Dorms vs. Private Rooms in hostels

A dorm (short form for dormitory) is a room with several beds (often of the bunk type), all of which can be booked individually by different guests of a hostel.

It is also called a shared room, since you share the room with other guests. Dorms can vary from 4 to 20 or more beds, and some hostels have separate dorms for males and females, while others do not make a difference and offer mixed dorms.

Dormitories are always cheaper than private rooms in the same structure, and generally require people to be a bit more adaptable, since your room-mates may go to sleep or wake up earlier or later than you do, have different habits than you, or snore...

But dorms are often great fun, since it’s much easier to get to know fellow travellers if you share the room with them! After all, the loss in privacy is counterbalanced by many social advantages.

While dorms were the default option of most hostels years ago, most hostels now also offer private rooms, which usually have 2 to 4 beds, sometimes even with en-suite WC and shower. In this case, staying in a hostel is very similar to staying in a normal hotel, apart from all of the social chances you will have during communal moments (breakfast, evening, etc.).