A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable

lodging Lodging refers to the use of a short-term dwelling, usually by renting the living space or sometimes through some other arrangement. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, food, safety, shel ...

where guests can rent a bed, usually a

bunk bed A bunk bed or set of bunks is a type of bed in which one bed frame (a bunk) is stacked on top of another bed, allowing two or more sleeping-places to occupy the floor space usually required by just one. Bunks are commonly seen on ships, in th ...

in a

dormitory A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm), also known as a hall of residence, a residence hall (often abbreviated to halls), or a hostel, is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential qu ...

sleeping 4–20 people, with shared use of a lounge and usually a kitchen. Rooms can be private or shared - mixed or single-sex - and have private or shared bathrooms. Food and beverage, laundry services, luggage storage, and lockers may also be available. Hostels are popular forms of lodging for backpackers and with youth travel, however very few impose age limits. The global size of the hostel market was estimated at US$7.21 billion in 2023 and was projected to grow at a 6.5%

compound annual growth rate Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is a business, economics and investing term representing the mean annualized growth rate for compounding values over a given time period. CAGR smoothes the effect of volatility of periodic values that can render ...

until 2030. In 2019, there were an estimated 5,829 hostels in Europe and 4,738 hostels in Asia. The typical guest is between 16 and 34 years old, although it can vary depending on the country. Many hostels are locally owned and operated.

Advantages

The benefits to travelers of hostels include lower costs opportunities to meet people from different places, find travel partners and a sense of community, and share travel experiences. They are usually more centrally located than lodging found on

Airbnb Airbnb, Inc. ( , an abbreviation of its original name, "Air Bed and Breakfast") is an American company operating an online marketplace for short-and-long-term homestays, experiences and services in various countries and regions. It acts as a ...

. Some hostels, such as those in the

Hostelling International Hostelling International (HI) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation working with UNESCO and the World Tourism Organisation UNWTO. Formerly known as the International Youth Hostel Federation, Hostelling International has 60 member ...

network, cater to a niche market of travelers. For example, one hostel might feature in-house social gatherings such as movie nights or communal dinners, another might feature local tours, cooking classes, and pub crawls, one might be known for its parties, and another might have a quieter place to relax in serenity, or be located on the beach. Some may cater to older

digital nomad A digital nomad is a person who travels freely while working remotely using information and communications technology such as the Internet. Such people generally have minimal material possessions and work remotely in temporary housing, hotels, c ...

global nomad A global nomad is a person who is living a mobile and international lifestyle. Global nomads aim to live location-independently, seeking detachment from particular geographical locations and the idea of territorial belonging. Origins and use of ...

s, and

perpetual traveler A perpetual traveler (also PT, permanent tourist or prior taxpayer) is a person who bases different aspects of their life in different countries, without spending too long in any one place, under the belief that they can reduce taxes, avoid civic ...

s who prefer slightly more upmarket private rooms or a quieter atmosphere. Hostels may also differentiate themselves by being environmentally friendly ecohostels. Hostels may offer long-term lodging to guests for free or at a discount in exchange for work as a

receptionist A receptionist is an Employment, employee taking an office or Business administration, administrative support position. The work is usually performed in a waiting room, waiting area such as a Lobby (room), lobby or front office desk of an organ ...

or in

housekeeping Housekeeping is the management and routine support activities of running and maintaining an organized physical institution occupied or used by people, like a house, ship, hospital or factory, such as cleaning, tidying/organizing, cooking, shopp ...

Issues to consider

Guests are advised to be respectful of others: * There is less privacy in a hostel than in a hotel. Sharing sleeping areas in a

and bathrooms might not be comfortable for those requiring more privacy. However, the shared lodging makes it easier to meet new people. Some hostels encourage more social interaction between guests due to the shared sleeping areas and communal areas. Lounges typically have sofas and chairs, coffee tables, board games, books or book exchange, computers, and Internet access. * Nearly all hostels have a shared communal kitchen area for the preparation of food and a storage area with refrigerators. Most hostels have a label system to identify the owner of the food. Some hostels will have a labeled "free shelf" where guests can leave unwanted food. Theft of food can happen. * Noise can make sleeping difficult, whether from

snoring Snoring is an abnormal breath sound caused by partially obstructed, turbulent airflow and vibration of tissues in the upper respiratory tract (e.g., uvula, soft palate, base of tongue) which occurs during sleep. It usually happens during in ...

, talking, and social activities in the lounge, guests staying up with the light on, or someone either returning late from bars or leaving early. To mitigate the effects, many guests use earplugs and eye masks. * Some hostels do not provide linens. * Some hostels may have a

curfew A curfew is an order that imposes certain regulations during specified hours. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to remain indoors during the evening and nighttime hours. Such an order is most often issued by public authorit ...

and daytime lockouts.

History

In August 1909,

Richard Schirrmann Richard Schirrmann (15 May 1874 – 14 December 1961) was a German teacher and founder of the first hostel. Early life and education Schirrmann was born in Grunenfeld, Province of Prussia (now Gronówko, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship). His fath ...

, a teacher in Germany, first published his idea of inexpensive accommodation for youth travel after leading a school camping trip that was derailed by a thunderstorm. Schirrmann received considerable support and opened a makeshift hostel for hikers in the school in which he taught. On June 1, 1912, Schirrmann opened the first hostel in

Altena Castle Altena Castle () is a medieval hill castle in the town of Altena in North Rhine-Westphalia. Built on a Spur (topography), spur of Klusenberg hill, the castle lies near the Lenne in the Märkischer Kreis. The castle was erected by the early Coun ...

. The original hostel rooms are now a museum. Schirrmann served in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and after observing the

Christmas truce The Christmas truce (; ; ) was a series of widespread unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of the First World War around Christmas 1914. The truce occurred five months after hostilities had begun. Lulls occurred in the fighting a ...

on the Western Front in December 1915, he wondered whether "thoughtful young people of all countries could be provided with suitable meeting places where they could get to know each other". In 1919, he founded the

German Youth Hostel Association The German Youth Hostel Association () or DJH is a non-profit registered organization (''eingetragener Verein''). It was founded in 1919 to provide affordable and safe accommodation for travellers, especially schools, youth groups and individua ...

. By 1932, Germany had more than 2,000 hostels recording more than 4.5 million overnights annually. The International Youth Hostel Federation (now

) was founded in October 1932. It is now an organization composed of more than 90 hostel associations representing over 4,500 hostels in over 80 countries. These hostels cater more to school-aged children, sometimes through school trips, and families with school-aged children. In 1936,

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

was the honorary president of AYH (now Hostelling International USA). John D. Rockefeller III was a proponent of hostels and was president for several years. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, many hostels in Europe were temporarily shut down or placed under the control of the

Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth ( , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth wing of the German Nazi Party. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1936 until 1945, it was th ...

. In the 1960s and 1970s, hostelling prospered. The industry declined during the

1970s energy crisis The 1970s energy crisis occurred when the Western world, particularly the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, faced substantial petroleum shortages as well as elevated prices. The two worst crises of this period wer ...

. A law passed in

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

in 2010 banned hostels due to illegal hostels set up in residences, unless a hotel license was obtained. During the

2008 financial crisis The 2008 financial crisis, also known as the global financial crisis (GFC), was a major worldwide financial crisis centered in the United States. The causes of the 2008 crisis included excessive speculation on housing values by both homeowners ...

and the

Great Recession The Great Recession was a period of market decline in economies around the world that occurred from late 2007 to mid-2009.

, the hostel market actually grew due to its cost appeal.

References

{{Authority control Adventure travel Backpacking Hotel types Tourist accommodations

Advantages

Issues to consider

History

See also

References