Hostels vs Hotels
 

Unfortuneatly I have booked my travel plans during HIGH season in October. As a cost saving method I'm looking into staying at a hostel. I'll be staying in Milan, Rome, FLorence and Venice. If anyone has any information about hostesl please let me know. Are these places safe? Clean? ect.

You don't mention how old you are. My niece visited us in Europe while she traveled through Hostels from Paris to Spain to Italy and Germany. Her experience in Hostels is keep everything locked up with you. She had a great time, but whenever she crashed at our house she always looked relieved to not have to leave for the day. If you have a friend hotels are a better deal. I have not Hosteled in many years, but it used to be a lot of work in cities. you might want to check out some of the Hospitality Exchange websites. My nephew did this recently in Europe (primarily Holland and scandanavia) and it worked great. I have done this. Of course, we both have hospitality swaps with homes off the beaten track, so we don't get a lot of people calling in. This is a very cheap way to travel. Try http://goldray.com/hospitality/ , http://www.travelhoo.com, http://www.blue-home.com/uk/, I have used them for specific situations, like when I needed a local point of view. The only problem is that for real travel you have to join a few , to find accomodation in a lot of specific places.
Also - who told you October was high season.
Get on the internet and check out sites like www.sleepingitaly.com or sites in Italian. I think you will find October is not so tough.

I noticed the same thing sarona did - October is not high season anywhere in Europe (except for maybe during a local festival somewhere)

You should not have any problems getting bargain airfares and discounted rooms - and not have to stay in hostels.

There are some sites dedicated to backpacker/hostel travel which should have hostel reviews and a lot more direct advise. Some I know are www.eurotrip.com and www.hostels.com.

October is high hotel season in Paris, and I suspect in certain places in Germany due to Octoberfest. It is also consider high hotel season in Italy from what I've seen, especially at the beginning of the month (I think there may be fashion shows in Milan at that time, also). These are big cities with a lot of business and that is why. There are a lot of business conventions and trade shows in major European cities in Sept-Oct. I don't know if that would affect the real low end budget hotels as much as mid to upper range, though. In Paris, it does affect hotels at almost all levels, in my experience.

You may want to get a Rick Steve's guide for Italy, he lists accommodations for budget minded travelers. Hostels are normally safe and clean. It'll be like staying in a dorm, with the bathroom down the hall. Normally, a locker is provided to lock you backpack in, don't leave anything of value unlocked or laying around. There usually is a curfew too. Since you're traveling in October, the hostels shouldn't be too full as most students will be back in school.

If you are more than 2 people, you can find a small hotel for close to same price as a hostel - i'd reserve hostel travel for when you're on your own and want to meet fellow travelers - having been in vencie w/o a room during carnival, here's where i stayed (make sure their suggested be back by 1AM time is no longer there ;)):
Albergo Boccassini
Address: Calle del Fumo, #5295 (Carnaegio area)
Tel: 011-39-041-522-9892
Fax:011-39-041-523-6877
Inexpensive, no frills, one star rating small hotel (12 rooms) that is overwhelming charming, especially if you stay in either room #6 or #8, which overlook the garden where breakfast is served.
About a 20 minute walk to Piazza San Marco
45-60Euro for single w/shared bath

I have stayed at hostels throughout Europe and have had the best and safest experiences possible. Its also a great way to meet other travelers, and meet new travel companions. Most International Hosteling Assoc. hostels now accept travelers of all ages (but not in Bavaria). But they have more restrictions on lock out hours, etc. The independent hostels have very few restrictions and are still safe because they check everyone at the door (as do the IHA hostels). At around a fifth the price and the great atmosphere, hostels are far better than hotels.