It seems that it is much easier than one would expect to save money on the road if you are looking to stay in a hostel. Is there a cost to staying in hostels that you wouldn’t have staying in hotels or even discount hotels? The answer is, it depends. For one thing you are sleeping in a room with potentially a bunch of other people that you don’t know. Another thing to consider when staying in hostels in Europe is that you will probably have to learn a few words in different languages to be able to get around and get what you need. Now this is definitely a plus in my book. It is nice to show that you are trying to learn and be polite in other languages besides your own. Travelers will almost always gravitate to someone that they can get along with. You are all out there trying to meet people exploring different cultures and staying in a hostel provides that lubricant for conversation automatically. The cost difference to staying in a place by yourself and spending more can be far outweighed by the people that you meet and the opportunities that come from staying in a hostel.