You’ve found your dream tour itinerary with Tasmanian destinations such as Cradle Mountain and Freycinet National Park, and now it’s time to choose your accommodation style. Are motels or hostels better? Tough question, it comes down to a matter of preference. If you’ve never stayed in a hostel before, it’s a good idea to ensure that that a hostel environment fits with your expectations.

A hostel is the budget choice, with a shared dorm the cheapest of all. Our 5, 6 and 7 day tours of Tasmania offer same-gender dorm rooms (“dorm” is short for dormitory). What this means is that all females are allocated into female-only dorm-rooms, all males into male dorms. A shared dorm typically has 4 persons per room in bunk beds, although occasionally there might be larger rooms.  In Tasmania on our tours, linen is provided but we recommend bringing your own towel.

Hostels sometimes offer twin/double* or single room options as well, with twin = two beds and a double meaning one bed that sleeps two people. Single rooms are, you guessed it, for one person only.

Hostels usually have shared bathrooms – typically this means that there is a female bathroom, a male bathroom and/or unisex, and these are located a short walk away from each room type.

There are often shared or common rooms in a hostel where people can come together to socialise with their travelling companions or to meet new people.  Most hostels also offer shared kitchens so that you can make your own meals should you prefer.

Hostels are synonymous with backpackers so expect an international vibe.  The main consideration is that hostels embody sharing – bathrooms, spaces, and stories if you’re willing to get involved. A hostel often takes on a personality of its location or the building itself – there’s no hard and fast rule about what a hostel building looks like. For example, on our multiday tours of Tasmania our hostel accommodations and locations include a stay in eclectic cottages in the rainforest, a beachside hostel and a central city backpackers.

What about motels? A motel is like a hotel, but originally the name came from a motor-inn, an accommodation where travellers could drive in and park their cars near their room. On our tours the motel is generally chosen by guests wanting affordable private twin/double or single room options with a private en-suite/bathroom so that they don’t have to walk outside their room to use the bathroom facilities. Generally, the environment is quieter and the price point slightly higher than a hostel. Our Ultimate 10 day tour of Tasmania offers only this kind of accommodation style.

When you’re undertaking a multiday tour it is important to note that it might be difficult to change from a hostel to a motel for example if the motel is fully booked, so it pays to do your homework first.

Which style do you prefer?

*Please note that on Under Down Under tours, guests wishing to stay in a twin or double must book with another person, otherwise they can select a shared-dorm (hostel) or single (hostel or motel), subject to availability.