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To most, hostels are a budget-friendly accommodation for a weekend break, where shared bedrooms and showers are the norm. Throw in a kitchen and a pleasant atmosphere and they've hit jack pot. To a very few, however, (those who store their luggage under their bunks for a 'while' and invest in an ironing board,) hostels become their home-away-from-home, and guests their international families.

 

Lodging in hostels long-term is becoming more and more popular, and whilst some do it to save money on what would be high apartment costs, others do it purely from a social point of view: they like to share a house with some 20 odd characters from all over the world. 

Some guests will happily trade in their own single bedroom and the luxoury of drinking their morning coffee in the beautiuful calm of an empty apartment, for snoring bunk-mates, knicked milk and bathroom queues, all in the name of good fun. It might be a strange notion for most, but Boho Hostel has had guests who have shared their rooms with up to six strangers for up to eight months.

How and why do they do it? We pinned down a few of our residing guests to see what it is that make hostels like Boho a good choice for a temporary home. From travelling musicians to students, from all over the world, here's what they had to say:

 

Meet Matthew. He's a travelling Mo Town Singer from London who's known to sporadically break into song and dance in the hostel's living room at any hour of the day. Matthew has a unique sense of humour, can discuss anything in great detail, from politicians to olive oil, and loves taking over Boho's kitchen to cook his famous curries.

 

 

Q:  Why are you in Malta?

I came here for work.

Q:   Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

I couldn't really afford a six month lease on a flat as I didn't know how long I'd be staying or how much I'd be working. Plus, a hostel gives you the opportunity to meet people who are also new to the country. This can't be done so easily living in private accommodation.

Q:  How long have you been living in Boho?

Since Jan 2015. But I've also been here for a month last year.

Q: Describe Boho using three words

Home, quaint, comfortable

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

The flexibility and meeting new people.

Q:   What’s the worst part?

Living with other people's habits and lack of familiarity

Q:  What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?

Leave their phone in a locker with an alarm set for 7am. It woke the whole room up.

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

One night the entire hostel came to see my show and after we had an after party and stayed up dancing till dawn.

 

 

Free-spirited and bohemian, Andrea’s always on the go. When she’s not moving around the world, she’s dropping her backpack off in some country that tickles her fancy long enough to keep her there….for a while at least.

 

 

Q: Why are you in Malta?

I came from Spain to find a job and better conditions, while practising languages (English and Italian) and discovering a new culture!

Q:  Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

Because it was a really interesting opportunity to meet positive travellers who give me so much

Q: How long have you been living in Boho?

5 months now

Q: Describe Boho using three words

Positive, peaceful and homely

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

The people you meet!

Q: What’s the worst part? 

Sometimes "sharing" is hard, but you have to be flexible and everything will come to you!

Q: What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?

Steal food! I think that is the only thing I can complain about, because we are all travellers/backpackers with more or less the spirit...so how can you steal when everybody is in the same situation?

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

The best memories I have are during the international dinners in the hostel’s garden, with everybody sharing a piece of themselves whilst playing music and enjoying life.

 

 

He’s the Russian (almost) Vegetarian who can crack walnuts using the palm of his hand. Known for his tidiness and for his insatiable desire to keep learning new words in English, Sergey is happiest when he’s sitting shirtless in the garden under the sun, and when ‘Native’ English-Speaking guests, who he can have conversations with, check into the hostel.  

 

 

Q: Why are you in Malta?

 After a two week holiday I fell in love with Malta and I’m still here

Q: Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

It’s good fun

Q: How long have you been living in Boho?

For four months

Q: Describe Boho using three words:

Homely, comfortable, relaxing

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

Chatting to other travellers in the evenings

Q: What’s the worst part?

Nothing

Q: What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?

I usually try to compromise with people, so I can’t say that anything has really annoyed me.

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

Christmas Eve. A beautiful dinner followed by a hostel pub crawl

 

 

Nora is a soft-spoken girl with a disarming smile who cooks killer pancakes. She's half Ukranian, lives in Morocco, studies in France, and is doing an Internship in Malta.

 

 

Q:  Why are you in Malta?

I'm doing a marketing Internship

Q:   Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

To discover and be part of other peoples' experiences

Q:  How long have you been living in Boho?

Just over one month

Q: Describe Boho using three words

Young, colourful, warm

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

Laughing, chatting, playing guitar and singing all together in the living room.

Q:   What’s the worst part?

Seeing friends I've made go back to their countries

Q:  What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?

Marvin (another long-term guest) sometimes picks on me jokingly, but it's a laugh.

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

There are so many... Learning Rock'n'roll with my boyfriend when there was a travelling dance teacher staying at Boho,  partying with guests in Paceville, Barbecue week-ends, watching films in the garden, the day when Marvin and Peter were playing Guitar and singing and we were sitting all around the table listening.

 

 

When he's not working super hard in an office during the week, Giuseppe enjoys meeting new people and having a good time…..give him a few glasses of wine and he’ll start speaking in English.

 

 

Q: Why are you in Malta?

I work here. I like the fact that the sun is always shining and Malta is not expensive.

Q: Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

I didn’t choose to live in any hostel. I chose Boho in particular because it’s a Villa and it’s very spacious.

Q: How long have you been living in Boho?

Five months now. It’s my second time.

Q: Describe Boho using three words

Comfortable, easy-going, vivacious

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

Events organised by the hostel, especially the Garden BBQs

Q: What’s the worst part?

Lack of privacy

Q: What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?  There was one guest who was put in my dorm for the weekend, a snorer like I’ve never heard before. I literally got no sleep at all.

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

When I wasn’t working yet, and I used to go out dancing in Paceville with other guests who were staying at the hostel

 

 

He’s the cool Caribbean from Guadalupe who rarely puts his guitar down. When he’s not flying back home to Paris for a few days, Marvin is bringing guests together with his music. 

 

 

Q: Why are you in Malta?

To improve my English

Q: Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

It was the easiest choice: it's less expensive than an apartment and you can meet a lot of people to practice your English with.

Q: How long have you been living in Boho?

In total for three months. I’ve been here already for two.

Q: Describe Boho using three words:

Good sense of community, peaceful, fun

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

Meeting new people

Q: What’s the worst part?

No privacy

Q: What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?

Meddled in other people’s affairs

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

When the hostel organised an excursion to Golden Bay. It was a beautiful day in January and a few of us swam.

 

Theresa is German and the latest guest to join the long-term pack. A sweet girl with a pleasant disposition, Theresa is known for feeling very cold and, coming from a country as organised as Germany, finds the always late and never on route bus system in Malta a little infuriating.

 

 

Q: Why are you in Malta?

I'm doing an internship as a student art-teacher 

Q: Why did you chose to live in a hostel?

It’s easy to get to know nice people in a hostel and I like the friendly atmosphere here.

Q: How long have you been living in Boho?

For one week and two days. I'm going to stay here for another month.

Q: Describe Boho using three words:

Cozy, friendly, clean

Q: What’s the best part about living in a hostel?

Having a nice time with people from all over the world

Q: What’s the worst part?

I'm not used to living in a house without heaters and I'm a person who feels cold easily, so I would say the cold. Otherwise it would be perfect!

Q: What’s the most annoying thing anyone staying at the hostel has ever done?

Nothing yet. Maybe Penny's heels in the morning? ...click clack click clack

Q: What’s your fondest memory at Boho Hostel so far?

I had a really great first night with the hostel people when I arrived. Everybody was very welcoming, we had some wine together and then went to Paceville.

 

 

Comfortable, fun yet relaxing, clean, cosy....most guests agree, that's what they enjoy most about life at Boho. What about you?

Would you compromise on privacy for economical rates and months of fun? Have any of you ever lived long-term in a hostel, and if so, what was your experience? Any memorable characters?