What is a hostel?
In a hostel, guests rent a bed (sometimes a bunk bed) in a dorm and share common bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. Private rooms are also often available if you prefer your own privacy. The main benefits of hostels are low accommodation costs compared to alternatives like hotels and you can also meet other travelers from all over the world.
Hostels are usually less formal and less expensive than hotels. They are most used by young travelers. In the past, many hostels imposed age limits, but today it is more common for hostels to accept guests of all ages. Despite the opening of modern hostels, the majority of guests are traditionally and overwhelmingly between the ages of 18 and 26.
Hostels provide the opportunity for multicultural enlightenment. There is more interaction between guests than in traditional hotels, and many hostels provide activities to their guests for free or at low cost. There are some potential drawbacks to using hostels, although most are the same drawbacks you might find in many hotels. Theft can be a problem as guests share a common space, but this can be prevented by locking your belongings. Most hostels offer some kind of system to safely store your valuables and many offer private lockers. For the most part, however, travelers are so concerned with the well-being of their own belongings that theft of other people’s belongings rarely occurs.
One potential drawback to staying in hostels is difficulty sleeping due to noise, whether from snoring or someone coming back into the room late at night. For this reason, some hostel associations set times of last entry and lights out.
Despite their low price and somewhat of a bad reputation, many hostels are of a high standard and have excellent facilities for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.
The industry
The budget travel industry, including backpackers, gap year travelers, and also families wanting to vacation in multiple locations, has boomed in recent years and is driven largely by word of mouth.
With the competition in the industry “heating up” and with millions of customers every year choosing cheaper and more profitable accommodation, the level and reputation of these places are increasing.
The major hostel booking companies also have rating systems that not only help customers choose the right accommodation, but also help push hostel owners to do more to satisfy their customers, as their ratings affect directly the amount of business they will receive from these booking sites. .
The most popular hostel destinations are: London, Sydney, Rome, Amsterdam and New York and no matter where in the world you travel, you will find a selection of excellent accommodation to suit both your taste and your budget.
Despite the advent of budget hotel chains such as Travellodge, Ibis and Jury’s Inns, backpackers still prefer to stay in hostels due to factors such as the atmosphere, the fun and the social experience of meeting other backpackers.
The hostel industry, once considered a “cottage industry”, has now grown rapidly with the entry of new players opening luxury hostel chains, including The Generator Hostel in London.
Even if you’ve never heard of hostels before, the arrival of the new blockbuster horror film Hostel, directed by Eli Roth and starring Jay Hernandez, will certainly help to publicize the industry, despite the nature of the movie.