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c/budget-travel-hacks•lee.dianalee.diana•1mo ago

I stopped booking hostels after a night in Barcelona changed my mind

Stayed at a highly rated place near La Rambla that turned out to be a party den until 4am, no sleep and lost my earplugs in a pile of spilled beer. How do you vet a hostel's actual vibe before you book, because the reviews sure didn't help me?
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3 Comments
blair_green86
blair_green861mo agoMost Upvoted
Nah, I used to think reviews were enough too, but one bad stay at a place in Prague shifted my whole view. They had 4.5 stars and all these comments about being social, but it turned out to be a literal rave every night. You gotta look for specific keywords in the bad reviews now, like "quiet hours" or "sleep friendly," and check if the hostel actually responds to complaints. @hayes.tara is right that one night doesn't ruin hostels for good, but it sure made me way pickier. I also started sorting reviews by "newest" instead of "top" cause those glowing ones are usually from people who didn't actually sleep there.
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hayes.tara
hayes.tara1mo ago
I mean, one bad night doesn't ruin hostels forever.
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henry_webb68
La Rambla is mostly tourist traps and pickpockets actually.
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