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Occupancy

The Ideal Hostel

Paul Cianciolo started this discussion 14 years 4 months ago

What would you do if the city only allows less than half the occupancy needed to break-even? Is it okay to make more private rooms to make-up that difference? The city said Virginia code will only allow a max occupancy of 28 guests in this building of 5,217 square feet. I planned for 63. This can still work with more of a "boutique" hostel approach of mostly single rooms for around $90/night and some smaller shared rooms around $45-50. Th eaverage hotel rate is $200/night.

The use of a hostel is lumped in with the occupancy requirements for hotels, boarding houses, etc. Are there other hostels in Virginia? I am curious what their occupancy requirements are.

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Josh Hostels

14 years

The city said Virginia code will only allow a max occupancy of 28 guests in this building of 5,217 square feet. I planned for 63.

This is one of the reasons why I think the definition of hostel should only mean "shared accommodation" (even if the property also offers private rooms). If there is no specific word to define shared lodging, local governments can end up lumping hostels in with hotels and the regulations might not be hostel-friendly.

How many private rooms would you need to make up for the lost dorms? Is there any way to get the rules changed or to make new rules for hostels?

The only hostel I know of in Virginia is this one:
http://www.constatic.com/alexanderhouse/

Side note:
I personally wouldn't define "boutique hostel" by the number of private rooms -- I think it's more about whether it has a "designer" interior.

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CAPhouse

14 years

You are right that it needs to have some shared accomodations. Everyone in the city government loves the idea, but they have to comply with the state law that determines occupancy.

I would need around 75% to be private rooms to come up with the same break-even point. Still working out the details though.

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Josh Hostels

14 years

After seeing the message on Facebook, I looked up the hostels in Virginia and found these:

Alexander House (mentioned above)
Sangraal-By-The-Sea Hostel (listed as an HI hostel, but not found on hiusa.org)
Bear's Den Hostel
Angie's Guest Cottage

Piney Hill B&B is listed as a hostel on one website, but doesn't look like a hostel.

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CAPhouse

14 years

These are the four that I also found. I tried calling each, but no one knows anything ... The city also asked me for any other hostels in the state, which I gave them. They wanted to ask those cities how they interpreted the Virginia building code and what occupancy levels they allow. The good news is that the City of Alexandria really wants to make this happen and see its first hostel to draw a younger crowd.

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uktrail

14 years

This can still work with more of a "boutique" hostel approach of mostly single rooms for around $90/night and some smaller shared rooms around $45-50.

For a backpacker travelling solo, the main reason for staying in hostels and accepting sharing a room is that the price is reasonable. Typical price in shared rooms in Britain is $22 to $30 a night. For the benefit of a single room, a backpacker might be prepared to pay 1.5 times this, say $35 to $45. Your suggested prices are double those of a standard hostel, and I would not recommend such a place to a person looking for a hostel.

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CAPhouse

14 years

For a backpacker travelling solo, the main reason for staying in hostels and accepting sharing a room is that the price is reasonable. Typical price in shared rooms in Britain is $22 to $30 a night. For the benefit of a single room, a backpacker might be prepared to pay 1.5 times this, say $35 to $45. Your suggested prices are double those of a standard hostel, and I would not recommend such a place to a person looking for a hostel.

You are right. After thinking about it and looking at the numbers, it will not work. My only option is to get the city building official to waive the maximum occupancy requirement set by the state at 200 square feet per guest.

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