To think these age restrictions are stupid and ageist?

[Sharkirasharkira]

I'm planning a big trip next year for a milestone birthday around a popular European country. I've been planning and savings for years for this but for one reason or another I kept having to cancel and use the funds for other things! I'm determined it happened next year to coincide with the milestone birthday.

Except now that I'm looking into planning things it seems that most hostels have age restrictions on who can stay in the dorms, especially in the summer. Aibu to think this is ageist and unfair! Fwiw, I'm on a very low income and it's taking years of saving just to be able to afford even a budget, backpacking style holiday. I love the whole backpacking scene and hostels, have done it many times, I like the atmosphere and communal aspect of it and most of them have really good locations and amenities.

I think it unfair that I would have to pay a premium for a private room or a hotel to stay in these places just because of my age. Aibu?

YAB a bit U. They're called youth hostels for a reason.

Are other cheap alternatives such as camping an option?

Not in the places that I'm going! Plus I'd have to lug a tent around the whole country which I can't do.

I thought they were just hostels. Since when did travelling cheaply become solely for the 'young'! plus, I AM still young, so there!

I think YAB a bit U

Sometimes people want to stay with similar aged people. 18- 30s holidays and Saga cruises.

How young are you?

Afraid not, most hostels are youth hostels in my experience, hence the age restriction. I'm probably on the wrong side of the limit myself now!

Are you going on your own? Is there anyone you could go halves with on a private room for instance?

@ThereWillBeAdequateFood yes this is true but there is nothing guaranteed when you stay in a hostel, you could have literally anyone in the dorm with you, not necessarily the age range you 'want'. Unless you book a specific 18-30's holiday or book a dorm with 3 friends so you get the whole thing to yourself. That's partly why it's cheap.

I'm in my 30's, but I have a milestone birthday coming up.

Air b n b?
DD went interrailing a few weeks ago and said the dorms were very crowded. Do you really want to share a dorm with 17 other people?

I have mixed experience with 'older' people in hostels.

I've met some really great people who invited us to the theatre.

But also two ladies that were complaining we were taking our toiletries out of our bags quietly and had a small nightlight on at 9 in the evening. FFS if you cannot handle that don't book a bed in a dorm!

In my experience you get less tolerant as you get older. I certainly have, which is why I don't holiday like that anymore.

There are lots of hostels that have no upper age restrictions - I've stayed in a couple myself a few years ago & I'm 63 now. There's lots of sites you can find on Google. www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e3JnyTpcXCaP10GsiMF7SUkjVUCUwa4FH__UsBbDnhDLAr3RWF12YOztz1vyoML1ZLlQwSpBof9lVALeh-fAKFpDqY5WwsMam4dZZeRvjaTNt31hiwCcZWf0Ttj21QT8jfxyKFkXnRyfsmOK0Ul_OUeOHCt8K71TyIWCReouYngl3YCRQq&u=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&rlid=adfd32407ac11290239b6f0310bcccc2

It’s often because they’re youth hostels. Not all of them are though. And to be honest it might be for the best, they can be really loud, people have sex in the bunks, play music in the corridors etc - I stayed in a lot of hostels in my 20s, but now I’m in my 30s it would be a nightmare!

@Lockheart yes I'm going alone. This is partly why it's taken me so long to do because people kept cancelling on me! I don't want an expensive private room, I want whatever is cheap. Hence why I choose hostels or else I'd go for a hotel. I can't afford hotels either way.

Anyway, it's not the point. Why the age restrictions? What is the actual problem with people over (for example) 40? Do we magically become awful to be around? Snoring? Behaving antisocially? Having sex in dorm beds? Stumbling in drunk and turning the lights on while people are trying to sleep? Anyone can do those things, young or old, in face IME younger people are more likely to do those things.

I've experienced everything dorms have to offer and it doesn't phase me in the slightest. I just want what's cheap or I can't afford to travel. Air BnB is also and option but I've heard some real horror stories there

Another one coming on to ask if you have looked at Hostelworld?
I've just been looking at dorms in Barcelona, and the only age restriction was a lower one.
Good luck in your search

Airbnb. Let’s be honest if you were a 17 year old girl having to share a hostel with a man celebrating his 40th on his own you wouldn’t want.

Also bloody hell OP treat yourself for a milestone and don’t sleep in a hostel!

Which hostels are you using ?

I've traveled all over Europe (and some other countries) and always shared hostels with people of all ages.

Often the folk in their 70s are the most interesting ones to chat to.

Join the YHA - there are no age restrictions with them.

Please could you link the hostels that have an age restriction please then I can make an informed an opinion.I use a mix between hotels and hostels but I haven't come across age restrictions. I'd be interested to know

@user1473878824 I would love to but I can't afford it. It's really either cheap hostels or nothing. I've having to scrape and save for a year just to afford that!

I've been looking on Hostelworld, quite a few of them have age restrictions although I will concede that some of them once I read the small print have lower age restrictions Still, I don't think age should factor into it really if staying in a shared accommodation. People of any age have the ability to be obnoxious and horrible to share with.

I'm older than you and have stayed in English youth hostels, in a dorm room, in the last 12 months. I just did some random checking via the YHA site; "Hostelling International" is the overarching YHA group name now, and I did find a hostel in Rome that specified 50 as the age limit for dormitory rooms (but not double or twin rooms etc), which surprised me. YHA in the UK and in Australia has been unrestricted by age (adults) for a long time as far as I know.

Do we magically become awful to be around? Snoring? Behaving antisocially? Having sex in dorm beds? Stumbling in drunk and turning the lights on while people are trying to sleep?

Nah. People usually become the ones moaning about this😁

OP genuinely I totally agree with you in principle and looking back you’re right and it’s annoying. This is what you want to do but my thought being me is Christ I’d rather do one night in a swanky hotel rather than backpack anywhere. I would give them a ring in the morning and ask. You might find it fine if you speak to someone face to face. Most importantly have a fantastic birthday! Xxxx

Seems from your photo like that specific hostel is just trying to prioritize in their peak season, and it seems reasonable for hostels to ensure younger people have affordable accommodation options since that's also going to mean less headache for staff who probably get fed up of older people complaining about 3am parties etc (not saying you would... just that people do). Looks like the one in your picture would be fine to let you stay when it wasn't the middle of summer. Also you'll find prices a LOT cheaper out of season (and therefore your money will go further), so why book a holiday for the height of summer if you're already cash-strapped? September/October will be so much cheaper (5 years ago, hubby and I were so broke we got married in June then waited 3 months for our September honeymoon so we could afford to see Europe and we spent half the time sleeping in our car). Booking.com has tons of hostels, I don't know if they have any age restrictions. If you're not going to a country where you need to show your passport on check-in, though, who's even going to know unless you rock up with a dozen helium balloons declaring your milestone age?? Good luck!

Just say you identify as a 30-year-old and that they are hateful trans-ageist bigots.

Have you looked at couch surfing? It is the cheapest option.

@WhatTiggersDoBest I totally get what you mean and normally I would look to book out of season to have money but my birthday is in the summer! I do also want to go when it's warm and I can swim in the sea. Ok, it's not the end of the world and I'm sure I can find an alternative but it would just be nice not to be excluded purely because of my age.

I have indeed @sashh, I've done it before and it's great! Met some lovely people, through it but it is a little risky in that hosts can decide not to let you stay at a moment's notice, or you might meet them and then decide you don't want to stay with them. Potentially then you could be stuck with nowhere to stay, it's a good option but nice to have a back up like a hostel just in case.

@Bezalelle good point, I actually identify as a 20yr old so I should be fine