Comments on: When is a Backpackers Hostel Not A Hostel? http://www.travmonkey.com/when-is-a-backpackers-hostel-not-a-hostel/ The Best Online World Travel Magazine Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:23:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: mikehttp://www.travmonkey.com/when-is-a-backpackers-hostel-not-a-hostel/#comment-4593 mike Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:50:36 +0000 http://www.travmonkey.com/?p=2204#comment-4593 As a hostel owner I know that what really annoys guests are people turning the lights on in the middle of the night, for god sakes get a headlamp or a simple flashlight it should be a basic part of your gear, and see you at bambu hostel in david panama..we are new with a pool and a great place to meet backpackers from around the world <a href="http://www.bambuhostel.com" rel="nofollow">www.bambuhostel.com</a> As a hostel owner I know that what really annoys guests are people turning the lights on in the middle of the night, for god sakes get a headlamp or a simple flashlight it should be a basic part of your gear, and see you at bambu hostel in david panama..we are new with a pool and a great place to meet backpackers from around the world

http://www.bambuhostel.com

]]> By: Joshhttp://www.travmonkey.com/when-is-a-backpackers-hostel-not-a-hostel/#comment-3345 Josh Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:29:17 +0000 http://www.travmonkey.com/?p=2204#comment-3345 Thanks for the mention. IMHO, here are some more things to consider: If "hostel" means just having communal bathrooms and kitchen, then is a campground with some bungalows and a kitchen a hostel? Is a "hostal" in Spain a type of "hostel"? (The answer is "no" in both cases. The main defining characteristic of a hostel is the shared sleeping areas.) How about "sociable" hotels with common areas like <a href="http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forum/f25/hilton-stealing-our-ideas-1481.html" rel="nofollow">Club Med and Denzien</a>? Where is the defining line between a hotel or guesthouse and a hostel? Hostels don't have a monopoly on shared common areas. There are <em>guesthouses</em> and other types of properties which overlap with hostels in that aspect. There are guesthouses that offer dorm beds -- I would call them "guesthouse & hostel". A property without shared accommodation is not a hostel though. I am sure these non-hostels that call themselves "hostels" have confused backpackers regularly showing up looking for dorm beds. There are different classes of accommodation with different definitions. What do you call an accommodation provider that offers shared rooms? A hostel. If people start calling places without shared rooms "hostels", it makes the word <em>hostel</em> meaningless and undercuts the genuine hostels. If the definition of "hostel" is expanded to include hotels and guesthouses, it will seriously affect the hostel industry in a negative way. If you want to know more about why it's an issue for the hostels themselves see the interview <a href="http://thetuxinbackpack.com/2009/04/hostels-and-flashpackers-part-1/" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://thetuxinbackpack.com/2009/04/hostels-and-flashpackers-part-2/" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Thanks for the mention.

IMHO, here are some more things to consider:

If "hostel" means just having communal bathrooms and kitchen, then is a campground with some bungalows and a kitchen a hostel? Is a "hostal" in Spain a type of "hostel"?

(The answer is "no" in both cases. The main defining characteristic of a hostel is the shared sleeping areas.)

How about "sociable" hotels with common areas like Club Med and Denzien? Where is the defining line between a hotel or guesthouse and a hostel?

Hostels don't have a monopoly on shared common areas. There are guesthouses and other types of properties which overlap with hostels in that aspect. There are guesthouses that offer dorm beds — I would call them "guesthouse & hostel". A property without shared accommodation is not a hostel though. I am sure these non-hostels that call themselves "hostels" have confused backpackers regularly showing up looking for dorm beds.

There are different classes of accommodation with different definitions. What do you call an accommodation provider that offers shared rooms? A hostel. If people start calling places without shared rooms "hostels", it makes the word hostel meaningless and undercuts the genuine hostels. If the definition of "hostel" is expanded to include hotels and guesthouses, it will seriously affect the hostel industry in a negative way.

If you want to know more about why it's an issue for the hostels themselves see the interview here and here.

]]> By: Hosteliohttp://www.travmonkey.com/when-is-a-backpackers-hostel-not-a-hostel/#comment-3339 Hostelio Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:29:50 +0000 http://www.travmonkey.com/?p=2204#comment-3339 I strongly believe Josh is right here. The biggest hostel booking website has 20k properties, others continue with 15k, 10k, etc. So lets sum them up, remove duplicates, there should be 25k-30k hostels registered at booking services. Add 10k for independent hostels, the summation would be 40.000 This is with pensions, guesthouses, B&B's, campsites and even 5 star hotels. As far as "pure hostels" i dont think there are more than 10.000 across the globe... I strongly believe Josh is right here.

The biggest hostel booking website has 20k properties, others continue with 15k, 10k, etc.

So lets sum them up, remove duplicates, there should be 25k-30k hostels registered at booking services. Add 10k for independent hostels, the summation would be 40.000

This is with pensions, guesthouses, B&B's, campsites and even 5 star hotels. As far as "pure hostels" i dont think there are more than 10.000 across the globe…

]]> By: Carlahttp://www.travmonkey.com/when-is-a-backpackers-hostel-not-a-hostel/#comment-3326 Carla Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:31:48 +0000 http://www.travmonkey.com/?p=2204#comment-3326 I think that as long as you are sharing what is normally said to be "personal space" with strangers, then it is a hostel. Sharing bathrooms, living rooms or bedrooms with people you didn't know before you arrived, makes it a hostel. Then, following your argument, if a room has 2 beds, and you don't know the person who is sleeping on the other bed, then it's a hostel. I totally agree with this! I think that as long as you are sharing what is normally said to be “personal space” with strangers, then it is a hostel. Sharing bathrooms, living rooms or bedrooms with people you didn’t know before you arrived, makes it a hostel.
Then, following your argument, if a room has 2 beds, and you don’t know the person who is sleeping on the other bed, then it’s a hostel. I totally agree with this!

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