Comments on: Hostelworld in Review – How does it work? The simple Booking Process (and 4 Cons)

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:32:53 +0000

In reply to Beth.

Hi Beth,

Thanks a lot for your comment! I sent you an email because I’d like to hear the full story on the review push.

Hostelworld is a massive company with lots of customer service to handle. They do care about the reviews, but there is a filtering system – like in 99% of all platforms. At the end of the day, both the traveler and the hostel have to be protected and certain information cannot be allowed. This is at least what tells me my experience and from what I have read and heard.

Hostelz.com is a price comparison for hostels and their reviews are not as filtered! So this would be the best way to leave 100% honest reviews of a hostel. You can do this by signing up for free or just confirm your email.

Again, sent you an email! Would love to hear more!

Safe travels,
Matt

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 19:03:43 +0000

I had problems trying to communicate with Hostelworld. I stayed in a hostel in Sofia, Bulgaria (N1 hostel) where I left a poor review. The reason for doing so was because the hostel was bribing visitors to write and give 10 point reviews. The story is longer… but… I notified Hostelworld when I received an email from the hostel which was outrageously rude and hostile.

Hostelworld did nothing, except to say, sorry you had that experience. As another contributor above wrote they do not audit the complaints received from hostel guests. Yet they brag that the reviews are 100% authentic. This is highly questionable practice when the platform does not monitor or act on serious complaints made by users.

By: Wes Clarke

Wes Clarke — Sun, 01 May 2022 23:38:59 +0000

I accepted a “voucher” for $250 worth of cancelled bookings. Which they changed from US to Euro’s in my account to decrease the value even though they still charge in US for bookings. Over 4 months every time I tried to use it they also charged my credit card. Every time I had to contact them to refund the double charge. Never getting the full amount refunded. Reviews on main page of each hostel are not the “most recent” as claimed but the 4 highest in the last 3 months. They have gone way down hill for service over the last few years from what they were. Customer service is a joke.

By: Matt Kiefer

Matt Kiefer — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 07:36:04 +0000

In reply to YT. Hey YT, Thanks for your comment. This is so frustrating, been there. In my case, it was the hostel that just gave away my bed because I arrived 1 hour later than I said in my reservation. Once also had an overbooking in a small town in Vietnam. Allow me to explain. How does Hostelworld show availability? Well, they only show the free beds and rooms each hostel puts into the system. Hostelworld does not actually put any availability themselves – they just deliver the information and availability the accommodation gives them. If a hostel says there is a room to sell, Hostelworld shows it. Simple as that. This issue is called overbooking. This can easily happen when a property does not use channel manager software. The software synchronizes availability across the connected platforms like Airbnb, Booking, Hostelworld and many more. As an example, when a traveler books a bed in Booking.com, this bed does no longer show on the other sites. Or better to say: should not show on other sites! You are probably not interested at all in this background information. Just want to give you some understanding of how these businesses work. How to avoid this “overbooking issue”? Well, as a traveler, this is almost impossible. When a hostel or other accommodation is showing wrong availability, and you send up reserving it, you run into this issue without our own fault. This is actually where the booking platform comes in and protects you. Hostelworld should protect you in such case and help you solve it. Emailing you now, curious to hear in which hostel it happened! Safe travels and all the best, Matt

By: YT

YT — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 04:55:39 +0000

Do not book with Hostelworld! They show available rooms even when they are no longer available. Charged us for booking fee.

By: Matt Kiefer

Matt Kiefer — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 08:29:24 +0000

In reply to Al Durham. Hi Al, In this case you can easily check Hostelworld and Hostelz.com. Hostelz.com is a great tool compare prices for hostels. Safe travels, Matt

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:02:04 +0000

Hostel world is FULL of bad information and it was this bad information that led me to a horrific hostel that had very high reviews on the hostel world website. They don’t take responsibility for errors, as I have seen in the way that they reply to other similar bad experiences. They take profit, but do not hire anyone to audit or update anything. I will not use hostel world again.

By: Al Durham

Al Durham — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 17:24:06 +0000

All I need is a bed and a bath. I am single and traveling alone.
I am looking for safe residence along I 75 in North. Georgia.

By: Matt Kiefer

Matt Kiefer — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 17:06:33 +0000

In reply to Dominique. Hey Dominique, Now that is really not good!! Which Hostel in Barcelona was it? The hostel itself is the responsible for the accuracy of facilities and amenities. This can be super annoying as some (very few) hostels may not update their facilities over the time. It happened to me few times; frustrating! Also a pity to hear Hostelworld reacted that way. This is quite unusual! My best tip for you: Check next time our handmade Hostel Guides for top hostels in Barcelona and other cities. These are always updated and complete! We only compare the 3 best, and we have actually stayed there. Will send you an email now! Safe travels, Matt

By: Dominique

Dominique — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 00:12:59 +0000

I don’t recommend Hostelworld. I had an awful experience booking through them this past June. I booked a hostel in Barcelona only to find that the hostel I booked had NONE of the amenities that was claimed on the listing. For safety reason I had to leave and book elsewhere. Hostelworld did NOTHING except excuse the hostel and blaming me for not proving to them, with pictures, of my claims. How does one take a picture of no wifi? How does one take a picture of no air conditioning? How does one take a picture of a room so hot that it’s unsafe to stay in it?

In the end Hostelworld made no refunds and I will NEVER book through them again.