Hostel Reviews > Why are BUG's hostel reviews better?
Why are BUG's hostel reviews better?
BUG is the original hostel review website
BUG has been around since 1997 and was the first website to offer interactive hostel reviews where travellers can submit their own reviews of hostels that they have stayed at.
BUG is independent
BUG isn't affiliated with any hostel organisation, hostels can't advertise on BUG and BUG doesn't allow hostels to submit their own hostel description.
BUG constantly checks the hostel information
BUG has people constantly checking hostel information; both on the road and in our office. All hostel information on BUG's new hostel review system has been completely updated to show the current prices.
Other websites are filled with errors; for instance one major site consistently makes errors like listing the same hostel several times (with a slightly different spelling of the hostel's name or listings under former and current names for the hostel), listing hostels under incorrect destinations, listing towns and cities under the wrong state/province and listing inner-city neighbourhoods as completely separate destinations to the cities that they belong.
BUG has more information on each hostel
In addition to basic things like addresses, phone numbers, website details and prices; BUG has more detailed information on each hostel. Whereever possible BUG will have information like: which credit cards are accepted and what hours the reception is open (essential information if you're arriving on a late flight). BUG also has symbols detailing what facilities are offered by the hostel.
In comparision other hostel sites often don't even provide phone numbers and email addresses (they lose commission by allowing travellers to book directly with the hostel rather than through their website). BUG lists current prices showing seasonal variations and prices with and without a discount card; other sites aren't so open about this and often list prices in a currency that's not accepted at the hostel and several sites don't even show you the prices until you have clicked through to make an online booking.
BUG's own hostel reviewers write reviews you can trust
BUG's own team of hostel reviewers have visted, reviewed and rated over 1500 hostels in over 15 countries. These reviews are updated on a regular basis.
BUG's hostel reviewers all work to the same high standards. They are well travelled (you cannot become a BUG hostel reviewer unless you have stayed in over 100 hostels on at least three continents) and the same BUG hostel reviewer will usually visit and review every single hostel in the same destination.
Hostel reviews written by BUG's hostel reviewers feature BUG's own star rating system. The star rating is calculated by using comprehensive checklist and all BUG's reviewers work by the same standards when assessing a hostel. With over 1500 hostels rated in over 15 countries, BUG is the world's largest assessor of hostel star ratings. The ratings are calculated solely as a hostel rating (rather than an adaptation of a hotel rating) and they are consistent throughout the world so you can be sure that a three star hostel in Barcelona offers a similar standard of accommodation to a three star hostel in Sydney (no other star rating system is as consistent). We have high standards - we have rated over 1500 hostels and still haven't awarded an overall rating of five stars to any hostel.
One other website has its own reviewers, but there is no consistency in their standards and the position of reviewer seems to be open to just about anyone. We pay more for our reviews and we certainly expect a lot more from our own reviewers, furthermore we won't accept just anybody who wants to write reviews. In addition to our requirement of staying in over 100 hostels, our reviewers are expected to have some journalism or travel writing experience and not have any connection to any hostel (the independence of BUG's reviews is vitally important).
BUG has the most honest travellers' reviews
In addition to more trustworthy reviews written by BUG's own hostel reviewers, the reviews submitted by travellers are also more accurate and independent than other hostel review sites.
BUG has a strict process of cross-checking and verifying each review to ensure that it is submitted by a genuine traveller. BUG prohibits people from writing more than one review for the same hostel and BUG limits reviews to one per IP address for hostels that have tried to submit bogus reviews in the past. New software installed in late 2005 has dramatically reduced any incidence of duplicate or bogus reviews posted on any BUG website, however we still spend a lot of time carefully verifying each review before it is approved and posted on our website. Although this means that reviews may take several days to appear on the Internet, it also means that reviews posted on BUG are more accurate and trustworthy than reviews posted on other websites. Other hostel websites ask you to "take their reviews with a grain of salt".
Reviews on BUG are open to all travellers and reflect the opinion of genuine independent travellers and not just those who prefer to book online.
BUG strongly believes in freedom of speech and strives to protect the rights of privacy and freedom of speech of travellers submitting reviews. However we do have a set of guidelines for editing or deleting a review to prevent any violation of the rights to privacy of hostel staff and other travellers; racist, nationalistic or xenophobic comments and spam from appearing in the reviews. These guidelines are very narrowly defined and most reviews appear exactly as submitted. Unlike other hostel review websites we will never delete or edit a review because it contains negative comments!
Many hostel owners abuse and threaten us in order for us to delete reviews from our site. However we stand firm and stand up for travellers' right to post their comments as we strongly believe that these reviews play an important role in ensuring that backpackers have a great trip - after all, for most travellers this trip will be their single biggest expense so far in their life. Other hostel review websites are easily intimidated and one major hostel website actually allows hostel managers to log in and delete negative reviews of their hostel. This outrageous bias would never be allowed at BUG - the independence of BUG's reviews will not be compromised!
BUG only lists and reviews hostels
BUG only lists and reviews hostels - no hotels, B&Bs, hostals, pensiones, apartments or resorts - just hostels!
Just as many travel guidebooks have lost their focus on budget travellers by listing a variety of accommodation types, other so-called hostel websites have lost their focus by listing a variety of accommodation including pensiones, budget hotels and hostals, but surprisingly few genuine hostels (this could explain why these other sites claim to offer so many listings).
BUG has details about every hostel in each destination covered by our guide and will never lose our focus on backpackers by reviewing other types of accommodation.
BUG lists every hostel in each destination
Every hostel in each destination is listed on BUG's website.
We are currently moving all the hostels over from our old to our new hostel review system. During this transistion period there will be some hostels missing, however once this is complete we will list every hostel everywhere. This should be complete later this year.
Other websites list only those hostels that are members of hostelling organisations or only hostels that offer online bookings. At BUG we list every hostel -- both independent hostels and hostels that are part of a hostelling organisation such as BBH, Hostelling International or VIP.
Despite intimidation and threats from hostels with bad reviews, BUG will never remove a hostel unless it has closed down or no longer operates as a hostel. If we are informed that a hostel has closed we will send a representative from BUG to confirm this before removing it from our site.
BUG is more than an accommodation guide
Virtually every other hostel review site is just a list of hostels (and hotels, motels, etc.) and many are no more than a co-branded version of an accommodation booking service. However BUG offers much more.
In addition to BUG's extensive hostel reviews, the BUG websites feature a ride-sharing service where hundreds of drivers offer lifts to other travellers; forums with over 10,000 posts and thousands of pages of information on transport and destination guides.
