Whether you’re solo travelling or not, you should consider hostels. Many of them offer different activities and tours, have bars, host events, and give you a space to meet some new people.
Types of Hostels
To get started, I want to give a brief overview of the different kinds of hostels you’ll normally find. This way, if you’ve never stayed in one before, or if you have and the experience wasn’t the best, you’ll know more about what to look for when searching for Rome accommodation.
Boutique
These hostels, in my opinion, have always had a bit more personality in them. You see more of who the owners are, you feel more at home, and the space feels warm and inviting. All of this while normally avoiding the rowdy atmosphere some hostels have.
Luxury
It is obvious what these hostels will give you, luxury. If you want a more sleek and polished sleeping experience without the price tag of an expensive hotel, have a look at what Rome has to offer in regard to luxury hostels. These hostels sometimes offer more upscale amenities as well.
Party
In all European capitals, you’ll find a number of party hostels. They normally have a bar or club attached to them, either in the same building or in a relationship with one nearby.
In these hostels, if you’re looking to start the party before you head out to explore Rome, it’ll be a great fit for you. They often host events like pub crawls or drinking bingos, so you’ll most likely make quite a few new friends here.
And a very important note, if you like getting to bed early for uninterrupted sleep, this is not the kind of hostel for you.
Eco
There are some hostels that go the extra mile to give a helping hand to the planet. They’ll put little touches around to ensure that waste is a minimum in their hostel. Things such as upcycling their furniture, solar power for hot water and electricity, water-saving showers, low-flush toilets, etc.
Youth
While at every hostel, there are most likely going to be young people there, Rome youth hostels might have even younger people. Of course, if you find a youth hostel that interests you, check it out.
These hostels often host school trips, backpackers, friends, and a wide variety of travellers. So be prepared that there’s the possibility that you’ll be sharing a dorm room with quite a few teenagers.
Historic (Cultural Hostels)
These hostels will put extra emphasis on the culture and history of the city you’re travelling to. Maybe it’ll be set in an area where a famous movie was filmed, maybe it does a lot of cultural day trips to historic sites. There are a lot of options and variety here.
Budget
The name here says it all. If you have a budget and you’re looking for a place to stay, a budget hostel is for you. When you’re out travelling, most of the time is spent out in the city.
So, if you are only looking for a place to rest before adventuring some more, look into this kind of cheap hostels in Rome. It won’t have the fancy amenities, the stylish look, or any of that, but it’ll do the trick.
Family
While many hostels offer private rooms that would suit a family well, there’s no guarantee that there would be low noise levels and a good environment for children. So look at family hostels/family-friendly hostels.
These hostels might offer activities that are more directed to children, maybe have a games room or offer a games night that is family-friendly and perhaps also a curfew. So be sure to check that out too.
Female Only
Everyone has different comfort levels, and for some, sharing a room with strangers can be daunting, especially if it’s a mixed dorm (men and women). While female-only hostels are not as common, those could be one of the best hostels in Rome for solo travellers. If that’s you, have a look at the options available to you.
Advice
My best advice when looking at hostels is always to read the reviews. Filter the reviews for words that are important to you. For example, if a comfortable bed is at the top of your list of must-haves, filter for the words comfortable and/or bed to ensure you’ll be staying somewhere you’ll be happy.
Have an idea of what you don’t want to miss while you’re in Rome, and check how you will be getting to and from those areas; bus, metro, tram, or by foot.
Rome is an amazing city, and pick a place to stay that is going to help make your time in the Eternal City even better. However, that looks to you. I hope my run down of different kinds of hostels helped point you in a general direction. And I hope my information on the neighbourhoods of Rome helped narrow your hunt down even more.