Do you consider hostels to be safe (compared to a motel/hotel)?

Answer 1

I spent four months living out of Hostels and I can honestly say I felt safe at the places I went to. I met some wonderful people, which you wont meet if you are at a hotel/motel b/c you are in your own room.
Naturally, with everything, you have to be careful.
Almost every hostel I stayed at had lockers to put your stuff in.
But again, know not to leave valuable belongings in plain sight, and never leave it unattended. Cant stress that enough!! There are going to be people going to try and steal your belongings, but you can help prevent that.
I stayed at a couple hotels and my stuff was out in the open, but who is to say that someone might not try to break into your room?
I know with hostels, they give you an electronic key, while others used a normal key to get into your room. And the others in your room would have one too.
I didnt have any of my stuff stolen, but I met a few ppl that got some things stolen from them, but they left it out.
The only things I left unattended were my clothes. If they really wanted my ugly smelly clothes, go for it, make my pack lighter for my next trip, lol!
But carry one of those belts that go under your pants or under your shirt, and keep your money, passport, and railpass if you have one on you at all times. I would sleep with mine on all the time. Bring with you a couple locks as well as a bike chain, you can lock your bag to things so people wont be able to steal it. I would lock my backpack, not that it wouldnt stop someone from tearing it oopen with a knife.
So all n all, I would recommand a hostel most definately.

Try:: www.hostelworld.com

They have hostels from all over the world, and they show ratings from fellow travelers as well as comments as to what people thought of the place. And security is one of them they mention.
Have fun. And Safe travels!

Answer 2

Yes i believe the majority of them are safe. A lot of hostels allow you to have your own room, or if you are on a tight budget a shared room with cots. Most all of the hostels i have been to offer a safe for anything you may feel valuable to stow. Bring your own combo lock as a lot of them have lockers that you can ditch your stuff into. Most hostels are primarily booked by travelers who are excited to meet each other and it can be a real blast! However your just have to have intuition before paying for a room, or inquire to see where you are staying before you book the flat!

There are many books that detail all the different hostels. Try picking one up and reading about different places to stay on your travels! good luck!

Answer 3

That's a very broad question and depends on where you are staying and the quality of the accompanying people.

Generally, book through a reputable website with good customer service in case you have complaints and need an interpreter in a foreign country. Cheaper than Hotels have support desks around the world in many languages ( see their link below ).

If the hotel is well known or appears on a reputable directory website, it should be OK. Just a bit of common sense should get you through.

All the best with your planning