Hostels have a reputation for being party places filled with 20 year old students, grungy shared bathrooms and crowded dorms. But things have changed. Some hostels now rival nice hotels for amenities and cleanliness, and many have private rooms and bathrooms for couples and families.

We mostly stay in rental apartments when we travel, as we can get great long term rates and a place to cook (almost a necessity when you travel with two kids under eight!). We’ve found that hostels are a great alternative to hotels when …