In Part I of this interview we asked Josh Cohen, the man behind HostelManagement.com about him, his website and how it can be beneficial to hostels owners, and then taking advantage of his expertise in the field, we asked what is his definition of a hostel, and if hostels offering single rooms (Flashpacker ones for example) can be considered real hostels. We now continue asking Josh his opinion on hotels sold as hostels, the type of guests in hostels and their choices, and of course his point of view on the Flashpacking phenomenon.
The Tux in Backpack: What do you think of Hostel booking engines offering proper hotels in their results? And of budget hotels calling themselves hostels?
HostelManagement.com (Josh): I think that budget hotels calling themselves hostels is bad for real hostels. It doesn’t bother me that booking engines offer hotels, but they should more clearly distinguish hotels from hostels, and stop listing hotel prices as “beds” when the entire room has to be booked. Selling a hotel or motel room for “$50 per bed” isn’t fair to the solo traveler because the price is really “$100 per room” — or even “$400 per room” depending on the minimum number of “beds” that has to be booked. It’s impossible to know the actual price until you try to book the property.
hostel room or hotel room?
I understand that the “per bed” price is useful for comparison with dorm room prices, but if the “per bed” rate is listed for comparison there should also be information about the total price of the room and it should be very clear that it’s a room, not a bed.
My main complaints about hotels in hostel booking engines is that generally isn’t a clear enough distinction between hostels and hotels, and sometimes the lists of “hostels” in a city will be more hotels than hostels. For example, in Miami Hostelworld.com lists 13 hotels/apartments/guesthouses, and 8 hostels. There are enough hostels in Miami to only list hostels in the default view, but there is more money to be made by up-selling hotels, some of which start at $239 for a 1-person private room.
The Tux in Backpack: Do you think hostels are for backpackers only or for other kind of travellers too?
HostelManagement.com (Josh): There are different types of hostels for different types of guests. A hostel might cater to traditional backpackers, school groups, working travelers, flashpackers, older travelers, partiers, conference attendees, long-stay guests, outdoorsy types, or other kinds of travelers. A hostel like Hostelling International’s “J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Hostel” in Chicago attracts a vastly different crowd than a place like the “Rising Cock Hostel” in Portugal.
I think it’s a good thing to have many kinds of people using hostels. Different hostels can fill different niches.
The Tux in Backpack: Would you agree that the majority of travellers sleep in dorm just because of budget reasons? They would get a single room if they could afford it without shortening the length of their trip?
HostelManagement.com (Josh): I once saw a guy pull into a hostel’s parking lot in a rented Ferrari and then check into an 8-bed dorm for $20 even though there were private rooms available.
Could this be that Ferrari in the hostel parking?
I’ve also met people staying (or even working) in hostels who were secretly very wealthy. Hostelling is as much about the social environment as it is about saving money. Staying in a dorm room and interacting with people who you would normally never encounter in daily life back home is part of that social aspect.
The Tux in Backpack: What is your opinion of Flashpackers (as in travellers, not hostels in this case)? Do you think they can be targeted by hostels offering dorm accommodations?
HostelManagement.com (Josh): “Flashpackers” is still a loosely-defined word. I think the primary attraction of hostels is the social factor, and dorms are a great place to meet people. For many travelers, hostels aren’t necessarily about saving money. Many people will stay in dorms even if they have the budget to afford private rooms.
For me, the word flashpackers refers to high-tech backpackers who generally have a higher budget than traditional backpackers. Sometimes they have backpacks, or sometimes wheelie suitcases. They may stay at hostels, backpacker hotels, boutique hotels, or other accommodation, but they often prefer private rooms even when staying at hostels.
The word flashpackers can also refer to hostels that are designed to accommodate these high-tech travelers, with features like power outlets by the beds, wifi, private rooms, and often “boutique” design. I wouldn’t call a “flashpackers hostel” without dorms a “flashpackers” — I would call it a backpacker hotel, or boutique hotel depending on what the facilities and common areas were like.
Backpackers (the people) don’t always stay in backpackers (the hostels), and flashpackers (the people) don’t always stay in flashpackers (the hostels). In terms of accommodation, backpackers and flashpackers are two styles of hostels — the words describe the styles, but both backpackers and flashpackers are hostels, and they both have dorm beds even if they also provide private rooms.
A big thank you to Josh for sharing his knowledge and expert point of views. We would certainly love to hear from other hostel owners, booking platforms and customers of course. The Comments section is all yours!
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