When I look back on my three weeks backpacking this summer, I can say I was genuinely pleased in my premier experience with European hostels. Our group of six did just enough research to string together a number of not only lavish (in the backpacker sense) accommodations, but also typically empty. We stayed in our own room above a London pub, crammed into an undersized Dutch hotel, and even received a last-minute upgrade in Venice when our reservation strangely disappeared (lucky for us, we had proof it, along with our €270, existed.) When I look back, I have but only one complaint when it comes to the hostels of Europe:


They are completely and utterly overpriced.


Adjusting for conversion at the time, I nearly doubled my allotted budget for hostel stays. $51 a night in Zurich. $89 a night in Rome. $136 a night in Venice. Call it "backpacker's remorse," somewhat chugging along the beaten path of Western Europe, but that's unbelievable. So, the next time I return to Europe, I will not be spending a dime on hostels. I will be doing exactly what I did in the town of Regensburg, Germany, where I stayed, ate, and drank all for the price of conversation.

At the Weierer house in Regensburg, our group of six inhabited the basement for what is known as the “best six days of our trip.” Troudy and Sigmund welcomed us into their home with authentic Bavarian sausage dinners, dark beers, and baskets of pretzels. It was if they took joy in feeding us. There was a feeling of complete hospitality, although at times it almost looked Hansel-and-Gretel-esque.

As it turns out, us and the Weierer’s all share sister cities, which is why the summer before, their son had come to live with one of our friends. As we carted him around the sometimes dismally boring suburb of Tempe, he laughed at our apologies and insisted that we make our way to Regensburg immediately. It took 11 months before he was the one driving us around, and his family was returning the hospitality tenfold. Needless to say, we all had a better time with Tempe’s German sister city...I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the Chinese one is just as fun.

I strongly encourage looking into homestays over hostels the next time you’re thinking about traveling. Even if, like us, you’re only able to find one home, the time you spend living with a family is unrivaled in terms of cultural experience. We tried to pay the Weierer’s. We threw Euros on the dinner table, but they wouldn’t take our money. Their home was our home, they said, and they looked forward to when we could repay the favor to them.

It’s places like the Weierer house that I’ll never forget, memories I’ll try to recreate in future travels but likely won’t ever truly emulate. For me, the quiet town of Regensburg highlighted the best in European culture: proud people, great food, and most importantly, the air of hospitality.