British Hostels

[PH]

Sadly the YHA had to adapt to compete with the Premier Inns and Travel Lodges. The rooms are very expensive now, as a solo cyclist I recently booked a four bedded room with en-suite all for myself at £50 per night, just for the room. The dormitory beds used to be £13 per night but quite a lot of Yha’s don’t offer them now.

Charging more than Premier Inn and Travelodge yet making less money per unit and being less convenient for many doesn't seem like competing very well.

I like a Travelodge or Premier Inn bargain, often planning or modifying a break to to take advantage. Though with their variable pricing it's impossible to know what the average room price is. I most recently spent a night near Cambridge for £28, to stay this Friday would be £85.
I know the YHA sometimes have offers, but the savings are not going to be on the same scale and I doubt there's many people would decide on a stay who wouldn't otherwise.
I'm doubtful the overlap in clientele between YHA and the hotel chains is great enough for either to see themselves as competitors.

[pete75]

So many quirky little hostels have been closed like Woody's Top and the Selby hostel in a barge on the canal. Others, such as the rather magnificent Beverley hostel, housed in a 14th century Friary, are group bookings only.
I doubt what is happening to hostels is being caused by the YHA but by what is happening to the YHA, as a result of things like societal change, incomes increasing, changes in leisure activities, changes in vehicle ownership etc .

It was once like this - a brilliant little film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 965-online

[axel_knutt]

I doubt what is happening to hostels is being caused by the YHA but by what is happening to the YHA, as a result of things like societal change, incomes increasing, changes in leisure activities, changes in vehicle ownership etc

Sadly, I think there's quite a bit of truth in this. I notice the comment in the film about wanting small simple hostels, and so do I, but it's a complete anathema to most people now.

It was once like this - a brilliant little film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 965-online

For reference, this doesn't work on MS Edge, the instructions seem to imply it only works on Chrome.

I've never spent a night in Sabrina, but I recognised Bryn Gwynant, and Ingleton was my first ever hostel in 1969. (Bryn Gwynant is the only hostel where I've been kept awake by the sound of someone scratching his midge bites. )

I was thinking about the YHA's policy on maintenance: what's broke stays broke. They just leave everything, then when the hostel's falling to bits they look at the books: if it's losing money they close it, and if it's profitable they refurbish it and start all over again.

I recall at Alston (before the YHA sold it), one of the two boilers broke, so the warden called a plumber who told him it was beyond repair and needed replacing. "Get another plumber" head office told him, so he tried a few more who all said the same. "Get another plumber" said head office again. By the time he'd been through every plumber in the Yellow Pages, head office still told him to find another plumber.

The cold tap in Hawes kitchen was a trickle, it took about a minute to fill a bottle, and there was a note on the wall above the sink: "Sorry about the water pressure, we're waiting for the plumber". When I went back several years later, the note was still there. The plumbers are slow in Wensleydale.

At Stirling, the room light wasn't working, so when I saw the Warden doing his paperwork at the reception desk I said "Are you aware that the light's ot working ing in room 7?".
"Nope" he said, without even looking up. I mentioned it to another girl shortly after: "Oh, he knows full well, it's been like that for ages". Even the cost of a light bulb is too much.

Duncan Simpson's website is an excellent YHA archive, with separate files for each hostel including bags of detail, even bed-night data.

[pete75]

It was once like this - a brilliant little film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 965-online

For reference, this doesn't work on MS Edge, the instructions seem to imply it only works on Chrome.

I watched it on Edge because it didn't work on Chrome!

[ElaineB]

Yha’s still have a place in todays world. The schools use them a lot and there are probably many children who never get to go away. It’s easy to think that it’s all about cheapish accommodation but the experience the youngsters have during a week away from home is priceless. If it helps them become more resilient and think for themselves and others, it’s a very good start. A week away from an inner city school, hopefully in the countryside is probably something they will remember for the rest of their lives. Is easy to become cynical as adults but children don’t mind sharing a dormitory and maybe not washing for a week! I personally can’t think of anything worse but I’m no longer a child! My best memories of the yha were the people I met, some better than others of course. I can’t say the Premier Inns give you that same experience, so long live the yha, I say.

[Bmblbzzz]

It was once like this - a brilliant little film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 965-online

I enjoyed the film. Good scenery and I like slower, quieter films like that. But I noticed that some of the themes were exactly the ones being complained of in this thread! Such as: school parties (but no segregation of school and non-school, because this was before 'safeguarding'), and wholesale closure of hostels. But there were also notable differences: everyone was actually young, for a start.

[axel_knutt]

I will write to complain

I will update when I get a reply, when & if !

I recall CJ saying on here that he once wrote a complaint to the YHA in his capacity as a CTC official and they didn't bother replying.

I've not used the YHA since covid so I don't know about current availability, but school parties are the YHA's core business, and always take priority. I wrote a bit about the school problem on that thread JDSK has linked.

[Grldtnr]

That film was way before I started hostelling, but I do remember the way of life depicted, it must be 20 yrs after the film , but anyone could still travel to a simple graded hostel , book a bed in shared accommodation, and meet people, yes there were privations but it was character building , you became self reliant, met people, travelled independently, or with friends with whom you would share dorms with, hostel chores were an accepted duty ,it all helped to keep costs down.
Now the YHA seem only interested in school parties or wholly booked by clubs or societies, it is very difficult to book accommodation now , if you could , is this a result of COVID ?

It seems independent hostels or budget bunkhouses are the only way to have a cheap excursion these days, mores the pity.

[simonineaston]

It was once like this - a brilliant little film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 965-online

enjoyed that - thanks. I loved some of the comments from the young narrators. The film dates from before I started hostelling, but it's not far off...

[pete75]

It was once like this - a brilliant little film. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... 965-online

enjoyed that - thanks. I loved some of the comments from the young narrators. The film dates from before I started hostelling, but it's not far off...

Yep, especially "On Sundays in England we get more climbing done becaus ethe pubs are open for shorter hours"

[axel_knutt]

The dormitory beds used to be £13 per night but quite a lot of Yha’s don’t offer them now.

Until as recently as 1998 you could still get a bed for as little as £5.85.

[Traction_man]

hmm that is a quarter of a century ago now!

London rate by comparison looking pretty expensive... even in 1998.

[Bmblbzzz]

Generally paying about $16 (£8) in New Zealand at the same time.

[gbnz]

.

I like a Travelodge or Premier Inn bargain
[/quote]

+ 1. Will quite happily book a bargain night in a Travelodge. Excellent break from 2-3 nights wild camping.

But stopped at a YHA last night, "the Sill", adjacent to Hadrians Wall.. £25 for a self contained room, c/w ensuite bathroom. Place was opened in 2017, was obviously a National Park "flagship" development. Aside from having a bunk bed in the room, the building itself and facilities, could have been a 5* city centre hotel. Incredible!

[mattheus]

I like a Travelodge or Premier Inn bargain

+ 1. Will quite happily book a bargain night in a Travelodge. Excellent break from 2-3 nights wild camping.

But stopped at a YHA last night, "the Sill", adjacent to Hadrians Wall.. £25 for a self contained room, c/w ensuite bathroom. Place was opened in 2017, was obviously a National Park "flagship" development. Aside from having a bunk bed in the room, the building itself and facilities, could have been a 5* city centre hotel. Incredible!

Good tip, looks a nice place!

[but note those rooms are £80 on Fri/Sat nights]