No, they're not scary like that movie. Actually, staying in hostels can
be a great part of your trip; most hostels have active, social lounges
where you can meet other travelers (many whom are international,)
along with possibly meeting new people who are your roommates. Lounges
often sell snacks, meals, drinks, and offer free internet and TV.
This is how hostels work: When you book a room, you have to book per person (one bed per person in your group.)
The rates they show on their websites are per person, per night;
fortunately, nightly rates go for anywhere between $15 a night to $50 a
night (with an average of about $25 a night.) Most hostels offer
a mix of rooms to accommodate anywhere from 2 to 20 people; beds are
usually single size, often bunked, so you could be in a room with 2
bunk-beds up to 10 (possibly more.) The larger rooms are usually
called "dorms." Depending on the hostel, you can usually stay in an
all male, all female, or mixed dorm, depending on your preference. Some
hostels offer private rooms as well, but cost more of course. It's
a good idea to read ratings and comments online about the hostel you're
looking at to find out if they have a history of theft or other
incidents before you make a choice; safety first! Most hostels offer lockers. Bring a lock in case they don't provide one! Most hostels in NYC are also within a few blocks walking distance of a subway as well, which is pretty convenient.
My first experience with a hostel was actually in New York when I went
up for a quick weekend with my friend Georgia. We stayed at one of the Jazz Hostels (Jazz on the Park)
and had a pretty good experience. The lounge was pretty cool; great
atmosphere, internet access, pizza and burgers available to purchase. We
stayed in a 4-person room, but since they weren't fully booked we
ended up with the room to ourselves. Thank goodness we did though- the
rooms were freezing (it was November) and we borrowed the blankets off the other bunk to keep warm. (That's
one thing I've heard repeatedly- hostels sometimes can't get the rooms
either warm enough or cool enough, so be prepared in the summer to
even need sweatpants, or prop the window open.) Little sacrifice
though for such a great price; we paid about $28 a night per person, and
combined with a Megabus trip up and back, we traveled and stayed for
two nights for under $100 each.
Here are some hostel links for you to check out. Remember to read up on
them and to pick one that's in a good part of town, as well as possibly
close to the part of town you'll be spending most of your time in.
-Jazz Hostels (4 locations in NY)
-Chelsea Star Hotel
-Broadway Hotel & Hostel
-Hostelling International NY
-Urban Oasis
-Pink Hostel (Females only)
-New York Loft Hostel (Brooklyn)
-Chocolat Hostel
-Hostel World