Blog ·
Travel Tips
No comments
5 things I did not expect from my first hostel visit
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Here are 5 things that I really didn't expect from my first hostel experience:
1. Free food!
And yes, it was actually delicious- the hostel had a free dinner every night to encourage travelers to gather together and interact with each other. I'm guessing this was a way for single travelers to open up and get to know other travelers without their being the awkward pressure of walking up to strangers. The dinner was served family style, so no matter what, you at least had to ask the person next to you to pass you the potatoes.
One night we were served roasted pork with sauerkraut and potatoes ( a typical Danish dinner) and another night we were served spaghetti and meatballs. It was all up to the chef that night what would come out of the kitchen. It was free so there weren't many people complaining!
2. How tiny the rooms were going to be.
Ok, I could have looked this one up myself but I just guessed it would be like a regular hotel room. Nope. Not even close. They used every inch of that building for accomodations and fitting as many people as they could into the building, but I don't blame them. The price was great for what we received and I had enough room for my luggage and my body and that's about it. But in reality, I was there to travel, I wasn't there to sit around in my hostel room and stare at the walls. It actually forced me to get out and explore which is a good thing.
3. How noisy the hostel would be at night.
Again. Another one we could have looked up ourselves. I vividly remember lying there in my bunk bed at 2 am listening to the rooms music from across the courtyard and a floor down and bobbing to the beat. Stevie and I were trying to sleep so that we could wake up early the next morning and take a long trek to go see the Little Mermaid. (let me save you a trip and tell you that she's very underwhelming) We finally started throwing what ever we could at their window (granola bars, apples, empty water bottles) to get their attention to tell them to turn down their music. They opened up the window and told us they had tequila (the magic words) and we ended up throwing on pants and meeting new friends, but that's besides the point. The point is that the hostel was un-sleepable as a light sleeper.
4. How many different nationalities would be there at the same time.
My roommates in my 4 person hostel room were from South Korea and were traveling around Europe during their term break. During free dinner, I sat next to someone from India, Indonesia, Finland and Canada- and the night was just getting started. I would guess that on any given night there, there are at least 60 different nationalities under one roof. It was so cool to meet so many different cultures and people that it all seemed overwhelming at one point.
5. That I would find someone else from my hometown!
I'm from a relatively big city, Richmond, Virginia. But it was so crazy to meet two guys who were also traveling that were from Richmond! We had never met and had no friends in common but out two high schools played each other in sports and they were only 3 years older than me. Even 3000 miles away, Virginia still reminds me that it's my hometown in the weirdest ways.
So yes, after my first hostel experience I look forward to booking another one! My mom was wrong about the dangers of them and I think she's watched too many movies with Liam Neeson kicking down doors to save taken women.
I would definitely recommend a stay at the Copenhagen Downtown hostel for anyone that is considering traveling through Copenhagen alone or with other people and are looking for a chance to meet others from around the world, affordable accommodation and of course, free food.
