Hostel must haves...

[Jack Tarlin]

Jeff:

You actually run a hostel so you're pretty uniquely qualified to comment on this thread. What we're talking about here you encounter every single day.

Thank you for your kind words regarding my post above.

I hope you add to it, because it's people like you who have the real credibility on this issue.

And I hope next year's hikers find your comments instructive, cuz they should.

[redzombie]

I don't mind sleeping in a barn as long as there is clean and dry hay to lay on. But that's besides the point. I would happy paying 20 bucks if it got me a home cooked meal. That's a #1 in my book. I don't care about electricity, and if they have a pond or some water source I can heat some water give myself a bath and clean my cloths. Then with a nice warm hay pile with a belly full of food made with love, I am happy. Put me out in the barn! Heck, throw some left overs for the day, and I am in heaven!

[DavidNH]

This is Tom Bodet for Motel 6. Always a clean comfortable room for the lowest prices of any national chain. We'll leave the light on for ya.

[Coffee]

1. Reasonably clean shower facilities, hot water, good pressure, clean towels, soap provided.
2. Enough room in bunk area to store and sort gear.
3. Clean sheets and blanket OR permit sleeping bags to be used in bunks.
4. Near restaurant or food available for sale in hostel.
5. Policy for lights out at a set time.
6. No alcohol or drugs permitted and strictly enforced.
7. Nice to have: locker or secure place to leave gear while in town or at restaurant.

[SunnyWalker]

Central AC, Bunk Beds with thick mattresses, Restroom(M and F), separate room of shower(s), outdoor camping area, Running water, Telephone, Wi-Fi, Adequate tables, Kitchen for clients. I think that is ten. They are not in order of importance, just the ten things I would want. If there was no AC (and it could be debated about the need for this) at least we would want heat. Wood stove would be ok (pretty neat).

After reading some of above i would agree need for: lockers or something to secure our stuff in while away from bunk area, enforced rules as to quiet time, enforced no booze and laws enforced on drugs, towels and soap provided. I can't tell you how many showers I have taken at hostels and just had to drip dry, ha, ha.

[RED-DOG]

I mean no disrespect but didn't you run a hostel in Erwin TN, i always stayed at uncle Johnnies, then you should know what makes a good hostel, in my oppinion a good hostel should have plenty of hot water, a good mannered and respectful caretaker, shuttles into town for the hikers that buy their resupply and mail drop service for the hikers that does the mail drop thang, a backyard with a good dog run with plenty of room, and serves a Hot Breakfast, and Laundry service, also ONE price that includes everything no hidden charges.

[rafe]

So if I never stayed at Uncle Johnies, I don't know what a good hostel is? It didn't exist when I hiked through Erwin. Nolichucky Expeditions was the only game in town.

[ChefATLTCT]

As long as you are there Miss Janet, Thats all it needs. Hey aren you coming to New hampshire this year ?

[Jack Tarlin]

Wow, the request or suggestion for "lockers" surprises me. Hostels aren't bus stations, there aren't gonna be little lock boxes where you put in fifty cents and hope you don't lose your key. That's not they way they work. There is extremely little theft in hiker hostels; obviously one uses more care in places that are in busy towns, or at times like Trail Days, but it's truly not something you need to worry about. It's like this: You leave your stuff, or at least SOME stuff on your bunk, so it's clear that bunk is taken. If you go to town, shopping, out to dinner, whatever, you obviously take your "valuables".....wallet, phone, camera, electronics, etc. The chances of anyone messing with the gross, muddy, fetid stuff you left in the bunkroom is minimal. In short, this request for "lockers" is unusual. I've never seen it at an A.T hostel, nor do I ever expect to. A hostel is not a Greyhound station.

[Coffee]

In short, this request for "lockers" is unusual. I've never seen it at an A.T hostel, nor do I ever expect to. A hostel is not a Greyhound station.

Most people wouldn't perceive our "gross, muddy, fetid" stuff to have any value but hikers know the value of gear and unsecured gear could tempt less than ethical people.

[Jack Tarlin]

Coffee: "Temptation" is a human condition. My point is that this sort of temptation, and actually following thru on it, i.e. theft from other hikers, is extraordinarily rare on the A.T. That's why you'll never see lockers in hostels. This sort of safeguard for personal valuables is not found for the very simple reason that this sort of safeguard is not considered necessary.

[Jeff]

As long as you are there Miss Janet, Thats all it needs. Hey aren you coming to New hampshire this year ?

Miss Janet is the best. She started this thread in 2009 so not sure she is reading this.

[Coffee]

Coffee: "Temptation" is a human condition. My point is that this sort of temptation, and actually following thru on it, i.e. theft from other hikers, is extraordinarily rare on the A.T. That's why you'll never see lockers in hostels. This sort of safeguard for personal valuables is not found for the very simple reason that this sort of safeguard is not considered necessary.

I've never perceived any great risk of theft, but I'm cynical enough to constantly be aware of the threat, especially when not only hundreds of dollars are on the line, but also the prospect of having a trip end early due to loss of gear. Even having the funds to replace gear may result in a trip ending if that gear can't be obtained quickly, as is the case with many of the small gear manufacturers with wait times.

There are lots of discussions regarding the risks of leaving gear outside a restaurant or convenience store while shopping even though most people visiting those stores probably view backpacking equipment as dirty and of little value. So the risks in a hostel where everyone knows the value of equipment has to be at least as high as leaving gear outside a restaurant.

I don't worry excessively about theft but at the same time if there is a way to eliminate the risk entirely I would take it.

[Jeff]

Never had an issue with theft in all our time hosting hikers. However, hundreds of items misplaced and "left behind"....especially phone chargers, socks and lunch sandwiches in the frig.

[BillyGr]

I've never perceived any great risk of theft, but I'm cynical enough to constantly be aware of the threat, especially when not only hundreds of dollars are on the line, but also the prospect of having a trip end early due to loss of gear. Even having the funds to replace gear may result in a trip ending if that gear can't be obtained quickly, as is the case with many of the small gear manufacturers with wait times.

However, assuming you had the funds, you could quickly get some sort of gear that would fill the need - you might not get the same tent, pack, stove or whatever, but would be able to get something that would work for the rest of the trip (or until you could get a replacement of what you prefer).

There are lots of discussions regarding the risks of leaving gear outside a restaurant or convenience store while shopping even though most people visiting those stores probably view backpacking equipment as dirty and of little value. So the risks in a hostel where everyone knows the value of equipment has to be at least as high as leaving gear outside a restaurant.

Probably the issue with a store/restaurant is that if it's outside, anyone could grab it - they might not even know what it is, just take it and figure they'll check it out later, figuring there could be something worthwhile. Especially if they have a vehicle that they can thow it in and take off - by the time it's found missing they are long gone and if it turns out to be useless, they can just dump it somewhere in the trash.

On the other side - assuming most (if not all) of those at the hostel are hiking, they would already have their own stuff and probably wouldn't want to carry a second whatever? That's probably why the theft rates are low (if not zero).
Now, if this was a hostel in New York or such, that would be a different situation (and those - at least the large one in NYC do offer lockers for just that reason).

[Jack Tarlin]

Coffee: Actually, the risk of theft in a hostel is NOT as high as it is if you leave your gear outside a restaurant or convenience store. It is nowhere near as high. Sorry, but that's the plain truth.

[RED-DOG]

If you couldn't figure out how to run a hostel when you had the one in ERWIN TN what makes you think you can run one now, Just my OBSERVATION.

[mdbamabrad]

haha, Yes. Single Women Hikers : Endangered Species