... 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