Mixed dormitories in youth hostels

I'm interrailing with 3 other girls in July, and the hostel we want to stay at in Barcelona only has 12 and 16- bed mixed dorms available. Should we be a bit aprehensive about this, or will it be safe? Have any other females stayed in mixed dorms and how did you find it?

Reply 1

beanbagzzz

I have just got back from 3months in Australia. I spent most of my time staying in hostels, most of the time I stayed in mixed dorms. I had no problems at all, to be honest the best part of my trip was a week I spent with a great bunch of guys I shared a room with. I was travelling on my own and I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe, so my experience of staying in a mixed dorm is all good! (other than some smell a little more than girls only dorms!!)

Reply 2

spoon1

Cool!

I guess i just jumped to conclusions cos I figured Barcelona = Spain = Sleazy spanish men!

Reply 3

dragon_1706

I stayed in lots of mixed dorms in New Zealand and didn't have any problems. The only time I felt slightly uncomfortable was in a small room with just me and 3 men, but I think bigger dorms are fine.

Reply 4

Anon

spoon1

Cool!

I guess i just jumped to conclusions cos I figured Barcelona = Spain = Sleazy spanish men!

To be fair, you'll find most people staying in the hostel are from outside the country..

Reply 5

Kondar

Yeah, agreed. You will meet some very cool people, but be don't completely let your guard down. Ive had a ton of good experiences with hostels but have had a few bad ones. For example in Vienna there were a bunch of drunk homeless people staying in our room?! It was pretty weird...

But yeah, mostly its just a young college/traveller crowd- youll met some awesome people.

Reply 6

student_kyle

I wouldn't worry too much. Me and a mate stayed in three different hostels when in Prague. The first was a 12 bed dorm, second was a 10, and the third was like a converted school gym with about 70 beds!
People are generally just students like you, and the more people there were the funner it was! helped draw attention away from the dodgy soviet issue beds from a few years ago! lol

Reply 7

Helen_w

Me and 7 other girls stayed in mixed dorms in Copenhagen, and we were fine. On the first night we hadn't realised that you had to request female only dorms, so we ended up getting put on a list for a female dorm the next night. :rolleyes:

The mixed dorm we were in was mostly couples anyway, not huge groups of guys.

Reply 8

Nutter

I've not had any experience of staying in a mixed dormitory but I don't imagine it'd be anything to worry very much about. It might be a little awkward at the start but once you start to warm up to each other, it'll probably be fine. I wouldn't recommend it if you're travelling alone though - you'd need to be twice as wary in that case because you would be far more vulnerable to any wrongdoing.

Reply 9

crema

Mixed dorms are fine. At worst I've shared a room with 7 guys being the only female, the only trouble was that guys tend to snore sooooo loud.

Reply 10

dragon_1706

crema

Mixed dorms are fine. At worst I've shared a room with 7 guys being the only female, the only trouble was that guys tend to snore sooooo loud.

That's very true. I remember lying awake in the middle of the night in Fiji listening to about 7 people snoring (some women as well as men). Then in the morning they all got up really early and wondered why I was tired!

Reply 11

parties-r-us!

yea sharing a mixed dorm is fine...nothing to worry about! obviously keep ur witts about u but every1s generally in the same position as everyone else! its a great experience!