Seeing how many people pass through this site saying "I plan to start a hostel", I wonder how many are succeeding, and where?
In Croatia, many new hostels have been springing up. These appear to be predominantly ones started by people with backpacking experience who know what backpackers want. They are small, informal and casual, clean but not in any way luxurious. It's good to see the big boys are not in here yet (Klaus, please shut your eyes!).
In countries such as Poland and Romania, based on what comes my way on small-hostels.com, I get the impression that there are quite a few of that same type; but also ones that give the feeling of being started by people with a guest-house mentality, with the emphasis on facilities like TVs in the rooms, and while they have a 'token' dorm, one gets the feeling that, like guest houses, they promote privacy and luxury more than being social.
15 years
It's good to see the big boys are not in here yet (Klaus, please shut your eyes!).
Hehehe! We have no plans to expand to Croatia. Big hostels only work in big cities with lots of guests and no real off-season.
I like small hostels and usually prefer to stay in those. We won´t wipe them off the map. There are only maybe 20 cities in Europe where a Wombats would make sense.
14 years
Very interesting... do you think small hostels can still flourish in bigger cities if big businesses step into the hostel business with better facilities and more resources for marketing plus the best locations?
Thanks.
Happy New Year!:D
Hehehe! We have no plans to expand to Croatia. Big hostels only work in big cities with lots of guests and no real off-season.
I like small hostels and usually prefer to stay in those. We won´t wipe them off the map. There are only maybe 20 cities in Europe where a Wombats would make sense.
14 years
Very interesting... do you think small hostels can still flourish in bigger cities if big businesses step into the hostel business with better facilities and more resources for marketing plus the best locations?
What are "better facilities"? A bar, pool tables, gym, restaurant, TV rooms etc? I prefer a friendly sociable atmosphere with a good kitchen and common room and maybe a quiet patio or garden. I believe a lot of travellers prefer this also. Not all, maybe even just a minority, but enough to fill the small hostels provided the hostels make themselves known.
14 years
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! What is the name of your hostel? In what part of England?
Happy New Year!:D
What are "better facilities"? A bar, pool tables, gym, restaurant, TV rooms etc? I prefer a friendly sociable atmosphere with a good kitchen and common room and maybe a quiet patio or garden. I believe a lot of travellers prefer this also. Not all, maybe even just a minority, but enough to fill the small hostels provided the hostels make themselves known.
14 years
I think most backpackers who have spent a bit of time staying in hostels would agree that a smaller hostel, with emphasis on the social interaction outweighs a larger hostel with more "facilities". Anything over 50 beds starts to lose a bit of friendliness if that makes any sense???!! Of course its a lot to do with the management of the place as well.
Didn't know about small-hostels.com till now. Thanks UKtrail - Is it your site? I'll have to check it out next time I'm looking for a place to stay.
14 years
After the "Unconference" I travelled down through Hungary and 5 Balkan countries. In two of the places I stayed there were no hostels, Dubrovnik & Podgoricia; and so I had to stay in a guest house and an hotel. In Belgrade & Tirana the top rated HW hostels were a collection of apartments with minimal communal space.
I think one has to differentiate between city hostels that have guests for 1 or 2 nights only but are packed without having to try and the out of the way hostels that do have to try by having extensive communal areas and by creating a fun atmosphere.
In the former a TV is OK because there is little interaction between guests and, during the winter, it can be sub zero outside. In the latter a TV is counter productive to the creation of a good atmosphere.
14 years
Decepe: I do run small-hostels.com, but with its format (which I inherited) it's too time-consuming to set up new hostels, it makes no money and doesn't stimulate any interest, so it's stagnant at present. There are ways it could be improved, but I will rather follow this plan:
What I want to do is replace it with a site, geared to the solo traveller (although of interest to all budget travellers) that lists the hostels in each country that are particularly good for solo travellers. A hostel needs at least 4 of the following criteria to qualify:
1) It has dorms, and single travellers do not pay more than travellers in a couple or group;
2) It is small or medium (up to about 50 beds, as you suggest);
3) It has a well laid-out common room without a TV (there can be a separate TV room);
4) There is a well-equipped kitchen -- just a kettle and microwave doesn't count);
5) The owner or manager is readily available most of the day (not just at the end of a phone line or behind a locked door);
6) Most of its reviews are good.
Plakian: In Dubrovnik, did you hear of "Fresh Sheets" hostel, located within the Old Town? It's small and very easy-going. Maybe it shuts down in winter.
14 years
Hey UKtrail,
That could be a good idea for a site, I'm not aware of one aimed at just solo travellers as yet? Criteria 4 and 5 are definitely important. I don't think there is a decent enough excuse not to have a kitchen these days. And how many hostels have we stayed in where there has been no presence of management! Good Luck.
14 years
To my mind there are many different types of hostels, aimed at many different types of guests. There will always be those who prefer the facilities that only make sense in a large hostel, and those who prefer the smaller place...and small hostels can still do well in a market where the big boys are, check out the hostelworld ratings for the EastSeven here in Berlin.
Some people like both depending on where they are, who they are travelling with, and what they want at a particular time. I had memorable stays at Sir Toby's and Miss Sophie's in Prague, and wonderful experiences at Hostel 99 and the Krumlov House in Cesky Krumlov. I think it is the shear variety of approaches in the hostel business that makes it so interesting, and also why it is very difficult to compare one type of hostel with another.
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