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Lee-ann Burridge

  1. Current Age?
    29

  2. Nationality
    Wales

  3. Where do you live now?
    Southampton, England

  4. Occupation
    nurse

  5. When it comes to travel accommodation (but leaving out crashing with friends, family or people you meet on the road), how often do you stay in hostels?
    pretty much all the time

  6. Where have you hosteled?
    Canada, Central America, Europe, USA

  7. Would you stay in a hostel again on future trips?
    Yes

  8. Why or why not?
    I prefer to stay in hostels as they are usually cheap, comfortable (often very comfortable and homely) and the best way to meet new people who like to travel.

  9. Out of all your experiences hosteling, what was your:
    • Best Moment
       I don't have an overall best moment. But some of the best times I've had have been in small family-run hostels in Canada or the USA. They were friendly and intimate, extremely attractive and comfortable and cheap!

    • Worst Moment
       A very run-down independant hostel in London – dirty, scruffy, broken beds, no locks or glass on the bathroom doors, and MICE!!

    • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
       Sometimes getting to hostels, which are a bit off the beaten track, if you don't have a car, particularly in the USA.

    • Biggest surprise?
       Arriving at a very small home hostel in Burlington, Vermont to find it was like staying in a very cosy appartment, run by a lovely lady who made you breakfast every morning!

  10. Do you ever book any of your hostel accommodation in advance?
    Always

  11. Why or why not?
    It's better to be safe than sorry; sometimes places get booked up really fast. Why waste your travelling time sitting in a hostel reception waiting to see if someone will check out that day?

  12. Who is the most memorable person you met in a hostel and why?
    I've made some good friends through hosteling. The most memorable people I've met were the mother and daughter of the family who ran the hostel I stayed in, in the Green Mountains in Vermont last year. They really looked out for me when I had some bad luck and found myself a bit stranded.

  13. Why do you stay in hostels, as opposed to other types of accommodation?
    They are affordable, comfortable and the best way to meet other travellers.

  14. Is there a hostel you'd recommend to other travelers? If so, what is it and where?
    Green Mountains Hostel (AYH), Bennington, Vermont, USA

  15. What is the biggest myth people have about hostels and hosteling?
    That they are scruffy and only for teenagers.

  16. Why do you like to travel?
    Because I like to explore new places and meet new people.

  17. What is your advice for other travelers wanting to stay in hostels?
    Check out the hostel first, go for one that's regulated e.g. by Hostelling International. If it's independent do your homework; you could end up somewhere really nice or really nasty!

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