12 years
First, I think I should be upfront on our webpage and hostelworld that it is a little noisy and light sleepers might want to consider earplugs. Does that sound like a good idea? What's a good way to word this? I want to be honest but don't want to scare customers away.
That’s definitely a good idea.
When I worked in Istanbul I wrote a property description for two hostels in the noisy nightlife district. We wanted to approach it the same way – pointing out the issue in advance to prevent it from becoming a complaint. We tried to put a positive spin on it, focusing on the source of the noise as a desirable thing and describing its advantages to our guests to overshadow the negative impact.
From one of the hostels:
We are located right in the heart of Taksim, where Istanbul’s nightlife takes off and stays on! There are bars and clubs within minutes of our door, so you can have the time of your life in true Turkish style. The party may go on long after you hit the sack, so bring your ear plugs or just buy a Redbull and rock it out all night long.
From the other:
Taksim is the liveliest and most energetic part of town, where the bars stay open late, and the action goes on and on nearby. The hostel is located squarely in the middle of the nightlife, and there are many clubs and bars in the area for you to explore. Late into the night their muted sounds of rhythm and music can waft through the city and lull you to sleep, to dream of the fun being had all around.
In your case, the close proximity to the train station is a huge plus, because your guests don’t have to carry their heavy bags very far. Also, being that close means that it should be easy to find you with a reduced chance of getting lost along the way.
You could also play on the social aspect of the hostel by saying something like, “The hostel is so close to the station that you can often hear the horns of the trains announcing the arrival of new friends.”
I am also considering purchasing ear plugs and having them for sale (at a cheap price). Do you have any input or suggests?
Selling ear plugs is a good idea. Maybe you could even display them in a box with a picture of a train on it. That would be upfront and honest, and it would show that you’re already prepared with a solution for your guests.
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