“Hostels will either have to raise prices or close. How the best hostel in the world works
With bright geometric wall art and fruit motifs, this luxury Spanish hostel is an Instagrammer's dream. Even breakfasts are served here beautifully! Each room has a private balcony overlooking the old part of Valencia, and you can meet other travelers in the hostel's common living room.
Address: Carrer dels Cadirers, 11, Valencia, Spain
Coordinates: 39.475563, -0.378931
To book: Booking.com
Lucky Lake, Amsterdam
Lucky Lake is a whole complex of colored vans and huts a five-minute walk from picturesque lake V park area outside of Amsterdam. The hostel's kitchen is located outside and is equipped with a barbecue grill. You can also rent a kayak here and go sailing on the lake - and, of course, take a few photos while doing it.
Address: Vinkenkade 75, Vinkeveen, The Netherlands
Coordinates: 52.251739, 4.963404
To book: hostel world
Artbeat Rooms, Portugal
Located in the center of Lisbon, this hostel will appeal to any art connoisseur. Each room is decorated in the style of one of the great artists - Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh and others. In addition, free breakfasts are served here and you can relax on the sun-drenched balcony.
Address: Rua São Nicolau 23, 3ºE, Lisboa, Portugal
Coordinates: 38.710476, -9.136424
To book: Booking.com
Old Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Hostel Old Plovdiv, as you might guess, is located in the heart of the Old Town in Plovdiv. Here you can travel back in time thanks to antique furniture, a picturesque garden and a fountain in the yard. The painting that hangs in Room 8 is 125 years old.
Address: st. "Chetvarti yanuari" 3, Stariya grad, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Coordinates: 42.149732, 24.752244
To book: Booking.com
Selina Manuel Antonio Costa Rica
Selina Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica is heaven for any Instagram fan. Everything here is impressive, from the graffiti on the walls to the yoga area in the courtyard and the reception desk, made in the shape of the legendary Volkswagen V4 hippie car. Whether you're lounging on the beach next door or exploring the jungle, photo opportunities are everywhere.
Address: Puntarenas Province, Quepos, Costa Rica
Coordinates: 9.402455, -84.152862
To book: Booking.com
Riad Verus, Fes, Morocco
Riad Verus serves free breakfasts, wood-fired pizzas and homemade Moroccan cuisine. With impressive interiors and a breathtaking view of the city, this place definitely deserves to appear in your feed.
Address: 1 Derb Arset Bennis, Fes, Morocco
Coordinates: 34.059475, -4.978896
To book: Booking.com
Memory Hostel, Da Nang, Vietnam
Memory Hostel boasts a rooftop bar and stunning views from every room. Hostel staff can also teach you how to fish or take you on a motorbike trip to Son Tra Mountain.
Address: 03 Trần Quốc Toản, Phước Ninh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
Coordinates: 16.065981, 108.223881
To book: Booking.com
Heyyyy Bangkok, Thailand
Far from the hustle and bustle of the city center, this boutique hostel in Bangkok is full of quirky vintage trinkets. But the main thing is that the cat Carmine lives here. He alone is already worthy of a whole series of shots.
Address: 2485 Phatthanakan Rd, Khwaeng Suan Luang, Khet Suan Luang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand
Coordinates: 13.735990, 100.639446
To book: Booking.com
Reykjavik Bus Hostel, Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik Bus Hostel has old Board games, a bar with Icelandic beer and a terrace from which it is good to watch the sunset. If the bar and interiors don't make you reach for your smartphone to take a photo, it will definitely make for an incredible local sky.
Address: Skógarhlíð 10, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
Coordinates: 64.134461, -21.919649
To book: Booking.com
Hostels, as a special form of tourist accommodation, have long deserved an individual memorial sign or prizes like the Nobel. It is only thanks to these "dormitories" that tourism has become a mass, and not an exclusive, phenomenon. Remember who traveled the world in the 19th - early 20th century? Mr. Twister is the owner of factories, newspapers, steamships, a former minister and banker, European monarchs, missionaries, British journalists and famous Russian writers, weighed down by a pernicious passion for gambling. Later, the cohort of travelers was replenished by American film stars, "registered" in Hollywood.
You have already understood that even 100 years ago only very wealthy people could afford to see new countries, cities and landscapes. But the development of transport, which coincided with the emergence of hostels, gave the opportunity to travel to everyone who wants it. And let this type of hotel provide its guests with only an individual sleeping area, but this one is cheap, a roof over your head is available to young people, pilgrims, sports fans and domestic tourists. Moreover, in addition to a bed, hostel guests can count on using a public bathroom and toilet, kitchen and lounge area, get access to Wi-Fi and other achievements of civilization.
Well, now let me present you the top five best hostels peace. Many of them are in Europe, some in Asia and South America. Even one Russian one was included in the list, which gives the domestic tourist hope for the improvement and "reproduction" of this particular sector of the country's hotel industry.
The best hostels in the world
1. Our TOP of the best opens the International Hall / University of London, located, as you already understood, in the capital Great Britain. Why did this particular object win the first place? The cost of any housing in London is insanely high, so the opportunity to stay in the center of the capital of one of the most attractive countries for tourists at a very reasonable price is expensive.
The hostel in question is located in the Bloomsbury area, just in the middle between a pair of railway stations - King's Cross and St. Pancras. Within walking distance of the International Hall / University of London is the British Museum, the Senate Library, Oxford Street. Big Ben is only 3 km from the hostel door.
All guests are provided with single rooms. They have a bed with bed linen, desk, wardrobe. Facilities - bathrooms and toilets are located on the floor. All guests will be offered a free breakfast buffet, as well as access to a spacious hall with the possibility of catching free wi-fi.
2. Well, are we moving on? Where? To Hungary, at Boat Hostel Fortuna. This is once a working ship that sailed along the Danube. After his specifications ceased to satisfy the owners, they put it on a joke, turning it into a hostel. The idea is not new. In the hospitality industry, there are a dozen well-known ships that have taken the path of serving travelers who require temporary accommodation in a foreign city. But all of them, as a rule, are hotels, whose facades are topped with a certain number of stars. And our Boat Hostel Fortuna offers its services to those who travel in economy mode.
On the ship, guests are accommodated in cabins furnished with deliberately simple, primitive furniture. Each "room" has a place for washing, and in the corridor - a bathroom and a toilet. All guests of the Boat Hostel Fortuna are guaranteed a breakfast in the style of " buffet”, and on the deck there is a restaurant serving European and Hungarian cuisine. What else? Wi-Fi within the ship, views of Margaret Island and the proud capital of Hungary from the Danube.
3. The next position in our rating of hostels was taken by Landmark Hostel Arbat, located in the historical center of Moscow. The reason for making this "hotel complex" on our list of the best is quite simple. The capital of the Russian Federation is recognized as one of the most expensive cities in the world. Therefore, the possibility good stay with an excellent location makes it possible to enjoy Moscow sights not only for gas oligarchs and foreign investors.
What will please a tired traveler "the best hostel in Moscow" according to one of the main portals - "housing distributors" in the world, Hotels.ru. So, Landmark Hostel Arbat is famous for its position - it is located just 300 meters from the Kremlin, within a short walking distance from Red Square, Old Arbat, Manezh, Okhotny Ryad and Historical Museum. Almost nearby - 4 metro stations, opening the whole of Moscow to the guest.
Tourists are offered comfortable rooms equipped with everything necessary. Individually - a bed, bed linen, towels, curtains, lamps, sockets and storage space. In "communal use" - a bathroom, a hairdryer, a toilet and a kitchen where each guest can make tea or coffee with sugar.
4. The fourth place in our rating was hostel B612 [email protected] Nimman, located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Considering that this city, despite the absence of the sea, is visited by no fewer people than Pattaya, Phuket and the Phi Phi archipelago, many of them are in need of cheap and safe housing.
Our suggested hostel is B612 [email protected] Nimman, is located within a short walking distance from the legendary Chiang Mai Gate, which opens the entrance to the medieval palace complex of the first kings of Siam. Only 3 km - to the night market, 4 - to the airport.
Guests are offered rooms with two beds. Facilities - both in the room and on the floor. In the lobby, guests have the opportunity to take water, make coffee or tea. At the reception - rental of bicycles and scooters, which is very important for Asia, as well as its own tour desk. Near the hostel - a lot of cheap restaurants offering Thai and European cuisine.
The original feature that attracted the consumer to this hostel can be considered the design in the style of drawings to Antoine de Saint-Exupery's own works. Not authentic? So what. Indeed, after the diversity of the Thai bazaar, temples and airports, the story of the Little Prince, written on the walls of B612 @ Nimman, will seem like a sip cold water on a hot afternoon.
5. Well, we invite our most determined and courageous travelers to visit the hot, saturated with lights of carnivals, Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Tourists traveling on economy mode can stay at Colinas Hostel. First, it's really cheap here.
Secondly, a nice building in colonial style located next to famous beach Copacabana.
Thirdly, guests here are treated to fruits and the best snacks that characterize Brazilian cuisine.
We hope that our top five hostels in the world will guide you on what is valuable on the road and give you inspiration to get to know the world to anyone who has not yet received a million in dowry, an inheritance from a second aunt, or their winning lottery ticket.
The word "hostel" literally translates as "hostel". Initially, hostels really acted as simple housing for poor tourists who prefer accessibility to comfort.
But today, many hostels have stepped over this stereotype, the owners equip them with taste and diligence, investing their soul and turning them into cozy, cheerful, and sometimes bizarre dwellings.
Contrary to expectations, most decent hostels are equipped with solid security systems and video surveillance, so there is nothing to worry about in this matter either. And, of course, the hostel is wonderful place for new acquaintances and communication with extraordinary people.
Here you will learn about the most extraordinary hostels, where living turns into an adventure.
1. Lavender Circus Hostel - Budapest, Hungary
This vintage hostel is housed in a 19th-century mansion in the heart of Budapest. Warm and cozy atmosphere with a touch of former imperial luxury makes this place ideal for couples seeking romance and solitude.
2. Prison Hostel - Karosta, Latvia
Once in the building of the newly-made hostel there was a prison, better protected than a Spanish fortress. Are you ready to spend the night in a prison bed and enjoy the food of a prisoner? All guests are required to sign a special paper in which they waive claims for rude behavior of staff and even physical punishment.
3. The Babushka Grand Hostel - Odessa, Ukraine
This unusual hostel will welcome you with the warmth of a grandmother's comfort. All rooms are decorated in vintage style with chandeliers, floral wallpaper, gilding, carpets. There's even a fireplace to be found in the common room!
4. Franz Ferdinand Hostel - Sarajevo, Bosnia
This hostel was conceived and launched by a group of young architects and artists who dedicated it to the story of the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke. This event triggered the outbreak of the First World War, which swept like a whirlwind through most of the globe. Impeccably decorated rooms with large paintings and historical photographs will immerse you in the atmosphere of that time.
5. Kadir's Tree House - Olympos, Türkiye
Have you ever wanted to feel like a real elf living among the treetops? Then you are here!
In this hostel you can have a great and cheap vacation in towering wooden huts, very close to the Olympos National Park and free beach with the purest water. These houses are so organically woven into the overall landscape of the reserve that you really feel like a piece of nature here.
6. Generator Hostel - Barcelona, Spain
Bright, stylish and affordable, this hostel is the perfect place to stay in a popular city like Barcelona. It looks like the design team has done everything they can to make sure each room looks unique. In this place, the holiday never ends, everything is saturated with the spirit of the fiesta.
7. St Briavels Hostel - Gloucestershire, England
Gone are the days when only lords and nobles could afford to live in castles. In the English town of Gloucestershire, you can spend the night in an old estate with heraldic symbols, wooden furniture and conical roofs. Unless, of course, you are afraid of a ghost in the dungeon, which, by the way, you can also go down.
The atmosphere of the Middle Ages hovers here both in the castle itself and around it.
Living in common rooms is quite inexpensive, but for a single room you will have to pay like a nobleman.
8. Dream Hostel - Tampere, Finland
With its simple yet sophisticated design, Dream Hostel was named the best hostel in Finland in 2013! Modern decor, warm hospitality and reasonable prices along with good location make this place very attractive to visit.
9. Plus Hostel - Florence, Italy
This hostel is perfect for various parties and celebrations. It has a free open pool, sauna and a wonderful bar with everything you need for fun. Yes, this is not the quietest place, so lovers a relaxing holiday better to look for something else.
10. Kex Hostel - Reykjavik, Iceland
Incredibly, it was once a confectionery factory. The current owners have gone to great lengths to preserve this spirit of the old chocolate factory and paint it with fresh, modern details. Today, Kex Hostel is one of the most popular establishments in Iceland among foreign tourists.
11. The MadHouse Hostel - Prague, Czech Republic
Sexy and crazy, The MadHouse is rated as "the best hostel in the Czech Republic" and ranked sixth in the list of the best hostels in the world according to Hostelworld! According to its owners, MadHouse is not just a place to sleep, it is your home away from home, where a friendly family is always waiting for you. All rooms are covered in stylish graffiti created by artists from Montreal, Canada and Australia.
12. Van Gogh Hostel - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Modern hotel with excellent expensive city like Amsterdam, pricing policy. It is located in the museum district and just a few steps away from the coolest bars, cafes, shops and clubs! Comfortable rooms, private bathrooms and gigantic and crazy Van Gogh paintings looking at you from all the walls.
13. The Red Boat Mälaren - Stockholm, Sweden
Continuing the theme Vehicle, the Swedes can also offer you to spend the night in the cabin of a ship moored in the heart of Stockholm. In the evening, the view that opens up to the lights of the opposite shore, reflected on the water surface, is simply amazing. On board you will find a lot of all sorts of sailor stuff, so the hostel really feels like a ship on a long voyage.
14. Jumbo Stay - Stockholm, Sweden
What to do with an old Boeing 747 so that it does not get sad in retirement? Set up a hostel! On board the plane, standing next to the Arlanda airport, there are almost three dozen rooms, lounges and cafes. From the iron bird, only the frame and skin were left, so do not think that it is cramped inside. It is very convenient for a short stay in Stockholm as part of your own air tour or an overnight stay on the eve of departure. The suite, as expected, is located in the cockpit.
15. Railway Square YHA - Sydney, Australia
Our person may be frightened by the prospect of living on a train, but here it is worth leaving prejudice. A simple but very neat hostel, converted from a railway car, is also convenient for its location. As if continuing the theme, it is located - wherever you think - next to the station. Nearby there are shops and cafes. What you need for the guests of Sydney - woke up, got out of the car and you are already at the crossroads of all Australian roads.
16. Orso's Yurt - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Who is a traveler if not a nomad? In a complex near the capital of Mongolia, you have every chance to try on the role of a Mongolian native living in a yurt. Domed houses organically combine traditional spirit and modern conveniences. In the yurt-restaurant you will be treated to local dishes, and the huts are heated by authentic Mongolian stoves.
17. Point Montara - California, USA
Amazing place in the wild Pacific coast near San Francisco. The hostel is located right inside the newly operating lighthouse, the rooms offer extensive views of the ocean, beaches and sea lion rookeries. And if you want to compete with the local waves on a kayak, surfboard or swim, you will definitely find something to do. And yes, the California coast faces sunset.
18. The Independente Hostel - Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon might be the best city in Europe for travelers on a budget. Hostel Independente is located in the residence of the former Swiss Ambassador, and its design is a combination modern elements with original architectural features. The strongest impression on everyone is made by the rooftop terrace with amazing view to the city!
In this selection, we have collected amazing hostels in which each of you would like to stay!
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1. Hostel Yunak Evleri located in Cappadocia, Turkey. The hostel is located right in the rock. This place is at least 1500 years old. The first rooms appeared in the 5th-6th century AD, when the tribes lived here, they gouged caves in these rocks. In place of the labyrinths that remained, now placed a stylish hostel with an incredible atmosphere. The rooms are very civilized, there is Wi-Fi and a TV.
2. Unusual hostel Propeller Island located in Berlin, Germany This is one of the most extraordinary and original hostels in Berlin, and indeed in the world. All rooms here have completely different themes, not a single room is repeated. Here you can realize the craziest desire. You can spend the night in a coffin, a space cube, in a cage, on concrete, in an upside-down room, there are places right in the pool. A night in such a hostel costs more than in a regular hostel, about 100 euros per night, but it's worth it.
3. Santos Express, Mossel Bay, South Africa
The hostel is located inside a real train near Cape Town, on railway at Santos beach. What can attract you to a hostel? Firstly, this is a hostel train, and secondly, it is located on one of the most beautiful coasts indian ocean, just 30 meters away, thirdly, several times a year the migration route of whales and dolphins passes here, and in restaurants you will be provided with the best assortment of seafood. You have the right to choose to live in a friendly reserved seat or comfortably in a compartment, but rooms here must be booked several months in advance.
4. Lighthouse Point Montara, California, USA
Just 25 miles from San Francisco on the stormy California coast, an old lighthouse from 1875 is a modern hostel. From the windows of the rooms offers a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and on the rocks. There are several good beaches where you can swim, surf, windsurf and kayak. Here you can play the most romantic wedding and even ride horses.
5. Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia
This hostel has its own atmosphere and history. Thrill seekers are given a unique opportunity to spend the night in a former prison cell with bars on windows and doors .
Hostel Celica is 20 prison art chambers under one roof. Earlier, in the 19th century, a prison for war criminals was located here. Later, the building was bought out, and the artists turned the former prison into a hostel. In such an unusual hostel, you can not only spend the night, exhibitions and concerts are often held here.
6. Jumbo Stay Hostel, Sweden
A Boeing 747 converted into a hostel is located next to Arlanda Airport in Stockholm. You can get on a free shuttle from any terminal. On board the hostel there are 25 rooms with comfortable beds, TV and Wi-fi. best view on the Stockholm airport opens from the suite.
From the private terrace open gorgeous views on the plane itself and Stockholm airport.
7. Living Cat's Hostel, Madrid, Spain
Hostel with great interiors, located in the heart of Madrid, just 150 meters from Plaza Santa Ana. The interior of the courtyard is in no way inferior to a luxury hotel, and what is only worth a luxurious atrium with vintage ceilings and an 18th-century Moorish-style fountain.
Price per day: from €15.
8. Hostel In A Forest, Georgia, USA
Perhaps this perfect place for those who want to be one with nature. A night in such an eco-hostel will cost $ 25, the only thing you will need to take your trash with you when you leave.
9. Radeka Downunder Underground Hostel, Coober Pedy, Australia
An unusual hostel is located in the heart of the mainland in the state South Australia. The hostel was converted from Australian opal mines, the rooms are located at a depth of 3.5 meters and 6.5 meters. Opal mining was stopped here and now you can settle in the dungeon. The advantages of such an underground in life are that it is warm in winter, and in summer, when it is +50 outside, it is comfortable +25 degrees in the dungeon. The dungeon has a fully equipped kitchen, laundry, TV room, bathroom, bar, entertainment room with billiards.
Amendments to the Housing Code, known as « ”, have not yet been accepted, and St. Petersburg institutions have already begun to have problems. So, in mid-February, the court will close the St. Petersburg hostel « Friends" on Nevsky Prospekt: earlier residents of the house complained about it. Before that, a similar story happened with the Bagel hostel in Saperny Lane.
Petersburg over the past 10 years has become one of the world capitals of hostels. Almost all of them are located in residential buildings(often in settled communal apartments) and automatically fall under the prohibition law if it is adopted without amendments.
The most famous St. Petersburg hostel - Soul Kitchen in tenement house Lipin, built in 1863 on the Moika embankment. A young married couple Lyubov and Sergey Sorokin opened it in 2012 after a project of the same name on 1st Sovetskaya Street. This year, Soul Kitchen once again received the most prestigious Hoscar award from the Hostelworld website in five categories at once, including both « the best small hostel in the world." And the other day the hostel also received the Russian Hospitality Award as « best design hotel.
In October 2016, The Guardian magazine included Petersburgers in the top ten European luxury hostels. In January of this year, The Huffington Post listed them as one of the 12 « amazing hostels that every traveler should visit.”
Soul Kitchen is located in a former communal apartment (the Sorokins rent premises from the owner, who bought the rooms and initially rented them out for filming such series as « Master and Margarita"). In the front there are both communal apartments and ordinary apartments. One of the neighbors of the hostel, Irina, told The Village: « When we arrived here, the hostel was already there, and at first it was a minus for me. But then I realized that the neighborhood brings only positive. The hostel is a guarantee of order and cleanliness. There have never been any incidents. We talked about this topic with neighbors: everyone has only a positive opinion. I am sure that the bill on hostels is not aimed at the benefit of small and medium-sized businesses, which are the basis of the economy of any civilized country, as well as at the benefit of an ordinary consumer.”
We talked with Lyubov and Sergey about whether there are any advantages to « of the law banning hostels”, about the difference between hostels in St. Petersburg and Moscow, as well as how they managed to please their neighbors in the front.
About the communal
Love: There used to be a community building here. About five years before we found out about her, she was resettled, and all this time the apartment was empty. Somehow it was even squatted by migrant workers - they were kicked out ... The room looked terrible.
The last room had an artificial thin wall, it was made to reduce the rent (payment was per square meter). We found a bricked-up window - removed the bricks and found newspapers from the 1920s (A fragment of one such newspaper was framed by the owners and hung on the wall in the hostel. - Approx. ed.). The windows had very beautiful long brass bolts. It would be difficult to install them on plastic windows, but we, of course, kept them. By the way, latches together with stucco are under state protection as a cultural value.
We even keep strange objects that are not protected. For example, there was a piece of wood, it is over 150 years old. There were holes in it: apparently, so that the wood would not lose its shape. Seryozha inserted light bulbs into the holes - it turned out very cool. The desks at the reception and in the computer room are made from old doors that we decided not to throw away during the renovation. They are the same age as the house, and some even have their original paintwork, as they have been preserved under layers of wallpaper. They kept a piece of a faucet: an awkward thing, but it was the same in the Hermitage - lead pipes are connected to brass (when repairs began, water flowed through one such lead pipe - I can’t imagine how people used it).
About neighbors
Love: When we moved in, the front door looked different: a classic Soviet staircase, the walls painted a horrible blue. Above us, on the third floor, there were two communal apartments. Then one of them was bought out, and in 2014, together with a new neighbor, we made repairs in the front door. The total investment was 1.2 million rubles, we shared the costs equally with him.
If something is scratched in the front door or someone decorates the front door, we will immediately clean it and touch it up. We believe that we should be involved in everything that is around the hostel. Now we are thinking of making a small stained-glass window on the landing.
Sergey: There is an apartment for rent on the ground floor. We are on the second. On the third, right above us, there is a communal apartment, and on the other side live the German consul for culture with his wife. On the fourth floor there is another communal apartment and an apartment.
Love: We often meet one of the neighbors from the fourth floor on the stairs. Once he said: "Oh, I heard about the law (about hostels in residential buildings. - Approx. ed.) Don't worry, I support you." It's nice.
About guests and employees
Love: Soul Kitchen is partly our projection. The hostel attracts people like us. Those who do not understand us will not come here. For example, our guests are not very happy with groups of schoolchildren who run and shout. We are a family hostel, but we will not accommodate school groups for any money.
Sergey: In addition, regulation takes place at the price level: we are more expensive than any hostels in St. Petersburg (and in Moscow, we know only one very expensive hostel). People come because they want to visit us. You can live in a hostel for 250-500 rubles, and with us - for 900. In summer, prices are even higher - 1,300-2,000 rubles per bed (competitors have 1,500 for peak dates).
Love: I read about people who changed their apartment to a hostel, and it seems to me that this is a terrible phenomenon. Yes, that's really what happens. Perhaps such centenarians contributed to the emergence of a bill to ban hostels in residential buildings. When people stay in a hostel for a long time, they start to feel too much at home. We understood this a long time ago, and we have a limit - a maximum of two weeks (although we sometimes make exceptions). We are a travel hostel. Those who come to St. Petersburg to work or study long term- not our ideal guests.
Sergey: We employ about eight people. Salaries are higher than the industry average. We are now recruiting new people. We try to look for friends and friends of friends, we take people from our circle. We will definitely not write an ad on HeadHunter.
Love: By the way, taking this opportunity: we want to find a person who speaks English and Korean. We have many guests from Korea, some of them have problems with English. In general, Asia in the general tourist flow is now growing. Chinese guests go mostly to cheap hotels, and our #1 Asian guest is South Korea.
About Hostelworld
Love: Hostelworld has their own algorithms according to which they calculate the winners of the Hoscar award. I think there are many factors, not only a high rating (you can have a rating of 9.9 based on just two reviews).
When a guest leaves the hostel, they receive an email from Hostelworld and can leave a review. First, he rates from one to five points on several parameters: atmosphere, cleanliness, staff, amenities, value for money, location. Then he writes a comment. There should be a lot of reviews, all of them should be real.
Often, new hostels have fake reviews at first. Hostelworld has an algorithm to detect fakes. In addition, sooner or later there is a review of a real guest who puts everything in its place. So there is no point in fake reviews.
Over the entire history of our hostel on the Moika, about 1,300 Soul Kitchen reviews have appeared on Hostelworld. We have a rating of 9.9, which is higher than anyone else in the world (if you do not take into account properties with a small number of reviews).
Every year Hostelworld organizes conferences, which attract about 300 delegates. We communicate with the staff of the site, but, of course, not on the subject of "introduce the right person to get an award." They help with the technical aspects.
About consulting
Sergey: We launched Soul Kitchen Consulting, but we do not consult very actively and certainly not to make money. We did this to meet new people. interesting people. We charge 7,000 rubles for an hour of Skype consultation. The cost of assistance in compiling a business plan or analyzing competitors is discussed separately. If we really like the project, we are ready to help with free advice.
Mostly people come to us from Russia. The questions are very different: from what resources to accommodate, to assistance in planning. The managers of one Samara hostel asked what innovations could be introduced. One of the first clients - a girl from Ecuador - was interested in what points to pay attention to in order to increase the rating.
Love: From a legal point of view, opening a hostel is not difficult. The question is how it will work. There are a huge number of hostels in St. Petersburg and Moscow, there is no such thing even in Europe. There are 360 hostels in St. Petersburg only on Booking.com, and even more in Moscow. Colleagues in Europe often ask: “How can you compete in such conditions?” But we have big country, great amount local residents travel around Russia.
At the same time, a huge number of hostels are closed or resold, because not everything is so simple. Many have this approach: put the beds - and that's it, you're done. Every low season about 20 new hostels open, they dump, then they close.
About the bill
Sergey: In theory, under new law can get all St. Petersburg hostels. And the main problem: like many laws in Russia, it can be interpreted in any way. There is no law yet, but some authorities are already beginning to understand that everyone can be closed under this sauce. The mechanism began to spin.
Love: After the first reading of the bill, the need for amendments was discussed. They, in particular, would allow the placement of hostels in residential buildings, provided that the neighbors do not mind. Here, however, the question arises: how to formalize the consent of neighbors? In general, we hope that common sense will prevail. We don't want to fear for our future. Uncertainty hinders development.
Sergey: Moreover, we plan to open a new wing before the start of the high season. There will be eight more rooms for 36 people - about 200 square meters. Previously, there was also a communal apartment there, but last summer it was settled. We are currently doing renovations.
But in general, the entire industry is now slowing down: no one wants to invest money in something that can be taken away. On the other hand, this law can clear the market of unscrupulous players. But the same mandatory classification of accommodation facilities, which not everyone passed, already performs this function (accommodation facilities that have not passed the classification since January 1, 2017 cannot work, there is a law). It would be possible to write a bill based on the classification and register of approved hostels, but so far no one wants to do this.
Love: In this whole story, it is not clear what to do with the World Cup (Football World Cup - 2018. - Ed.). Petersburg consisted of a huge number of communal apartments, and now the main part of the room stock in the center is small hotels and hostels. If everything is closed, there will not be enough room for guests. In Moscow, this is easier: there are more large-scale hotels. We don't have that.
About Moscow hostels
Sergey: Colleagues from Moscow said that last year they came to their hostel from inspection structures and said: “You don’t have a no-smoking sign.” - "How?! Here she is." - "This plate is made according to a different GOST - that's it, shut up." We still have flowers, in Moscow everything is much tougher: it seems that the city government has given an unspoken go-ahead to close hostels.
