Hostels Embracing Change in a Pandemic
Four-storey bunk beds and fighter-jet snores. Alarms going off at 5am. Making friends for life. Hostels have offered independent travelers both affordability and sociability for generations, but can they tempt people back during the pandemic?
Hostels are still social spaces
Just minutes from the recently reopened , The Amsterdam Winston Hostel has developed a reputation as a party hostel: DJs, beer pong, and its very own nightclub. However, as the sun flickers across its outdoor terrace with beads of condensation running down chilled pints of lager, it also has that magical pull that only the greatest hostels possess: a space where like-minded travelers gather to laugh, plan, and forge new friendships.
“Hostels are naturally big social bubbles,” says Sophie Herbert from The Winston. “If you’re traveling solo, you certainly don’t want to be sitting in a hotel room. The entire reason people choose hostels is to meet other travelers and share stories together.”
Safe interactions at hostels
During a pandemic, where strict social distancing measures are mandated, hostels are creating a new normal. Like many European hostels, the Winston has installed plastic screens, increased the frequency of deep cleaning, and reduced capacity in public areas like bars.
The goal is to retain as much interaction between guests as safely as possible, so events like quizzes and live music are making a comeback. Dormitories are reopening as well. “What we’re trying to do is encourage groups or households to book out dormitories together,” Sophie mentions.
Due to social distancing rules, there are fewer beds in each shared room, and some dormitories have been converted into private rooms. Nevertheless, travelers are returning.
“We’re beginning to see a steady increase in online bookings and guests arriving,” Sophie states. “It’s been extremely positive, actually. Backpackers are generally young and adaptable.” Although occupancy rates have not yet returned to the typical summer numbers of 98-100%, there is a noteworthy rise, particularly for September.
Changing what’s on offer
Over in , The Circus Hostel has started welcoming travelers back as well. “We currently have 16 guests in the hostel, mostly from Germany, which is quite unusual for us since we typically have a large international crowd,” shares Maja Stefanovic from the hostel.
Benefitting from its proximity to the Party Line (the U8 U-Bahn route to ), the frothy lagers sourced from the on-site microbrewery, and exclusive after-hours tours to the and , this hostel was originally designed with backpackers in mind.
“We were founded by five friends who lived together, traveled extensively, and continuously thought: ‘What would we want during our travels?’” Maja explains, “and then they set out to create that experience for visitors in Berlin.”
What do travelers think?
These tactics, implemented across the continent, seem to be effective. One adventurous traveler already exploring is Ray K, who works for the US government in Germany. Traveling from to for a three-night stay in a shared room at the a&o Hostel Hamburg – Hauptbahnhof, he shares his experience as he navigates his way amid the new travel landscape.
“I’m taking advantage of the long weekend due to the July 4 holiday [Independence Day in the US],” Ray shares, “plus [the government has] just started allowing travel within Germany.”
Despite being in a high-risk category for COVID-19, Ray intends to go sightseeing with friends from whom he met at a hostel in last year.
He notes, “Masks must be worn inside the building, except in the rooms. There are at least two other guests in my six-bed dormitory, plus a whole family waiting to check in with the line snaking out the door.”
Even after being on a full bus for 10 hours, Ray mentions that he feels quite relaxed staying in shared accommodation. “I’m just happy to be traveling again,” he says.