I just had a horribly loud snorer in my hostel my last night, and I did everything I could to wake him up for turn over because the whole 13 other people in the room could not sleep, is that really fair?
Reply to this Hi Lorriann -
As a common courtesy to others, if you know you are a really loud snorer, I think you should do your utmost best to not sleep in areas where you disturb others. It may be more expensive, it may be "unfair" but ... in many ways it's not much different than carrying on loud or drunk all night - the end result in the same which is that no one else gets to sleep.
I've actually seen several signs in American hostels that say, explicitly, "if you are a loud snorer than this is not the place for you." This one guy in Monterrey snored so loudly that almost all the other occupants went to sleep on the common room couches and floor to get away! I think management asked him to leave after that.
Sorry to hear about your rough night!
Reply to this I hate sharing a dorm with a loud snorer, really feel your pain! A few weeks ago in Vietnam I shared a dorm with 2 Vietnamese men who just laughed when I told them their snoring was too loud and keeping everyone else awake. Luckily I had earplugs but even then I could hear them snoring!
When I was chatting with a friend about what would be the perfect hostel we suggested that having separate snoring and non-snoring dorms would be great and anyone who was noisy in the non-snorer dorm would be fined!!
I also hate people who let their alarms go off for ages and don't turn them off. I had that this morning and the guy who's alarm it was didn't even wake up until the 3rd time it went off in 20 mins!
Reply to this The snoring and non-snoring room are a wonderful idea.
Reply to this Some people are so loud that you can hear them over earplugs, even ipods.
Reply to this I second that, I've had snorers so loud I can hear them through earplugs. If you're that loud then it's really antisocial to be in a dorm.
Reply to this Sorry to hear about your sleepless night!
Snorers are a real problem sometimes. Working at a hostel, I have travelers coming to the front desk telling me that they can't sleep because of this. But what can I possibly do? If other beds are available, ok, but what when the hostel is full?!
I think that earplugs should definitely be available for guests in all hostels, it helps at least a bit.
And I like the idea of snoring room / non snoring rooms!! Should we add this in the request section of our booking form? haha!
Reply to this Unfortunatly most snorers I know, especially my boyfriend, do not know or beleive they are snorers. They do not realize the severity of their snoring and how it effects others in a hostel situation (pun intended). Afterall, they're sleeping just fine. I am not sure what the solution here is, but it seems to me it must be the opposite of what we are all suggesting... I don't think it is fair, but if you are a 'light' sleeper, perhaps it is you who should get a private room, it is the only way to assure yourself a good nite's sleep without snoring.
Reply to this I am sorry to say that I agree with Kari here. It is your choice to sleep in a dorm with others. I presume you know when you make that choice that you might end up with a snorer, after all the chances are pretty small that in for instance an 8 bed dorm nobody snores. So if you make that choice you will have to live with the fact that maybe somebody will disturb your nights rest. If you don't want to take that chance you have the choice to get a private room for yourself. The fact is that we choose a dorm because it is cheap, so basically you have the choice, cheap but maybe noisy, or more expensive and guaranteed a good nights sleep. You choose economy, live with it.
As far as I know I don't snore, at least I have never had a complain and there are plenty of people around me who would have told me if I did. I have been in plenty of dorms with loud snorers, but I get on with it, because that is how it is when you travel on a budget. Just like I accept the fact that in a hostel I might be disturbed by a bunch of drunken fools staggering into my dorm at night and switching on the light and being loud. I know it happens, and so should everybody else. These are hostels, with loads of people from all walks of life. Some come to party, some because they need a cheap bed etc. etc.. Again its not that you are forced to stay there.
Snoring and non snoring dorms sound like a nice option, though I doubt it will work. As Kari said many snorers don't believe they are snorers. So what than? And there are different degrees of snoring, what if a really light snorer has to sleep in a snoring dorm and doesn't sleep a wink. Nice idea, but almost impossible to implement.
Forcing snorers to pay for their own private room is also no option, its not only unfair it is discriminatory and won't hold up in court.
Reply to this I'm all for being considerate of others when staying with people (particularly if you don't know the people) but you can't force snorers out!
Earplugs in, pillow over the head - off to sleep.
In a dorm you've got to expect there will be things that stop you getting the greatest nights sleep.
I personaly don't think it's inconsiderate to stay in a dorm if you snore. You can't help it and in all likelyhood don't even realise that your a loud snorer.
Reply to this I disagree - it is totally inconsiderate to stay in a dorm if you snore. Of course it depends on the severity, but I have had the experience of someone snoring so loud that not a single other person in the dorm of 8 could sleep. It was incredibly loud, and the guy was sheepishly aware of his problem. It is very rude to deny 8 people a nights sleep so you could save a couple of dollars staying in a dorm. I decided if I wasnt going to be allowed to sleep neither would he, so I woke him up every time he woke me up, about every 10 minutes. Eventually he moved to a private room. While people cant help snoring they can help inflicting it on others.
Reply to this lol your staying in a hostel, if your concerned about noise etc then move to a hotel. think of the noise as part of the travelling experience and embrace it. c'mon the snorers. also the drunk people are more than welcome in my dorm. the people that get up at 5am for tours should be the ones staying in there own rooms. dont pester the snorers and drunk people with your premature alarms
Reply to this Sounds like a form of discrimination against the snorers. And how about people with body odours ? should they be told to go to the "unwashed" room ?
Eventhough we paid NZ$150 for a motel room in New Zealand only a month ago, there's nothing we can really do about a loud snorer in the next room but ignore it and put a pillow over our head. It's just part of life.
Perhaps tolerance is the only solution.
Reply to this Lorriann's original question was whether people who
know they are loud snorers should
choose to stay in hostels/dorms, supposedly aware they will probably ruin everyone's sleep. So I don't think it's an issue of regulation, I think it's more a matter of etiquette. Which, then, falls under the same category of body-odor, drunkenness, and other uncouth behavior. Perhaps there is a need for polite vs. impolite rooms 😉
Individuals are barred from boarding airplanes for all the above offenses, and snorers and folks with obnoxious alarm clocks are generally woken up in flight when they begin to disrupt the majority of passengers. I don't see why any other common-use space that has been paid by multiple individuals for should be any different - being courteous towards your fellow travelers should be a rather high priority, I'd figure.
Reply to this I do not agree that it's a matter of etiquette or being polite. For some, snoring is a chronic medical condition and they can't help it. Should they be deprived of their
rights to a budget travel, especially if hostels are the only accommodation they can afford ?
For others, like my husband, who only snores occasionally and do not
know that he snores, should he not have the option to stay in dorms if he wishes to ? It really is a matter of rights, choice and means.
Once you step out of your comfort zone to travel, expect a lot of quirks in your new environment. It depends on you how you will cope, adjust and deal with it. You can't expect everyone around you to adjust to your own comfort level.
And as for other travelers who also have the rights to have a good night sleep, perhaps some simple measures can be done. Someone can just simply give the snorer a good nudge and ask him politely to turn on his side. If that doesn't work, earplugs and pillows are another options as previously stated. Else, simply put up with it and hope you can catch some sleep the next day.
cheers !
Reply to this P.S
And if the question is to be reversed, would you still
choose to stay in hostels knowing that other travelers who will be sleeping in the same room with you will be snoring, farting, fighting, fornicatng, loud, drunk, partying and unwashed ? Just a thought ... 😉
If you have a very low tolerance, perhaps hotels, motels, resorts, cabins and villas are better options.
Reply to this if you lie on your side doesnt that make it go away? or is that just an old wives tale?
i always thaught it did, at least in the case of moderate snoring
Reply to this Interesting I must have missed the part about the right to budget travel in the constitution. As has been mentioned there is something called etiquette, and it is especially important when sharing a common space with other people. These common spaces can work great when people observe this, things like taking a shower before your plane ride and at least trying to be quiet when stumbling back in the dorm after a night out. Taking care to get dressed quietly when you are getting up for a sunrise tour and everyone else is still sleeping. Most travelers I have met are very respectful and breaking this code is pretty rare. But then there are those few who have no regard for the people around them, including the local culture. They give all travelers a bad name.
I am not a light sleeper and don't have delicate sensibilities. But I don't like dicks. Someone who comes crashing into a dorm drunk in the middle of the night or stays in one despite the fact that they know full well no one else will be able to sleep because of their snoring or spits their toothpaste all over the faucet of a common bathroom is a dick, and should be sent packing.
Reply to this 
