Some hostels are seeing 300% more bookings than in 2021.
Once a niche market for frugal backpackers, hostels are becoming a popular form of alternative lodging. No longer just rows of bunk beds, many hostels now offer private rooms and luxury features like rooftop pools and spas.
Take the Selina Boquete hostel in Panama. Guests are served a welcome drink. While there’s a shared option called a community room, the hostel offers private rooms and the option of a pod-style room made from an “upcycled” concrete cylinder. Some nights, guests are treated to live music.
“It honestly felt like a resort and was a better experience than an Airbnb,” says Melissa Middlestadt, a Canadian blogger at My Beautiful Passport. “It was quiet, which is what I look for in an Airbnb, but it had more amenities and was in a better location.”
Hostels evolve to appeal to more travellers
Some hostels have recently transformed to appeal to a broader demographic, such as travelers who would never consider a shared room or those who seek slightly upscale amenities.
The Grand Ferdinand in Vienna promotes poshness with its heated rooftop pool. Other hostels promote kid-friendly activities. The HI Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, California, for example, features on-site tide pools and private family rooms.
Middlestadt says she typically books Airbnbs and sometimes hotels. She used to turn to hostels as a last resort, but if hotel or vacation rental prices exceed her budget, she’s now far more open to hostels. Her only deal-breakers are sharing rooms and loud party places, both avoidable even in a hostel setting.