Definition of a Hostel

[uktrail]

I can sympathise with you, although just turning up anywhere and assuming there'll be a bed can be dangerous.

Yes, you're better off booking ahead, but my main argument still applies. If we take away the 'goes away seething with anger' bit, and consider searching on the internet for accommodation, the same problem still occurs, namely:

An establishment of the type I quoted is not a hostel in the definition that I use for my websites, because it is of no more help to an individual traveller than the dozens of guest houses and B&Bs.

But you have raised a side issue that is also of interest. There are establishments that are not strictly that type, but in practice are nearly so. Thus, if an establishment has one token dorm and that is usually full, it is a hostel but not a very useful one to the individual. As another example, many YHAs in Britain now are not very useful because, although they take individuals at fair prices and are therefore hostels, they prefer to take groups and they prefer to give groups sole access, with the result that they are rarely actually available as hostels.

[Scotch Argus]

But you have raised a side issue that is also of interest. There are establishments that are not strictly that type, but in practice are nearly so. Thus, if an establishment has one token dorm and that is usually full, it is a hostel but not a very useful one to the individual. As another example, many YHAs in Britain now are not very useful because, although they take individuals at fair prices and are therefore hostels, they prefer to take groups and they prefer to give groups sole access, with the result that they are rarely actually available as hostels.

You are totally right there. We get a fair few people "end to ending" (i.e. Lands End to John O'Groats) and many of them tell me that even though they have tried booking months in advance they haven't been able to get into some E&W YHAs. Even the smaller ones are often booked out for sole use by school parties and other groups. Even though they make up their membership, I don't think the YHA cares about the people who are using the hostels for outdoor pursuits, whether individuals or in small groups.

There are heaps of places that I personally wouldn't define as hostels, but come within one definition or other. Personally I think hostelling should be a pretty broad church.

[Peter]

I think that nowadays , you rent your property better , when your property is called hostel.
I think you sell it better than guest-house , or pension or bed and breakfast.
Hostel has better sound.
It would be interesting to find out , about the different hostel legislation in different countries. Especially the Western ones. West European countries , or Australia.

Very often , the hostel charge for the bunk-bed , can be more than a hotel charge for its double rooms.
It happens every where.
Downtown hostels can charge the same amount for the dorm bed as some hotels charge for the room ensuite.
So , its not necessary that the price is lower than the hotels price.

Also , I used to be the coordinator of one budget hotel before , who used to rent some rooms as a dorm rooms.
I initiated to the owner to start a hostel room , and it helped a lot .
We did not loose the cheap backpackers .
So , I think to target dorm tourists for the budget hotels , and to make some rooms as a hostels rooms - its a quite smart idea for hoteliers .

Also , I do not always agree with a walk ins travellers .
In some not very touristic cities , you can not expect walk ins , because the tourism is extremely slow there.
To wait walk ins on winter - its just madness.
So , you must practice 24 hours in advance booking , and of course there will be no atmosphere , because it will be very quiet there.

Its a funny thing , when hostels associations invent some inspections for the hostels , in the countries where the property , which call themselves a hostel , can not be even called a hostel.
I think the 6-10 beds flat , where the host some times lives in the same room or in the next room with a guests - can not be called a hostel.
Because , if they are called hostels - its insult for the real hostels.
The ones who have separate entrance , separate buildings , bars , atmospheres.
At least 40 beds. Then it can be called a hostel .
Of course it must have the licence , and legal rights.
I knew one studio flat , where the owner used to live in one 6 persons room with a guests.
I think , these kind of things , just insulting the hostels definition and activity .
The hostelworld is a great web site , and it is doing a great job . Of course the comercial interest of hostelworld is understandable , but hostel is indeed , also a place for the students , youth and even workers , whose company , for example took care for their accommodation. Some travellers , have to come to understanding of backpacking and understanding of hostel.
I think , there is probably no certain understanding and definition of what a hostel is . For many students , this word means the students boarding - house.

[Saskia]

First to set something straight: even if a hostel is smaller it can still be called a hostel! Since when is any hostel with less than 40 beds not a hostel??? Let me just take that as a personal insult! We only have 14 beds, and yes, the hostel is in part of our house.

However: the hostel has a separate entrance, we live in an apartment in the back of the house. We offer kitchen facilities, dorm rooms, a large common living room for the hostel only (we've got our separate space), and anybody visiting here can tell you there is no doubt about what we are! A hostel with 40 beds would not even viable here, we're located in rural smalltown Nova Scotia! We've worked our asses off to create a great place for backpackers and nobody can start telling me we're not a hostel 'because we're not big enough'! There, I said it. :-)

Hostels come in all shapes and sizes. The binding factor I believe is the reason of existence of the place: to offer affordable accommodation for the backpacker traveler and to create a place that encourages socializing and meeting people from all over the world. Affordable accommodation for a single traveler still comes down to dorm rooms, so logically any place calling itself a hostel would offer those.

[jack705]

I think the most easiest & simple definition of hostel is "A place to live in with descipline".

[Hostels]

I think the most easiest & simple definition of hostel is "A place to live in with descipline".

In some countries, the word "hostel" can refer to long-term housing for students, or long-term shelters for people who are having trouble in society.

On this website, the word "hostel" only refers to hostels for travelers, where a traveler can rent a bed in a room with other travelers for short-term stays. There typically isn't any "discipline" involved at these kinds of hostels, and travelers are typically not allowed to live there -- they generally only rent a bed for a few nights

[TheEnterprise]

I think the most easiest & simple definition of hostel is "A place to live in with descipline".

Even a monastery could fit that definition (and probably, more so than a hostel).

In advertising a hostel, I certainly wouldn't use your definition at all. In my opinion, words like experiencing/sharing and respect/tolerance for others, instead of live in and discipline would do a better job of defining a hostel.

[uktrail]

I've just heard of a place which calls itself a hostel, situated in a European capital city. It is for girls only.

Is this a hostel?

It certainly will not go into any listing of hostels that I make. I do not include locations that discriminate against individual travellers (by charging them more), and similarly I would not include a location that discriminates against half the population because of their gender.

[Canhostel]

Not a pure definition of a hostel but not necessarily a bad thing. If a market is large enough it could be the start of a specialist type hostel. Otherwise I think they would have difficulty in filling due to not taking couples travelling together or even just plutonic groups of guys and girls.

To take advantage of a girls only hostel is to open a regular hostel two doors down and have a big bar in between the two. Make money off the bar and the new couples who can't both stay at the girls only hostel.

Hope they have some good money and marketing behind them but could be a good niche.

[Hostels]

It's definitely a niche and I can see why some sites might not want to list those properties.

I think I would call a property a "hostel" as long as it has shared accommodation and fits this definition of hostel. For me, the most important reasons to only include properties that have shared rooms in the definition of "hostel" are things like:

• Local governments being able to set specific regulations for hostels so that the hostels don't fall under hotel or B&B regulations that make running hostels difficult. For that to work, the word "hostel" has to mean a specific kind of accommodation -- in this case a kind of property where travelers share rooms for short-term stays.
• Hostels being protected from hotels starting to call themselves hostels just to get additional marketing exposure even if they aren't hostels.
• Travelers knowing what to expect, and not getting a bait-and-switch from hotels trying to pass themselves off as hostels in order to sell private rooms.

I've seen one in New York City too. Has anyone seen other properties like this? I wonder if it's a growing thing, or if it just exists in a couple of cities.