Hostel vs Hotel in Prague last month, which side wins for budget travel?

I just got back from a week in Prague and stayed 3 nights at a hostel for $15 a night and 3 nights at a budget hotel for $60 a night. The hostel had awesome common areas where I met cool travelers and got free walking tour tips, but I barely slept because of snorers and street noise. The hotel gave me my own quiet room with a real bed and breakfast included, but I felt totally isolated and spent more on meals alone. So which is the better budget move: save cash and get social vibes or pay a bit more for sleep and privacy? Has anyone else found a middle ground like a private room in a hostel?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_stone598d ago

Wow, did you seriously not try earplugs before ditching on the hostel life? I've been in some loud Prague hostels and a good pair of foam plugs plus a sleep mask turned snorers into background noise. But the real question is how much of your socializing was actually worth the lost sleep? Like, were those free walking tour tips actually better than what you could find on Google maps for free?

cole_murphy8d ago

Ngl, earplugs don't always cut it for everyone. Some people are just light sleepers and a cheap foam plug can't block out a guy snoring like a chainsaw next to you.

troyknight8d ago

Did you actually try earplugs and a sleep mask at the hostel? I've done both options in Prague and honestly I think the hostel wins easy if you plan right. You got a private room complaint but a private hostel room would have cost you half that hotel price. I'd rather deal with snorers for two nights and save $90 to spend on beer and food. Hostels also usually have lockers and kitchen access so you can store stuff and cook cheap meals. Your hotel breakfast sounds nice but you could grab bakery food for a couple bucks each morning. I think people overthink the sleep thing in hostels when basic earplugs solve most of it.