Looking for tips for your hostel stay to make it more comfortable? Then read our best advice for your time at the hostel here.

Tips for Getting the Best Sleep in a Hostel

Staying in a hostel is a cost-effective way to get a night’s sleep. While hostels used to be more like youth hostels, today they offer much more thanks to modern room design. Besides social interaction and their usually central location, hostels in Berlin are extremely attractive today. For example, there are single rooms and rooms for multiple people. Additionally, a kitchen is often included, and there are other features from innovative urban hostel providers.

However, hostels are fundamentally different from classic hotel rooms. Due to the specific structures in shared rooms, travelers should think ahead. Moreover, they need ultimate survival tips for their stay in this type of accommodation. If you’re planning to stay in a hostel soon, you definitely shouldn’t miss the following tips.

Use Earplugs in the Dorm

The first tip concerns booking a shared room. In a dorm, several travelers meet, and everyone has individual preferences. Some are backpackers, others are business people, there are young people wanting a sightseeing tour, and families looking to save money. If someone snores, it can massively disturb the sleep of other travelers. With earplugs, you’ll sleep through the night and then enjoy a relaxed breakfast.

The fact is: the fewer people in a room, the quieter the night. That’s why we at EastSeven Hostel Berlin offer different types of rooms. For maximum comfort, we recommend a single room. It is currently only available in winter. If you are traveling as a couple, we recommend a room for two people. We also offer shared and family rooms. When making a reservation, you can focus entirely on your preferences. But even if you’re arriving with several friends, don’t forget your earplugs.

Bring Your Own Padlock

Many travelers don’t know that hostels offer secure storage for luggage. Depending on the hostel, guests can store personal items like laptops, smartphones, documents, and other belongings in a safe. Many hostels offer one safe per room. Increasingly, there’s even a safe per traveler. However, guests need their own padlock, which is not available at the accommodation.

A standard medium-sized padlock is perfectly sufficient. It is compatible with safes and lockable doors. The only important thing is to keep the key safe. The accommodation is not liable for stolen luggage, and leaving the key at reception is not provided for.

Large Towel

Aside from earplugs and your own padlock, travelers are advised to bring a towel. A towel for the dorm is ideally a bit larger. This way, it can serve as a privacy screen. You’ll have more privacy and usually a quieter sleep. Besides that, you’ll need the towel for showering or as a mat in the bathroom. Ideally, you should bring several towels if you plan to stay in a hostel.

Here at EastSeven Hostel, you’ll get a towel for your stay. You can hang it between beds or use it for showering. If you’re traveling as a backpacker, this saves you a lot of weight and gives you more space in your backpack.

Definitely Pack a Sleep Mask

Everyone sleeps differently. Some travelers go to bed early, while others are still awake in the middle of the night. Then they turn on the light and walk through the dorm. For a relaxed stay, you definitely need a sleep mask. And it has other advantages too. Think about the morning brightness or the adjustment period. For many travelers, sleep is disrupted on the first night in new beds. A sleep mask is helpful for this problem.

Bring a Waterproof Pen

At our EastSeven Hostel, a fully equipped kitchen is available to you. Here, your food has space in the fridge, and you don’t have to keep it in your luggage. Of course, other people use the kitchen too. For this reason, you should label your food with a waterproof pen or attach a name tag before storing it in the fridge.

Without a label, other guests might take and eat your food. So secure your food and make sure the label is clearly legible. By the way: we offer a free muesli breakfast. It strengthens you for the day and tastes absolutely delicious.

Pack Toilet Paper Just in Case

Another important tip concerns toilet paper. A roll definitely belongs in your luggage. We at EastSeven Hostel always provide enough toilet paper for your stay. Nevertheless, there can be shortages, as not every guest uses toilet paper sustainably. So, just in case, it’s better to bring a little toilet paper with you. If it runs out at night, we will certainly restock the next day.

Flip-Flops for a Worry-Free Shower

You can always use flip-flops in a hostel. These practical shoes are lightweight and protect you from athlete’s foot. Besides, walking barefoot on a wet floor is unpleasant and also carries a certain risk of slipping. Make sure you have shoes with non-slip soles to enjoy the shower in your hostel. Flip-flops are inexpensive, so you won’t have high expenses.

Plastic Bags for Your Things

Plastic bags are cheap and are part of most hostel visitors’ luggage. Before heading to the bathroom, take your plastic bag with you. Store your clothes in it. When showering in the sometimes small cubicles, your shirts and pants won’t get wet if they’re in the plastic bag. Ideally, your bag should be right next to your bed. Then you won’t forget it when you go to the bathroom after sleeping.

Ensure Lighting

How do you sleep in a hostel without light? You don’t! However, at night you don’t want to wake anyone in the dorm. For a quick trip to the bathroom, you’ll need a flashlight. A model with medium brightness is definitely sufficient. Check the batteries before you arrive. Ideally, you’ll have spare batteries with you. Thanks to the flashlight, you’ll find the bathroom, shower, and your luggage without disturbing other guests. Store your flashlight with your other belongings in the safe during the day.

Book the Best Room

Whether day or night: hostel visitors want to go online daily. In a shared room, this can affect connection speed. Therefore, internet users booking a bed in a shared room should always sleep near the reception. The router is usually located there, which makes this spot favorable. Of course, activating mobile data is also possible in the hostel. However, with the router, you can always go online and let your favorite music lull you to sleep through your headphones.

Headphones for Bed

It can get a bit noisy in a hostel. Then only headphones help. They block out external noise, and you can stream series or music instead. Headphones help you sleep, and you also have many advantages during the day. If you want to concentrate entirely on yourself, you’ll have absolute peace with your headphones on. They are also quite affordable.

We recommend buying wireless headphones. Without cables, you can use them better while sleeping. They won’t hinder your movements at night, and you won’t get tangled in the cable. Small tip: If you don’t want to sleep without hearing any outside noise, you should only use wireless headphones on one side.