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Hostelling at Home

You don’t have to be rich, young, or venture far, to discover the rewards of travel!

By Joel Chusid 

When I tell people I serve on the National Board of the non-profit Hostelling International-USA organization, I always get one of two possible reactions. “Oh, it’s such a wonderful thing to be working with hospices” or “Yeah, hostels are those cheap places kids stay at when backpacking through Europe.”  Nothing could be further from the truth.

First of all, hostels have nothing to do with hospices, or hospitals, for that matter. And second, hostels are not only in Europe, nor are they just for young people. Yes, they are inexpensive places to stay when traveling, but they are now found in most countries all over the world, including right here in the U.S.A. They’re used by people of all ages, including families, couples, and even senior citizens, and guests do not have to arrive on foot or on a bicycle, nor carry a backpack. The U.S. organization has 33 councils nationwide, who are primarily staffed by volunteers who do their best to spread the word about hostelling. But for a non-profit organization, that’s a tough assignment, which is probably why you’ve not seen billboards or full page ads in the New York Times travel section.

In addition to the accommodations, hostels that are part of the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) offer programs both to people using the hostels as well as interested members of the public in a variety of areas. These can range from cultural activities and local excursions to seminars and workshops promoting intercultural understanding and tolerance, outbound travel, preserving the environment, and world peace. Today, you can find and make a reservation a hostel online (www.hihostels.org), and, as it’s a membership organization,  have access to travel insurance, phone discounts, and even earn frequent stay points (“Freenites and More”) to redeem for free accommodations internationally. At a hostel, you’ll discover the diversity of people who have discovered hostelling and wouldn’t travel any other way. Trust me; it’s not just backpacking kids!

With that background, did you know that there are over a hundred hostels, ranging in size from 3 to 615 beds in most major U.S. cities? They offer accommodations in all sizes, from private rooms with bath to multi-person dormitories.  Internet access and (all) non-smoking rooms are pretty standard, but many feature other unique amenities. Just to manage your expectations, don’t expect Frette linens, Godiva mints on pillows, or Bulgari body lotion in the bathroom. If you’re an introvert, a privacy freak, or don’t like trying new things, you might have more of a challenge. But try it just once, and remember how much you’re spending!

The smaller ones are generally, but not always, in rural areas; some are in National Parks or at major tourist attractions, and can be anything from a private home or historic mansion to a lighthouse or former military barracks. There are also more traditional hotel-type or purpose-built hostel buildings. All of them have a uniqueness all their own, and on a given day, half of the hostellers are from abroad, assuring an international experience. Over breakfast, you can learn a few words in a foreign language or make a lifelong friend. If you want, since cooking facilities are available, you might find yourself exchanging recipes with an Italian traveler preparing pasta, answering questions from a British family driving across America about their fear of California freeways and earthquakes while sharing pancakes (as I did!), or find yourself in conversation with an inquisitive doll faced Korean child as you make your salad with home grown vegetables.

Hostelling actually did originate in Europe nearly a century ago when, in 1909, a German teacher, Richard Shirrmann, came up with the idea to take his students on excursions. The Altena Castle Youth Hostel was the first facility, established in 1912 in Germany. The IYHF was founded in 1932, and today is a federation of 64 member associations worldwide, including some places off the main tourist track like Macedonia and Kuwait, 14 associate organizations, and 4,000 hostels, accounting for 34 million overnights yearly. Nearly 5 million people are “members” of national organizations, the cost of which is only a few dollars per year. German students usually spend two weeks a year in hostels.

In the U.S., hostelling started as a grass roots effort by Monroe and Isabel Smith in 1934, with the first hostel in Northfield, Massachusetts, serving hikers and bicyclists.  Today the network spans coast to coast, plus Alaska and Hawaii. Canada also has its own organization, with a full hostel network from British Columbia to the Maritimes. In the U.S., major cities have hostels in great locations, such as South Beach in Miami, Manhattan, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square, Santa Monica, just off Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Boston’s Back Bay, and San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

I’ve stayed at, or at least visited, dozens of hostels. The staff are friendly, outgoing, and their objective is to have their guests leave with a positive impression of the hostel, the city, and to also develop a feeling for the diversity, culture, and the natural surroundings that provide a personality for the area. Here’s a brief description of just a few, but far more information is available online.

The Miami Beach hostel, with 120 private rooms, is operated by Miami art deco maven Linda Polansky, and it is also known as the Clay hotel. On picturesque Espanola Way with its boutiques and al fresco restaurants, it’s right in the heart of the action, a couple of blocks from trendy South Beach. There are always a lot of Latin American and European visitors to make for a truly eclectic atmosphere. The Clay Hotel is a historic building, and was once the hangout for Al Capone’s legendary gambling syndicate. Rates start at only $22 per night!

One of the San Francisco hostels is in the theatre district, one block from Union Square. Another overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge at Fisherman’s Wharf, and a there’s even a third location in the Tenderloin District. They are always in high demand. Rates average a mere $23 a person.

The Chicago hostel, steps from the Art Institute of Chicago, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and Grant Park, can accommodate 500 guests, and was inaugurated in 2000. It features free walking tours of the city. One of its popular programs is a “cultural kitchen where hostellers learn about other cultures first hand. It is a popular place for Girl Scouts, with whom Hostelling International-USA has a close partnership. Rates start at $30.

In Manhattan, the New York hostel is one of the largest with 624 beds, and is located near Central Park and Columbia University on the upper west side. It’s an historic building, with cultural activities, points of interest, and restaurants and nightlife nearby. Rates start at $29.00 per night in a city where an average hotel room is now approaching $300.

In Santa Monica, the hostel is steps from the famous Santa Monica Pier, the beach, and even has a travel store and an open courtyard for al fresco dining. Recently remodeled and expanded to accommodate 228 guests, it is a popular place, surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops. Movies are shown nightly, and there are often special events. Rates begin at just $27 per person.

In San Diego, the downtown hostel in the heart of the popular Gaslamp Quarter offers rates from $17 and private rooms at only $45, or you can stay at the Point Loma hostel and go biking or hiking down the coast, or surfing, sailing, or fishing in the Pacific. In Seattle, the hostel is a block from famous Pikes Place Market, and offers rates from $25 per night.

The smaller hostels are somewhat less traditional. Merced, California is the gateway to Yosemite National Park, and it’s a real home hostel with only 6 beds, and owner Jan Sorge and her husband only charge $15 a night. They’ll rent you sleeping bags and tents if you’re headed to the Park. For just $17 a night, you can stay at the cozy Niagara Falls hostel, situated in a Georgian style home. The charming San Luis Obispo hostel feels like a B&B and offers a free pancake breakfast, with rates starting at $17 per night.  In Minnesota, the log cabin Lake Itasca hostel is at the headwaters of the Mississippi, and offers a variety of activities such as cross country skiing, hiking, and naturalist and Native American programs.  In Austin, you’re right on the shores of Lake Austin, close to downtown and famous Sixth Street for live music. And for $15 you can stay at a restored lighthouse hostel at Cape Vincent, in upstate New York at the point where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence Seaway.

If you’re just an armchair traveler, you can still experience hostelling. Hostels welcome local residents to participate in their programs, whether it be “cultural kitchens” to learn about diversity, or “Travel 101 seminars” to provide advice to people new to international travel. As a not for profit organization, Hostelling also welcomes volunteers to help conduct programs, share their expertise, and provide visitor hospitality.

So, if you enjoy traveling, hostelling is an experience you should at least try once. But a word of warning; you may get hooked. And while you may be familiar with hostelling abroad, try it at home, here in the USA, for a unique weeklong adventure vacation with the kids, or just to spend a weekend to explore someplace new. You can even just spend one night on your own to see what it’s all about.

But if you are one of those armchair folks but have a little spare time, try attending a program or volunteering at a hostel near you. Go explore www.hiusa.org  for more information or drop me an e-mail at joel@joelchusid.com and I can direct you to the hostel or hostelling council nearest you!

Joel Chusid is a veteran of the travel industry, having spent nearly thirty years in executive positions at both U.S. and foreign flag airlines. He’s the founder of Joel Chusid & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in the airline, tourism, and travel. An avid international traveler, he’s constantly being called upon for advice on where to go and how to get there. A Board member of Hostelling International-USA and the Association of Travel Marketing Executives, Joel is a frequent moderator or speaker at travel industry conferences and a regular columnist in Airliners magazine.

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