stereotyped as being travelers with very little money. In general, this is not exactly accurate. That being said, every hostel seems to have one of these guests on premises. 

For whatever reason, the poor backpacker is around. Maybe they’re a victim of identity theft. Perhaps they lost a bag or wallet. Once, I met a guy in a French hostel who had just been robbed and left without his phone, money or even a change of clothes.

Being the poor backpacker is stressful, frustrating and embarrassing. Usually, this type of hostel guest is trying to figure out how to get money wired halfway around the world. They serve as a reminder to always travel smart but that no one is immune to misfortune. 

Be kind to the poor backpacker. Buy them a beer. Feeling stranded thousands of miles from home with no money is not an enviable position.

23. The Politician

Every hostel seems to have a politician in the ranks. This is the type of hostel guest that drags every conversation back to politics. Every opportunity for a boisterous (often half-witted) political discussion is taken.

Political debate is healthy, and hostels are a great place for people from all over the world to exchange ideas and learn about myriad facets of other countries. Like all politicians, the hostel politician doesn’t know when to shut up. Any simple topic can be transformed into an all-out political melee. It gets old. 

In a hostel, it’s best to arm yourself with one of two things: a steady supply of political information or a wonderful escape plan. I’ve gotten pretty good at changing the subject, ignoring the chatter or appearing apathetic. I’m not apolitical by any stretch, but I prefer to stick to the cultural differences like food and leave divisive political debate for another time.

24. The Phone Junkies

At this point in the 21st century, we’re all addicted to screens. TVs, computers and, most of all, the screens in our hands have transformed from a convenience or brief escape into a crutch. As a society, we have a serious problem. Getting lost in the phone zone is something we do all the time.

Since my first hostel experience several years ago, the number of travelers glued to screens went from a lot of people to pretty much everyone all the time. Travelers in hostels are better at interacting with the people around them than people in most other places, but our phones remain a distraction.

The one type of hostel guest present in every hostel is the phone junkie. Sadly, almost everyone fits into this category, myself included. Kicking a dead horse here, but hostel experiences – for that matter, travel in general – will be a lot better if we stare at our phones less and connect with other travelers more.

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Hostels are the Best

These are a few of the various types of guests who frequent hostels. And that’s why I love hostels. They are places where the strangest combination of people come together, and, somehow, it works out tremendously well.

Hostels are certainly more than a place to party and sleep for cheap. I’m pretty sure a hostel would serve as a wonderful host of a case study on human behavior. I enjoy hostels for the affordability, the information exchanged, the friends I make and the entertaining characters who frequent these places.

Which Type of Hostel Guest Are You?

Does one of these types of hostel guests describe you? I know I certainly, at least occasionally, fall into a few of these categories – see below, even the Hangry Backpacker has a little bit of Green Warrior. Let us know in the comments!