Age Limit in Dorms?

[Fountainrunner]

Hi,

I was just reading a traveler's review of Bellaroma Hostel in Rome and they mentioned the place has an age limit of 40 - not applicable if you're booking a private room. I'd never heard of a hostel doing that before but it sorta makes sense. I've heard a few horror stories from other young travelers about having to share a dorm room with older guests for a variety of reasons. What is your take on this? Anyone else have this rule? Would it even be legal here in the US? I'm wondering if this is something I should consider putting in my rule book for when I open my hostel.

[Tim]

I have mixed feelings about this rule. I just turned 40 and have no plans to stop travelling and staying in hostels, but at the same time there are some older travellers that are a bit creepy.

It sort of makes sense though, although it would be better if you kept one small dorm for older travellers and only checked younger travellers into that room when the hostel was really full or had some rule such as not checking older travellers into a mixed room or a room with travellers aged 25 or younger.

I'm not sure if it would be legal in the US, but I guess that age discrimination is not such an issue in a country where under-21s aren't allowed to buy beer.

[aboriginalhostel]

Originally Posted by Tim

I have mixed feelings about this rule. I just turned 40 and have no plans to stop travelling and staying in hostels, but at the same time there are some older travellers that are a bit creepy.

Happy birthday, Tim!

Indeed, some older travelers are creepy, and comparing to those few older who travels this ratio is higher but I wouldn't generalize that for banning all elder generation because of those few. It's always good to chat with some older backpackers because they've got much more experience about backpacking and have lots of stories to tell.

I just turned 30 and I already don't understand the mentality of recent 18ys old ones... So IMHO generation problems will always exist. Most of the elder don't understand computers. I doubt we will understand the technology or the people 30 years later...

There are certain people I wouldn't let in to the hostel regardless their age. If you can't filter them out at the front desk, you can always tell them to leave if they mess up, either politely (sorry, we are booked out) or honestly...
You can make some house rules and refer to that.

Originally Posted by Tim

It sort of makes sense though, although it would be better if you kept one small dorm for older travellers and only checked younger travellers into that room when the hostel was really full or had some rule such as not checking older travellers into a mixed room or a room with travellers aged 25 or younger.

That's a good idea...

Originally Posted by Tim

I'm not sure if it would be legal in the US, but I guess that age discrimination is not such an issue in a country where under-21s aren't allowed to buy beer.

There's a huge difference: underage drinking is illegal, it's in the law, age limit in hostels isn't.

You can refer to your Terms and Conditions though, similar to out of state IDs...

[Scotch Argus]

I have no idea what the law would be in america, although some countries are certainly bringing in age discrimination laws. I'd certainly imagine that you'd potentially have problems asking for ID, and then refusing someone because he or she was 41, or 71 or whatever. Personally I think turning people away based upon a generalisation about older people being creepy would be bad business sense. Although this would depend on your target market. If the rest of your clientele are on an 18-30 booze and bonking bus tour, then a perfectly normal (ie non creepy) 60 year old couple may feel very out of place.

Being in a rural area with lots of mountains for hillwalking about we get lots of older customers - making any such rule would be silly for us. But then we get not nearly as many backpakers as a city hostel. I guess it depends on your target market - the important thing at all times is to keep the customers happy. In some places it could be the younger guests who are the problem if there a few people up drinking and making heaps of noise late at night and keeping everyone else awake. I've certainly experienced that problem at hostels I've been to.

[Dorstener]

Yep, I agree, it is sort of weird to have a rule like that because it's like generalizing, but generalizing (paradox) older backpackers tend to be quite creepy.

I remember this dude from Poland, sleeping in a mix dorm, totally naked. At that time i was doing the night shift and i remembered this chick shocked about the old men being nude. We had to wake him up and tell him that He was making other people in the room rather uncomfortable.

Sometimes you would think it is common sense not to sleep fully naked in a mix dorm, but some people don't get it hehehehe

[Kapake]

Originally Posted by Latitude Hostel

Yep, I agree, it is sort of weird to have a rule like that because it's like generalizing, but generalizing (paradox) older backpackers tend to be quite creepy.

I remember this dude from Poland, sleeping in a mix dorm, totally naked. At that time i was doing the night shift and i remembered this chick shocked about the old men being nude. We had to wake him up and tell him that He was making other people in the room rather uncomfortable.

Sometimes you would think it is common sense not to sleep fully naked in a mix dorm, but some people don't get it hehehehe

Jjjajaajajajajajajajajaja
That´s what we call DESUBICADO. Even in a male dorm that´s kind of unacceptable...

[ifij775]

Originally Posted by Latitude Hostel

I remember this dude from Poland, sleeping in a mix dorm, totally naked.

Wow! I am speechless!

A separate dorm for older guests sounds like a great idea to me. I have met plenty of friendly older guests, but invariably they snore like a chain saw.

Chris

[uktrail]

Originally Posted by Latitude Hostel

I remember this dude from Poland, sleeping in a mix dorm, totally naked. At that time i was doing the night shift and i remembered this chick shocked about the old men being nude. We had to wake him up and tell him that He was making other people in the room rather uncomfortable.

Sometimes you would think it is common sense not to sleep fully naked in a mix dorm, but some people don't get it hehehehe

I can't understand how being naked can cause offence to OTHER people.

It used to be considered shocking to talk about sex. The modern generation has lost its inhibitions in this respect. Why has it stregthened its inhibitions about nakedness?

[Hostels]

Originally Posted by Fountainrunner

I've heard a few horror stories from other young travelers about having to share a dorm room with older guests for a variety of reasons. What is your take on this? Anyone else have this rule? Would it even be legal here in the US?

Originally Posted by Tim

It sort of makes sense though, although it would be better if you kept one small dorm for older travellers and only checked younger travellers into that room when the hostel was really full or had some rule such as not checking older travellers into a mixed room or a room with travellers aged 25 or younger.

At one hostel in the US we had a couple of rooms unofficially designated like that. One was an all-male dorm, and one was all-female. They were for older travelers, people who wanted all-male dorms (e.g., religious reasons), unusual characters, etc. It worked out well, and there wasn't any need to worry about legality. There wasn't anything written down that rooms were assigned by age (it was just a guideline), and everyone was happier that way anyway.

[Dorstener]

Back in Argentina, pretty much all HI (and i actually think it is one of their rules) have separate dorms...(meaning just girls, just guys). It is not because of the guys obviously (or 5% could be guys asking for male's only dorms) but because of the girls and a hostel policy of trying to avoid any "problems".

Personally, i do agree with this rule, i like guys and girls separate even though when i travel with me girlfriend we have to sleep in different dorms...

Also i remembered that 6 months ago, while traveling through South America, we were at a hostel in Peru (The Point Hostel) and we had a mix dorm... They were all chicks and me. Sometimes i did feel rather uncomfortable listening to all their chats and things and even me getting dressed in front of 7 girls. It might sound stupid but.....you think about it at the moment....