Housing

Trust your gut. All the research in the world cannot prepare you for how you feel when arriving in a new city. I spent many hours researching hotels and hostels alike. What is the area like? Whether it is safe at night? For the hostels, do they have female only dorms? The proximity to a bus or train station. When I arrived in Brussels, I didn't feel safe traveling alone with my luggage, so I decided to change my plans and stay at the hotel I was already at. That is okay. Research helps you make an informed decision but always go with your gut.

With transportation and location at the forefront, what are some other things to look for while picking a hotel? Honestly, cost is the most relevant. I picked hotels based on cost and guest satisfaction. In Brussels, I stayed at a hotel named The Usual Brussels. They had a bar, and I spent most of my time speaking to the staff. One thing about Belgium, or at least the hospitality industry, there is that no one is originally from Belgium. I met workers from Mexico, Lithuania, and Bosnia. All with great stories and great recommendations on where to travel. A pro tip: choose a hotel where breakfast is included at no extra cost!

Using Hostel World, I was able to get a good idea of what each hostel was like. They have a rating system out of ten. Scoring on things like safety, location, and comfort. I focused on reviews by women, as their opinion was more relevant to me. Hostels are also very cheap in comparison to hotels. I felt safe at every hostel I visited. While traveling alone, I prefer hostels as you meet people from all over the world! You can even get lucky with the views. The picture above I took from in my room in my hostel in Ghent, Belgium. Overall, with proper research and intent, hostels are my favorite option!