Guest Author - Jill Browne

Once the exclusive domain of young backpackers, many youth hostels have been made widely available to everyone. The original basic bunk-bed style hostels still exist, but so do heated hostels with rather luxurious (by hostel standards) cooking, bathing and sleeping facilities.

The first lesson of hostelling then is, learn what exactly you're getting into when you reserve a place in a hostel.

Reserve? Yes, it's a good idea to reserve ahead where this is possible. Particularly in the high season, hostel accommodation fills up quickly. Why? Because it tends to be the best value for money around.

The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) has affiliates in many countries around the world. The rules for using this type of hostel tend to vary from one country to the next, although sometimes there are local rules which apply just to a specific hostel.

Typically, at a youth hostel, you are expected to be somewhat self-reliant and to help with the running of the hostel. You do pay cash for your stay, but the price is low because visitors (you) help keep the place clean and in working order.

The amount of work required of you varies from place to place. Even where there is no explicit work requirement, it is good hostel karma to do something - sweep out your room, clean the sinks in the bathroom, wash the dishes left behind by less considerate visitors - whatever seems to need doing. Leave the place better than you found it. In rustic hostels, carrying firewood and water are useful chores and a great example of "many hands make light work".

Surprisingly, it is possible to find hostel accommodation of a high standard even in some very touristy places, at reasonable prices. A couple of examples: Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, and Apollo Bay, Victoria, Australia. Lake Louise is a year-round beauty spot, renowned for its Rocky Mountain scenery and excellent winter skiing. Apollo Bay, on the Great Ocean Road, offers scenery of another kind - the vast ocean with a beach for swimming, surfing, and generally relaxing. These are just two of the many hostels around the world where the price of being a tourist is a little less than at mainstream hotels.

If you plan to try hostelling, read about the hostels in the area you'll be visiting, as the expectations vary from place to place. Pay attention to whether you need to bring any sort of bedding and towels, and whether there are cooking utensils and dishes provided. It is unusual for a hostel to serve food, but there is always some kind of food preparation area, and often a full kitchen. Find out where the nearest grocery store is so that you can shop locally.

Youth hostels often have a time limit on your stay, so make sure to take that into account when planning. In some places, you are not allowed to remain in the hostel during the day.

Finally, the best hostel experiences are the ones where you meet other travellers. Don't be afraid to share a meal and a story as you wash dishes together. Co-operation and community are important elements of the hostelling philosophy.