Hostel in Berlin vs hotel in Krakow - same price, totally different trip

Last summer I spent 4 nights in a Berlin hostel for $180 and it was loud, cramped, and I barely slept. Then I went to Krakow and got a private hotel room for 5 nights at $170 with breakfast included. The difference was just the city choice and booking 6 weeks ahead instead of 2 weeks. Has anyone else noticed big quality jumps based on picking less touristy spots?

3 comments

3 Comments

felixhenderson4d agoMost Upvoted

Did you look into the timing thing at all? Those last minute bookings always seem to be tourist traps while the early ones get you actual value. Were the Berlin hostels mostly full of people on short notice trips, or was it just the typical hostel chaos? Curious if the savings came more from the city choice or the planning window.

the_jake4d ago

...so my buddy dan got sucked into this exact situation last summer. He booked a hostel in Berlin like two days before he flew out, some place near Alexanderplatz that looked decent in the pics. Walked in and it was basically a frat house on a budget, full of people who clearly just picked whatever was cheapest that week. He said the crowd was mostly late 20s dudes on impulse trips, not really the kind of travelers who hunt down good food or hidden spots. Meanwhile I booked a smaller hostel in Prenzlauer Berg three months in advance and paid about the same, but got a quiet room and a bunch of people who actually planned their itinerary. So yeah, the city helps but the planning window is where the real difference is at.

maxl934d ago

100% agree with everything said here. The timing factor is HUGE in my experience, not just the city itself. I did a similar thing in Prague versus Munich last fall, booked a hostel in Munich last minute and it was a disaster, loud and gross. But then I did Prague three months out and got a sweet little private room near the old town for basically nothing. The early planning crowd is WAY different, people actually want to explore instead of just party. So yeah, the city matters but locking in early is where the real magic happens for sure.