13 years
Dear Hostel Detroit people. One day you will find this forum. Please get in touch. We own the closest hostel to Detroit in London, Ontario. We will send you guests. Yes we will. Yes we will make you money.
New hostel to open in Detroit
Hostel Trends and News
Here is an article about a new hostel that is ramping up to open in Detroit, Michigan USA.
The owner hosted about 100 Couchsurfers and then decided to open a hostel after realizing the potential demand.
She found a great way to save money on beds and furniture, and I found the support of local volunteers to be really interesting.
Furniture designer and Lawrence Tech adjunct professor Mark Wilson of Royal Oak will involve his furniture design class in constructing beds and tables to fit into the small spaces.
Doerr [the owner] said she was surprised 48 people showed up to a community meeting to volunteer to help with landscaping, donations and painting. Of course, they still need more help and "maybe a lot of extra-long twin sheets," she said.
I wonder if the volunteers are motivated by the fact that the hostel will be non-profit, or if they just support the idea. Has anyone else had any luck getting volunteers to donate time or supplies to your hostel?
- Comments
13 years
Perhaps you should e-mail them directly, and point them to the Forum and thread?
Yeah after I did the post I did find an email address and sent a note.
13 years
I wonder if the volunteers are motivated by the fact that the hostel will be non-profit, or if they just support the idea. Has anyone else had any luck getting volunteers to donate time or supplies to your hostel?
The YHA decided to close 3 hostels in a remote part of Wales. The Elenydd Hostels Trust was set up to save those hostels. They were too late for one of them, but they now manage the other 2. A tremendous amount of volunteer energy has gone into them, largely by about 10 people. Their activity ranges from maintenance to obtaining EU funding for major repairs. They also benefit from a team of some 30 or more individuals and couples who act as volunteer wardens (managers), a YHA tradition. There are several other hostels in Britain run by volunteers. See www.elenydd-hostels.co.uk
13 years
I cant get the original article to open... but here's another article about presumably the same hostel with hopefully a little more info than the original article.
http://www.mlive.com/grandblanc/index.ssf/2011/04/former_goodrich_resident_prepa.html
Emily Doerr, I tip my hat to you.
(apologies if theres nothing new here)
13 years
The comments below the above-quoted article are sad. They reflect the view, particularly common in America, of people who have no concept or experience of a backpacker hostel. Will this make a backpacker hostel particularly difficult to establish in an industrial city in the US?
13 years
The comments in the newspaper article reflect the attitudes of the general American public very accurately (and unforunately a lot of Canadians too). However, this is not a problem this enterprise. We have two border hostels and we only get about 10-15% American anyway. About the same Canadians. The Americans and Canadians we do get are for the most part great/awesome hostelers. Not a big deal. Keep the locals out! They are not needed at all. There is a huge need in Detroit and we will support this endeavour with the most important thing. We will send guests! Good for you Hostel Detroit!
13 years
The comments in the newspaper article reflect the attitudes of the general American public very accurately (and unforunately a lot of Canadians too).
The comments really are ignorant about the possibilities...
13 years
I notice here that the hostel has had it's official opening. Best of luck to the people behind it. The commenters on the page are certainly negative and ignorant about hostels, and also very negative about their city. Is there a reason for tourists or backpackers to go to Detroit? I have no idea - also have no idea about what area of town it is in - I would imagine that would be critical to its success. Certainly it's portrayed in the media, and by some of the people commenting on that article as a city beset by drugs and gun crime. I have no idea if this is true or not.
10 years
Hello!!! This is Emily, founder of Hostel Detroit. I logged onto this site 3 years ago when we opened but never came back to seek out neighbors like you that we would be thrilled to meet!
Any questions for me - please email me at [email protected]
Any guest questions - please email our manager Jeff at jeff@hosteldetroit.
Thanks and take care!
Emily
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