ok, my friends! advice welcome!

kindlekitten · 08-16-2014, 03:47 PM

I've kind of gotten myself into a project that i need input on.

How many of you have been Hostel travelers? Tell me about your great and horrible experiences? What was needed, what was over kill?

This project if it grows legs at all will probably take awhile

MJK2111 · 08-18-2014, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I've kind of gotten myself into a project that i need input on.

How many of you have been Hostel travelers? Tell me about your great and horrible experiences? What was needed, what was over kill?

This project if it grows legs at all will probably take awhile

Sounds more like "hostile" travelers...

kindlekitten · 08-18-2014, 03:02 PM

Le sigh

HomeInMyShoes · 08-18-2014, 06:07 PM

Most of the time you want a clean room, someplace to wash up. Laundry facilities can be nice, but depending on location maybe not necessary. I need to try to find the hostel we stayed at in El Calafate because it was awesome and I'm not sure if it was a hostel in Ushuaia or not. Knowledgable staff is always good and some tips and custom information not available as the usual tourista brochures is a plus.

A clean room and knowledge is what I like.

kindlekitten · 08-18-2014, 06:21 PM

Yep! High level of cleanliness we are after. The building we're looking at could stand 4-5 washer dryer sets.

Back when i was hostelling, you were expected to bring your own bag/bedroll but it seems now that they actually want to lock up any of your sleeping gear due to the possible spread of ickies which I get.

So we're planning on wireless, printer and fax for a fee.

Not sure if having a common room tv is important anymore given the state of technology, let alone movie rentals. Then there's other entertainment.

We're also tossing around the food issues. I'm the only one with hostel experience and it gets a little frustrating to explain

Stitchawl · 08-19-2014, 12:25 AM

We've been in hostels all over the world, and they differ by an order of magnitude.
Some have been like nice hotels with all the trimmings, others like sheds with bunk beds. One was a converted Buddhist temple dating back several hundred years, another was a series of Yerts. One was made from 10 steel shipping containers, and was actually rather nice! Some had dorms, others had dorms and private rooms, some were co-ed dorms, others separated. The one thing they all had in common was the helpful friendly staff. Most were very clean, most offered washing machines, secured parking, lots of books in many languages, lots of local maps, many sold camping supplies and first aid equipment. Hostels in the middle of large cities offered tour services... Hostels are a great way to meet other travelers and hear their take on what to see an do in the area.

Stitchawl

HomeInMyShoes · 08-19-2014, 10:20 AM

Not sure what to suggest on the TV room. For some it would be nice, but it would certainly not have to be a huge thing. It's nice to have a room to sit and meet other people. It could have a TV and maybe a DVD player. A TV and a game console with family friendly games would be a fun idea.

I suppose we would need to know more about where the hostel is because that will dictate the type of travelers more than anything else. You will get all sorts, but don't try to be everything to everyone try to be what the majority of your travelers will need.

It's like any design problem. Build a persona and build them ultra-specific and fulfill there needs and you will have a successful design. If your persona is based on the majority of your travelers you will have a successful design for most of your travelers.

kindlekitten · 08-19-2014, 04:59 PM

In a nutshell it's in walking distance from our foot ferry which comes over from Bremerton which has ferry service from Seattle. That ferry terminal is within walking distance from the railway and bus depots and it's not terribly difficult to get to from the airport. Our area just recently developed "water trails" up the coast along the peninsula. Part of our plan is to rent kayaks and bicycles and then eventually all types of backpacking equipment., the theory being; "you get yourself to Seattle and we'll handle the rest". We just had a public market open right downtown (for those of you who have been think the pike place market, top floor) right now it has fresh produce, a butcher selling local meats (and even a cold drying case where you can see the meat hanging), a local fish monger, local beers and wines, and a choclatier who also does ice cream etc. So one of our thoughts is to have picnic baskets for rent and if the guests go to the market they get "x" off their purchases, (there isn't a grocery store [except 7-11] in walking distance). So the idea is to help outfit hikers, boaters, or just people hanging out and exploring the area. So basically i need feedback from the collective you as to what would entice the you that is looking for fun and adventure to come check out my hostel?

And to clarify some questions that I've already seen; we're planning on a minimum of 4 washer/dryers. We will have at least one big dorm type room and a few smaller ones (the big one being between 24 and 30), a smaller dorm type room designated female only, a few "family" type rooms holding 4-6 people.

We'll have a communal kitchen for people cooking their own meals with very basic supplies. A dining room which can double as a hang out place.

We plan on stocking a few basics which tie into the whole outdoors venue; very basic first aid kit, sun screen, sun glasses, water shoes, trail food (maybe even mre) type foods.

Oh! And a grill and (at my insistence) a dog yard.

So. ... what am I missing?

FizzyWater · 08-19-2014, 07:23 PM

Gadget charging stations? With spare cables?

kindlekitten · 08-19-2014, 09:37 PM

Yeah that's a good one, especially with the cables! I can't tell you how many times I've heard about people not having the right cable while traveling!

Stitchawl · 08-19-2014, 10:09 PM

How about good quality tea and coffee?

Stitchawl

kindlekitten · 08-19-2014, 10:19 PM

Hm? Mmmmmm most breakfast time would be self serve, but certainly we could be better than foldgers and liptons

Stitchawl · 08-19-2014, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

Hm? Mmmmmm most breakfast time would be self serve, but certainly we could be better than foldgers and liptons

Acorns and spruce tips would be better than Liptons...

But yeah... that's the idea.

Stitchawl

kindlekitten · 08-19-2014, 10:33 PM

Lol! !

kindlekitten · 08-21-2014, 05:24 PM

Bumpage

08-16-2014, 03:47 PM	#1
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	ok, my friends! advice welcome! I've kind of gotten myself into a project that i need input on. How many of you have been Hostel travelers? Tell me about your great and horrible experiences? What was needed, what was over kill? This project if it grows legs at all will probably take awhile

08-19-2014, 07:23 PM	#9
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	Gadget charging stations? With spare cables? Last edited by FizzyWater; 08-19-2014 at 07:30 PM.

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08-18-2014, 03:02 PM	#3
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	Le sigh

08-18-2014, 06:07 PM	#4
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Most of the time you want a clean room, someplace to wash up. Laundry facilities can be nice, but depending on location maybe not necessary. I need to try to find the hostel we stayed at in El Calafate because it was awesome and I'm not sure if it was a hostel in Ushuaia or not. Knowledgable staff is always good and some tips and custom information not available as the usual tourista brochures is a plus. A clean room and knowledge is what I like.

08-18-2014, 06:21 PM	#5
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	Yep! High level of cleanliness we are after. The building we're looking at could stand 4-5 washer dryer sets. Back when i was hostelling, you were expected to bring your own bag/bedroll but it seems now that they actually want to lock up any of your sleeping gear due to the possible spread of ickies which I get. So we're planning on wireless, printer and fax for a fee. Not sure if having a common room tv is important anymore given the state of technology, let alone movie rentals. Then there's other entertainment. We're also tossing around the food issues. I'm the only one with hostel experience and it gets a little frustrating to explain

08-19-2014, 12:25 AM	#6
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	We've been in hostels all over the world, and they differ by an order of magnitude. Some have been like nice hotels with all the trimmings, others like sheds with bunk beds. One was a converted Buddhist temple dating back several hundred years, another was a series of Yerts. One was made from 10 steel shipping containers, and was actually rather nice! Some had dorms, others had dorms and private rooms, some were co-ed dorms, others separated. The one thing they all had in common was the helpful friendly staff. Most were very clean, most offered washing machines, secured parking, lots of books in many languages, lots of local maps, many sold camping supplies and first aid equipment. Hostels in the middle of large cities offered tour services... Hostels are a great way to meet other travelers and hear their take on what to see an do in the area. Stitchawl

08-19-2014, 10:20 AM	#7
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Not sure what to suggest on the TV room. For some it would be nice, but it would certainly not have to be a huge thing. It's nice to have a room to sit and meet other people. It could have a TV and maybe a DVD player. A TV and a game console with family friendly games would be a fun idea. I suppose we would need to know more about where the hostel is because that will dictate the type of travelers more than anything else. You will get all sorts, but don't try to be everything to everyone try to be what the majority of your travelers will need. It's like any design problem. Build a persona and build them ultra-specific and fulfill there needs and you will have a successful design. If your persona is based on the majority of your travelers you will have a successful design for most of your travelers.

08-19-2014, 04:59 PM	#8
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	In a nutshell it's in walking distance from our foot ferry which comes over from Bremerton which has ferry service from Seattle. That ferry terminal is within walking distance from the railway and bus depots and it's not terribly difficult to get to from the airport. Our area just recently developed "water trails" up the coast along the peninsula. Part of our plan is to rent kayaks and bicycles and then eventually all types of backpacking equipment., the theory being; "you get yourself to Seattle and we'll handle the rest". We just had a public market open right downtown (for those of you who have been think the pike place market, top floor) right now it has fresh produce, a butcher selling local meats (and even a cold drying case where you can see the meat hanging), a local fish monger, local beers and wines, and a choclatier who also does ice cream etc. So one of our thoughts is to have picnic baskets for rent and if the guests go to the market they get "x" off their purchases, (there isn't a grocery store [except 7-11] in walking distance). So the idea is to help outfit hikers, boaters, or just people hanging out and exploring the area. So basically i need feedback from the collective you as to what would entice the you that is looking for fun and adventure to come check out my hostel? And to clarify some questions that I've already seen; we're planning on a minimum of 4 washer/dryers. We will have at least one big dorm type room and a few smaller ones (the big one being between 24 and 30), a smaller dorm type room designated female only, a few "family" type rooms holding 4-6 people. We'll have a communal kitchen for people cooking their own meals with very basic supplies. A dining room which can double as a hang out place. We plan on stocking a few basics which tie into the whole outdoors venue; very basic first aid kit, sun screen, sun glasses, water shoes, trail food (maybe even mre) type foods. Oh! And a grill and (at my insistence) a dog yard. So. ... what am I missing?

08-19-2014, 09:37 PM	#10
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	Yeah that's a good one, especially with the cables! I can't tell you how many times I've heard about people not having the right cable while traveling!

08-19-2014, 10:09 PM	#11
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	How about good quality tea and coffee? Stitchawl

08-19-2014, 10:19 PM	#12
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	Hm? Mmmmmm most breakfast time would be self serve, but certainly we could be better than foldgers and liptons

08-19-2014, 10:33 PM	#14
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	Lol! !

Advert

Advert

08-21-2014, 05:24 PM	#15
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	Bumpage