A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory sleeping 4–20 people, with shared use of a lounge and usually a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared bathrooms. Private rooms may also be available. Hostels are popular forms of lodging for backpackers, however very few impose age limits, so hostels are an option for travellers of all ages and styles. The benefits of hostels include lower costs and opportunities to meet people from different places, find travel partners, and share travel experiences. Some hostels, such as in India or Hostelling International, cater to a niche market of travelers. Different hostels can be known for offering different experiences. For example, one hostel might feature in-house social gatherings such as movie nights or communal dinners, another might feature local tours, one might be known for its parties, and another might have a quieter place to relax in serenity, or be located on the beach. Newer hostels focus on a more trendy design, some of which are on par with boutique hotels. Some may cater to older digital nomads, global nomads, and perpetual travelers who prefer slightly more upmarket private rooms or a quieter atmosphere. Hostels may also differentiate themselves by being environmentally friendly ecohostels. In countries where wages are lower, the cost of staying at a hostel may be similar to staying in a budget hotel.
Richard Schirrmann was a German teacher and founder of the first hostel.
World Curling, formerly the World Curling Federation (WCF) is the world governing body for curling accreditation, with offices in Perth, Scotland. It was formed out of the International Curling Federation (ICF), when the push for Olympic Winter Sport status was made. The name was changed in 1990 to the WCF and then to World Curling in 2024.
Jalan Jaksa is a short street approximately 400 meters long at Menteng subdistrict in Central Jakarta, Indonesia. It is located about 1 km south of the national museum, Monas and west of the Gondangdia railway station. The street connects Jalan KH Wahid Hasyim to Jalan Kebon Sirih. The six-meter-wide road offers tourists the opportunity to get cheap accommodation, and used to be a hub for nightlife, however, for several years now the nightlife scene here has dwindled with tourists and locals gravitating towards newer areas. It was designed as the main choice of foreign as well as domestic backpackers who visited Jakarta until around 2016.
An Óige, or the Irish Youth Hostel Association (IYHA), is a non-profit organisation providing youth hostel accommodation across the Republic of Ireland. An Óige is a member of Hostelling International.
Sea cadets are members of a cadets youth program sponsored by a national naval service, aimed for young people with an interest in waterborne activities and or the national navy. The organisation may be sponsored in whole or in part by the navy or a naval supporter's organisation.
Hostelling International USA, also known as American Youth Hostels, Inc. (AYH), is a nonprofit organization that operates youth hostels and runs programs around those hostels. It is the official United States affiliate of Hostelling International (HI), also known as the International Youth Hostel Federation. It is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, with its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Youth Hostels Association is a charitable organisation, registered with the Charity Commission, providing youth hostel accommodation in England and Wales. It is a member of the Hostelling International federation.
Hostelling International Northern Ireland (HINI) is a not-for-profit organisation providing youth hostel accommodation in Northern Ireland. It is a member of the Hostelling International federation.
YHA Ltd, trading as YHA Australia, is a not-for-profit of members trading corporation providing hostel and other accommodation, travel and associated service in Australia. It is a member organisation of Hostelling International.
The Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand is a youth hostelling association in New Zealand. As of 2022, it comprises 16 privately owned associate backpacker hostels—8 in the North Island, and 9 in the South Island. All properties are franchise or associate partners.
Hostelling International Canada is an organization providing youth hostel accommodation in Canada. It is a member of the Hostelling International federation.
Monroe William Smith and his wife Isabel Bacheler Smith founded American Youth Hostels in 1934. Monroe was a former Boy Scout executive and Isabel an art teacher when the young couple founded the hostels in Northfield, Massachusetts. Monroe also founded Youth Argosy, an organization intended to "provide travel opportunities for worthy young people of slender means" and resigned his directorship of American Youth Hostels in 1949. After a promising start, Youth Argosy went bankrupt in 1951, largely due to a new Civil Aeronautics Board regulation aimed at small charter groups.
The Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI) is an organization providing youth hostel accommodation in India. It is a member of the Hostelling International federation.
The German Youth Hostel Association or DJH is a non-profit registered organization. It was founded in 1919 to provide affordable and safe accommodation for travellers, especially schools, youth groups and individuals across Germany. Today, with 438 youth hostels, it caters to schools, youth groups and are also open to anyone else seeking an alternative to hotels like families, backpackers, business travellers, etc. Through the state (Bundesland) associations, it is the representative of the 438 youth hostels in Germany and thus the largest member of the international youth association, Hostelling International (HI). The headquarters has its seat in Detmold, it operates through 14 state associations and 178 local and county volunteer associations. It has about 2.38 million members.
Arthur James Meaby was a British engineer who was active with the Youth Hostels Association. He served on the Youth Hostels Association National Executive Committee from 1975 to 2002 and was the City Hostels Executive. He was noted for establishing many city hostels throughout England and Wales.
Hemingford House is a 19th-century house in Alveston near Stratford on Avon in Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building.
Best Foot Forward is a 2017 play by the Mikron Theatre Company. Written by Maeve Larkin with music by Kieran Buckeridge the play is a musical documentary about the history of the Youth Hostels Association (YHA).
Edith Constance Alexander was a pioneer of youth hostelling in the United Kingdom. She was a founder member of the Youth Hostels Association in the UK and their first warden.
