Should Travellers Use Hostels?

[Hostels]

EuropeShoestring.com discusses To Hostel or Not Hostel:

Hostel: A type of hotel that typically offers super cheap rates, by creating rooms with dorm bunk beds, instead of private rooms.

The article's points:

• Hostels are not just for kids.
• You get what you research.
• It’s not all party all the time.
• Sleeping on a bunk bed isn’t your only option.
• A good hostel experience can add to your trip.
• The entire hostel experience is hinged together by the travelers who use it

Full article:
http://www.europestring.com/to-hostel-or-not-to-hostel/

Does anyone know what hostel that is in the photo?

[aboriginalhostel]

Originally Posted by Hostels

Does anyone know what hostel that is in the photo?

Well, there is one good thing about internet and creative common pictures but the pics are from three different locations:

The first one is from Ben's stag weekend, and most probably it is about a bar, not a hostel. The hostel rather seems that hut on the countryside, where they made that pork BBQ for Ben's birthday. According to the tags, it's possibly Lincoln or in Lincolnshire. Uktrail could be able to recognize it and may have been there as he knows British hostels more than his own palm!

The second picture is from a concert tour and the hostel is probably from Luzerne, Switzerland.

The third picture is from the Generator Hostel in Berlin.
I've seen it personally so at least I can prove that!

[uktrail]

Sorry, I don't think we are looking at the same photos. All I can see are 3 photos from the inside of one or more hostels.

[aboriginalhostel]

Originally Posted by uktrail

Sorry, I don't think we are looking at the same photos. All I can see are 3 photos from the inside of one or more hostels.

Sorry, I forgot to reveal the magic trick!

The source of the first picture is here.

You have to page a while until you see the hostel... unfortunately I'm not good enough for flicker to show you a direct link to the hostel pictures...


I don't want to derail the thread but this article is a perfect example for the irrelevance of the Internet. The guy who wrote the article wanted to have some pictures so he went to flicker (The other two pics are from there as well). Entered the keyword hostel, and copied the pictures he thought it is related to the article. As he never have been there, he couldn't prove that if the picture is about a hostel or not!

It is the same problems with youtube, for example. How many times it happened to you when searching for a video and some wannabes slide show came up as the first result?

For example, I was looking for a Michael Franti video clip yesterday...
and this came up. At least this is a well done version but how many home made clips you've seen which is well done?

[uktrail]

Well, I spent several minutes and nearly gave up. Is there some background info somewhere where you hear about Ben, stag weekend etc? Do you mean that picture of a hut in a garden that comes up before the golf course? What makes you think it is a hostel? That bears no resemblance to any hostel I have seen. The golf course looks like it could be near Leicester or Loughborough.

[santa klaus]

Back to topic!

This is a classic example of my standard speech - we have to get used to some upmarket clientele:

http://lifecruiser.com/archive/womba...hostel-vienna/

Those are people who usually don´t stay in hostels and could afford a posh hotel, too. In fact, they paid € 170 for tickets for the Spanish Riding School - more than on three nights accomodation in a double room!

We can attract (and satisfy) guests like that if we deliver what they´re looking for: a comfy bed, a clean room and friendly service.

Is that too much to ask for, even at a hostel?

[aboriginalhostel]

Sorry for the derail!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

Those are people who usually don´t stay in hostels and could afford a posh hotel, too. In fact, they paid € 170 for tickets for the Spanish Riding School - more than on three nights accommodation in a double room!

Excuse me my friend, we might have some different point of views...

Let's take a look of our clientele again... most people in dormitories are students, between the age of 18-26 years (Interrail) with an average age of 20, traveling between May to October, "backpacking" from town to town from a month to three... Exploring the world just after their studies, before they get into the hamster-wheel of life.

How about our private rooms? 30 years old on average, working, so they can afford higher class private rooms but they still stay in hostels especially as there are more higher standard, boutique/upmarket hostels, that unknown 3 stars... (Who knows, maybe hostels wouldn't be as upmarket if HW would have decided to promote 3 stars instead of us?) because it is still cheaper than a 4 star hotel and at least there are better standards than any 3 stars at all. (In fact, 3 stars are even cheaper than some posh hostel privates). They usually go into one destination per month with a budget flight, just like the one who wrote that fine review about your hostel.

Is the latter clientele what you are looking for?

Allow me to repeat the last words in the quote you mentioned... "in a double room!"

Would you please answer these questions to yourself and maybe share it on this forum:
- How many double rooms do you have, please?
- How many dormitories you need to fill up meanwhile?
- Would you like to convert the dorms into privates as well, re-brand to Wombat's Guesthouse if you want to target this clientele?

Originally Posted by santa klaus

We can attract (and satisfy) guests like that if we deliver what they´re looking for: a comfy bed, a clean room and friendly service.

Is that too much to ask for, even at a hostel?

Certainly not, delivering a standard should be obligatory for all businesses including hostels. However, those who are not pushed won't be moving anywhere. Unfortunately, in our world, where is no money, there is no interest. It was the same with hostels as well for a while (before HW). IMHO. And excuse me if I was a little tad meanwhile!

[santa klaus]

Haha, no offense taken!

Read the first comment on this site:

I’m deathly afraid of hostels. I’m afraid they might have bedbugs.

We have to get rid of that sort of image! How else than attracting people who usually stay in hotels and then tell the world that there are no bugs in hostels?

To answer your question: the hostel I´m writing this from has 65 rooms, 29 of them are doubles. Those doubles account for 30% of that hostel´s revenues. Since those doubles are always booked up, even if half of the dorm rooms are empty, we´ll raise the double room rates from EUR 25 to EUR 29 next year, so the revenues from doubles will be even more than 30%.

The rest of our rooms ALL have private facilities, most of them are quads, so these are often used as private rooms (for small parties) as well.

I don´t say these customers are the solution for everything, but if we can make a well-off well-travelled Swedish oldie couple happy, why shouldn´t we do that?

[aboriginalhostel]

Originally Posted by santa klaus

We have to get rid of that sort of image! How else than attracting people who usually stay in hotels and then tell the world that there are no bugs in hostels?

How about saying no bugs in hostels?

IMHO there is a difference between satisfying someone who doesn't belong to hostels or attracting these people.

I have a fine bottle of wine reserved for a bet about HW's conference will be about to attract these people (about tapping into new and emerging markets). I'd be happy to lose the bet though...

I've heard some hostels are using hotel engines to fill up their rooms... with a fine cut of 15-20% commissions. That's not the future I want for hostels.

Originally Posted by santa klaus

To answer your question: the hostel I´m writing this from has 65 rooms, 29 of them are doubles.

Enough said, 50% of our rooms are privates as well!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

Those doubles account for 30% of that hostel´s revenues. Since those doubles are always booked up, even if half of the dorm rooms are empty, we´ll raise the double room rates from EUR 25 to EUR 29 next year, so the revenues from doubles will be even more than 30%.

Do you get booked out during the weekends for the dorms though?
IMHO you can raise the private's prices until 80% of occupancy, but I don't know about your walk-in skills for privates though. Your WordOfMouth powers are very high!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

The rest of our rooms ALL have private facilities, most of them are quads, so these are often used as private rooms (for small parties) as well.

Another advantage for purpose build hostels... we have a bathroom situation going on for months and every time we get it fixed, it goes wrong withing weeks. It might be time for bashing out the bathroom... poor fellow, not even two years old!

Small ensuites are the way to go... the times of 30 bed dorms with shared facilities are over!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

I don´t say these customers are the solution for everything, but if we can make a well-off well-travelled Swedish oldie couple happy, why shouldn´t we do that?

IMHO because most of these people got used to hotel standards. We are not 4 star hotels. Try to sell some privates on a hotel engine, even a good quality hostel could get 60% ratings on a hotel engine... I'd be curious for your results though...

As we discussed it in another thread, the first thing they will miss is the bell boy...IMHO.

[aboriginalhostel]

Originally Posted by santa klaus

We have to get rid of that sort of image! How else than attracting people who usually stay in hotels and then tell the world that there are no bugs in hostels?

How about saying no bugs in hostels?

IMHO there is a difference between satisfying someone who doesn't belong to hostels or attracting these people.

I have a fine bottle of wine reserved for a bet about HW's conference will be about to attract these people (about tapping into new and emerging markets). I'd be happy to lose the bet though...

I've heard some hostels are using hotel engines to fill up their rooms... with a fine cut of 15-20% commissions. That's not the future I want for hostels.

Originally Posted by santa klaus

To answer your question: the hostel I´m writing this from has 65 rooms, 29 of them are doubles.

Enough said, 50% of our rooms are privates as well!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

Those doubles account for 30% of that hostel´s revenues. Since those doubles are always booked up, even if half of the dorm rooms are empty, we´ll raise the double room rates from EUR 25 to EUR 29 next year, so the revenues from doubles will be even more than 30%.

Do you get booked out during the weekends for the dorms though?
IMHO you can raise the private's prices until 80% of occupancy, but I don't know about your walk-in skills for privates though. Your WordOfMouth powers are very high!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

The rest of our rooms ALL have private facilities, most of them are quads, so these are often used as private rooms (for small parties) as well.

Another advantage for purpose build hostels... we have a bathroom situation going on for months and every time we get it fixed, it goes wrong withing weeks. It might be time for bashing out the bathroom... poor fellow, not even two years old!

Small ensuites are the way to go... the times of 30 bed dorms with shared facilities are over!

Originally Posted by santa klaus

I don´t say these customers are the solution for everything, but if we can make a well-off well-travelled Swedish oldie couple happy, why shouldn´t we do that?

IMHO because most of these people got used to hotel standards. We are not 4 star hotels. Try to sell some privates on a hotel engine, even a good quality hostel could get 60% ratings on a hotel engine... I'd be curious for your results though...

As we discussed it in another thread, the first thing they will miss is the bell boy...IMHO.