During our road trip in 2020 we were doing our best to save money and travel frugally! One of the ways we did that was by staying in a hostel while in California. At the time hotel prices were high due to a mix of COVID & wildfires. We were able to find a hostel in Lake Tahoe that was very reasonable for the two of us and we decided to give it a try!
Room Options
This was a hostel that allowed coed rooms which was a must for us traveling as a married couple. There were options for single sex rooms (all men/all women) or coed rooms. They also offered private rooms which was basically like getting a hotel room but with the option to go to the communal areas.
The prices are based on the number of people so for us it was $30 per person per night. It can vary if you are a large group that fills an entire 8 person dorm or other things like that.
We decided to book a 4 person co-ed room which meant we were sharing the room with two other people. We ended up having two men as our roommates making me the only female in our room! I thought it would be weird but honestly none of us spent that much time in the room so it was no big deal.
The room had 2 bunk beds an done bathroom for us to share. Tyrell and I both got top bunks which I didn’t mind. We were able to shower and freshen up upon arrival and did not disturb our roommates. We then decided to head into town for dinner so we weren’t in there room much as I mentioned before.
Communal Rooms
There were multiple community areas in the hostel which actually made it a really great option for us. There was a kitchen with pretty much everything you need to cook. There was outdoor areas with tables, chairs, and fire pits! There was also an office area with wifi and computers. I was able to get some work done and we also were able to cook!
The night we were there was towards the end of season so the employees were actually throwing a party in the common areas for all guests and employees to attend! There was good food, music, and some drinks! We decided to go and meet some people there.
I feel like meeting new people from around the world is exactly why you stay in hostels! We met some really cool people and ended up really enjoying our time! We also got to know our roommate pretty well and he was there working and had been staying at this hostel for multiple weeks! It was super interesting to chat with him about his experience as well.
Final Thoughts
Before I stayed here I was not sure what to expect. We had planned on staying in hostels if we went to Europe so I’m not sure why I was more skeptical about this hostel in the US! But I am very glad we decided to take the plunge and just do it. We had a really great experience and I would definitely do it again!
That being said, we spoke to some people there that said this was among the nicer hostels they had stayed at and not to expect this every time. And since I went in with no expectations I feel like I need to keep that mindset the next hostel we stay in.
Have you ever stayed in a hostel?! What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments!
