Hostels have always been my favorite accommodation choice while travelling. I will admit that hostel life isn’t for everyone. But they are, without a doubt, the most social and authentic way to travel. But what is it like to actually run a hostel? A lot of people would assume it is far easier to run a hostel than a hotel. But, in my experience, this isn’t the case.

A hotel can easily measure its success against the standards of the industry. Whereas there is no real standard when it comes to hostels. The idea is that every hostel should be unique. Offering something different to entice travellers. So what makes a successful hostel? That is the question we are planning to answer today!

The Facilities

There are a few key reasons why hostels are so appealing to travellers. Firstly, the price. Hostels are, usually, cheaper than a hotel. The main trade off for this is you may end up sharing a room with strangers. Secondly, hostels should come equipped with facilities for people to cook their own food. Allowing travellers to save a considerable amount of money.

But just because hostels are cheaper doesn’t mean you can skimp on the quality of your facilities. While they aren’t held to the same standards as a hotel room might be, your accommodation spaces need to be functional, space appropriate and, most importantly, clean!

Cleanliness is the biggest thing people focus on in hostel reviews. Because they can very quickly become hotbeds for pests such as rodents, bed bugs, and other insects. So before you do anything else you need to ensure that you have rigorous cleaning procedures in place. Rooms and social spaces should be cleaned daily. Guests should also be provided fresh linens for their beds. You should ensure you have a stock of spare clean sheets at all times should guests need them.

Chances are, you will encounter a pest problem at some point. It is only natural, considering the usual clientele of hostels. So you need to be prepared to deal with them. You should visit places like the Thanoshome Forums. At this pest control forum, you’ll find a range of hostel-appropriate solutions to any pest problem you may encounter.

The Social Spaces

The other main selling point for hostels is the social aspect. A good hostel will have adequate social space for travellers to meet and hang out. A popular example of this is a hostel bar. One of my favorite hostels, The Flying Pig Downtown in Amsterdam, has their bar and social spaces right at the entrance. Creating a welcoming social atmosphere from the moment you step into the hostel.

Now space is going to be your biggest challenge when constructing your social spaces. In an ideal world you would have a mixture of noisy and quiet areas for guests to enjoy. As not every traveller is going to want to spend the night partying at the hostel bar. But if you only have enough space for one social area we recommend making it a more chill space. Unless you are in a more party focused city.

The decor in your social spaces is important too. Some hostels go for a theme, especially those located in capital cities or near beaches. If you are running a themed hostel then, of course, you should decorate your social spaces to keep with that theme. For non-themed hostels I recommend decorations that are vibrant and colorful. Avoid anything too lavish. You want to create a chilled out space that promotes the ideals of budget travelling.

The Staff

The social aspect of a hostel isn’t reliant on the travellers alone. The staff are going to be key to the social success of your hostel. Which is why a lot of hostels take on volunteer staff from sites like Workaway. Through these schemes you can bring in temporary workers who, rather than getting paid money, work for room and board.

This ensures that the staff on site are going to be more engaged with the guests. It also helps give your hostel a more familial aspect. These volunteers will be able to help guide new travellers around the city while also encouraging them to engage with the social activities happening within the hostel.