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Hostel loyalty points fooled me for 4 years until a solo trip to Lisbon changed my mind
I used to swear by those hostel chain reward programs (like HI USA) thinking the free nights were a steal. Then I actually tracked my spending over a 6 month period in 2023 and realized I was paying $12-15 more per bed just to collect points I barely used. A random guy at the Lisbon Central Hostel showed me his booking spreadsheet where he stayed at independent hostels for 40% less across Spain and Portugal. Has anyone else run the numbers on these programs or am I just bad at math here?
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jason_kelly85d ago
The 40% number is what got me too. I was paying $18 a night at a HI Hostel in Seville thinking I was being smart, then found a tiny spot in Granada for $10 with a better location (and free sangria). Those loyalty programs really do make you feel like you're gaming the system when you're actually just overpaying.
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