Hostels can provide a terrific accommodations option for travelers who don’t want to spend a lot of money on their rooms. They give you a cheap place to stay and are generally filled with others who are traveling in the same style that you are. But the fact of the matter is that they can also be more trouble than the cost they save. You have to share rooms and bathrooms with people who you may or may not get along with and follow the rules laid out by the place. Still, if you can enjoy it, hostels are a good way to go.

Here are some tips for enjoying your stay in a hostel anywhere in the globe:

• Be relaxed and open-minded. If you’re quick to get annoyed with people and situations, hostels aren’t for you. They’re often run by young folks and are filled with people who may not be as clean or as private as you’d like. If you approach things with a laidback attitude, you can enjoy hostels.
• Talk with others. Hostels give you the chance to hear lots of travel tales and maybe even pick up a travel partner in the process.
• Set your own boundaries. While it’s great to meet people, there are inevitably going to be those folks that you just want to leave you alone. Don’t be rude but be firm in setting your boundaries. Don’t let unwelcome guests invite themselves along for your day trips or lounge on your assigned bed.
• Limit the time that you’re in the hostel. Sure, you need to shower and sleep. And if you’re trying to save money, you might make meals at the hostel. But don’t spend excessive amounts of time there. Do your reading and letter-writing in local cafes to avoid getting rapidly annoyed with the hostel environment.
• Upgrade to a single room. Many hostels offer private rooms at a higher cost than dorm rooms and some people find that staying in these gives them a cheaper option than a hotel without as many of the hassles of the hostel.