| Hostels generally offer dormitory no-frill style | | | | night. Private rooms range from about US$27.50 and |
| accommodation, separated by gender, with shared | | | | up per person, with most of the properties coming in |
| bathrooms. Most hostels offer real budget type of | | | | between US$35.00 and to US$ 70.00 per night per |
| accommodation with only the very basics. Some | | | | person. |
| hostels do offer private rooms, however, and | | | | Here is a list of some of the main hostelling websites: |
| occasionally these rooms may even have a private | | | | The website indicates that it features the most |
| bathroom. Many hostels offer shared kitchens and | | | | comprehensive selection of hostels on the internet with |
| living areas and some also have Internet access on | | | | almost 7,000 hostels listed. |
| site. Hostelling is a popular way for students and young | | | | Hostelsclub refers to itself as a young and dynamic |
| people to travel, but most hostels nowadays | | | | company providing the budget traveler with an online |
| don’t have age restrictions any longer which | | | | booking engine for destinations all over the world: |
| means even middle aged individuals and seniors are | | | | Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, |
| welcome to stay. It’s a bare bones way of | | | | and Africa. Hostelsclub offers a wide range of |
| traveling, but one of the benefits is that it does offer | | | | accommodation choices for all budget travelers. |
| the opportunity to connect with other like-minded | | | | Hostelling International (HI) operates a network of more |
| travelers. Often the atmosphere at hostels is very | | | | than 4,000 hostels in over 60 countries. Their website |
| informal, casual and friendly, so even when traveling as | | | | indicates that the USA they offer the largest network |
| a single person it should be quite easy to make new | | | | of quality hostels. |
| friends. | | | | [ |
| Some of the hostel websites also offer message | | | | Hostelweb specializes in the Western United States |
| boards, travel stories and various travel-related | | | | with over 67 hostels in 11 western states. Obviously |
| services such as travel insurance, rail passes, | | | | not a choice for NYC, but certainly a good reference |
| adventure tours, flights & car rentals. One very | | | | for western US travel plans. |
| nice feature of some of the hostel websites is that | | | | provides online bookings at thousands of hostels |
| they offer ratings of hostel properties that were | | | | worldwide. You can check out their hostel reviews, |
| completed by previous travelers, providing some insight | | | | view photographs and read detailed descriptions of all |
| into the quality of the property in question. Hostel | | | | their hostels. You can confirm reservations at a |
| websites generally allow you to search for availability | | | | selection of youth hostels, independent hostels and |
| by date and to make a reservation online. | | | | international hostels in Europe, Asia, Africa, North |
| As of March 2005, dorm-style accommodation can go | | | | America, South America and Oceania. |
| for as low as US$ 25.00 per night, with most of the | | | | Happy hostelling... |
| properties charging between US$30.00 to $40.00 per | | | | |