Laughter as woman brings “no-budget” friend to 22-bed hostel

A video of a woman bringing her friend, who is seemingly accustomed to more luxurious forms of accommodation on holiday, to a hostel has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip was posted by @lindsey_furr and has had over 730,000 views since it was shared on May 13. The footage may have been captured in Thailand, according to a hashtag shared in the caption of the post.

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A message overlaid on the clip reads: “POV [point of view]: you bring your ‘no budget’ friend to a 22 bedroom hostel.” The footage shows a woman standing near what appears to be a bunk bed in a hostel setting, staring back at the camera wide-eyed. She is wearing a backpack and is later shown placing some shoes on a shoe rack filled with several other shoes. The woman is then seen smiling and shrugging her shoulders before the clip ends.

A caption shared with the post reads: “Tag your friend who would react the same way.”

The latest post comes as travel is set to hit “record highs” in 2024, with global tourism spending projected to reach $2 trillion, according to a December 2023 survey by Euromonitor International, the market research firm.

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In a global survey of over 10,000 travelers across nine countries, conducted by Ipsos and the Hilton hotel group, travelers said they’ll cut down on other areas of personal spending to prioritize leisure travel this year.

Hostels, known for their affordability and communal living spaces, present a different kind of travel adventure, emphasizing frugality and shared experiences.

According to the 2024 State of Hostels Report from Cloudbeds, a cloud-based hospitality management platform, independent hostels achieved an average daily rate (ADR) index of 127 relative to 2019, with rates being 27 percent higher on average. “For some hostels, strong rate growth combined with high occupancy enabled record room revenues,” the report said.

In 2023, hostels achieved a revenue per available room (RevPAR) index of 117 and a revenue per available bed (RevPAB) index of 125 relative to 2019.

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“This indicates the value of shared spaces and increasing popularity among travelers,” the report noted, adding that the pattern of steady RevPAR growth since 2020 and 2021, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, “bodes well for hostels in 2024.”

‘Not Happening’

TikTokers were amused by the woman’s reaction to the hostel stay in the latest viral clip, with several saying they wouldn’t be able to stay in a hostel.

“Not happening. I would’ve left and taken you all with me,” said @mmarisolluna.

RandomTiktokname agreed, writing, “I would leave ya’ll there and grab a hotel. She’s a good sport.”

M wrote: “The way I would genuinely just pay for everyone’s hotel. I could never do a hostel.”

Others were fans of hostel accommodation, such as Irvin who wrote: “Hostels are where it’s at. Don’t knock it til you try it.”

Throw Away said: “The 5-6 ive stayed at are so nice I couldn’t believe it and great way to meet fun people from all over…”

Jacky Dejo noted: “I can do hostels but like more as a once in a while experience not a normal thing.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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