New Worldwide Hostels Booking Engine Launched

August 18, 2006

search4travelwebsites.com has teamed up with hostelworld.com to launch its first ever hostel booking service to allow users to choose from over 10,000 hostels around the world. Backed by the leading hostel reservation company, travelers are now able to find a hostel to suit their both their needs and budget.

Paul Hopkins, Editor of http://www.hostels.search4travelwebsites.com and a regular user of hostels, said: "Staying in Hostels around the world is a great way to see some fantastic destinations on a budget. I am delighted that we are affiliated with hostelworld.com and for us to have access to the world’s largest hostel reservations engine. It gives our users much more choice with breadth and depth throughout the site.

Paul Hopkins also commented: “I have traveled to New York, Madrid; Ibiza&Thailand staying in some excellent locations, where hotels in a similar location would probably cost five times as much. It is also a place where you can meet other travelers from around the world and share stories and socialize with, this is especially good if you are traveler traveling on your own".

Paul’s top tips for those people looking to book and stay in a hostel;

Towels are generally provided at hostels or are for hire but many prefer to take their own

Rooms, come in a variety of sleeping arrangements, ranging from singles, doubles to mixed dormitories. Do you feel comfortable staying in a mixed dormitory Check when booking if you don&39;t.

Does the hostel have 24 hour access If you are a party person make sure that you have 24 hour access.

Is it a party environment, if you are looking for a something more reserved, check out others travelers comments or read the hostels website.

Does the hostel have lockers and a secure left luggage room It is essential that you lock your valuables away, such as; cameras, passports and credit cards / money.

Disabled access, many hostels are not able to cater for clients with a disability as they are in older buildings with many stairs etc, check out the hostels website or drop them an e-mail first.

Is the hostel in a safe location Some hostels are located in some areas where you may feel unsafe, read other traveler’s reviews and feedback on the area.

What time is check in As like a hotel, hostels have check-in and check-out times; if you are arriving early check you can leave your luggage somewhere.

Do the hostel staff speak English If you are an English speaker and not very good at the local language it is always good that the hostel staff speak English and as many hostels have an international clientele you will generally be ok but once again check the website.

Does the hostel have air conditioning or mosquito nets (where required). May seem silly but these are essential in the types of destinations where they are needed.