The Wake

David is a 20-year-old native of Switzerland and has been making his way via buses and trains from Las Vegas to San Francisco, but needs to be in Los Angeles in a couple of days to catch a flight back to Zurich. John, 21, is a philosophy major from Arizona State University Tempe who is sightseeing in San Francisco before heading to his father’s house, an hour and a half away. Phil is a recent Pharmacy graduate who found a job in San Francisco but not an apartment—as of yet. The one thing these three men have in common is that they were all roommates of mine at my most recent stay at a hostel in San Francisco.

Some people may approach the idea of staying at a hostel with some trepidation. Aren’t hostels mainly meant for those traveling to Europe? Are students the only ones who can stay at a hostel? What if I don’t like my roommates? These questions and others (the same ones I pondered when first booking a stay at a hostel) are valid ones indeed. After all, college is most likely when people stay at hostels for the first time. Anything unknown, particularly when it requires a commitment, can be unnerving. Perhaps that was the reason behind this year’s release of the mega slasher movie, “Hostel,” in which unassuming travelers get picked off chainsaw-massacre style. In addition to addressing hostel-related questions, I want to assure you that no, I was not assailed by an axe-wielding murderer while in the shower.

A hostel is a supervised, inexpensive lodging place for travelers, especially for young people. My stay at the Hostelling International’s Fisherman’s Wharf location in San Francisco was my second time staying at a hostel. My first time was in a nice area of New Orleans’s Garden District in what was once an old orphanage. The first reason why staying at hostels can be worth your while: many hostels usually are historical landmarks. In New Orleans for instance, the lobby of the hostel had many pictures of what the orphanage was like in its hey day, adding a unique aspect to the vacation. In San Francisco, HI’s Fisherman’s Wharf hostel, originally a soldier’s barracks, is located in Fort Mason, a national recreational area on the north end of the city’s peninsula. Fort Mason was a critical military outpost protecting the bay from incoming ships (there are still canons pointed towards the Golden Gate in the hostel’s backyard) and was a place where military families lived and where troops were sent off to the war. Indeed, as I would walk up the street towards the hostel on the hill, past the 1950’s style bungalows that dotted the fort, I could almost see the women tearfully hugging their husbands away to war.

I arrived at the HI Fisherman’s Wharf sometime in the morning, luggage in hand, but was told check-in time was not until 2:30pm. Instead, the friendly staff person, who also happened to be a student in the area, offered a luggage room or lockers to store my things until check-in time. I had also called ahead to determine whether I needed to bring my own lock and what other things should be brought. Another reason why they are a viable option for travelers, hostels are generally run by other students or young people and many who work at the hostels are experts on traveling either from personal experience or through helping other travelers. At HI Fisherman’s Wharf, there was always a volunteer on staff during the day to offer information about the city to those who needed it. Tours to nearby attractions such as Lake Tahoe and the Redwood Forest also highlight possible interests of travelers to the area. Due to the many different types of hostels in the world, it’s generally a good idea to call ahead to your hostel to double check the basics, like if and when there is a curfew (generally this is more of an international policy), what is included in the price of staying at the hostel (my hostel included free continental breakfast, linens, etc), directions on how to get to the hostel and anything else of importance at that particular hostel.

The bedrooms at hostels obviously vary with each location. For those who are traveling with friends or a group, some hostels offer the option of booking a 2 or 4 person room for the group. In New Orleans, my friend and I had a room to ourselves. Otherwise, if you are traveling alone like I did in San Francisco, expect to be sharing a room with anywhere from three to five people (at this hostel earplugs are included in the price). This is what makes most people leery about staying at hostels—the idea of sharing a room with complete strangers. But, this can also be the most rewarding part of lodging at a hostel as well. The possibility of connecting with international people while in your own country, connecting with people of the same interests as yourself and building friendships are some of what makes staying at a hostel so unique and in some cases more satisfying than staying at a traditional hotel.

Unlike hotels and motels, where guests mainly stay in their rooms when not exploring the city, in many hostels a common room will be designated for their guests to relax when not sleeping. This aids those who wish to get to sleep earlier than usual, but with amenities like computers, fireplaces and places to lounge, a common room encourages socialization that many associate with hostel lodging.

While definitely not a Hilton, many hostels offer many advantages to a young traveler at a much lower price. For those looking to travel in the near future, whether internationally or otherwise, try looking into staying at a hostel. And if you see my former roommates, tell them I said hi.