The quality and cost of this accommodation varies dramatically. Some international hostel agencies charge prices that are equivalent to two or three star hotels and few of them actually inspect the accommodation that they offer you. Consequently it is possible for anyone to register with these agencies and offer accommodation which may or may not be regulated. The fact that they are registered with an agency does not automatically mean that they subscribe to or maintain any specific standards.

In general it is best to establish whether a hostel is a member of a national hostel association in the country concerned.One long established organisation in the UK that actually inspects accommodation is the YHA. They also have a comprehensive international booking division which liases with equivalent organisations in other countries. When this organisation was first formed post world war two it catered for younger people but nowdays their hostels are open to guests of all ages.

Hostels in Western Europe and Scandinavia are strictly regulated especially in Holland Germany and the United Kingdom. However in parts of Eastern and Southern Europe regulations are less stringent or not enforced and standards of hygiene and health and safety are poor.

These problems are very evident in Bulgaria, Greece Romania, Russia, Spain and Turkey. On the other hand there are some good hostels in the capitals of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland which are cheap and very clean.

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