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Question: hostel staff??

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clixX123 started this discussion 16 years 8 months ago

Hi,

I'm doing an assignment about 'how to run a youth hostel'. I'm not familiar at all with this business concept so i went to look for some helpful information about starting one and i was fortunate enough to come across this site here. I hope my following question would be answered :)

Well, here goes...

---Could anyone be so kind to give me a list of all the staff (fulltime/parttime) that an owner of a 500m2 hostel (who will not take part in managing it and whose purpose is to just provide capital) would need to hire to run such a business??

It would also be nice if you could tell me the requirements (personal/educational) that each of the staff member need to have. =]

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nyrie

15 years

the way we work on call is that we have a phone located out the front, with two after hours numbers posted there. if someone arrives after hours, or locks themselves out etc, they call the live in manager first, then me if they cant reach him. typically the live in just runs down and lets them in. im only 5 mins round the corner, so its easy too. we have security keys for the entrance that the guests have so they can come and go as they please. guests are shown the managers flat and if they have problems, they can go and knock on his door. Perhaps you can look at free accomodation for someone on the condition that they are the after hours contact? if you are a smaller hostel like us, sometimes its not feasable to have a 24 hr reception so a work for rent deal is better.

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saoghalbeag

15 years

It might be worth checking out if there any regulations regarding security/safety and having staff on-site? We ran a hostel as subcontracters and the owners did not provide enough money to cover wages for night security - they said they weren't legally required to have anyone on site. When we checked to make sure WE weren't responsible, the solicitor told us it was a 'grey area' so it was best to try cover it to be safe. :confused:

We lived on-site so had to do it ourselves - without pay. At times it was a pain in the arse - you are never free of the place and this can develop into an unhealthy rage against guests (cos it always seems to be the SAME ones who want a better room, then flood the bathroom, steal all the food from the staff cupboard, drop their after hours key in the pub toilet, then party all night long in the (closed) kitchen. Oh, and they will also be first up, hammering on your door for breakfast). Oh the joys!

The previous manager had lived off-site and had used guests working for their accommodation as night security. It seemed a bit reckless - leaving someone you've only just met in charge of the keys/till/sleeping guests.

Our front door was locked at 10pm - guests had to get a plastic keycard to get back inside - this has it's drawbacks (people lose cards, cards malfunction, have to take a deposit to encourage cards to be returned - guests will want to leave at 5am and when they can't get their deposit back will decide to smash their way through the reception door to retrieve it)

The YHAs I worked in always had night porters who also did some of the cleaning at nighttime - so 2 jobs covered.

It's an interesting question. I thought (given backpacker fires etc) there'd be laws about this (in some places at least) by now, giving hostel managers/owners better guidelines.

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GirlScoutFWB

15 years

@saoghalbeag, what country was this?

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DigDug

14 years

This is a good thread I'd also like to keep going.

We are looking into opening a small hostel (20-30 beds) in Tokyo. There's two of us and we plan to live on-site. Is it feasible and prudent to run it without hiring staff if we don't have a 24/7 front desk?

It sounds like some on-site workers/owners go a little "Shining".

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HostelBelgium

14 years

"part timers, students or people you let stay for free in exchange for work (IMHO, this maybe not the best option, there are advantages and disadvantages on both sides"

People working in the hostel (part-time) in exchange for free stay and food, are there special regulations on that? It's a win-win situation for both, but is it allowed by the law? (of course every country has different laws, but how is it in your country?)

Maybe an obvious thing for you guys, but new to me.
(as i'm planning to open a small hostel with 20/30 beds and only 1 full timer, i would like to 'employ' such a part-timer, ...)

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ostatu

14 years

Can you manage that sort of size hostel (20-30 beds) between the two of you and make enough money to live? I'm looking at opening a 20 bed hostel and I'm struggling with figures and don't think I'd be able to employ more than one part-timer including myself as full-timer...

Do you clean bed linen yourselves or you pay some laundry company?

Thanks a lot and good luck.

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DigDug

14 years

@ostatu: we are still looking into it as well... just in research phase now, very far away from starting one. i've been doing some numbers but nothing concrete and so far a lot of speculation about the costs here in Tokyo. real estate is also almost prohibitively expensive, but we continue to research and investigate. :)

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irish_guy

14 years

i'm also looking into a 20 - 22 bed hostel, just playing around with figures at the moment.

will be living on site.

i'd say i'd need a regualr part time cleaner, 3 hours a day, 7 days a week, so 21hrs.

i could look into work for food/bed option... although i wouldn't take advantage of this... 3hrs a day would be fair.

i'd prob need another part timer, for when i'm not there... say another 14hrs a week.

at the moment, with a 50% occupancy, i can handle that... no way if there was 2 of us....

are these staffing numbers/hours realistic... or do i need more?

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aboriginalhostel

14 years

Living on site with a 20ish beds could be easy at least for the first two years...
You don't need cleaners if you only have dorms, so you can pretty much do everything by yourself. As per not burn yourself out, you definitely need another shift... you may want to consider having a jump-in or a part-timer just in case, while you settle the big shop, sort out bills, etc.
Not many small hostels do have 24hr reception so you can neglect it as well.

This is the same system how it works in most of the hostels in Ireland, usually run by a couple or just a one person show...

Good luck with the hostel, where about would you like to open it?

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irish_guy

14 years

Living on site with a 20ish beds could be easy at least for the first two years...
You don't need cleaners if you only have dorms, so you can pretty much do everything by yourself. As per not burn yourself out, you definitely need another shift... you may want to consider having a jump-in or a part-timer just in case, while you settle the big shop, sort out bills, etc.
Not many small hostels do have 24hr reception so you can neglect it as well.

This is the same system how it works in most of the hostels in Ireland, usually run by a couple or just a one person show...

Good luck with the hostel, where about would you like to open it?

cheers... would i not need some part time staff?

i'd like to offer breakfast... what time does this normally start? 8am 8.30am?

i think i could be a bit burnt out if i'm doing all this on my own... with an ocasional part timer...

i was thinking, a part timer for 2 hours in the morning, maybe 3 or 4 times a week... cleaning every 2nd day?

i'd also need time away from the hostel... head out, relax etc.. or i'd go nuts, so would need someone then to be around...

what's an acceptable reception hours, 9am to 8pm? or just be on call somehow?

it could really come down to numbers, how much staff could i afford... no problem letting a backpacker do a couple of hours for board... would have to be the right person though.

i'm looking into south america... brazil or colombia would be ideal... 20 - 24 bed chilled hostel.

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