September 5, 2024, 8:09 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Hostels often have a reputation for being uncomfortable, noisy, and a bit dingy. But many people can’t afford a proper hotel room. So what do you do? Just look for a Poshtel! Design accommodation for little money is the big trend in big cities. There are many reasons for their success.
Many people think of hostels as bunk beds with snoring strangers, drafty corridors, and poorly stocked communal kitchens. The furnishings are not pretty, but functional. However, this image is outdated, and a new form of hostel has taken over: the Poshtel. This is a neologism made up of “posh” and hostel – and an absolute trend. The travel bible Lonely Planet has already spoken of the unstoppable rise of Poshtels. What is it all about?
The Poshtel combines the community concept of the hostel with an exciting design and special amenities. “Guests will find facilities not normally associated with a hostel, such as a pool, roof terrace, bar, restaurant, and free breakfast,” says Paul Halpenny from Hostelworld.com. The Poshtel is therefore no longer just the cheapest possible place to spend the night, but an appealing place where you want to stay. The night is still significantly cheaper than in a hotel.
Halpenny speaks of a “hostel revolution” that has taken place in recent years. Today, nine out of ten hostels also have private rooms, and it is difficult not to find free Wi-Fi. Travelers’ expectations have risen, and the furnishings and ambience of hostels have improved along with them.
“Hostels used to offer a cheap bed for the night,” says Tobias Warnecke, a consultant at the German Hotel Association (IHA). “Today, travelers increasingly value the design and aesthetics of their temporary home, without wanting to give up the affordable price and the sociable and informal atmosphere of a hostel.” “Poshtels are experiencing strong demand across Europe and worldwide,” confirms Gillian Tans, CEO of the hotel booking platform Booking.com. This is not so obvious at first because the term Poshtel is not yet so widespread. The hotels often market as design or boutique hostels.
At least since the rise of the Motel One chain, hotels in major cities have been trying to offer rooms with a contemporary design for a reasonable price. But they cannot match the hostel prices. More and more Poshtels are opening in Europe’s trendy cities. Halpenny mentions the Wallyard Concept Hostel in Berlin, the Sunset Destination in Lisbon, and the TOC Hostel in Barcelona. There are many Poshtels in the German capital in particular, such as The Cat’s Pajamas, Pfefferbett Hostel, and ONE80°. There are also chic city hostels for little money in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Sydney.
The traditional hotel industry is also trying to occupy this niche with design hotels, boutique hotels, or lifestyle hotels. Hotels such as 25hours, Prizeotel, and CitizenM have made a name for themselves here. And the large hotel chains are launching fresh and design-oriented brands to appeal to younger guests and keep up with Airbnb. Conversely, a guest in a hostel with a single room and private bathroom can certainly feel like they are staying in a hotel.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to make clear distinctions between the individual market segments as they are becoming increasingly blurred,” says Tobias Warnecke. AccorHotels, for example, has just launched the “JO&JOE” brand specifically for millennials. They plan to build 50 hotels worldwide by 2020. Is it more of a hotel or a hostel? A company spokeswoman is unwilling to commit herself when asked. She talks about the concept of an “open house”.
The original version of this article was published in 2016.