What it's Like to run an Urban Hostel
Running any type of hostel poses its own unique benefits and challenges. Given the nature of the business, and how the hostel becomes a revolving door each day, there can be valuable things for hostel owners to know, especially when it comes to running an urban hostel.
Hostels in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, and Denver host travelers coming to check out the city life and experience the urban vibe of those places. While there is the built-in advantage of being located in a popular travel destination, hostel owners in urban areas have certain challenges that they have to deal with that an owner in a rural area might not.
Zach Fairchild, co-director of Hostel Detroit, in Detroit, Michigan, touched on some of the things that make running a hostel in a city environment unique, from the benefits to the challenges.
“Being in a city means safety and security are super important, since there’s a lot of people around in general and you need to make sure you’re offering a safe space that people feel comfortable at,” said Fairchild. “If your policies and security aren’t up to par, people aren’t going to want to stay with you.”
Safety and Security
Having clear screening policies is one way to help keep a hostel safe, but Fairchild also touched on things that a hostel can do to ensure that the space is best suited for backpackers and travelers, as it is intended to be.
“Specifically, there are different things you can do, like how you make the space bookable and how you market yourself, that can all help create that sort of environment,” said Fairchild. But as hostel staff and owners know, it can be difficult to implement and follow certain policies and guidelines when it comes to checking in or turning away certain guests, especially in a city.
“You need to be able to keep that environment safe and comfortable while not being discriminatory. That really comes down to having an engaged staff that cares,” said Fairchild. “If you don’t have that, those challenges are going to slip through the cracks. And so you’ll have to deal with it down the pipeline instead of dealing with it up front.”
But as Fairchild added, these are common hurdles in any hostel, no matter if it's located in a major metropolitan area or in the middle of nowhere.
Whereas they might have to implement stricter security and screening policies, hostels that are located in major cities have the benefit of attracting backpackers and travelers looking for a wide range of experiences. Being that Detroit has experienced a resurgence after experiencing decades of decline, Fairchild pointed out how when Hostel Detroit opened up 15 years ago, he noticed a certain trend in the types of travelers coming through.
“We had a lot of Europeans coming over because at that time European publications were posting abandoned pictures of Detroit, and, not that there wasn’t, but people wanted to see the ruins of this great city that fell. And then when they arrived, they realized it was more than that,” said Fairchild. “I think people are looking for unique experiences that you can’t find anywhere else, and Detroit fits into that.”
Finding the Unique
Being in a city like Detroit, with such a unique history and global recognition, is one thing that helps attract the type of curious travelers who tend to stay in hostels. While there are plenty of things around the city for travelers to do to fill their days, Fairchild pointed out how the staff is less focused on sending people off to events like sports games, and more intentional about curating an experience for the guests that is true to Detroit.
“A lot of places feel the same. Detroit isn’t that. It also isn’t as approachable if you don’t know someone there, so we want to be your friend,” said Fairchild. Part of connecting the guests with the city in an authentic, natural way is the hostel’s efforts to staff Hostel Detroit with locals. That decision, Fairchild said, is intentional.
“(Having a local staff) pushes the culture that you have. And it’s probably the most fun part of the job, connecting with someone genuinely interested in your city. It makes the job, and the experience, that much more rewarding,” said Fairchild. “We try to be a guidebook, but in-person.”
As far as keeping it all together and ensuring that the place is safe, secure, fun, and engaging, Fairchild said it comes down to taking care of the hostel as if it were a living, breathing organism. Having been part of the original team that built the hostel from the ground up, Fairchild pointed out how important it is to keep close attention to detail, from the clean facilities to the culture that’s implemented within the staff and guests.
“In a hostel, there are constantly things happening. There are all different variables between staff and guests, and every day is different, so it’s about reacting to that,” said Fairchild. “If you’re trying to keep this living thing going and healthy, you have to take a holistic approach to it, and you have to do what you can with what you have. For us, that’s keeping to our mission and making sure that we’re staying with it, which means providing excellent service to travelers that are coming through.”
