[Bad Hussar]

A question for the business travellers here.

If you were on a 2-3 week business trip in continental Europe (Western) staying in various cities only for 2 to 3 days at a time would you choose to stay in a private room at a hostel or at a bland but reliable chain hotel on the cheaper side (e.g. Holliday Inn). For longer term stays apartments are my preference, but due to the limited time in each place they aren't really feasable here.

I may be making such a trip shortly and am wondering whether it's worth convincing the powers that be to "allow" me to stay in hostels rather than bland hotels. Has anyone here gone on a serious business trip for a company and stayed at hostels? What was the reaction of the company; and the clients if it came up.

I am late 30's, will meet potential clients at their offices nbot hotel/hostel, and really do not want to spend three weeks holed up in crappy Holliday Inn's. While they may also be crappy sometimes, at least Hostels have some sort of atmosphere. Just wondering whether it would be too weird having a business traveller staying there. To be honest it's been a while since I've stayed at a hostel.

[Laner]

Hostels are not a bad way to go. Like you said sometimes there is a good atmosphere.

Hostels can have some pretty ridiculous rules though, so make sure you do your research. The best ones, IMO, are the ones that are run a little more like hotels in regards to professionalism. Ever heard of a proper hotel charging extra for a double room? Me neither.

Often Euro business hotels have decent lobby bars. If you are late 30's, these might be a more comfortable fit. Pounding cheap lagers in a hostel common area is not my idea of good socializing.

[joehoya]

If you are in your late 30's a cheap hotel (holiday inn style) will give you more bang opportunities with better logistics than a hostel. I have had ZERO problem in Europe banging women at my cheap, holiday inn style, hotel. I know how folks talk about scoring all of this tail at hostels, and I have pulled my share, but being "the old guy" who is staying at the hostel trying to pick up young chicks gets old quick.

If you don't give a shit about bangs, then hostels can be cool. The only time I stay at hostels now is when I just need a bed to sleep on for 6-8 hours and am not trying to get laid. In those cases, sometimes I don't feel like paying full price for a hotel room that I am hardly going to use.

[Bad Hussar]

Yes, I guess as long as the hotel is centrally situated it should be OK. Not too concerned that I'll be "the old guy" at the hostel since I am told often enough, and by enough people, that I look at least 10 years younger than my chronological age that I don't think it's some sort of flattery. But who knows.

I don't know why, but I just find it depressing hanging out in bars attached to business style hotels. Especially if I'm staying at the actual hotel itself. Would much rather hang out at an independent place.

[joehoya]

If you have the language skills, those hotels not in the city center can be a godsend. Back when I was in Paris (and when my French was MUCH better than it is now) I stayed in a hotel near the edge of Paris. I tended to hang out in the local bars/restaurants and picked up more than one local girl. Got my French AND my Moroccan flags from spots on the edge of Paris. When I pulled other chicks in Paris (married Singaporean hottie and a big titty chick from Guadalupe) neither had any problem hopping on the metro with me to my hotel.

FOR ME, I just can't see how I could have made it work as well as I did if I was staying at a hostel.

[Spike]

You can stay in a hoste l for a few days and than move to an cheap, thats how i traveled in the cheaper countries across the world. Get to know some people and than move out to a private room.

Like others said before its hard to bang a girl in a hostel.

[Pilgrim37]

(01-10-2012 06:36 AM)Neil Skywalker Wrote:  

You can stay in a hoste l for a few days and than move to an cheap, thats how i traveled in the cheaper countries across the world. Get to know some people and than move out to a private room.

Like others said before its hard to bang a girl in a hostel.

Good advice...always better to know a few faces you might be able to go out with even after you're in a hotel ,rather than start cold.

[Spike]

(01-10-2012 09:18 AM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  

(01-10-2012 06:36 AM)Neil Skywalker Wrote:  

You can stay in a hoste l for a few days and than move to an cheap, thats how i traveled in the cheaper countries across the world. Get to know some people and than move out to a private room.

Like others said before its hard to bang a girl in a hostel.

Good advice...always better to know a few faces you might be able to go out with even after you're in a hotel ,rather than start cold.

Its no written law, nowadays i prefer to go out alone if i cant find any "cool" guys to go out with.