Top Bunk vs Bottom Bunk in a Hostel

Top Bunk vs Bottom Bunk in a Hostel

Picture this. You have just arrived at your hostel. You’re in a shared dorm with bunk beds and you have the choice between a top bunk and a bottom bunk (lucky you). Here is a complete list of the advantages and disadvantages you should consider when deciding on top bunk vs bottom bunk when travelling.

Top Bunk Advantages

Privacy

If your bunk beds don’t have privacy curtains, then the rest of your dorm room will easily be able to see you. Not ideal if you’re hungover or just in one of those moods where you don’t want to talk to anyone.

At least with the top bunk, you can hide slightly out of sight or pretend to be a pile of clothes.

Nobody sitting on your bed when you’re not around

Hostel dorm rooms aren’t often equipped with much more than beds and a locker. This means, nowhere to sit while you’re waiting around for your mate to finish packing, or while you scroll through your phone.

As a result, the bottom bunk often turns into a makeshift seat.

If you’re very protective over your bed or are scared anything in your bed will get moved around, then the top bunk is for you. Because who wants to climb up some steps just for a sit-down?

Not disturbed by top bunk getting up in the night and shaking the frame

If you’ve ever been in the bottom bunk before, you will know exactly what I’m talking about.

Is it an earthquake? No. It’s just your roommate struggling to climb down the ladder at the end of your bed.

The bed will creak and rattle as even the lightest person puts strain on the bed. Better to be the person making the noise than being woken up by it I guess…

Top Bunk Disadvantages

The air conditioning unit could make you cold

Air conditioning units are usually located on the ceiling of a room. Depending on the room, this could make your night very chilly.

If you turn it off, the rest of the room may hate you. If you leave it on, you’re picking icicles off of your feet in the morning after throwing all your worldly belongings on you in an attempt to keep warm.

That’s even if you have a choice. Some hostels make it so you can’t fiddle with the settings.

Also, the unit may be very noisy. Though that’s not a top-bunk-specific problem.

Getting up at night is difficult

If you’re not used to bunkbeds, then getting out of one in the dark can be a precarious maneuver! Particularly if you are drunk or hungover. Try not to fall.

Also, you feel terrible for waking anyone else up in the room.

Climbing out of bed if you forget something

It’s been a long day. You’re shattered and ready for bed. You climb up the ladder and collapse into your pillow. But, you let out a big sigh because you haven’t unpacked your phone charger and your phone is on 1%.

Is there anything worse than having to climb back down the ladder to rummage through your belongings?

Potentially dangerous

If you sleepwalk or even just roll a lot in your sleep, the top bunk could be more dangerous for you. Some bunk beds have rails to stop you from falling out, but many bed frames don’t have these.

Even if you don’t move around much, there are plenty of people who are scared of falling out (the fear works both ways).

Losing your belongings

The bottom bunk will inevitably claim the surrounding floor space of your bed for their bags. This leaves you with the empty space across the other side of the room. Unfortunately, this gives your belongings that extra opportunity to disappear and never be seen again.

Bottom Bunk Advantages

Easier to access after a heavy night out

After a big night out, sometimes all you want to do is fall into your bed (literally). The bottom bunk allows you to do this – just mind your head!

Store things under your bed

Talking of easy access… With the bottom bunk, you can store and hide any of your belongings under your bed and out the way.

Easier to pack

Packing is never fun. But at least with a bottom bunk you can sit down on the edge of your bed and rummage through your bag. You can lay everything out on your bed if you need to. Everything about packing is just easier when you’re nearer the floor.

More likely to be closer to a plug socket

Always remember to check the plug socket situation before committing to a bed!

Towel Hanging Hack

If you thread your towel through the top bunk railings this will provide some privacy as well as allow your towel to dry quickly.

Bottom Bunk Disadvantages

Risk of unwanted guests

Usually, accessibility is an advantage of the bottom bunk. However, if you have an unwanted guest in the night, this may not be the case! I have heard stories of backpackers climbing into the wrong bed by ‘accident’, so beware of any late-night wanderers!

And if someone’s not trying to climb on top of you. Watch out for anyone who might be throwing up in your bed. Bottom-bunkers are far more likely to run the risk of drunkards stumbling in and making a mess.

Hit your head on the bunk above

Ouch!

NOTE: The top bunk may also limit your headroom depending on the height of the ceiling.

The fear

The fear of the person on top falling through and breaking the bed. I hope that’s not just me who worries about these things!

Noisy

If you are below someone who moves a lot, you will hear every move they.

Also, I have known some lockers to be located on the bottom bunk, so this could wake you up if your roommates have an early checkout.

Room Responsibility

Naturally, as you are at ground level already, anything that needs to be done on behalf of the room, such as answering the door or switching the lights off, needs to be done by the bottom bunkers. If you are lazy, this could be a dealbreaker.

Top Bunk vs Bottom Bunk: Other things to consider

Window location

Do you want light peeping through the curtains in the morning? Then pick a bed that will avoid this.

Door location

Much like the window option, you don’t want lights from the hallway illuminating your room every time someone comes in in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, no matter where your bed is in the room, the door slamming will always be loud!

Bathroom location

Hopefully, it doesn’t smell, but if it is any extra distance is always welcome!

Locker location

You’ll want your locker nearby but want to avoid your roommates’ lockers. Obviously, this depends on the layout of the hostel room.

Plug Sockets

Occasionally hostels won’t have individual plug sockets right next to your bed to charge your tech. Instead, they will have a communal one on the other side of the room. This benefits the people with bottom bunks.

Sometimes the plug sockets are scattered around the skirting board. Meaning if you’re on the top bunk you have to feed your charger up (if it reaches) and hope the person on the bottom bunk doesn’t knock it down or unplug it in the night. I am speaking from personal experience here.

It’s always good to choose a bed near a plug socket.

Other Guests

Other guests staying in your dorm room already may impact your decision. You may want to avoid them completely. Or you could select a bed on their bunk in the hope that nobody worse joins your room.

Top Bunk vs Bottom: Conclusion

All things considered, choosing between top bunk vs bottom bunk in a hostel depends on your personal preference and your gut instinct when entering the room. As a general rule, I tend to opt for the bottom bunk. You don’t know if all the other beds will be filled so there is a chance you will get the ease of the bottom bunk without any of the noise and chaos from above.

Before you go

Thank you for reading my guide for choosing top bunk vs bottom bunk in a hostel. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my blog page to find out more.

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Happy travelling!