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Most Expensive Hostels in the World

Hostel Trends and News

Josh started this discussion 16 years 10 months ago

Hostels are getting more expensive. What are the most expensive hostels in the world?

The most expensive one that I've seen is a hostel called Clair Tappaan Lodge in Lake Tahoe, California, with dorm beds currently starting at USD $60/night on Hostelbookers:
http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/lodges/ctl/

Here is a photo of one of the dorm rooms:
http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/images/ctl/room.jpg

I heard about a hostel in Athens that was charging over $100/night for dorm beds during the 2004 Olympics, but it was an unconfirmed rumor.

The HI Boston Hostel was charging $40/night for a dorm bed just a few months ago.

Has anyone seen dorm beds for over $60/night? Are hostels getting too expensive?

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santa klaus

16 years

Our beds in Munich during Oktoberfest cost € 40 this year. That´s just a few cent short of US$ 60 at the moment. Our competitors charge up to € 59 though - enough people are ready to pay that (or even more) but we think that´s in no reasonable relation to what they get, so we set the limit at € 40 for now.

I saw on Hostelworld that Meininger Berlin charged € 120 for a bed in a mixed quad ensuite on the finals weekend of the Football World Cup last year. I´m not sure though if anyone booked for that sort of prices. Many hostels were only half full during world cup - their expectations were just way too high. Many backpackers avoided Germany altogether because they couldn´t afford it.

I can confirm your rumor about Athens. Prices over € 100 were asked.
Prices not only skyrocketed in Athens, but all over Greece. It turned out to be a fatal mistake for Greece´s tourism industry - many People who went there every year (families and retirees above all) went to Turkey or Spain instead - and liked it there as well, many may never return to Greece.

I do not really think there is a general trend that hostels are getting more expensive. They only do in cities where real estate prices go up - so they have no choice.
In cities like Berlin I observe a diversifying market. Some hostels go for prime locations, invest lots in interior design and good service - and charge high prices (best example: Circus). Others, however, build huge beasts in bad locations (only an underground station must be nearby, everything else does not matter) and specifically target travellers who just want a cheap place to crash (best example: Generator). Both strategies work.

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Josh Hostels

16 years

It turned out to be a fatal mistake for Greece´s tourism industry - many People who went there every year (families and retirees above all) went to Turkey or Spain instead - and liked it there as well, many may never return to Greece.

I was cycling around the Greek Islands at the time. I skipped Athens completely on the way out after hearing that rumor. The country was definitely empty of tourists...

They only do in cities where real estate prices go up - so they have no choice.

Good point... real estate is expensive in some places.

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uktrail

16 years

YHA London: Some 7 years ago the prices of several of their hostels in London went up to £25 (bed in small dorm, good breakfast). Currently St Pancras advertises as "from £25", but when you look closer at the London hostels there's a whole mixture of prices in the range from £20 to £25, with or without breakfast; as with train fares, gone are the days when you could look in the hostel guide to find "the price"! I guess 'hostels' that offer only single rooms, which happens with student residences in Edinburgh used as hostels in the summer, don't count in this analysis, but these are typically £30.

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subaculture

16 years

Isn't is obvious that prices will continue to rise? If hostels through amenity creep offer free WiFi, 24 desk, internet access, PCs, power points, air-con etc, the cost have to be covered through an increase in bed prices for everyone even if a minority of travellers use or value these facilities?

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santa klaus

16 years

I don´t think so.

* Never mind free WiFi. We offer that - it costs a small amount for the hardware plus € 19.90 per month for a flatrate internet connection.
* Our internet PCs actually make money.
*24 desk is a necessity in big hostels anyway.
* Power points, shame on me. We have opened a new hostel last year and didn´t think of that. One socket per room. Guests spit in our face for this stupidity. Won´t happen again - it´s not gonna be pricey anyway. We have reading lights for every bed (always had) - so the wiring is already there.
*Air-con. Not really considered "standard" yet, thank god. That WILL be expensive.

What makes hostels really expensive is location, but obviously people are really willing to pay extra for staying smack bang in the middle of town.

There´s one thing I might add: independent hostels have to pay taxes, don´t underestimate that when you compare current prices to those you paid 15 years ago at the YHI joints. In Germany, that alone makes your bed 19% more expensive!

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Josh Hostels

16 years

*Air-con. Not really considered "standard" yet, thank god. That WILL be expensive.

In Okinawa you pay for airconditioning by the hour. It's not hot enough to turn them on yet so I'm not sure exactly how it works.

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Josh Hostels

14 years

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AndrewC

14 years

There's lots of dorm beds in Sydney for the New Years period up around the $80 - $110 AUD mark.

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Josh Hostels

14 years

There's lots of dorm beds in Sydney for the New Years period up around the $80 - $110 AUD mark.

I was looking at those the other day. I found one Sydney hostel at over $300 USD per night for a dorm bed with a minimum stay of something like 7 or 10 days...

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AndrewC

14 years

I was looking at those the other day. I found one Sydney hostel at over $300 USD per night for a dorm bed with a minimum stay of something like 7 or 10 days...

I think I saw that one too! I feel sorry for anyone who books that. The 10% deposit taken by HW would be more than the price in off season!

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