YHA Infomation and updates

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
robing
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Joined: 7 Sep 2014, 9:11am

Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by robing »

PH wrote:
robing wrote:Price was for a double room for one person with a private bathroom and it was a Saturday night.
Yha was the same price for a bunk bed in a dorm ie both 35 quid. No brainer!

Bargain! There are some about, my point was merely that it isn't typical, whereas the YHA price is.

Even better I found an Airbnb for only 28 quid. Luxury double room with en suite.
Ivor Tingting
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Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by Ivor Tingting »

I wouldn't be seen dead in a YHA. If you want to get a sleepless night sharing a huge room in bunk beds with 20 other fat drunken slobs, crashing around at all hours, rustling plastic bags at 5am in the morning, screaming screeching kids running amok and slamming doors then maybe it's the right place for you. Not me. Camping on a quiet site or wild camping for me or Air BnB if the price is right is far more preferable.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
mercalia
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Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by mercalia »

Ivor Tingting wrote:I wouldn't be seen dead in a YHA. If you want to get a sleepless night sharing a huge room in bunk beds with 20 other fat drunken slobs, crashing around at all hours, rustling plastic bags at 5am in the morning, screaming screeching kids running amok and slamming doors then maybe it's the right place for you. Not me. Camping on a quiet site or wild camping for me or Air BnB if the price is right is far more preferable.


good thats one less fat drunken slob to worry about
ChrisF
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Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by ChrisF »

Ivor Tingting wrote:I wouldn't be seen dead in a YHA. If you want to get a sleepless night sharing a huge room in bunk beds with 20 other fat drunken slobs, crashing around at all hours, rustling plastic bags at 5am in the morning, screaming screeching kids running amok and slamming doors then maybe it's the right place for you. Not me. Camping on a quiet site or wild camping for me or Air BnB if the price is right is far more preferable.


I've just spent a week volunteer managing a YHA in S Wales. None of the guests was fat or a slob (not sure of your definition though). One group of students probably did get a bit drunk at the pub but they were quiet when they returned and AFAIK no other guests were woken up. There were also some kids and they were perfectly behaved.

OTOH , en route to the hostel I stayed at two B&Bs. At one I was woken at 6am by the two blokes in the next door room chatting loudly for an hour before they got up for breakfast. In the second I was woken at 3am by the couple in the room next door who spent at least an hour packing and repacking their bags noisily before they finally left (after I complained) at 4am.
Chris F, Cornwall
John Holiday
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Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by John Holiday »

As a lifelong user of Hostels ,have been slightly disappointed by their move upmarket.
Was recently told that they were now catering for school groups etc. who expected en-suite facilities & that the business model didn't cater for older generation arriving on their cycle for the odd night.
Hence my membership of Gatliff Trust hostels in Outer Hebrides & Elennydd Wilderness hostels in West Wales which follow the original ethos.
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ferrit worrier
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Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by ferrit worrier »

LinusR wrote:
robing wrote:Prices seem to vary widely. The more rural ones seem reasonable, but for instance in Bristol a night in a dorm costs an eye watering £35! I could stay in a BnB for that. They should offer more camping at YHAs - that would be a popular option but relatively few offer it. And beware of unofficial YHAs masquerading on the YHA site, they can be terrible - I have personal experience of this!


Come off it! A bed in a shared room varies from £14.40 to £31.50 a night at Bristol. Bristol is not a cheap city and I doubt you could get a bnb for anywhere near that price. If you are a YHA member you get 10 percent off as well https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-bristol.


A few years ago I stayed at Bristol YHA that was the last time I used one , never again ! As far as I can see the YHA have lost the plot. The room was hot , my companions appeared to be forign contractors. I spent most of the night on a smelly couch in the common room as the hostel was full. I paid the same there as I paid for a decent room in BnB .
On my first end to end I got bumped from Okehampton YHA as they had " double booked" me , a refund and three tel numbers to try. I did hear that it might have been because they had a school party to cater for and I was in thy way. The best independant hastel Ive found is The Great Glen Hostel at Laggan on the A82 cheap ,clean, very comfortable and a good little shop to get a meal together. Not like the over priced paltry offering of most YHA establishments.
Percussive maintainance, if it don't fit, hit it with the hammer.
Ivor Tingting
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Joined: 10 Mar 2009, 9:57pm

Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by Ivor Tingting »

mercalia wrote:
Ivor Tingting wrote:I wouldn't be seen dead in a YHA. If you want to get a sleepless night sharing a huge room in bunk beds with 20 other fat drunken slobs, crashing around at all hours, rustling plastic bags at 5am in the morning, screaming screeching kids running amok and slamming doors then maybe it's the right place for you. Not me. Camping on a quiet site or wild camping for me or Air BnB if the price is right is far more preferable.


good thats one less fat drunken slob to worry about


Sorry to disappoint you but I am not fat neither a slob and I certainly don't get drunk as I don't drink alcohol.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
Oldjohnw
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Location: South Warwickshire

Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by Oldjohnw »

The main reason I no longer use the YHA after a lifetime, is a sort of Groucho Marx reason: there are people like me there. They snore.
John
mercalia
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Re: YHA Infomation and updates

Post by mercalia »

It seems that though members dont get such a large membership reduction as they used to - normally it was I think about £3, they have introduced another way of making a saving called EARLY BIRD

ie if you book 90 days prior you can get an extra 15% off.
There are a few exclusions
details here
https://www.yha.org.uk/special-offers/early-bird
Caledonia64
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Joined: 23 Aug 2019, 5:11pm

Re: YHA prices: steep increase in the pipeline!

Post by Caledonia64 »

Norman H wrote:I understand that they're in business to make a profit, but it's sad that they no longer appear to be about about providing cheap accommodation for people on a budget.

£25/night for a bed in a shared dorm isn't great value. I'd happily pay that for a bed in an en suite private room, but otherwise I'd rather camp or look for other alternatives. A group of 4 of us did a double C2C in Devon earlier in the year and I booked a 6 berth self catering apartment in Appledore for 2 days at a cost of £165. It was very comfortable and at least we only had to listen to our own snoring.

My other concern is their exclusive use deals for schools and other groups at off peak times. I suspect that these bring in a lot of revenue, especially as most groups don't self cater. But it makes booking certain hostels quite difficult. Some hostels will show no availability looking into the long term future. I understand that this is because they are being held for group bookings.

Coincidentally my membership is due for renewal (actually SYHA) and I'm seriously questioning what benefits membership brings.


The Youth Hostels are not-for-profit. If you read some of the bumff on the website/AGM matierials the average paying guest's payments help subsidise not so much schools (though their cost rating makes school trips possible, for overseas schools and schools in the nations of these isles), but youth groups from disadvantaged areas or working with groups with special needs/vulnerable. I know Scottish Women's Aid had a project allowing family holidays for disadvangated families/single parents (at affordable costs).
I think they have put up their generaly prices to keep in line with other hostels (that may or may not be less reputable), to pay staff a living wage now they are staffed by paid employees, and your hosteller no longer does chores as of old (and many guests don't clear up after themselves adequately I have found so I end up wiping down the entire kitchen after I have cooked); and of course to pay for upgrading of hostels to bring in younger guests who now expect certain standards - no more but and ben type accomodation like the old Glendevon Hostel or fading institutional grandeur like (the lamented) Melrose Hostel or the lodge on LochLOmond.
You and I may be of an inclination to arrive on bike, to a remote location far from public transport nexes with our own tins of all day breakfast and most of the eggs unbroken, but I do not think that is the demographic of low-cost holiday makers/hostellers any more. It causes great sadness that (I am looking at the St Cuthbert Way/4 Abbeys route for myself, and also a tour of Norfolk/the Broads/Walsingham) there are so few youth hostels in these area, even those with the added extras of Glamping or whatever, but I think this plan is on their part a survival strategy (not a death wish).

I personally (as a carer, now, and on a modest income) have no problem paying £30/night for a dorm - in theory - or £60 a night for a two person room with my son who could not be in a male dorm as u16; when he was younger the SYHA, YHA and Danhostels
Oldjohnw
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Re: YHA Infomation and updates

Post by Oldjohnw »

I no longer stay in hostels because I snore. I have, at least at present, retained my SYHA membership for the reasons mentioned by Caledonia64. It does mean I can camp where appropriate and book a double room with my wife occasionally.
John
mercalia
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Re: YHA Infomation and updates

Post by mercalia »

re camping it seems that quite a few of the English YHA that do camping have some very reduced camping charges of just £5/person during September and early October for any one interested. This is the non members price so for members get an extra 10% off

https://www.yha.org.uk/camping-and-cabi ... 7F,PH3Q7,1
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Morzedec
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Re: YHA Infomation and updates

Post by Morzedec »

Never mind the snoring: it's the after-baked-bean-self-catering trumpet calls that bother me.

However, I can offer an alternative: it's called 'camp in my garden for free if you arrive on a bike', the possible downside being that my garden is in France.

So far this year we have hosted 'pooped' French, Italian, Dutch and American visitors, 'pooped' because they have misjudged just how hot it can get at times and the distance to the next campsite.

And the amount of water we dole out some days is huge!

Made lots of friends, the last couple hosted being called Napoleon (no relation) from Normandy, on their way down to the south coast: a postcard confirmed that they made it (eventually).

Happy days,
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mercalia
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Re: YHA Infomation and updates

Post by mercalia »

looks a nice place to camp, a few trees with a bit of shade & flat
mercalia
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Re: YHA Infomation and updates

Post by mercalia »

Special offer for Members

50% off for participating hostels


https://www.yha.org.uk/special-offers/m ... only-offer
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