Pretty obvious, but eeh, what kind of beds you reccomend?
Single beds in a row? Maybe bunk beds?
Bunk beds are handy as you can basically double your bed capacity in a room, so now instead of having room for ten beds you've got 20! woo! I reckon if I could fill 10 beds a night I'd be sitting pretty, 20 beds well, that'd certainly help pay the bills and loans back quicker.
Only problem with bunk beds is the disruption factor. I know all too well the joys of sleeping in a hostel on the bottom bunk.
Anyone got any comments on the bed situ?
17 years
Many hostels increase the prices during high seasons and holidays, but generally not on the weekends.
Some hostels have private rooms that are more expensive than what it would cost travellers to stay at hotels. For example, it might cost $25 per person at a hostel bed ($100 for 4 persons), while the local hotel might offer a room with two double beds for $80 (4 persons). If the hostel is good, many people will choose the hostel because it is more fun...
17 years
In Alaska we have a pretty short season (May throught September), but it can be somewhat profitable. I run my hostel more for the love of it and for my travel fix (vicariously throught my guest...I have a very international group) than for money. This helps me keep a relaxed atomosphere, you have to really enjoy the job to do it well. I also worked in the hostel for afew years befor I took over the bussiness. That helped alot!! I would have never figured all the kinks out otherwise.
I have found long term guest can cause problems, unless they are live-in employees. But in winter (off season) I rent the hostel out as a communial home. This works very well for me because I have a fairly small hostel. Not too many people in the middle of nowhere Alaska in January!!:o
17 years
I think that for the beginning , as for me 60-70 beds are too much , I am currently working in the hostel ( as the one who just study hostels management ) 70 square meters , and there are 7 beds . The hostels workers are 3 people , the hostel is doing not bed , but for the beginners its a very good starting project , to start from the small hostel.
I think the nice thing is that the apartment is new with the nice
interier, tourists have the access to internet there , can watch DVD , satelite TV, use kitchen , coffe tea is for free.
Well , I think most important to be in good relationships with the neighbours , and not to allow guests and locals to the hostels , not allow the drinking , smoking there , and to have the certain times when the kitchen and the balcony is closed . Like 23:00 to keep noise downe .
But there definitely must be no curfew.
thanks
17 years
I expect running a hostel will demand long hours, especially during peak season. For me its more about the lifestyle and being my own boss than the money. But that said to have the lifestyle I want, the hostel will have to be profitable..
I'm not sure how the high season/low season works either. I raised the issue of being open all year round and ways of increasing revenue during the low season in a different thread. I think the tourism industry in general, makes the bulk of its revenue in high season and just survives the rest of the year.
Is that a fair enough statement?
in terms of high/low season, youve got to remember that most of your costs are going to be fixed rather than marginal - that is, rent & staff (far and away the biggest costs) arent going to change according to how many guests you have (unless you're talking a massive hostel in which case more staff are needed). so rent will be the same when you've got 10 guests as it will when you've got 60. theres a pretty good chance then that you'll be running in the red for a few months of the year, which could be difficult depending on your financial situation.
ive worked in a few larger hostels (200+ beds) and when its quiet... its really quiet.
15 years
Hello Hostels,
Is that possible to do a kind of vote to see what is better between wood or metal bunk beds?
I am seeing that now, considering prices and quality, I want to chose the better option...
Thank u
Bocci
15 years
Thanks Kapake.
I was checking the relationship between quality and prices of bunk beds on IKEA store (was betwenn 120€ - metal - and 140€ - wood). What do you think of those? As it has a good value for the price? And are they strong enough to be used at least 4 years (i am thinking to amortize it in 4 years)?
15 years
Thanks Kapake.
I was checking the relationship between quality and prices of bunk beds on IKEA store (was betwenn 120€ - metal - and 140€ - wood). What do you think of those? As it has a good value for the price? And are they strong enough to be used at least 4 years (i am thinking to amortize it in 4 years)?
I am in Argentina. Here in a similar place the bunkbeds are around 150 dolars.
Which is cheaper than your price.
but I´m sure they will last more than 4 years, basically because they are not used every single day...Right now I bought one of the bunkbeds used at the hotel for my kids, so we´ll know in a year whether they will be worht it or not LOL!!!!
Our price for a dorm is U$D 15.00 so each bunkbed should be used 10 times enough to pay for itself so...that´s the math!
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