Hi everyone!
I am looking to open a hostel soon in Budapest. I studied there for a semester and have traveled all over Central Europe. I absolutely love Budapest and would love to share my love of the city with some hostel guests, and help them continue on in their travels. There seems to be many hostels in BP already but I feel I can take on that challenge! :) Am reading this board in and out for tips!
14 years
There seems to be many hostels in BP already but I feel I can take on that challenge! :)
Err.. I would say Budapest is the most competetive market for hostels in the world (maybe apart from Buenos Aires). Good luck with that. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.
14 years
There are def a lot of hostels in Budapest. But many of them seem to be just mediocre. One in particular I stayed in, they just rented a flat and threw in some beds. The staff was friendly enough but not like some places I've been.
I have stayed in enough hostels to know what guests like. I think the key is the staff/manager. If I think about all the times I've wanted to extend my stay or return to a hostel its because of the staff. Seen it happen to other people as well.
Anyway if you don't mind me asking, I read on another thread that you opened a hostel in Berlin. I looked on hostelworld.com and I think I saw 76 hostel properties listed. Were you nervous that there would be too much competition for your hostel there?
14 years
There are def a lot of hostels in Budapest. But many of them seem to be just mediocre.
There may be some mediocre hostels in Budapest, but the city has at least 30 hostels with a 90% rating or higher on Hostelworld. In comparison, the entire United States probably has fewer than 5 hostels rated over 90% (it was only ~3 in 2008). When there are a lot of highly rated hostels on HW in a city, it pushes down the other listings and makes it more difficult to get bookings.
Nothing is impossible, but it definitely is one of the most competitive cities in the world for hostels... :)
14 years
Anyway if you don't mind me asking, I read on another thread that you opened a hostel in Berlin. I looked on hostelworld.com and I think I saw 76 hostel properties listed. Were you nervous that there would be too much competition for your hostel there?
To be honest, yes I was. We started with very low prices and took in lots of group bookings, just to make sure we´ll be pretty full. Anyway, much more people go to Berlin than to Budapest and there were only 3 other hostels in Berlin with HW ratings above 90%. In Budapest, there are 30 of them - that makes a huge difference.
14 years
Right now just look at Hostelworld 260 properties 120 hostels, over the rating 88% 50 properties. To reach 88% is very difficult (look on other side booking.com, expedia) or look other Cities London , Paris Rome.
Of course all of the ratings are fake reviews (let say most of the ratings)
Last year they did the same on hostelbookers.
Where is not so important the rating even the best hotels for the cheapest prices are worse than 88%.
If you go and visit these 90%++ hostels there are ruined houses, dirty rooms, even not opened. No customers only ratings ...
I came from the railwaystation to the river (to the center) tried to enter at least 20 of the high rated and could not enter even one of them. I could get one not on the list. Better to go to a cheaper hotel ...
14 years
If you go and visit these 90%++ hostels there are ruined houses, dirty rooms, even not opened. No customers only ratings ...
I came from the railwaystation to the river (to the center) tried to enter at least 20 of the high rated and could not enter even one of them.
Could you send me some examples of those ruined, unopened houses with 90% rating by private message? I'm interested in learning more about the situation...
14 years
I always thought that if you faked reviews to get good ratings for a place that wasn't any good that you'd soon get genuine bad reviews from very disappointed customers? Certainly if I stayed somewhere that reviewers had raved about and it was a pit I'd leave a truthful review. Unless it's being suggested that hostels are having bad reviews removed? I must admit I find it hard to imagine how people get consistent 95%+ reviews. We get lots of reviews where people seem very happy and postive, but then leave 80%. I think a lot of our customers don't like leaving perfect marks out of principle. Perhaps to some degree it's a cultural thing too - I notice certain nationalities are much less likely to leave 100% ratings than others.
14 years
I must admit I find it hard to imagine how people get consistent 95%+ reviews.
If you have access to the Members' Chat, see this thread:
http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forums/what-hostels-around-world-can-learn-from-portugal-hostels.html
See also:
14 years
I always thought that if you faked reviews to get good ratings for a place that wasn't any good that you'd soon get genuine bad reviews from very disappointed customers? Certainly if I stayed somewhere that reviewers had raved about and it was a pit I'd leave a truthful review. Unless it's being suggested that hostels are having bad reviews removed? I must admit I find it hard to imagine how people get consistent 95%+ reviews. We get lots of reviews where people seem very happy and postive, but then leave 80%. I think a lot of our customers don't like leaving perfect marks out of principle. Perhaps to some degree it's a cultural thing too - I notice certain nationalities are much less likely to leave 100% ratings than others.
Yes you are absolutly right.
On hostelworld the first problem I experience, that the hostelowner cancelled every one, so obviously can not leave reviews. The more seriouse, that hostelworld buddies removed it, I experienced lot of time with the over 90%++ hostels
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