Hostel la vista: Why it’s time to update our notions of the budget break

From circus tents, to partying in Lisdoonvarna, to solace for solo travellers, you never know what you might get from a stay in a hostel writes Shauna Mc Hugh

Hostels can be a great place to make new friends, in some cases forming a group that continues their travels together.

Over two and a half years on from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the many changes it’s caused to life as we knew it are still only now becoming apparent.

Some of us are realising we no longer know how to function in an office environment, mourning the days when we could work from home and roll out of bed blissfully late with no busy commute ahead. Others are emerging back into society as masters of a new instrument, or of baking, sewing or painting thanks to all the extra practice during lockdowns.