The Party Animals
At most hostels, you’re bound to come across a couple of ‘Party Animals’, i.e. those who are travelling for one thing only: to have the time of their lives. Though they’re generally harmless, this breed of hostel dwellers can be particularly annoying (especially when you have to be up early the next day) and often end up drunkenly wandering into the shared dorm at 2 am. If you’re extra unlucky, they might be snorers too!
The Chatty Ones
It’s difficult to avoid chatty travellers in hostels, as they thrive in the intimate hostel environment. Often solo travellers, the chatty ones love to know every detail about where you come from, where you’ve been and where you’re headed next. Afterwards, they will likely dive into a monologue about their own lives and travel exploits. But it’s not all bad- chatty travellers can easily become new friends or helpful guides to the area, giving you advice on where to visit and places to avoid.
It's unavoidable that you'll come across some interesting characters while staying in hostels, but that's all part of the fun!
The Best Friends
Most travellers in hostels come in groups or pairs, the most popular pairing being the two best friends. Often young, on their first trip together, or a well-versed travel duo, the best friends often make pleasant roomates in a shared dorm. However, they may also sit under the ‘party animal’ category, and if that’s the case, good luck getting any sleep.
The Well-Travelled Couple
Efficient, organised and barely noticeable, the well-travelled couple make the perfect hostel roommates. These guys know their hostel etiquette, making sure not to wake up fellow travellers or leave their stuff in a tip around the dorm floor. They are often as quiet as mice, packing up and leaving at the crack of dawn to scale a mountain somewhere (so you’ll barely even know they were there!)
The Slightly Bizarre
At some hostels, you may come across a slightly odd individual or two. For me personally, a stand-out moment was arriving at a hostel in Amsterdam and walking in to find a naked man lying face down and snoring incredibly loudly (at 1 pm!). It later transpired that he was the only man in the shared dorm, so you can imagine how that went down. It’s unavoidable that you’ll come across some interesting characters while staying in hostels, but that’s all part of the fun! Generally speaking, even the slightly bizarre travellers are still friendly and happy to help with any of your travel queries or concerns.