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Sedona Hostel, Arizona, USA

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Josh started this discussion 16 years 9 months ago

There are not many hostels in the US state of Arizona. I think Sedona would be a great place to open a new hostel. The only hostel there apparently closed in 2004.

Sedona is a top-notch location for hiking and mountain biking, and also attracts "New Age" travelers because of the "energy vortices".

IMAGE(http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forum/attachments/f11/30d1202882242-sedona-arizona-sedona.jpg)

Here are some more photos of Sedona to give an idea of what it's like. The landscape is spectacular.

Here is a map showing the distance to Flagstaff, which is the usual base for exploring the Grand Canyon. It's 30 miles (50 km) between Flagstaff and Sedona.

It's near many great hiking spots like Wet Beaver Creek and attractions like Montezuma's Castle National Monument.

Has anyone been to Sedona? What do you think of it as a location for a new hostel?

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Rucksack Brian

16 years

Sedona is a beautiful area that would definitely attract people. For whatever reason, a lot of foreigners want to rent cars and drive the historic Route 66, which would run them right through there.

Do you know what the public transportation situation is as far as getting travelers in and out and connect them to the attractions? I see that there is a Greyhound bus station and an Amtrak station in Flagstaff, but not in Sedona. There are probably local buses that would connect the two, but I didn't see them in an initial google search. I did find that Sedona has a free bus that connects tourists to popular attractions around the city. (naipta.az.gov/RoadRunner/index.htm) According to sedona.net there is also a daily shuttle to Phoenix. There is an airport too, claiming to be "the premier Southwest resort destination airport" and "America's most scenic airport." (according to sedonaairport.org)

Are you thinking that Sedona might be a good spot for you to finally open your own hostel, or just simply pointing out a location with potential?

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Josh Hostels

16 years

Good point about the lack of a bus station. The public situation is so bad in the US that there might not be a connecting bus. There is some info on transportation options here.

That might be a major drawback of Sedona -- no bus station. Maybe the hostel could run a van to Flagstaff to or three times per week...

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maelinva

16 years

You hit the nail there, public transportation to Sedona is the big problem, I was there last year but we ended renting a car because it was too much of a headache trying to find alternatives...also I'm not sure how it goes within the area as far as transportation...because Sedona itself...well you know it, it's nothing much more than one street with some bars, restaurants and shops at the sides, lots of things to see and do in the area but nothing at walking distance.

The road through Oak Creek up to Flagstaff is really nice also, very scenic and there are several places to stop along the way for some short hiking and such, also organizing tours from the hostel to Montezuma castle and maybe also up the Mogollon Rim and to Strawberry, Pine and Tonto natural bridge should be very atractive...just probably not worthy unless you can fill the van.

I'm not too sure that you could count on the Flagstaff hostels owners to organize some kind of joint marketig or activities...it's worth to try, but I stayed there and mmmm the feeling I got was that the owners weren't really paying much atention to the business and the guests, you know what I mean.

Still I do like the idea :-) I hope you can make it

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Josh Hostels

16 years

Too bad about the public transportation problem. I think a lot of the US has that problem.

Even with the lack of transportation it might be possible to have a smaller hostel there. There are a lot of mountain bikers and outdoors people who go there. There are a few colleges somewhat within driving distance (Flagstaff, Prescott, and Phoenix).

With the Grand Canyon so close, I think some of those people could be drawn down to Sedona. If not through Flagstaff marketing, then maybe through marketing at hostels on the West Coast, and in East Coast hub cities? (People enter the US through those cities on their way to the Grand Canyon and Vegas.)

The road through Oak Creek up to Flagstaff is really nice also, very scenic

I love that drive.

Arizona needs more hostels. I hope someone opens a hostel in Sedona...

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debbie

16 years

How about Raton, NM? I would love to open one here in the far NE corner of New Mexico.

We have some of the same natural beauty, along with Amtrak, a bus station, located on interstate 25 half way between Albuquerque, NM and Denver, CO?

Features include lots of hiking in the southern Rocky Mountain foothills, the best state park in New Mexico, Sugarite; closest skiing is in the Enchanted Circle about an hour away; Vermejo Park Ranch, the NRA Whittington Center;

I have thought this would be a good place. What are some characteristics of a good place for a new hostel? The closest one in NM is Taos which is about 100 miles and there are none in South East Colorado. I would love your input.

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Josh Hostels

16 years

How about Raton, NM? I would love to open one here in the far NE corner of New Mexico.

(Here is a map of Raton, New Mexico... I had to look it up.)

It looks like it might be a good place for people to stop when driving south from Denver. There must be a lot of people driving on that route. If they knew about the hostel they might stop.

I wonder how many backpackers drive across the country on that route, or whether enough Americans know what a hostel is.

I wonder if the hostels in Colorado and New Mexico have information about how many backpackers drive that route.

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Josh Hostels

14 years

I just saw this: Sedona-Phoenix shuttle $45...

There is also a shuttle between Flagstaff and Sedona.

That might solve the transportation problem for people who don't have cars...

Maybe a perfect spot for a hostel...? :)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/94751514@N00/pool/