Determine exactly what you want in your hostel stay. Consider all aspects: price, dormitory or private room, shared or private bath, breakfast, restaurant and bar on-site, proximity to sights and nightlife, and tour or guide services. Choose what is most important in your accommodations and structure your search with them in mind.
Start online. Search sites such as hostelworld.com, hostels.com, or hostelbookers.com for the area you are interested in traveling to. Use the booking engines, which narrow down choices by price, area, positive rating and more. Pay attention to the amenities and user reviews of each hostel you find, as well as available discounts.
Visit Lonely Planet's online Thorntree travel forums. Each area of the world has a specific forum, and travelers as well as locals post regularly with helpful advice on traveling there. Post your itinerary as well as what type of accommodations you are seeking (price, amenities, proximity to nightlife/food), and they will offer helpful advice on where to stay.
Call the hostel to confirm what is listed online is exactly what you will get. Sometimes hostels have photos that are nothing like the actual accommodations, so confirming what is available is important.
Book online with a credit card to secure reservations. Sites such as the ones listed in Step 2 confirm reservations instantaneously electronically, and send printable emails confirming them. Print all reservations to keep in a folder when traveling, in case disputes arise.
