... Costa Rica Travel ... |
... The Costa Rica Hostel Experience ...
by infocostarica.com
staff
For the adventurous
and independent traveler who is willing to give up certain comforts
and a bit of privacy, the hostel experience is a welcome alternative
to staying in the more expensive motel or hotel chains. Costa
Rica hosts a large variety of hostels, or albergues, as they are
also called in Spanish. Most are located in the main urban centers
of San José, Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia, but many eclectic
offerings are scattered across tiny beach hamlets and small rural
pueblos - especially when attractions are nearby.
Guests may
expect a communal atmosphere where rooms, bathrooms and the kitchen
are shared. On the positive side, it is a great place to meet
other people and delve more deeply into local and international
cultures. If you like to travel and meet people, then you will
like hostelling!
Remember,
this is not the Marriott or a Holiday Inn, you may have to bring
your own sheet and towels – in some cases (rare thank goodness)
even toilet paper. Installations are not carbon copies of each
other, which provides for surprises (open to interpretation) and
healthy variety of accommodation experiences. Variety is the key
word here. Most hostels offer self-catering facilities and many
have lockers for keeping your prized possessions – you know,
old smelly sneakers, your 24-year-old travel guide and maybe some
money. Some have bars, and depending on where you go some even
have swimming pools and saunas! Shared rooms are dormitory style
and range in size from four beds upwards.
You will
find that most hostels are located in lower income neighborhoods,
usually in and around the city center. Hop off a bus and you’re
likely to be met by a young generation Xer handing out a flyer
with directions to the nearest hostel. But don’t be fooled
by his/her doe eyed looks; the words Youth Hostel are fast becoming
an anachronism as many of its prime visitors are in their forties,
fifties and beyond. If your heart’s ticking and you hold
a valid passport or similar ID, you are considered a worthy candidate
to stay at a hostel.
Some solemn words of advice before you lunge for your backpack,
grab some sandals and head for the door. Hostels are not hotels
with an extra ‘s’, you just can’t come knocking
at some god forbidden hour and expect to be met by a smiling concierge.
Although many hostels are open for check-in 24 hours a day, others,
due to limited staff, may open for just a few hours in the afternoon.
It’s a good idea to call ahead and get all pertinent information.
That said, booking a hostel has never been easier, as the web
provides numerous sites dedicated to international hostelling.
Below you will find a list of links to some of the premier sites
dedicated to Costa Rica hostels. And don’t forget, all you
really need to enjoy a great hostel experience is a sense of adventure,
a desire to meet other fellow travelers and maybe a roll of toilet
paper or two!
Hostel information
and resources
http://www.hostels.com
http://www.costaricabackpackers.com
http://www.bootsnall.com/hostels/ca/cr
http://www.hostelworld.com/countries/costaricahostels.html
http://www.thebackpacker.net/travelhostels/costarica
http://www.hostelz.com
http://www.hostelbookers.com
http://www.totalhostels.com
|
