Hostels are daunting. You are sleeping among strangers in a strange place, with only a bunk to separate you. Who knows what oddities you might encounter? Two students who have traveled beyond their study abroad program share their experience in hostels below.
While abroad in Dublin, students have the chance to explore places outside the program. Lily took advantage of the opportunity to see more of Ireland and Europe several times throughout the Fall 2024 semester. Similarly, during my summer program in 2025, my cohort stayed at a hostel in Northern Ireland and I independently visited Italy during the first weekend in June. As required by the program, we both informed Program Director Stephen Robinson of our plans by using this form.
For any traveler, budgeting is crucial. European hostels are significantly cheaper than hotels. Instead of paying for a room, you buy a bed for a specific amount of nights. This means you typically need to book your hostel ahead of time. I used Hostelworld to browse possible places to stay in Naples, and based my choice on other travellers’ reviews. I chose Hostel of the Sun. In my conversation with Lily, she highlighted Black Sheep Hostel in Killarney.
Many hostels offer breakfast, like the two mentioned above. Others have a communal kitchen so meals are a group effort. Some provide both options, such as the Sheep Island View Hostel my cohort stayed at in Ballintoy. Most people staying in hostels are college-aged, which makes it much easier for students to socialize. Everyone, from staff to guests, were very welcoming to Americans.
Once you arrive at your hostel, you will be given a passcode or a physical key to access the dorms, as well as a cubby or locker for your stuff. Lily recommended I bring a lock, but she reports that nothing was ever stolen. None of my stuff was stolen either.
During Lily’s stay at ten different hostels, she had only one strange encounter. One man had clearly never been to a hostel before. Lily described him as an entitled CEO-type. He requested valet services for his car and assumed he would have his own room. Unfortunately, he was a loud snorer. But other than that, both Lily and I had an overall positive experience with hostels.
Do your research. Book ahead. Talk to program staff. Travel with friends, no matter where you’re staying. There’s no reason to fear hostel living!
