The next generation of hostels?

Not so long time ago hostels were just a cheap place to stay. Meanwhile some of us realized the focus shouldn't be the bed we sell but the experience we provide. We've talked about the essence of hosteling hides behind the sociability factor. A hostel without a social scene is just a bed factory, regardless its size. Smaller hostels obviously benefit from their size as their host (most probably the owner) can look after his/her guests much easily, although in the business of hospitality the goal is to get your guests involved into the hostel community. The better the hostel is, the more the guests will be taken care of and the more the guests feel about that hostel being exceptional.

Bad hostels are well known about ran down buildings, unorganized, rude staff and dirt everywhere, but would eliminating all these problems make your hostel better than a standard?

I bet there are plenty hostels got into the investment trap during the past few years: Air-conditioning in all rooms, a huge swimming pool and other, expensively maintainable but otherwise neutral-on-ratings facilities which only take money instead of making it. Some guests even complain for queuing for ensuite dorms nowadays, what would be the future standard then? Double ensuite dorms? Or having three bathrooms in each dorm? Regardless how much you spend on facilities, IMHO there's a limit when it's impossible to increase the standard any higher, or at least it won't be profitable. The wisest thing to do would be to invest on things which would increase the interaction/sociability factor. How?

Increasing staff and organize activities. I believe the future of selling the experience goes towards offering professional activities by the hostel, organizing cook ups, scavenger hunts, pub crawls, etc. putting more weight about the community experience.

This is how most hostels work in Budapest and can easily achieve 90% and I bet this is how 3 Lisbon hostels achieved to be the Top10 hostels Worldwide in 2008!

There's even a related profession derived from the hotel industry, called Guest Relations (Animation). You can even search and hire people for Guest Relations Representative or just look up for the related literature (This is what I do now).

I bet sooner or later there will be Activity managers in many hostels with a profession degree and the hosting function will be industrialized as well...

Anyone interested to do a case study and observe these exceptional hostels? I'm thinking about driving to Lisbon for few days, maybe pop in to Lagos and see Brian as well... another excuse for a working holiday! ;)

And Brian... it's not a promise. It's a threat!!! :D