What is the difference between a hostel and a hotel? What is a hostel? How is a hostel different from a hotel?

When going on a trip or business trip, we often calculate expenses so that our trip does not hurt our pockets. A significant part of the money will be saved by choosing the right place where we decide to stay. A good solution may be to choose a hostel. They will be discussed below, as well as What is the difference between a hostel and a hotel?.

Since we are talking about savings, first of all, at price. The hostel, as initially cheap temporary housing, is ready to provide its walls at prices from three to five times less than a traditional hotel, and much more profitable than renting daily housing. In return, you will also receive obvious inconveniences, such as unwanted neighbors, a shared kitchen and/or a shared bathroom somewhere in the hallway. And this is not surprising.

The key difference between a hostel and a hotel is that a hostel is often a dormitory. There are hostels where you can book a separate room, but this is rather an exception to the rule and turns the hostel into an inexpensive motel. The structure of a hostel often resembles a guesthouse, when the owners live nearby and the free rooms are rented out as an inexpensive hostel. Shared rooms can accommodate from two to ten people, but there are hostels with 20-30 beds. The latter are called dormitories in Europe, or simply dorm.

The cost of one night in a hostel is largely determined by the number of neighbors. So the price can vary from 400 to 1700 rubles, depending on 2 to eight guests in the room, respectively. The price may also include additional services offered by the owners of the area.

Despite the initially spartan design of the hostel, you can be offered a hot breakfast, toiletries and the use of electrical appliances and other amenities, but you will have to fork out for them. If bare bunk beds, home-cooked omelettes in the shared kitchen, and the lack of a hair dryer scare you less than an empty wallet, you won't have any trouble finding a classic hostel without unnecessary amenities.

Neighbours

There may be a misconception that a hostel is cheap housing for the homeless. Not at all, the owners usually value the reputation of their establishment and do not allow anything like this.

A modern hostel is viewed more as a temporary overnight stay for budget travel in the company of friends or single tourists, which are often active young people from all over the world. Some owners even set an upper age limit for their guests. And although this is an infrequent practice, hostels have a reputation for being fun hostels, where people don’t just share one room, but make new acquaintances, communicate and have fun together.

The difference between a hotel and a hostel is that the neighbors of the second often become friends when a person tries to retire to a hotel alone or with his family. Sound insulation plays an important role, which the hostel, like any hostel, does not have. So if you have a light sleeper, a child, or vice versa, loud snoring, it is better to pay attention to inexpensive hotel.

Although budget hotels have taken away market share from hotel business, many still prefer a comfortable vacation to the company of strangers, albeit cheerful, but also noisy. Hotel room will reliably preserve not only your peace, but also your personal belongings. In many hostels you will not even be given a key, and at best they will offer to hide your belongings in a safe or a small locker. The cheapness of hostels can also attract unreliable elements, and their youth and noisiness will many times make you regret the money saved. However, such fears can be avoided by traveling in the company of your friends and booking the entire hostel room for yourself.

In addition to the dubious quality of additional services that the hostel will offer you, in the hotel their quality is streamlined and obviously higher. Even an inexpensive modern hotel will offer you, in addition to a roof over your head, free wireless Internet, restaurant services, high-quality cleaning of your room, air conditioning, TV and much more that artisanal hostels cannot boast of. In Russia, hostels are allowed to be set up directly in apartments, with a common entrance from the entrance, and the living conditions there are too proportional to the daily price.

The situation in the world is not so dire. Hostels have been popular throughout Europe for many decades precisely as a budget option for traveling. The standards of detention there have long been regulated and correspond to the necessary standards for economical stay. Over the years, a certain culture has developed regarding hostels. Today we are not talking solely about saving money.

Travelers from all over the world are specifically looking for a vacation in the company of like-minded people, and find it among the guests of cheap hotels. Today's hostel may not be particularly budget-friendly, and generally offer the same services as a decent hotel, with the only difference being that its clients are close to the atmosphere of holiday revelry, and the need to share a room with strangers is conditional and only satisfies the client's demand.

😉 Greetings to regular readers and guests of the site! How is a hostel different from a hotel? I hope this article provides a complete explanation. Pros and cons of staying in a hostel. Video on the topic.

How nice it is to spend your holiday away from home, relaxing on a sun lounger on the seashore, drinking a martini. In order for your vacation to go smoothly, it is worth booking a hotel or inn in advance. However, there is another option - staying in a hostel.

This accommodation option is still unfamiliar Russian tourists, and often cause disgust, because memories of student dormitories of the Soviet period are still alive. The hostel is a completely modern low-budget hotel, where cleanliness, order and hygiene standards are zealously observed.

By the way, this is an excellent opportunity to create new acquaintances and practice speaking foreign language.

The difference between a hostel and a hotel

The first hostel was founded in 1912, in Germany. This idea came to school teacher Richard Schiermann during his tourist trip with his students. The word "hostel" means "dormitory".

This affordable housing is sleeping area without additional amenities in a budget hotel room. Facilities outside the room, common: toilet, shower, kitchen. Modest accommodations are suitable for an overnight stay for one or several nights.

Hostel residents, as a rule, are young people, musicians, artists, travelers, and sports teams.

pros

the opportunity to rent the entire room for a group of friends;
a bed in a multi-bed room - a budget option;
friendly atmosphere of people in the common room;
low cost of living.

Minuses

minimal breakfast;
shared bathroom, bathroom and kitchen are located on the floor;
inconveniences associated with the presence of other inhabitants: snoring and noise;
smoking is not allowed in the room;
When living with strangers, there is no guarantee of the safety of your belongings. Of course, the hostel has storage rooms for valuables and documents.

Hostel rules for beginners

Due to exchange rate fluctuations, staying in hostels is now becoming profitable, you just need to follow some simple rules.

How to use the bathroom

Few hostels have a bathroom in the room; more often you have to stand in a long line at the end of the floor. As a rule, this room is combined with a toilet. Don't make your dorm roommates wait twenty minutes to relieve themselves. They may not tell you anything, but the next day will come, and you will have to wait.

Night noise

Almost everything is clear here. Let us remember that people are all different. Some people sleep with loud music playing, while others are uncomfortable with the rustling of book pages. People, especially at night, are quite irritable. Who knows, you might wake up the next morning covered in toothpaste?

Night lighting

It may cause discomfort to roommates. If you can't wait to turn on the lights at night, check the number first using a flashlight or mobile phone screen.

Romance is out the door!

Logic dictates that kissing, having sex, etc. surrounded by neighbors - not the best option. If you are so inclined, find a separate room. Although, such relationships are quite suitable for swingers.

Showcasing your “charms”

You should not walk around the room naked or in underwear. Sure, you might get a kick out of the admiring glances of your neighbors, but many people don't like that.

Beware: legumes!

Eating proper, balanced food is great. But eating legumes and the characteristic sounds and smells are not nearly as pleasant to outsiders. If possible, refrain, at least for the time you live together with your neighbors.

Call volume

Agree that not everyone will be happy about your alarm clock sounding at six in the morning, or talking on the phone at maximum volume. If possible, turn your phone on vibration mode and leave the room to talk.

Cleanliness and tidiness

You shouldn't litter in the common room, it's simply indecent. Try to maintain order and clean up after yourself.

If you follow these simple rules, your stay in a hostel in any country will be quite comfortable.

Video

In this video helpful information how a hostel differs from a hotel↓

Friends, perhaps you are planning a tourist trip to St. Petersburg? Here is Peter's information, take a look. Leave tips for the article “How a hostel differs from a hotel: all the pros and cons.” 🙂 Enjoy your travels and make new good friends!

So let's start with the definition.

A hostel is an inexpensive hotel designed for short-term stays of individual travelers or groups of tourists, where you can book a bed in a common room (dormitory) and at the same time use common areas: hall, kitchen, lounge, laundry, showers, etc.

To be considered a hostel, the hotel must have dorm rooms, although many hostels offer private rooms for 1-4 people along with the dormitory. In such a room you cannot book one bed - the entire room is booked, as happens in regular hotels.

Underwater rocks:

Some hostels have both upper and lower limits on the length of stay. For example, one hostel in Manchester offered a minimum booking of 3 nights.
Some hostels have age restrictions. Most hostels only accept independent guests over 18 years of age. Some (now there are very, very few of them) accept guests up to 30 years old.

Common rooms, or Dormitory

The common room can have from three to... twenty-three seats. No, in fact, I have seen offers for rooms with 24 beds. In rooms with big amount The beds usually use bunk beds, and there is very little free space. Therefore, if possible, book a place in a maximum of six-bed room. This presupposes at least some comfort.

The common room can be for guests of both sexes (mix) or only for one sex (male or female). There are also girls-only hostels. Mix dormitory is what you need when you are traveling with a mixed-gender group. If you are traveling alone, then, of course, living in the same room with people of the same sex is much more convenient: there are fewer restrictions on sleepwear, no problems with changing clothes, etc. But if it happens that there are no places in the room you need, but you need to sleep somewhere, then feel free to book a mix dormitory. There's nothing wrong with that. Unless, in order to change clothes for bed, you have to run to the bathroom.

In the photo below: the most interesting hostel I stayed in - Khaosan Tokyo Ninja, Tokyo. Here you are not booking a bed, but a “wardrobe”. In fact, it is a very convenient box, which has sliding doors, a shelf, its own lighting and an outlet. The mattress and pillow are made of materials that take the shape of the body. In general, I simply could not pass up such an offer.

Unfortunately, this hostel was closed in 2016.

Bed linen and towels

As a rule, the hostel includes bed linen in the price. If this is not the case, then the possibility of renting linen will be indicated on the website. Hostels allow guests to bring their own bed linen, thereby reducing the cost of accommodation. If you are traveling with your own sleeping bag, be sure to check whether the hostel rules allow you to sleep in it on the bed.

With towels the situation is the opposite. Most often, towels are offered for rent, less often they are included in the price. In order not to spend extra money and not carry unnecessary things with you, read the description carefully.

I usually take my own towel with me simply because it's more convenient for me.

Laundry

If you plan to stay at the hostel for a long time, then pay attention to whether there is a washing machine. If there is, you need to go to the reception and pay the cost of washing, receiving in return a cup of washing powder.

Bathroom

Different hostels offer different amenities. Most often, there are several toilets and bathrooms on the floor. Sometimes the bathroom is designed for two rooms, sometimes the shared room has its own bathroom, which is, of course, the most convenient option. IN Scandinavian countries The hostel may well have a free sauna.

A room for 2–6 people may have a sink, which is very convenient: in order to wash your hands or brush your teeth, you do not need to go to a common shower.

Breakfast

As a rule, the hostel provides breakfast. Modest continental breakfast: tea, instant coffee, muesli, milk, toast, butter, jam, Nutella, peanut butter. Very rarely cheese and ham. Breakfast is most often included in the price. Sometimes available for a fee.

Kitchen

This is the coolest thing! A good hostel has a fully equipped kitchen. You can buy groceries and cook your own meals. Don't forget to wash your dishes and put away your trash.

If you use a refrigerator, put the food in one bag and write your name and room number on it.

Safety

You will have a code or keys for the front door and a code or keys for the room. Valuables (or even the entire suitcase) can be placed in the locker. You can bring the lock with you or take it as a deposit at the reception. The most advanced hostel I stayed in had a safe in the room.

If the hostel does not have lockers, then a laptop, camera, etc. You can leave it at the reception.

Reception work

Unlike a hotel, the hostel reception is not open 24 hours a day. If you arrive at an odd hour, you should write a letter to the hostel in advance so that they can meet you or leave the keys and bed linen for you.

Luggage storage

In almost any hostel you can leave your favorite suitcase both before and after check-in. Usually, if I visit a neighboring city, I arrive around midnight, spend the night in a hostel, explore the surrounding area and return to my starting point late in the evening. This way, I don't waste precious time moving and carrying heavy things around. At this time, the suitcase is missing in the hostel storage room. 99% of the time this service is free, and only a couple of times I used a paid locker for 1 euro and 2 pounds.

If you've looked at lockers at train stations, you'll realize that this is a huge saving (£8 a day at Edinburgh station would tear my toad to shreds).

Internet

I have never stayed in a hostel without free wi-fi. Perhaps these exist, but we are not interested in them. Usually wi-fi is poor and only works decently in public areas. Decent hostels will tell you right away how to use it. In not very decent ones, you shouldn’t be embarrassed to ask. :)

The break room usually has 1-2 computers connected to the Internet. Access to them is free, but there may be a queue of people wanting to check their email or look at a map.

If you need to print something, e.g. boarding pass, then feel free to contact the reception.

How to book a hostel?

Now almost any hostel can be booked on booking.com. Prices are usually the same as those indicated on the websites of the hostels themselves.

When booking you pay a very small amount, the rest you pay at the hostel upon check-in. If the reservation went well, then you will receive an e-mail, which you can print and bring to the embassy to obtain a visa. Booking a hostel in this regard is no different from booking a hotel.

Remember that a hostel is a dormitory. Respect other people's personal space.
Keep quiet.
Don't litter!
Look after your things.
Bring sleepwear, earplugs and a blindfold.
Communicate!

Ideal location, nice rooms, new furniture, good breakfast
Noisy area, noisy staff, breakfast is paid, luggage storage is paid

Quiet, pleasant area, large rooms, fully equipped kitchen.
Modest showers, no breakfast.

Bathroom in the room. Rooms for 3-4 people, cool design.
Did not find.

Within walking distance from the railway station and the city center, fully equipped kitchen, cinema in the evenings, free sauna, laundry and drying facilities.
Paid breakfasts. Expensive, but this is Sweden.

Photos of City Backpackers Hostel, Stockholm; Sophie's Hostel, Prague and Khaosan Tokyo Ninja, Tokyo are taken from the websites of the respective hostels.

June 2014, prices March 2019

A hostel is a temporary accommodation option in which the guest is offered a bed in the absence of additional amenities in the room. It is something between an apartment building in Russia, a motel in America and apartments in Europe.

Features of accommodation in the hostel

The punning word hostel is formed by merging the two stems host (translated as owner) and hotel (hotel). Literally this private hotel in the form of a dormitory, equipped on site former apartment or other room.

Accommodation prices are 4-5 times lower than in a regular hotel. But this does not mean that torn wallpaper and worn linoleum await you. It's cozy, clean, safe here. It’s also interesting because people who are passionate about traveling prefer to stay at the hostel. Such mini-hotels are popular abroad and only among Russian tourists, who do not quite understand how it works, they are associated with housing for the homeless.

Rooms can be for women, men, shared or individual. Traditionally, there are two types of hostels:

The former serve as a cheap hotel.
The latter are designed for long-term accommodation of students, specialists or workers of certain categories, and people who have temporarily lost their housing.

One room can accommodate up to 15-20 people. Such rooms are called dorms. But there are also rooms designed for one, two or three people. Women's rooms are called Female Dorm, and general rooms are called Mixed Dorm. As a rule, a mini-hotel has a common common room where guests can gather for communication.

Advantages of hostels

Hostels have significant advantages over other accommodation options:

Abroad, capsule hotels and hostels are gaining popularity. Their only difference is a capsule instead of a bed. Thus, the guest receives his own isolated space.

Cons of hostels

But there are also disadvantages. Among them are spartan conditions in some hotels, because the gentleman's set is simple: a bed, linen and a locker. A significant drawback is the shared bathroom. There is always a chance of getting into bad company.

Despite the fact that most of these establishments offer their guests luggage storage, theft in hostels is not uncommon. The more people in the room, the more dangerous it is to leave your belongings unattended.

Another disadvantage is the limitation of personal space: a shared bathroom, a line in the kitchen, the inability to sleep due to the late return of roommates, etc.

The hostel is not very convenient for families with children to stay, unless they are offered to stay in a 3-4-bed room.

How it all began

The first hostel hotel appeared in Germany in 1909. It exists to this day. The idea of an inexpensive and small hotel for unpretentious guests was born in the head of school teacher Richard Schirmann. On weekends, he took his students out of town. Almost all the children were from poor families and did not have the opportunity to pay for hotel accommodation. Schirmann negotiated with colleagues from schools along the travel route to accommodate the students in classrooms for the night.

After some time, he opened a hostel in his native school. After classes, schoolchildren took out their desks and brought in makeshift beds - bags of hay. And the next morning everything was repeated the other way around. Over time, the hostel moved to Alten Castle, where it still operates today.

Regulatory regulation of hostel operation

In Russia, the operation of hostels is described in GOST 56184:2015. The document obliges the hostelier to establish rules for staying in the hotel and inform guests how to live in it. Hostels are not allowed to be located in basements or basements. If the mini-hotel building is separate, there is a parking lot next to it. If they are located in an apartment building, they may not have a separate entrance.

How to live in it - conditions or what to expect

What is the difference between a hostel and a hotel?

There are several features that distinguish a hostel from a hotel:

The price is 4-5 times lower and this is the main advantage
The room can sometimes accommodate up to 15 people; in order to save space, the beds are usually bunk beds.
The bathroom and kitchen are common to all rooms.

But the main difference is the restrictions for residents, due to the desire to ensure relaxing holiday to guests. For example, they may not allow you into the premises after 1 am.

You should reserve a place in the hostel in advance. This is especially true for peak periods of the year: summer and new year holidays. As for wi-fi, it is provided by default in all hotels, as a mandatory additional service. But in order to avoid force majeure, you should clarify this point when booking a bed.

Are you an energetic and easy-going person who loves traveling and is able to accept an unexpected invitation from friends to travel to another city or country?

Are you traveling with a large group and want to rent one room for everyone?

Are you going on a visit and don’t want to burden your family with your presence?

Are you heading to distant regions of Russia or abroad with a forced overnight stay in Moscow?

Are you going on a business trip and looking for budget accommodation with optimal conditions?

Then the hostel is exactly what you need!

This foreign word is usually called mini-hotels, budget hotels, where you can rent a separate room or a bed in a multi-bed room.

In a hostel for a modest price you are guaranteed to get a roof over your head and a place to sleep. Other amenities - a bathroom in the room or on the floor, TV, refrigerator, wardrobe, the ability to use household appliances - depend on the hostel and the amount you are willing to pay for your comfort.

How is a hostel different from a hotel?

Modest living conditions, sufficient to spend one or several nights;

The ability to rent a bed in a multi-bed room or the entire room for a large number of your friends;

A special friendly atmosphere;

Low cost of living.

Today, hostels compete quite successfully with conventional hotels and hostels, representing something in between. The majority of hostel residents are young people, socially active segments of the population (travelers, musicians, artists, sports teams, etc.). The difference between hostels is quite large and therefore, in an effort to reduce living expenses while traveling, it would be advisable to clarify the number of people in the same room with you, the presence of a closet or bathroom in the room, whether bed linen and towels are included in the payment and other household issues that may be important to you.

Home distinctive feature The hostel, in addition to its efficiency, is considered to have a free, friendly atmosphere of residents. Here you not only have the opportunity to communicate and meet new people - in the hostel it is even considered good manners to start a conversation with your roommate, ask where he is from and what the purpose of the trip is. In addition to multi-bed rooms, the hostels provide spacious meeting rooms, where in the evenings guests gather for joint friendly gatherings.

However, not everyone is willing to share a room with other travelers, and modern hostels offer private rooms for such guests. Of course, in this case, living will no longer be so economical, but if having personal space is important to you, it makes sense to pay more for the sake of psychological comfort.

Hostels are often located in historical centers or close to train stations, which further reduces the time and cost of moving around the city.

When choosing to stay in a hostel, it would also be a good idea to ask whether guests are provided with meals, or whether you will be provided with a kitchen or an equipped common area.