11 years
Josh did a write-up in 2009 about the Portuguese hostels and what we can learn from them. That post is in the Members Chat section, which is not open to all forum members. Since then, the hostels in Portugal have continued to raise the bar and set an outstanding example for the industry.
I have stayed in or visited many of the hostels in Portugal. In my opinion, here are some of the things they tend to do really well:
- Management structure – most of the hostels are owned and run by enthusiastic people who have traveled extensively and put together the hostel that they would love to stay in.
- Great staff – they hire people who already have the right disposition for reception work, they keep the good ones happy, and they replace the ones who don’t measure up.
- The warm welcome – guest genuinely feel that they are being hosted by friends.
- Customer service – nothing is too much to ask, and everything is a pleasure to do for the guests.
- Communal atmosphere – comfortable common spaces and activities to bring the guests together.
- Expectation Management – guests consistently get more than they are expecting.
- Constant innovation – every time the competition catches up the hostels look for a new way to distinguish themselves.
These are all things that any hostel could manage, but in Portugal the hostels consistently do them well.
Log in to join discussion