My hostel bunk bed collapsed in Lisbon and I had to get creative

This was just two weeks ago, I was in a cheap hostel near the Alfama district. I climbed up to the top bunk around midnight, and the whole wooden frame just gave way with a huge crack. I sort of slid down onto the lower bunk, which was luckily empty. The side rail was broken clean off. The night guy just shrugged and said they had no other beds. So my budget hack was using my climbing rope from my pack to basically lash the rail back on, tying it to the solid posts. Slept the next three nights like that, feeling like I was on a ship in rough seas. It held, but I woke up every time someone rolled over. Anyone else had to MacGyver a fix for busted hostel furniture to avoid paying for a hotel?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordanr893h ago

Okay the fact the night guy just shrugged is wild to me. I mean, that's a huge safety thing, what if you got hurt? My cheap hostel fix was way less cool, just a wobbly bed frame I propped up with a stack of old guidebooks. Slept with one eye open for sure.

emery60325m agoMost Upvoted

Right? @jordanr89, that shrug is a total red flag. I always pack a mini wrench now, you can tighten most bed bolts yourself in two minutes.