Let's get this straight first: the word "Hostels" has two very different meanings.
FIRST MEANING: Refuges for people with no fixed home. Local councils can allocate places for people who have fallen out of society.
SECOND MEANING: Places for travellers of all ages to stay the night. These are often referred to as Youth Hostels or Backpacker Hostels.
On this site, we are ONLY talking about hostels with the second meaning!
Here is our definition: A Hostel is a place where a traveller or group of travellers may stay for one or several nights at budget prices.
Travelling on a budget? There are several big reasons to stay at hostels:
1) They usually have private rooms for 2 or more people, but without the luxuries of neat tablecloths and ornaments, and therefore at a lower cost than B&Bs or budget hotels. They are often much cheaper, if you are happy to use a shared bathroom.
2) They have self-catering kitchens, so you can prepare some of your own meals (or simply make your own sandwiches) so saving on expensive restaurants.
Travelling on your own?
1) Hostels are an enormous cost saving, if you are willing to share a dormitory with others. Pensions and Motels don't cater for solo travellers in cost terms -- you usually have to pay for 2 people or a whole room. A hostel dorm bed costs less than half what you would have to pay in even a budget hotel.
2) There are lots of people to talk to, and maybe even to link up with on your further travels.
Backpacking?Then in addition to all the above advantages:
1) Most hostels, at least in cities and towns, are easily reached by public transport.
2) They cater for backpackers, with lockers to store your packs.
3) You meet lots of other backpackers.
1) Hostel buildings are as varied as homes -- they may be manor houses, terrace houses in a city street, converted barns, or 8-storey tower buildings.
2) They can be found in most countries of the World. Great Britain has more than 500 of them.
3) The people who stay there come from most countries of the World.
4) You can meet many people to chat to, to go round town with, maybe to travel further with, to correspond with and to visit in their homes, and who knows -- maybe even to become life partners with?!
5) Many guests sleep in dormitories which usually have 4 to 8 beds arranged as 2-level bunk beds. Some dormitories are larger. Dormitories reduce your privacy but give you an opportunity to meet more cool people. Many dormitories are mixed-sex, but many hostels have only single-sex dorms, in others there are both types.
6) Most hostels have private rooms suitable for couples or groups, at a slightly higher price. A few hostels have single rooms, at a much higher price than dorm beds.
7) Most hostels in Britain have self-catering kitchens, so you can save the cost of meals in expensive restaurants.
1) On backpacking trips: Hostels are an excellent place to stay when you are travelling from city to city, or visiting scenic areas. They make your valuable funds go a lot further.
2) On weekend getaways and short holidays: If you are working or studying in (say) London, hostels are ideal locations for a weekend or short break. If you are renting a car, then stock up on food from the grocery store and you can prepare many of your own meals. If there is a group of you, preparing meals together is great fun. You can't do that in guest houses!
3) For solo travellers: anytime! If you are travelling on your own because your friends changed their minds about the trip, or simply because you prefer it, you will always be welcome at a hostel. (At a guest house you would be stuck in a room of your own and may not meet anyone, and have to pay twice as much for the privilege! )