leow90•3d ago

I used to think hostels were the only way to save money on lodging but a week in Lisbon changed my mind

Stayed at a Pensao in Alfama for 25 euros a night. Private room, shared bathroom, but the owner gave me a map with handwritten notes on where to get the best pastel de nata for 1 euro. Hostel dorm bed was 22 euros and I would have missed all that local stuff. Has anyone else found better deals booking small family run guesthouses over hostels?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_nguyen73d ago

Oh man, you're so right about this. I had a similar experience in Barcelona where a family run guesthouse was cheaper than a hostel and the mom made me breakfast every morning with fresh coffee and told me which metro stops to avoid at night. Hostels are cool for meeting people but you miss out on that local knowledge and real hospitality that small places give you for almost the same price.

nelson.cameron3d ago

Ha, that's the dream right there. But here's the thing nobody talks about - those family run places are way more likely to have a no-show policy that actually sticks. My buddy got stuck in Florence last summer because a hostel let him cancel free, but the guesthouse he switched to charged him 50% anyway.