Hostel Evaluation system?

[Gambit McCrae]

How hard would it be to setup a public database on whiteblaze to start evaluating hostels and shuttles along the trail? This would mainly be of help to section hikers planning. But a template of some sort could be formulated to allow people to evaluate their experience. This was my thoughts Examples of both Hostel and Shuttle below

Example:
Hostel or shuttle:
Category in Forum: State
Sub Cat: Town
Sub Cat: Hostel Name


Resupply: Yes or No, How good of a resupply?
Friendly? Yes or No
Clean? Yes or No
Showers? if yes, hot water?
Family Friendly? Yes or No
Private rooms or bunk house only?
AC? yes or No
Shuttle to town? Yes or No
What was included in pricing?
Year opened? (If known)
Outfitter within walking or on site?
Do they accept mail drops? Yes or No, If yes is there a fee?
Dog Friendly?
Camping allowed?
On or right next to trail?
Extra comments: "pesky bear nearby and free roam chickens" etc etc

Shuttle:
On time pickup?
Rate per mile?
Rate for shuttle provided Ex: 19E to Carvers gap was $70 (made up example)
Clean Car?
Dog Friendly?
How many could they have shuttled?
Knowledgeable about the planned section water source, bear activity, and rising issues in the area of trail?
Offer Discounts?

Now for form filled out:
Hostel or shuttle: Hostel
Category in Forum: TN
Sub Cat: Hot Springs, NC
Sub Cat: Laughing Heart Lodge


Resupply: No
Friendly? Yes
Clean? Yes
Showers? if yes, hot water? Yes, Hot water
Family Friendly? Yes
Private rooms or bunk house only? Both, slight price increase for private room
AC? yes
Shuttle to town? Yes, but town is walking distance
What was included in pricing? Shower, towel, soap and shampoo, blankets, use of propane grill
Year opened? (If known) Unknown
Outfitter within walking or on site? Walking distance in town
Do they accept mail drops? Yes no fee
Dog Friendly? Yes, for private rooms only
Camping allowed? Yes $10 a night
On or right next to trail? Right next to trail
Would you recommend? Yes!
Extra comments: "Great Place with a restful attitude" etc etc

Shuttle: Toms shuttle of Erwin
On time pickup? Right on time
Friendly? Very!
Rate per mile? Apx 1.50-1.85 Per mile
Rate for shuttle provided Ex: 19E to Carvers gap was $70 (made up example)
Clean Car? Yes
Dog Friendly? Yes
Would you recommend? Yes!
How many could they have shuttled? In car used, 2-3 possibly 4
Knowledgeable about the planned section water source, bear activity, and rising issues in the area of trail? Very knowledgeable
Offer Discounts? Yes, for multiple shuttles

[10-K]

Interesting idea...

Not exactly what you're wanting but you can review hostels on TripAdvisor. I know Uncle Johnny's has some reviews there.

I tried to add hikershuttles.com but they wouldn't accept us because we're a service. I'd love to find a way around that so we could get reviews.

[illabelle]

Here's a list of hostels, probably not comprehensive, certainly not so detailed as you're suggesting.
http://www.unclejohnnys.net/hostels.html
The AT Thru-Hiker's Companion has pretty good info about most hostels (pricing, dogs, mail drops, showers, etc). Having all that organized in a spreadsheet could be useful.

[Gambit McCrae]

Im looking for more of a progressive hiker compiled review system, that could even show WHAT shuttle and Hostel are rated at the top on the trail, and unfortunately the ones at the bottom of the list. The aboves are good for data drivin info, but im wanting reviews of that data, mostly from a quality standpoint on subjects pointed out in initial post, friendlyness, cleanlyness, family friendly etc. Once you have slept in a spider infestation, a wet bed, have chickens try and nest in the bunk house, have dope being dealt out by the caretaker, have crazy neighbors yelling and mowing their yard to disturb you, drunks wander into your room, or even have a really pleasant stay, as a section hiker I would like to know what Im getting into before I get there. As well, I know that many hostels, B&B's as well as shuttles would pride themselves in say being in top 10% of the hostel community/ shuttle community.

[kayak karl]

i tend to walk into a town looking for 3 hots and a cot mentality.
where would these reviews be? a web site ?

[Gambit McCrae]

Well I would preferably like to keep it under whiteblaze as a valuable resource to whiteblaze.net
It wouldnt be able to compile data in a rating system, but if we could set up a simlilar forum threading like the shelters are organized, Per state, and then people could go through and post under each hostel thread or shuttle thread.

[kayak karl]

we have seen what happens on here once you criticize a hostel or owner :rolleyes:

[Gambit McCrae]

Example? We arent talking about mud slinging here KK, just a simple filling out of the evaluation sheet under th hostels name. If the establishment is proud of their biz then theyshouldnt have any worries

[RED-DOG]

If you go to the Home/Articles page here on WB, scroll down the page a little bit and you should see MENU inside that menu block you should see "Hostels and Lodgings" underneath you should see " AT Transportation", these gives people a list of Hostels and shuttle providers, what I would suggest is taking your idea and UPGRADING and ADDING to what we already have here on WB, this is a good idea.

[Gambit McCrae]

If you go to the Home/Articles page here on WB, scroll down the page a little bit and you should see MENU inside that menu block you should see "Hostels and Lodgings" underneath you should see " AT Transportation", these gives people a list of Hostels and shuttle providers, what I would suggest is taking your idea and UPGRADING and ADDING to what we already have here on WB, this is a good idea.

Thanks Red-Dog!

I have been thinking about it for a while, and mostly because I think it will organize our "General" Forum threads and eliminate alot of these "I am doing this section this weeekend what should I expect" kinda thread. One thing I do not know is who is in charge of creating such a thread type?

[RED-DOG]

Thanks Red-Dog!

I have been thinking about it for a while, and mostly because I think it will organize our "General" Forum threads and eliminate alot of these "I am doing this section this weeekend what should I expect" kinda thread. One thing I do not know is who is in charge of creating such a thread type?
That would either be ATROLL or ALIGATOR.

[WalkingStick75]

Example? We arent talking about mud slinging here KK, just a simple filling out of the evaluation sheet under th hostels name. If the establishment is proud of their biz then theyshouldnt have any worries

You just can't please everyone. For example Whitehouse in Maine, I loved the place and didn't think they were expensive considering where they are located but you will find a lot of comments here on WB of those that would disagree with me.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I'd be happy if they made an accurate one line evaluation, the following question is all I need:

Bedbugs Yes/No