I've been umm'ing and arr'ing wether or not to write this as a blog post.
Because:
1. I DO NOT repeat, DO NOT want to put anyone off using hostels. I love them, even after this experience.
2. I did not know how detailed I wanted to go with this.
3. This was one of my biggest lessons learnt from a hostel and I know what happened was a rare and bizarre situation.
So heres my first ever hotel experience.
So, after a half day at university, a long shift at the bar and an overcrowded train journey from Manchester to London, I made it to the hostel (the hostel that shall not be named).
The check in was super quick which I definitely appreciated at the time. I got my keys and found the 15 mixed-dorm room I had paid to stay in for the next week. As soon as I opened the door an indescribable stench hit me. The room felt stuffy and it was horribly thin.
Not a pleasant first impression.
It was a free for all for the beds, I tried to find one free but all the curtains were shut. All but one. The one that was open had a guy sat inside who abrubtly told me he didn't know if any beds were free.
After going back to reception they took me to the room and showed me the only free bed was the one underneath the 'delightful' guy who had no intentions of helping me earlier on.
It was already late at this point and I had a 5:30am start. So, I decided as a sensible adult to go to bed. After 10 minutes or so, I can hear a guy faintly holding in his tears, I said to myself if this carries on for 10 more minutes I will check if this person is OK, I would hate for someone to feel alone or upset especially if they were so far from home.
5 minutes pass.. I can still hear the faint crying sounds.
BUT!
This time I notice my bunk is moving. I felt a little confused and disorientated until I realised the 'faint cries' and the movement of the bed were in sync.
It was the unhelpful guy from earlier.
And he wasn't crying.
Being overly tired and may I add actually poorly at the time, I left the room and ran outside to call my mum crying at how horrible hostels are and how this guy was doing his 'thang' above my head.
After 40 minutes (enough time right guys?) I cooled down and headed back to the room where the unhelpful guy had no shame with his curtain still open. (not doing anything at this point)
I crawl into my bunk and just as I shut my curtain, he starts again.
I feel like I am going crazy and this really isn't happening. 10 minutes later I hear a couple walk in and as they get to the end of the room they laugh and say 'did you see his thing'.
I WASN'T CRAZY, HE IS REALLY DOING THAT! WITH THE DAMN CURTAIN OPEN! WITH 14 OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM!
I felt queasy but more at ease knowing there are definitely other people in the room if I need help. At this point someone turns the light off and my hearing senses heightened. I thankfully hear nothing except a few people snoring.
The unhelpful guy gets down from his bed, in the pitch black I can only hear how close he is to my curtain, my heart at this point is POUNDING.
He shuts his curtain and leaves the room. Phew.
After 20 or so minutes he comes back and vigurously wipes his bed down
He then shuts the curtain and leaves to shortly come back again and finally settles down.
But I am not sleeping, not because I didn't try but because the laughing couple from earlier decide to start going at it....
Did I accidentally book a private freaky meet-up, like hostel dogging? Or was this just terrible, terrible luck.
Anyway, it gets worse. The unhelpful guy above hears this, opens his curtain and starts doing what he apparently does best. I physically can not move, I am shocked, disgusted and terrified all in one. The only comfort I had was texting my friends trying to laugh this weird situation off, asking for advice.
After what felt like a lifetime the couple stop, and finally the guy stops.
Now, I mentioned I was poorly right! Chest cold. I had the biggest coughing fit imaginable, I tried to hold it in for so long to not wake the guy above me.
He heard.
The mattress didn't fit the bed which meant there was a gap. He stuck his head in-between the gap to face me and breathed really heavily as he started again.
At this point I just grabbed my stuff and left. I was in London for a job opportunity and told the managers what happened and they paid for me to stay in a hotel for the rest of my time.
Now I NEED to reiterate that this was a ONE OFF RARE situation that happened, I have stayed in plenty of hostels since and have felt and have been safe throughout my stay. I also have not heard any horror stories that come close to this one from other people, only bad stories like loud snorers or hearing drunk people going back to bed or even friends chatting in the night.
I should have reported what was going on to the reception and I regret not doing that.
It was a strange and unforgettable night, I honestly laugh now purely because it was such a random thing to happen.
Do you have any travel horror stories to share? I'll be adding them all into another blog post linked to this one, can be anonymous, just contact me through my contact page.