Memorial Day on the Cheap and Nimble: A New Look at Luxury Hostels

“Would you ever consider this?” she said. “Don’t you think we may be a bit old for it? Seriously! ” was my response. “Not at all! Things have changed and it’s different now, I promise. I’ve the done the research.”

What my best friend had just finished researching were hostels in Paris, London and Spain. With nothing planned for Memorial Day and both of us terrified about overspending now that our nest eggs were depleted, she came up with a brilliant plan, as she always does. “We can do a long weekend for under $500 a person, assuming we catch a good price on a flight or fly on points,” she said “it would be just how we did it when we were in our twenties.”

Maybe yes, but that would entail shlepping back packs, eating sandwiches on park benches for dinner, sleeping and possibly showering with strangers. Now that I knew what it was like to sleep on Frette sheets, thanks to a corporate expense account and plenty of overseas junkets, how could I turn back?

This may sound silly or spoiled but I bet I am not the only one who feels this way about hostel living, particularly those of us who are now well into their thirties. But the thought of being landlocked for Memorial Day Weekend was no better an option so I immediately began to do my own sleuthing. Quickly I discovered that some of today’s hostels are like luxury pods for minimalists minus the chichi prices of swanky boutique hotels. Semi-private rooms (and bathrooms), lounges and laundry facilities are not uncommon. Many even have cafes, bars and outdoor terraces on premises.

One might assume that they are too old for hostels – these are after all the stomping grounds of wayward college students. But Youth Hostel International, which this year celebrates its one hundredth anniversary, has changed its name in recent years to Hostelling International – demonstrating that their doors are open to travelers of all ages.

Once I wrapped my head around it, the idea of traveling abroad on the cheap and nimble began to seem adventurous and refreshing. The connections that could be made in this type of social environment quickly got my juices flowing. We are now set to leave for Paris on the last Thursday in May --- it may turn out to be a disaster but at less than 30 dollars a night I am willing to find out.