Discover the Fascinating History of Hostels

International travel remains a successful escape from the hectic schedules of our daily lives. Searching for the most cost-effective methods of traveling aboard can significantly lower the cost of travel.

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The history of hostels dates back for a century. The concept of hostels began in the summer of 1907 when Richard Schmirrman, a German schoolteacher began to allow young travelers to stay overnight at his school.

His philosophy remained: “Suppose that the thoughtful young people of all countries could be provided with suitable meeting places where they could get to know each other! That could and must be the role of our youth hostels, not only in Germany, but throughout the world, building a bridge of peace from nation to nation!”

This belief has remained constant for nearly a hundred years later. Staying in a hostel allows travelers to experience a different travel adventure where they sightsee to various locations via a backpacking means of travel. The excitement of trying something new combined with the cost of doing so, leads to a successful trip.

Whether it is a bed and breakfast hostel or a guest house environment, this lodging option remains a popular choice for international travelers. Typically, hostels have remained a unique form of lodging that accommodated visitors with dorm-style rooms. However, in today’s travel world, many hostels are like budget hotels in which the biggest difference is the price.

After graduating college, I decided to embark on an international adventure with a group of friends to Europe. By researching the various lodging options, we discovered we could stay in a bed and breakfast, motel, expensive hotel or a hostel. Ultimately, we decided on a hostel because of its affordability factor (especially since we would be traveling for so long.)

We all felt we would have a more exciting trip if we backpacked. After researching for the trip, we discovered that there were even hostels that were specific to those backpacking like us! The act of hostelling is exactly that, traveling and staying in various hostels while taking in the various tourist attractions around the locations you are staying in.

After checking in, we embarked on the surrounding areas. First, we started in Spain, traveling around various cities via train, and staying at other hostels. Later, we continued to France and last, the Netherlands. Many hostels provided us with city guides that gave exclusive information of where to go and where not to and other cultural background information that allowed for a safe, successful experience within the city and its surroundings.

While many of the hostels we stayed at did enforce curfews, we attempted to make the most of our time during the day and still had time to enjoy the nightlife of the towns. Backpacking is an exciting way to meet new people and learn about other cultures. By taking the time to travel, we discovered a lot about ourselves and the way we live in America.

Not all travel has to be expensive. By being adventurous and not planning specific itineraries, it seems as if we accomplished more than the average traveler. After nearly two weeks of backpacking, we traveled home to the States. Hostels are a great outlet for any traveler, young or old, to see the world for an affordable price. Take in all the sights and stay cheap on your New Zealand vacation! What could be better than that? Budget Backpackers Hostels (BBH) offer a cheap, affordable alternative to extravagant five star hotels.

Hope you have enjoyed the history of hostels.