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Supporting hostel-focused booking engines and affiliates

Internet Marketing

Josh started this discussion 15 years 4 months ago

NOTE: this thread is a continuation of this thread.

It's too bad that a company like hosteltraveler.com, with such a wide range of travel portals, can't redirect their customers that are looking for non-hostel accommodations to one of their many other portals.

I think that could be applied to most (if not all) the major "hostel" sites out there with the exception of Bug.co.uk. Hostelworld even has a property now that has a minimum fee of $8400! ($1200 per night with 7 night minimum stay)

IMAGE(http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forum/attachments/f25/482d1246716283-most-expensive-property-hostelworld-com-expensive-hostelworld.png)

In fact, a youth hostel in Mexico may be defined as something much different than a youth hostel in Slovenia. This is not challenge academic definitions, but is a mere fact.

I disagree. A hostel is a hostel -- meaning it offers dorm beds. I think calling hotels "hostels" is bad for hostels and serves no purpose other than marketing strategy for hotels to ride the popularity of hostels. A longer explanation of why I think this is posted here and here.

I think these are important posts:

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crhostel

15 years

I think that could be applied to most (if not all) the major "hostel" sites out there with the exception of Bug.co.uk. Hostelworld even has a property now that has a minimum fee of $8400! ($1200 per night with 7 night minimum stay)

I agree, but if you're kind of "coming out" in this forum, then you should be more upfront about what you're about. Hostelworld is a great example of a good product that has gone to shit, partly because of the additions of almost any type of property. Unfortunately we're stuck with them because of their market share.

I disagree. A hostel is a hostel -- meaning it offers dorm beds. I think calling hotels "hostels" is bad for hostels and serves no purpose other than marketing strategy for hotels to ride the popularity of hostels. A longer explanation of why I think this is posted here and here.

Totally agree. Can't be a hostel without dorm beds. I totally agree that it's bad for hostels too. What happens is you get seedy budget/shit hole hotels listed on these sights, someone stays in them, it sucks, then they think they stayed in a hostel and they write the rest of us off for good. Which by the way, takes business away not only from the hostels, but the booking agents as well.

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Josh Hostels

15 years

Hostelworld has hundreds of sites in many niches including Trav.com, Boo.com, and BedAndBreakfastWorld.com -- I think it's strange to post $1200 per night properties on a hostel site. I think that listing too many non-hostels undercuts the hostel companies that made Hostelworld possible.

IMHO, if not completely get rid of hotels on Hostelworld, Hostelworld should consider at least making the default view only list hostels and stop selling hotel rooms as if the hotel is selling "beds" (they aren't -- they're selling rooms, but it isn't immediately apparent to solo travelers).

IMAGE(http://www.hostelmanagement.com/files/forum/most_expensive_bed_on_hostelworld.png)

Tim's Bug.co.uk network constantly impresses me with its focus on only hostels and policies like this. IMHO, hostels should actively support hostel-oriented sites like Bug.co.uk. If the smaller booking engines would take a pro-hostels stance instead of trying to redirect people to higher-commission hotel bookings (the current state of most hostel booking systems), I think they would gain a lot of support from hostels. ;)

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hosteltraveler

15 years

Hostelworld has hundreds of sites in many niches including Trav.com, Boo.com, and BedAndBreakfastWorld.com -- I think it's strange to post $1200 per night properties on a hostel site. I think that listing too many non-hostels undercuts the hostel companies that made Hostelworld possible.

A quick look at BedAndBreakfastWorld.com shows many of the same properties that are hostels or hostel-like, and are listed on HostelWorld.

I disagree. A hostel is a hostel -- meaning it offers dorm beds. I think calling hotels "hostels" is bad for hostels and serves no purpose other than marketing strategy for hotels to ride the popularity of hostels. A longer explanation of why I think this is posted here and here.

I think these are important posts:

What is a hostel?

Definition of hostel

We certainly agree with your definitions, and the desire of hostel managers to have a single identity and be served by a dedicated set of services.

Nevertheless, when considering internet marketing, multi-lingual considerations are also important, and there are subtle differences in different countries as to what a "hostel" may include. Consider the definition of the spanish word "hostal", which may often be confused with hostels in certain areas.

http://www.reference.com/browse/Hostal

Totally agree. Can't be a hostel without dorm beds. I totally agree that it's bad for hostels too. What happens is you get seedy budget/shit hole hotels listed on these sights, someone stays in them, it sucks, then they think they stayed in a hostel and they write the rest of us off for good. Which by the way, takes business away not only from the hostels, but the booking agents as well.

While we don't disagree with your characterizations, it may be important to remember that online booking services serve 2 forms of customers, the lodgings AND their guests. If we cannot effectively serve guests, then there is no way we can meet the needs of hostels.

From the guest's perspective, there are many who wish to search for multiple forms of lodging. A backpacker travelling Europe, for example, may wish to stay in a hostel in one city, a camp in another, and a budget apartment in yet another. By excluding these options from our guests, then we reduce the number of clients we are able to bing to you, the hostels.

Totally agree. Can't be a hostel without dorm beds. I totally agree that it's bad for hostels too. What happens is you get seedy budget/shit hole hotels listed on these sights, someone stays in them, it sucks, then they think they stayed in a hostel and they write the rest of us off for good. Which by the way, takes business away not only from the hostels, but the booking agents as well.

Also in response to this comment, a guest's ability to distinguish property types on a marketing site may be important. But, it is probably more important that the guest be able to get a real sense for what the properties are like (via content, photographs, descriptions, etc.) and very importantly how their reviews stack up. It is critically important that a good marketing site have a facility for providing and aggregating accurate guest reviews.

See for example:
http://www.hosteltraveler.com/reviews/reviews_recommendations_hostels_in_Costa_Rica.htm

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Josh Hostels

15 years

Nevertheless, when considering internet marketing, multi-lingual considerations are also important, and there are subtle differences in different countries as to what a "hostel" may include. Consider the definition of the spanish word "hostal", which may often be confused with hostels in certain areas.

A hostal in Spain is different than a hostel. People who have never heard of a hostal might be confused at first, but (IMHO) the solution isn't to blur the definitions, but for the people who don't know what a hostal is to learn.

"Hotel" and "motel" are similar with only one letter that is different, but there is an important distinction between the types of properties.

While we don't disagree with your characterizations, it may be important to remember that online booking services serve 2 forms of customers, the lodgings AND their guests. If we cannot effectively serve guests, then there is no way we can meet the needs of hostels.

From the guest's perspective, there are many who wish to search for multiple forms of lodging. A backpacker travelling Europe, for example, may wish to stay in a hostel in one city, a camp in another, and a budget apartment in yet another. By excluding these options from our guests, then we reduce the number of clients we are able to bing to you, the hostels.

This is true, but calling hotels "hostels" doesn't serve the travelers. IMHO it deceives them. I don't have a problem with hostel sites listing some non-hostels as long as they are clearly distinguished and that hostels are listed first :)

My perspective of the current trend is that companies sometimes call hotel "hostels" in order to ride the popularity of hostels and then upsell to hotels for higher commissions...

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santa klaus

15 years

"Hotel" and "motel" are similar with only one letter that is different, but there is an important distinction between the types of properties.

Explain.

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Josh Hostels

15 years

Explain.

If someone calls a hotel a "motel" and doesn't offer parking, it's a bit deceiving.

(I was referencing my comments in the Definition of Hostel thread, though probably not clearly :))

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santa klaus

15 years

I´m asking because a popular German budget hotel chain is called "Motel One". Some of them are in downtown locations though and I can´t imagine they have a lot of parking.

I wonder why they chose that name. To me, a "motel" is a cheap (and often quite seedy) hotel near a highway exit.

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Josh Hostels

15 years

To me, a "motel" is a cheap (and often quite seedy) hotel near a highway exit.

In the US it's typically (always?) a hotel with one parking spot for each room -- often directly in front of the room.

IMAGE(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2381/2375684116_8f372bc775.jpg) Photo c. Blijven!

Many varieties of motel exist, but they all have the common feature of parking:

IMAGE(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1263/1174071865_d375ecbfae.jpg) Photo c. brianbutko

I´m asking because a popular German budget hotel chain is called "Motel One". Some of them are in downtown locations though and I can´t imagine they have a lot of parking.

I took a look at their website and they don't look like motels, but the website wasn't working on my computer :)
(maybe they are using Flash cookies)

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AndrewC

15 years

I can imagine HW are happy to take the larger commissions of the more expensive rooms in these 'hostels'.

However, If the searches on HW becomes too dilute with expensive, non-hostel options people will turn to a better information source.

I want the person who is looking for my hostel to be able to find it as easily as possible, I'm sure the manager of an expensive hotel feels the same. Reducing the relevancy of the searches for either doesn't help anyone.

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Phillip

15 years

Sorry for chirping in a bit late into this discussion but having read it all I thought i'd add my 2 cents even though i'm not a hostel owner (yet) but someone who has backpacked their way around the world and used thes sites.

Having a booking site with Hostel in the URL to me clearly implies that you are marketing Hostels to be booked and not hotels or other forms of accommodation.

I know from past experience and just recently from my trip in Italy, that trying to find a hostel amongst the B&B and small hotels on these websites now is getting harder and harder. I was looking for places and ended up just using these websites as a reference and going to the hostels website to get the proper information and most of the time booking through their own site instead.

Backpackers and other travelers want the information fast and quick but don't to be inundated with expensive hotels etc when looking just for hostels.

My suggestion for any of these websites is they make different categories like Trip Advisor has done. Make a Hostel category which fits in a common ideal, a Hotel category a B&B category and allow the places to be assigned to those.

As for the common ideal for Hostel category, they should propose a strict guideline to all the hostels on the booking site saying if have these requirements you will be classified as that and all hostels should agree to that. What that should be is something that has been discussed in this thread.

To me a hostel is a place that has mixed or shared dormitory rooms (bunk bed or single - 6 or more to a room), common room, kitchen (either self service or served) and

As AndrewC said, as soon as these sites become too dilute with expensive, non-hostel options people will turn to a better information source.

You can no longer be a Hostel booking agent if a high percentage of your listings are Hotels. You're just another generic booking agent.

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