Home Hostel Tips Are Mixed Dorms Appropriate For Solo Female Travel?
Are Mixed Dorms Appropriate For Solo Female Travel-1

Are Mixed Dorms Appropriate For Solo Female Travel?

by Katie Dawes

Firstly, the question “are mixed dorms appropriate for solo female travel?” is not a question I can answer for you directly, but one you should be using common sense and a bit of guidance to answer for yourself.

The guidance part is where I come in. Even as a solo female traveller I am a huge fan of mixed dorms over female-only dorms. But I know it can be daunting for others who haven’t experienced it yet so here are my tips…

Are Mixed Dorms Appropriate For Solo Female Travel?

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking A Mixed Dorm

1.  Would you feel more comfortable in a female-only dorm? 

Not all hostels offer female-only dorms, but if you had the option would you prefer to be surrounded by women than sharing a room with guys? If so, seek out those hostels with female-only dorms, and perhaps even hostels that only allow female guests, such as the Hostelle in Amsterdam.

2. Would you be comfortable sleeping with men in the room?

Sometimes, there will be an even mix of girls & guys in a hostel mixed dorm, but on occasions it may turn out that you are the only girl in a room full of guys and so it’s a good idea to consider how comfortable you would feel if this was the case.

Common Sense Tips in Mixed Dorms

Before I list the following points I use to keep safe in mixed dorms, it should probably be said that I don’t tend to inspire a debate about how women shouldn’t have to dress or act differently to stay safe. I find it best to play safe when travelling alone abroad, and whether or not this is feminist enough of me I don’t really care.

1. Pack loose pyjamas – if you’re nervous about sharing with men, it’s best not to wear tight lacy pjs

2. Create a curtain – if you feel nervous whilst sleeping, hanging a sheet, scarf, or towel in front of your bunk can help aid the feeling of privacy

3. Change in the bathroom – I have shared with men who will happily walk around in their boxers, but I always change in the bathroom to avoid any accidental flashings that might be seen as an invitation

4. Trust your intuition – on occasion, you may get a bad vibe from certain people in the room. I have known girls to feel uncomfortable walking in to a 6-bed with 5 guys who are instantly chatting them up and are all friends competing in the flirting competition. Just walk away and ask reception for a different room – any hostel would be foolish to not make arrangements for you to feel more comfortable with your stay

5. Stick with smaller dorms – it’s the law of probability; a smaller dorm = fewer guys so I tend to stick with 4-6 bed dorms and avoid those 18 bed mixes

Are Mixed Dorms Appropriate For Solo Female Travel-1

^ Die Wohngemeinschaft, Cologne – read the full review

Why I Choose Mixed Dorms

Whether or not you decide to use female-only dorms, female-only hostels, or mixed dorms really is a matter of personal preference. Personally, I have always found that my intuition when it comes to meeting new guys is far better than meeting new girls, large groups of whom I sometimes find intimidating. With guys you usually know where you stand, and if you don’t like them they don’t really care and vice versa. All in all I find it a more relaxed environment.

Another big plus – girls do tend to take more time in the bathrooms, and guys can shower & shave in about 10 minutes! So if you’re looking to get the majority of the bathroom time, you’ll be more likely to do so in a mixed dorm!

I hope these tips help you feel safer in your travels – if you have any specific concerns make sure to let me know below and I will do my best to answer them!

 

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25 comments

MyQuarterLifeEpiphany.com March 7, 2015 - 12:16 pm

Agreed with you completely!! I find making friends with guys traveling is easier (maybe because guys tend to travel solo more? where as girls travel in pairs, which is harder to break in to and they seem less interested to meet others). This is a generalization of course as I’ve met lots of lovely girls..
But the bathroom thing is spot on as well!!! 😉

Katie Dawes March 9, 2015 - 8:27 pm

Haha I know! I stayed in a female dorm recently and kicked myself for not getting up before everyone else after having to wait too long for a shower 😉

Heidi June 16, 2015 - 12:48 am

I am planning a solo trip next year to London, Paris and Amsterdam, you made very valid points on staying in a mixed dorm. I wasn’t even thinking about the shower situation with a all girl dorm.

Katie Dawes June 18, 2015 - 5:09 pm

Yup… smaller mixed dorms can lead to a shorter waiting line! Just make sure to pick whatever you feel most comfortable with and you’ll have a great time! Most hostel travellers just want the same thing – to meet new people and explore new destinations 🙂

Te'Keya Krystal March 24, 2016 - 7:37 pm

great article ! definitely helped me finalize the decision I was already considering

Katie Dawes March 26, 2016 - 12:46 am

Great – glad I could help! 🙂

Marysa April 10, 2016 - 12:48 am

This is an awesome post and really helped me out with sticking to my gut decision of a mixed dorm for my first hostel stay !
Thanks a billion

The Hostel Girl April 10, 2016 - 11:55 am

Wow what a lovely comment and I’m so glad I could help make your mind up Marysa! Where will your first hostel stay be?! Remember if you do feel uncomfortable at any time don’t hesitate to tell reception. But I bet you’ll make some fantastic new friends! 😀

Sara -.- June 12, 2016 - 3:05 pm

Great informative article, I’m going to Austria alone this July and I’ve decided to try female-only in Salzburg and a mixed dorm in Vienna!! x fingers crossed x I really have zero experience living with boys…

The Hostel Girl June 12, 2016 - 4:46 pm

Haha, coming from living with four boys the only problem we had was equal sharing of toilet cleaning jobs! Luckily none of you will have that role in the hostel…! Great idea to try both and see what you are most comfortable with – let me know how your travels go! 🙂 x

Sara -.- June 14, 2016 - 5:17 pm

I will! Also I have a really random question as a solo woman traveler… What does the day go like? Do you do tours/sightseeing on your own in the morning and then try and make friends at the hostel in the evening ? Or do you go exploring with these people? What if there’s no one you really click with…
I mean I’m personally going to explore and discover of course, but I would love some company too!!
Sorry this is so random but I really have no one to ask haha- everyone I know thinks I’m crazy for doing this.

The Hostel Girl June 14, 2016 - 9:29 pm

Hey – it’s not random at all! That’s what I’m here for so I’m glad you asked 🙂 And actually this is a really good idea for a future blog post…!

– So my first port of call is to arrive in the afternoon/evening and grab a seat at the bar if there is one (great way to meet staff) and try and make friends with others in the dorm room. But the first day can be a bit slow, especially if I’m tired!
– My first morning I tend to do my own thing and will usually join a free walking tour during the day as this is one of the best ways to meet people! The free breakfast is usually busy but I’m a coffee and go girl so I don’t test this out much.
– And then if I haven’t met people on the tour I’ll give the common areas and room a second try on the second evening. Sometimes I’m a bit more relaxed in the new city by the second night and if I have spent all day alone then it brings out my extrovert/desperate side and works wonders!

Obviously this isn’t a definite method and I actually depend a lot on a bar atmosphere which can work just as well if you don’t drink and just grab a coffee. But I’ve also met people in cafés in town when the hostel has been quiet – sometimes you just get lucky!!

But common rooms, bars and tours are definitely the three easiest ways to get to know strangers I think. I hope that helps!

Sara -.- June 15, 2016 - 2:59 pm

It does help a lot, thanks 😀 I’ll count on my desperate/extroverted side to make some pals too! Looking forward to reading that blog post!

The Hostel Girl June 15, 2016 - 3:14 pm

Phew I hope so – I was worried I rambled on a bit! I’ll let you know when the post gets published (might be a few weeks as I’ve got lots to share on Paris!) Hope you have fun in Austria!

SRawat June 26, 2016 - 4:23 am

This is a good article but I do have another worry – honestly the one thing I’m absolutely terrified about in either female or mixed dorm- is waking up in the middle of the night to hear sounds of… erm..the bed jiggling… I’m a total prude when it comes to that -.-

The Hostel Girl June 26, 2016 - 3:07 pm

Aaaahh this is a tricky one. Because honestly, it happens. The silver lining is that it doesn’t happen often! And this is a huge generalisation but I’ve encountered it more often in the ‘party hostels’ than more relaxed, smaller hostels that don’t focus on the party atmosphere. This might help a little – http://thehostelgirl.com/types-of-hostels-booking-hostels-that-are-right-for-you/

SRawat June 27, 2016 - 12:12 pm

Haha thanks, by the reviews none of my hostels seem like the party ones so hopefully I can sleep through the night. What does one do in such a situation really… except mentally cry and wait for it to be over.

The Hostel Girl June 27, 2016 - 1:02 pm

Reviews of the hostels you are looking at overall, or the ones on my site? Because some of the reviews on my site are definitely for party hostels! If you want to double check I’m also happy to check for you. Just email me the hostel names at thehostelgirl@outlook.com.

As for what to do – throwing pillows can help. Or yelling at them. If it’s really keeping up the whole room, tell reception although the staff can do as much as you can in this situation I’m afraid…! I had some bed jiggling in the bunk above me recently and content with the fact they were just kissing (I hope!) I put my earphones in and turned up the music. Always carry earphones! 🙂

Jim July 9, 2016 - 11:52 am

Interesting article. I (a guy) recently stayed in a mixed room, and there was a girl there who had initially been placed in an all girls room but asked to be moved because the girls there were too messy and loud. My feeling is that girls tend to bring more stuff while traveling (clothes, toiletries, other random crap) so having too many girls in a room will result in clutter and a lack of space available. I used to advise my female friends to book an all-girls dorm if they were backpacking solo for the first time, but now I advise them to go for the mixed rooms unless they cannot do so for religious reasons.

The Hostel Girl July 11, 2016 - 4:40 pm

Good advice there Jim! Although I’ve also known male travellers who travel with less but manage to spread everything they own everywhere…! Haha! Definitely not a gender issues – sometimes we just don’t get lucky with tidy roommates 😀

Eleftheria August 21, 2016 - 1:35 pm

Idk so far I met more friendly and solo female travelers than males, plus I saw more males in groups or with their friends, not necessarily cliquey, but harder to fit in with them. To be honest I pick dorms based on my budget and my travel companion

Katie Dawes August 22, 2016 - 10:02 am

Hey – thanks for your input! As I said in the post, it really depends on personal preference so it’s great that you’ve found what works best for you! 🙂

Amy P. February 27, 2017 - 7:02 am

I’m wondering if snoring is ever an issue with the mixed dorms? Ha! I know men tend to snore a lot more than women…

Katie Dawes February 27, 2017 - 10:10 pm

Haha well that’s a funny comment as this week I’ve had some serious snorers in my dorm! But I sleep with headphones and Spotify, which helps a lot! And sometimes it’s more funny than annoying XD

sheryll July 19, 2017 - 11:06 pm

Totally agree! 🙂 Mixed dorm are way much better but make sure only for 4 person in one room. I just came back from a vacation, stayed in a hostel. I had the best roommates 3 Norwegian men. What’s nice. I can stay longer in the shower without them complaining. They behaved well, plus you can see them roaming around the room with underwear… haha 🙂

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