Paul's Crib in Den Haag, The Netherlands

Hello Earthlings!

Most of you may know that I am a regular and proud over-user of Couchsurfing. If you're new to this and would like to try a different way of travelling, I suggest you look into couchsurfing! I started using this method of travelling 4 years ago, and no regrets right there.

I know many have asked (and I, myself have this issue) -
When do we courchsurf, and when do we stay in Hostels?

It's a question I always ask myself when I'm planning my trips, so I've decided to be generous and break it down for ya, and go through my actual thought process.

There are quite a number of factors that I'd consider first before deciding where I would stay. Destination, Accommodation cost, my budget, Location, just to name a few.

1. COST
Cost is the primary thing I look at whenever I search for hostels. I’m a self-proclaimed "psycho queen of all cheap", hence, I would usually go for the cheapest options, even if the difference between the next hostel on the list is $2. (Because then, I would think about what I could buy with the $2 I've saved. Yes, that Psycho)

I’m not entirely picky when it comes to accommodations, as I believe it is just a platform for me to shower and rest my head.


2. Location
I don’t fancy staying in hostels or couchsurfing houses that are too far away from City Centre and main attractions. It would be easier to navigate my way around, complete the main tourist attractions and return back to the hostel in time. I tend to also save a lot on transport, as I would prefer to walk.



3. Amenities
Specifically for hostels, since I am paying to sleep, I always would want to stay in a hostel where the
toilets are clean, where they have a kitchen I can cook in (so as to save mooooolah), and bar I can socialize at. More importantly, the hostel must have wifi! It is a must!

This usually isn't a problem for Couchsurf homes, because most of them do live with wifi or cannot live without wifi. However, an issue I've encountered would be the (sometimes) really dirty toilets. They're not hopelessly terrible, but they could do some cleaning. Sadly, no choice, I gotta suck it up, and just bathe in it.

Another thing would do is to wash the toilet floors (thoroughly) before being barefoot in it, or I would wear my slippers into the shower.

Kingsland, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

4. Type 
This goes specifically for couchsurfing.
Ensure you read the profile thoroughly first  because accepting/sending requests, because sometimes you may end up staying with a psychopath or a perv, and i'm sure, You don't want that!

Reading their references is a must!! More positive reviews = Reliable hosts.
Also, try to strike conversations with the hosts randomly, so you can roughly gauge what kind of person they are from their responses.

I've gotten replies like "Ooh baby my D**k is hard just looking at your photos" when I asked about the weather.

LOL

5. Destination
It is a factor because it generally determines the kind of experiences I seek. For
example, If I am in the city of Amsterdam, where it is notoriously known for their havoc parties, legal prostitution and practice of Canabis, I would want to stay in party hostel, because my main goal is to meet new people, have fun and party, in a city that knows how to do so.

(Plus! It's rude to return back to your CS host's home at 3am every night don't you think so?)

Likewise, if I am visiting a city like Berlin or Krakow, where it is rich in history and culture, I would prefer to couchsurf as it gives me a more local and personalized touch.