A few months ago, my friends and I went to Uruguay - and we had a blast! I have stayed in my fair share of hostels over the years, but the excitement of traveling always gets to me and I always forget these crucial steps when picking out and staying in a hostel or an airbnb.

Disclaimer: I vehemently prefer airbnbs

Montevideo took my breath away. Even before we landed, I knew I would fall in love with Uruguay. A small country located at the bottom of Argentina, Uruguay is cornered by the breathtaking Cordillera mountain range on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the right. Flying over the Cordillera was simultaneously exhilarating and petrifying. Luckily, I got a window seat and got a great view of the curvy mountains frosted with a touch of snow. We HAD to keep our seat belts buckled when flying over the mountains because of turbulence.