» hostel

I’m going to Flores Guatemala for 5 nights in September. There are a total of 4 of us, so we’re looking for a hotel or hostel with private rooms, 2 in each room. Looking to keep it under $50 a night but want something reasonably comfortable. Any suggestions?

In Flores have 3 good hotels. This…

Peten Esplendido Hotel Flores
Villa Maya Flores
Hotel Maya Internacional Flores

Choose any, they are all very worthy of your choice. Enjoy your stay!

I got admission to college in Bangalore. I need to stay at hostel. I am wondering what could be the dress in hostel.

I have couple of nighties, and night dresses. How about tanktop and shorts? I Is it ok to wear slips/camisole and shorts at hostel? I dont wear bra at home.

which ever dress you are comfortable in, give more importance to your comfort level, ofcourse decent one,

I am 17 years old and european, can I stay in a hostel in europe?

If they ask you for a credit card you could possibly get a card with stored value on it. (a drug store like CVS or walgreens may carry this) that you probably don’t have to be 18 for.

I find this site useful for finding hostels:

http://www.hostelworld.com/index.php?affiliate=uleesgold

I’m going to be staying for a couple nights in a hostel soon–in Edinburgh–and I was wondering if anyone had any sort of safety/hygiene/convenience tips. Thanks!

Don’t take your own linen. Hostels forbid outside linen and sleeping bags, due to hygiene concerns.

If you’ve never stayed in a hostel before, you might not know what to expect. You might be wondering what will the facilities be like? Will I be able to cook? Will I need bedding? Will I ever get a moment’s peace?
Don’t worry. Hostels aren’t as fancy as hotels, but they’re comfortable and fun.
A good hostel should be clean and secure. You’ll be able to tell if the place is dirty. Hostel security can be as complex as requiring a code for entry and having guards on duty; or, it can be as simple as having the receptionist monitor who comes and goes. No hostel should allow non-guests to access sleeping areas. Most hostels provide individual lockers for your valuables, though you’ll need your own lock. Otherwise, you can leave your valuables under lock and key at the reception.
Most hostels provide clean linens for free, or will rent them to you for a few dollars per stay. In fact, many hostels forbid outside linen and sleeping bags, due to hygiene concerns. Always carry your own towel.
Most hostels provide kitchen facilities where you can cook, eat, and store your food. Write your name and room number on your food. Clean up after yourself. Pay attention to notices that state when the refrigerators are cleaned, so your food doesn’t get thrown away. Don’t be surprised if someone helps themselves to your munchies after a night out at the pub. Many hostels offer free or cheap breakfasts.
Many hostels provide inexpensive laundry facilities. Line-drying clothes in your room is frowned upon, but you can get away with it if it’s just your socks and underwear.
Most hostels provide internet access. Sometimes, it’s free, but if so you’ll have to wait your turn. If it’s not free, find an internet cafe, they’re usually cheaper. Many hostels have wireless internet and this should always be free, but you’ll need your laptop.
A wide range of other amenites are on offer at hostels, but these are some of the basics that most people look for. Don’t be too quick to pass judgment if the hostel is small or a little run-down; older, smaller hostels can be more fun than large, modern, corporate ones. Always check out a hostel’s facilities before you book. Booking in advance will save a lot of worry and walking, but I recommend not booking your whole stay in advance. That way, if you hate the place, you can leave.
You’ll most likely be staying in dorm rooms shared between four to twenty people. You can choose a single-sex or mixed dorm. Small dorms are more comfortable; large dorms are cheaper. If you’re craving privacy, some hostels offer private rooms with shared or private bath.
Hostels have social areas and some have their own bars. There, you’ll find games, books, and information about the area. Most hostels offer activities, ranging from trivia nights to walking tours, for affordable fees. These activities are a great way to have fun, make friends, and experience the highlights of a city or region. Your receptionist can give you tips and help you find your way around.
If you arrive in the morning and your bed isn’t ready, don’t raise a stink. Hostels have a lot of guests, and cleaning up is hard work. There will be a luggage room where you can stow your pack, and a toilet or shower where you can get cleaned up. No one will mind if you take a nap in the lounge. Check-in and check-out times vary, but generally check-in starts around 2 PM, and check-out begins around 11 AM. If you’ve booked in advance, plan to arrive no later than four hours after your ETA so you don’t lose your reservation. You can re-stow your pack in the luggage room while waiting to catch your train, bus or plane to the next stop.
Some hostels will assign a specific bed in your dorm; others let you choose. If you choose your bed, put the linens on right away and put some of your things on top so that others coming into the room will know it’s taken. Put your pjs, toothbrush and anything else you’ll need at bedtime where they’ll be easy to find in the dark. You may come in later than expected, and you don’t want to disturb anyone by turning on lights and making noise. Take off your shoes before you enter your dorm at night. Be considerate, and don’t take it personally if someone wakes you up. You can always take a nap the next day.

♣

We are looking at opening a small hostel in Auckland and not sure where to start.

Hostels are becoming increasingly popular among tourists and travelers, because with the economic turmoil that the world is going through, a cheaper alternative to hotel accommodations is needed. You can take advantage of this by opening up your own hostel business.
Here are some of the things that you need to set up in order to get your own hostel business up and running.

Licensing your Hostel Business
Since they cater to people, hostel owners need to get themselves licensed. Go to your local food and safety government agencies and get yourself certified.

Location Selection for your Hostel Business
This is very important while setting up this business, find a place which should be visible from the highways / main roads and that should be cheap as well. To keep the cost low in the rising competition you will have to set this business with a low investment. Plan your project accordingly, start with Phase-I where you just invest only 35-40% of your investment and get your business start and running. You can develop Phase-II and Phase-III later so that it will give you a margin time to filter your mistakes and invest your money perfectly.

Security Lockers
Hostels can be called small hotels. They act almost like hotels except that some accommodations that are afforded to hotel guests are removed. This includes security for your things. In a hostel, guests only have security lockers for their things. When starting your hostel business, make sure to get only the best security lockers for your guests or else, your reputation could suffer if one of your guests successfully raids the others’ lockers and actually get away with it.

Amenities for Hostel Business
Decide first if you want to use double-deck or single deck beds for your rooms, or a combination of both. You would also need to address the privacy of your guests because hostel guests are like bedspacers; they share one room. Unlike hotels, TV sets in hostel rooms are not encouraged in order to foster more interaction between guests.

Internet Access
Internet access can either be wifi or landline-based, so your guests can connect with their loved ones in their home countries. Some of them might choose to bring their own laptops, but others will most likely be restricted to PCs that you provide to them. Make sure they can download and send pictures from their digital cameras if they wish to.

Maps
Most of your guests will be tourists, and they will want to tour around the city they are staying at. To help them – and to ensure their safety – be ready to provide them with maps that can guide them around the city. The maps should be free. If you can, link up with a tour guide agency through which you can offer them a tour of the city.

The Best Staff for Hostel Business
The thing in common with both hotels and hostels is that their reputation hinges on the staff that serves their establishments. The same goes for your business. You need to best there is in staffing. The staff should be friendly, helpful, and with an eye for cleanliness and organization. Having these will help boost the reputation of your business greatly.