Avoid hotels at all costs if you’re trying to save money. When you’re exploring a new country and have a ton of plans to see everything, you will spend almost no time in the room. Hostels are a great alternative, and you won’t get murdered like certain movies like to depict. You will get woken up, you won’t sleep like you’re at the Ritz, and you risk getting bed bugs (always check under the sheets). Overall, hostels provide basic shared accommodation at a low price.
There are a range of hostels, from your shitty bug-infested mold dungeon (okay I’m dramatic, and I’ve never experienced something this awful) to rooms that feel like a suite. I typically gravitate towards hostels with more and better reviews, usually it’s the “party hostels.” This can be a slippery slope. On the one hand, party hostels provide social experience and memories with like-minded travelers. You can make friends and go on adventures together. On the other, you could ruin your liver and forgo sleep for the duration of your stay. I recommend using Booking.com to search for hostels; they typically have the lowest prices online.
Hostels can be rough, especially if you’re not prepared. I suggest packing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper, sleep-aid, and flip-flops to wear in the shower. Earphones saved my life this summer when I was staying next to a chicken farm in Nusa Penida, Indonesia #AuthenticAlarmClock. Expect people to come in later, so don’t count on going to bed early to wake up at sunrise feeling refreshed. Typically I’ll take breaks and get a cheap room by myself for a few nights in between hostels on longer trips. This allows me to regain some personal space and peace.
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