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Decided between a hostel and a Couchsurfing stay in Barcelona - hostel won by a mile
I was trying to save cash for a week in Barcelona last month and couldn't decide between a $30/night hostel dorm or free Couchsurfing. Picked the hostel because I saw too many stories about awkward hosts expecting favors or last-minute cancellations. Ended up at this place called Gothic Point near Las Ramblas, made friends with a guy from Australia, and split tapas costs three nights. Has anyone else had a Couchsurfing experience that actually went smooth or am I right to avoid it?
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grace_campbell20d ago
Read this one article from a solo traveler blogger who said Couchsurfing is basically a dating app now for some people, and that's just not worth the risk for a few free nights. I get why people try it, but I've heard too many stories about hosts getting weird or flaky at the last minute. Hostel life gives you way more freedom to come and go, plus you meet people who are actually trying to be social. Your tapas buddy story is exactly what hostels are good for, random connections with no strings attached. I'd rather pay thirty bucks and keep my peace of mind than deal with someone's couch and their expectations.
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lunag3020d ago
Grace ( @grace_campbell) nailed it with that dating app comparison because three different people in my hostel dorm said their Couchsurfing hosts expected them to cook dinner or be their tour guide for the day. One girl from Sweden said her host in Madrid kept texting her about meeting his friends at a club at 11pm on her first night and she had to lie about being sick to get out of it. I paid 210 euros total for my week at Gothic Point and that included a locker, breakfast bread and coffee, and zero pressure to hang out with anyone I didn't click with. The tapas split with my Aussie buddy ended up being cheaper than eating alone anyway, so the cost difference wasn't even that huge in the end. Have you ever tried a hostel in that area or do you stick with hotels?
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