Oh, hostels…
First off, let me say that I wholeheartedly approve of the jar of free condoms. If people are going to be tempted to ‘collect some flags’, then they damned well better be safe about it, is all I’m sayin’.
Secondly, let me say that the Green Tortoise is one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at! Clean, exceptionally located, and with the most kick-ass space sheets adorning the bunks in the private rooms. (Seriously. This strip was basically just an excuse to draw the sweet space sheets. Sleeping in a bunk bed with space sheets is pretty much sheer unadulterated awesome.) There’s nothing quite like waking up in your cozy private hostel room, looking out over the first Starbucks and the Pike Place market, and then taking the quick walk up the street (past several amazing breakfast places, but I digress) to the convention center. (I only regret that I didn’t get up early enough to catch breakfast with Beckie and James, of Little Vampires, who we were sharing the room with!!)
But, I’ve stayed at quite a few hostels in my time, and the one thing that seems to hold true between them all is that if you spend any time in the common room, you’re gonna get hit on. Sometimes, this can be flattering and endearing, because there’s nothing quite like a cute accent. (And hostels are GREAT for neat accents!) But when I’ve just worked a con floor for ten hours then gone out to hit the bars with some folks and am now trying desperately to catch up on my email before I collapse, it’s maybe not the best time to try and pick me up. I get a little snarly when I’m sleepy.
Luckily, that didn’t happen this time around. (I’m sure the fact that Layne was with me on this trip had something to do with that…) But I did get to watch a VERY dedicated Aussie boy try and pick up about ten different girls on the same night. It was super impressive.
Rebecca Hicks Says:
I know exactly which Aussie boy you’re talking about. He was smooooothie:)
Sabine Says:
Yeah, hostels.
First time I went to one (except during class trips) was during my final year at school. Three of us went to Munich and when we were looking for the hostel all we saw was seedy cinemas, sex shops and that kind of stuff. We started wandering if we were paying our room by the hour or by the day.
In fact, the hostel turned out to be run by ursuline nuns and was a very clean, rather spartan, women-only place. Most of the guests were working in Munich temporarily and hadn’t yet got a place of their own. The rents in Munich where terrible, even for a single room.
The ursulines are a common-sense order and made us feel very much at home and the no-males-in-the-rooms rule didn’t bother us either.
Actually, we found out that the convent near our school was ursuline, too. One day, when I passed it on my way to the bus station, a Citroen 2CV packed with nuns almost ran me down, racing form the yard without stopping to check for pedestrians. Seemed straight out of Sister’s Act, including the very small nun at the wheel, who had probably just got her licence
Bard Says:
Only time I’ve ever been to a hostel as in Dublin. It was…an experience. My friend and I didn’t really socialize with anyone else, it was just a place we were staying because we’d miscalculated in how many nights to book a hotel room for.
The true grit of the experience came about because practically nothing is open at 9am on a rainy Monday morning in Dublin. At least…nowhere that we really wanted to go. So many restaurants closed on Mondays. They kicked us out of the hostel at around 9, and we spent 2 or 3 hours wandering about trying to find somewhere to sit and rest…especially once it started raining.
wmcduff Says:
Been in that one. Went down to Seattle for a Diplomacy convention years ago. It was pretty nice, though after the long days, I kinda just hit the pillow hard and fast. 🙂
Laerasyn Says:
The Three Little Pigs in Berlin was my first experience with a hostel. I’d definitely recommend them if you’re staying in Berlin. Not that I have much experience to compare them with, but the price was great, and the room was clean. And we met a guy who had been traveling the world for months, and showed us pictures from everywhere from Tel Aviv to Budapest… it was great!
I didn’t notice any free condom jar, but I bet there was something like that somewhere. 🙂
Draginbeard Says:
Hmmm, I’ve not yet had a Hostel experience. I’ve always stayed in motels and hotels where you get your own room. (and you are generally required to bring your own condoms)
Aside from my stint in the military where I had a barracks and ship berthing (40+ guys in bunks lining either wall) enviroments forced upon me, I dont think I would sleep well amid strangers in this day and age.
Of course it could be that I’ve seen far too many horror movies, and now I live in dread of having one or more of the following
1)zombie
2)unkindly vamipre
3)mutant rat creature
4)demon or devil fresh out of the pits of hell
5)a child-sized doll suddenly infused with the spark of homicidal instincts – sneak up on me, and attempt to turn or consume my life in some horrible fashion.
As a side note about hotel sex; Yes its fun, its hot, its romantic, and the staff pretty much expect its going to happen, but the walls arent very thick, and sound can carry down the entire hallway.
If you get a standing ovation as you check out, its not going to have anything to do with how well you tip, but how entertaining your performance sounded from the elevator! =)
Roland Says:
I’m no friend of hostels. cheap service, high prices. Bed and breakfast is not so much more expensive. Or, in the warm season, keep it classy: municipal camping.