What Digital Nomads Really Want From Hostels
The life of a digital nomad is pretty minimalistic. When the road becomes home, and planning the next destination becomes like a job in itself, there are only a few things that become truly essential.
With how affordable and accessible hostels have become for travelers, they’ve become ideal hubs for digital nomads to get the most out of their work-life balance. Hostels all around the world are trying to cater to this market, and some cities are more popular amongst digital nomads than others.
Not all hostels, however, are created equal. Some offer more chill vibes, while others offer a more lively party scene. For hostel owners and operators, it can be beneficial to know what some of the key things are that digital nomads really want from hostels. While that can depend on the person, largely, the main selling points for digital nomads when booking hostels are the things that unlock work-life balance.
Reliable Wi-FI
Having a reliable internet connection and creating spaces where backpackers can hunker down and grind out long hours on their computer is one of the best things hostels can do to attract digital nomads. Most travelers are out exploring the town or city during the day, offering those digital nomads ample opportunities to spread out and work. Creating workable spaces means having comfortable seating, appropriate music, and good lighting. To compete with co-working spaces and cafes, hostels can dress up their common areas with live plants and do things to capture natural light to help create a warm working environment.
Fun Activities
The reason digital nomads choose to be on the road is to experience things instead of being stuck in the same routine. Having fun, unusual, and engaging activities is one of the biggest keys to getting guests to extend. Digital nomads want a place that has a sense of community as much as they do a quiet place to work. Whether that’s an arts and crafts night, a sunset walk, evening or morning yoga sessions, or a simple bar crawl, having activities that bring people together and build connections is what digital nomads want out of hostels.
Coffee and Cold Beverages
Most hostels offer complimentary coffee to their guests, but taking it a step further by offering craft coffee drinks or locally sourced drip coffee can help sway digital into extending their stay. Whether that’s something that hostels build into their storefront, using portable machines to craft espresso drinks or single-serve coffees, can help not only keep digital nomads coming back but also drive revenue. If permissible, offering alcoholic options like beer and wine can also be an effective way to market to digital nomads, as many co-working spaces offer at their facilities.
Fresh Air and Sunlight
Building communal spaces that are conducive to both work and play can be tricky. But for digital nomads especially, having access to fresh air and places to sit in the sun are highly valuable. Not all hostels have outdoor spaces or windows that receive a lot of sun exposure, but for those that do, it can be as simple as putting out tables with umbrellas or placing comfortable arm chairs in front of the windows to encourage digital nomads to work where they can feel the fresh air or get some sun while working. If it’s possible, creating a small area designated strictly for co-working, such as a section of an outdoor patio or an exlusive section of a lounge or common area, can be a big selling point for digital nomads, as well.
