  Southern Africa offers an extensive collection of backpacker hostels and budget accommodation. Southern African backpacker hostels offer the traveller much by way of facilities and services. Backpacker hostels can also be found in most major tourist destinations and have the best locations. There are several backpacker hostels on the beach, some in the mountains and a few in remote, rural Africa. Others can be found in the heart of the cities and in its trendy districts. Every hostel in Southern Africa is a unique entity with its own attitude and atmosphere. There are no mass produced hostelling franchises here. There is so much variety. You’re sure to find one that suits your budget, your needs or your particular taste. Rooms | | Camping | Most backpacker hostels offer a variety of sleeping arrangements including dorm rooms, double rooms, twin rooms and en suite double rooms. Single rooms and family rooms are less common but some backpacker hostels can arrange them if you ask. Most hostels supply linen; including sheets, pillows and a duvet or a blanket. | | Camping grounds are very rare in the cities, but are more common out of the cities. You’ll have to bring along your own tent and sleeping bags. Some backpacker hostels will rent or loan you mattresses. Most camping grounds in backpacker hostels do not have power points, but the kitchen and other facilities are made available to campers. | | | | | Kitchens | | Internet | If a place is called a ‘backpackers hostel’ or ‘backpackers lodge’, it will have a kitchen available for you to use. Most kitchens are very well equipped. Even the most basic have enough for you not to carry any cooking stuff other than your food. The only thing you may want to carry is a small, all-purpose knife but don’t carry it onto the plane in your hand luggage. Braaing, the South African equivalent of the barbeque is very popular in backpacker hostels. Almost every hostel has a braai stand. Most backpacker hostels offer free tea and non-filter coffee(chicory/coffee blend). | | Again, more backpacker hostels have internet access than don’t. But, South Africa has been slow to get connected, so some backpacker hostels are still on snail-mail dial-up connections. But, we doubt that you came to Africa in search of reliable internet connections, so remember that there are backpacker hostels in places so remote that there is no electricity and running water let alone a computer. Visit these places and unplug from the matrix if only for a short while. | | | | | Meals | | Laundry | Most backpacker hostels offer breakfast or dinner or both. Some have a restaurant with an a la carte’ menu. City backpacker hostels are less likely to offer meals as there are usually restaurants nearby. Most backpacker hostels in far-flung places offer meals. | | You can get your laundry done almost anywhere. Most backpacker hostels offer a laundry service. Bear in mind that tumble dryers are rare in our sunny country and that washing dries on the line. You’ll most probably have to be spend at least one or two nights in a backpacker hostel to get fresh clothing. Nudity is not legal in our country and smelling fruity chases away the pretty girls, so we advise you plan your laundry stop. | | | | | Bars | | Parking | Travelling is just that little bit more relaxing after a drink at the end of a day. Backpacker hostels have bars where you can swap tales with fellow travellers and not have to worry about breathalyser tests on the way back to your accommodation. For an authentic South African drink, ask for a “Springbok” | | All backpacker hostels have a solution for travellers who need to park their car. Most backpacker hostels out of the cities offer off-street parking at no extra cost. In the cities space is more of a problem. You may need to park on the street or hire a parking bay from the backpacker hostel. | | | | | Travel and information centres | | Credit card payments | Most city backpacker hostels have a travel and info centre that will help you with tour bookings, car hire, bus tickets and other activities. Reception at backpacker hostels out of the cities can be less formal. Staff will still assist with bookings and advice. | | Backpacker hostels in the cities will be more likely to accept credit card payments. Visa and Mastercard are more widely accepted, American Express less so. If you plan on staying in a rural backpacker hostel, it may be better to ask before you arrive if they accept credit card payments and if not, if there is a cash machine nearby. | | | | | Safe-keeping | | Shuttle services | Most backpacker hostels offer safe-keeping of smaller valuables and documents in either individual safes or the hostel safe. | | Where taxi-cabs are not available, backpacker hostels usually offer shuttle services to and from the hostel and bus stops, the shops and other locations. Some shuttle services are free, some not. Ask if you are unsure. | | | | | | | | |
Star gradingThis is a contentious issue amongst backpacker hostel owners. On the one hand, some owners are graded because they feel that they offer a level of service and facilities. They want to attract guests looking for this standard. Other owners feel that the appeal of their backpacker hostels is in the atmosphere that they create rather than the standard of their facilities. They feel that atmosphere cannot be graded. The truth is that some graded hostels have wonderful vibes and some ungraded hostels have great facilities. If you do want to make sense of what the star grading of backpacker hostels means, here it is: A Backpacker and/or Hostelling establishment is an accommodation facility that provides communal facilities, including dormitories yet may offer a range of alternative sleeping arrangements. Only establishments that cater for transient guests (travelling public) will qualify for grading... What does each star mean? - 1 star - Fair to good (acceptable/modest) quality in the overall standard of furnishings, service and guest care. Clean, comfortable and functional accommodation.
- 2 star - Good quality in the overall standard of furnishings, service and guest care.
- 3 star - Very good quality in the overall standard of furnishings, service and guest care.
- 4 star - Superior (excellent) comfort and quality with a high standard of furnishings, service and guest care.
- 5 star - Exceptional quality and luxurious accommodation (matching best international standards). Highest standard of furnishings, flawless service and meticulous guest care.
Backpacker hostels are assessed every 12 months. Complaints about a graded hostel can be forwarded to the Tourism Grading Council. Ethical and responsible tourismBackpacker travellers are understood to be open-minded people with a deeper perception than your average package tourist. But, the truth is that even for backpackers, it’s easy to forget our conscience when we travel. After all, nobody wants to ask guilt-laden questions about the negative consequences of our travelling when we just want to have fun. But, our travels do have consequences on the environment and the people of the places that we visit. Backpacker travellers will have to be the trendsetters of responsible tourism. We are closer to this goal than any other type of tourist. We don’t expect you to give up travelling. Infact, South Africans who rely on tourism would be distraught if you didn’t visit. Rather visit http://www.responsibletravel.com and become aware. Then visit South Africa as an ethical tourist. Look for backpacker hostels and other tourism products that are Fair Trade in Tourism accredited. Fair Trade in Tourism is about ensuring that the people whose land, natural resources, labour, knowledge and culture are used for tourism activities, actually benefit from tourism. Go to www.fairtourismsa.org.za for more info. Staff People who work in South African backpacker hostels are friendly and helpful. At first, you may be suspicious of their friendliness, but you’ll soon realize that it’s genuine.
You may get a bit confused and frustrated that staff who want to be helpful struggle to be. Or they may not be as quick as you’d like them to be. Just remember that a staff member in a South African hostel may not know how things are done in your country. And this is not ignorance. Rather, it’s a naivety of people who are only now coming into contact with foreigners. So trade attitudes; adopt some African cool while Africans work on perfecting customer service. Dissatisfied customers All the write-ups in Alternative Route sounds flowery because it’s paid-for advertising. But, all the establishments in this book meet with our approval. They maintain a standard we deem to be acceptable. Please remember that this is based on our criteria and perceptions of a place. If a backpacker hostel does not meet with your standards, you are not obliged to stay.
The majority of lodge owners and staff care passionately about their place. Please be a little understanding. Lodges are 24/7 living organisms, and do have bad days. Hostel Discount Programs
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