Question about booking a hostel versus a budget hotel in Lisbon

I just got back from a week in Lisbon where I tried two different ways to stay cheap. For the first three nights, I booked a private room in a budget hotel for 75 euros a night. The last four nights, I switched to a bed in a 6-person hostel dorm for 22 euros a night. The hostel saved me over 200 euros total, and it included a simple breakfast and free walking tours. The hotel was quiet but felt isolated, while the hostel had a kitchen I could use and led to meeting people to split cab fares with. For a solo traveler trying to stretch funds, the social and cost benefits of the hostel were a clear win. Has anyone found a particular city where hostels are a much better deal than the hotel alternatives?

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anthonygarcia7mo ago

Yeah, Bangkok is a perfect example of that. The hostels there are so cheap and well set up for meeting people, it almost feels like the default way to travel the city. It really changes how you budget for a longer trip.

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wyattbennett7mo ago

Bangkok hostels were a game changer for my budget and I met my whole travel crew there.

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jake_kelly244mo ago

and honestly @anthonygarcia that's the thing, once you do it once it changes how you look at everything else too. like even when i travel in the US now i find myself skipping hotels and just looking for hostels or shared spaces because the whole vibe is different. you end up saving cash but also you get these random hangouts with people you'd never run into otherwise. its like the whole travel industry is designed to keep you isolated but hostels break that pattern. once you notice it you see it everywhere, not just travel but like how we live our daily lives too.

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