Unpopular opinion: I picked hostels over Airbnbs in Rome and saved big

Everyone kept pushing Airbnb for the Rome trip last month, but I booked a dorm bed at a hostel near Termini for $35 a night instead of a $120 private room. Got free walking tours, met people for split dinner costs, and the place had a solid communal kitchen for breakfast. Anyone else find hostels beat Airbnbs for solo budget travel?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesroberts24d ago

Not to nitpick, but the hostel near Termini with the rooftop terrace actually isn't quite by the train station, it's like a five minute walk east past the big intersection. I almost booked that one too but ended up at a smaller place near Piazza Vittorio instead. Still got the same deal with free walking tours and split dinners with folks from the hostel. Had a guy from Brazil who grilled us all about the best gelato spots. Just saying, that terrace spot is sweet but it's not as close to Termini as people make it out to be.

ray13624d ago

Yo did anyone catch that article about the hidden rooftop bars in Rome? I swear I saw a post about that exact hostel on r/solotravel last week. Someone said the terrace view at sunset is unreal but yeah @jamesroberts your point about the walk makes sense - I remember reading one guy complaining he had to haul his luggage 10 minutes from the station. That Brazilian dude sounds like a trip, probably found some hidden gem spots though.

miles_garcia24d ago

Wait, did you find the hostel near Termini with the rooftop terrace? I stayed in one by the train station last fall and it was the same deal. $35 a night, free pasta night on Tuesdays, and I split a bottle of wine with a couple from Melbourne I met in the kitchen. Airbnbs in Rome are fine if you want privacy but for solo trips the hostel vibe just works better for me.