A Hostel Isn’t Just a Hostel Anymore
Just last week two of our Sant Jordi Barcelona Hostels received mention in a New York Times article, titled ‘Haute Hostels Put to the Test’. The article – written by Seth Sherwood, a contributor to the New York Times Travel section – first and foremost, reviewed the services and facilities of a few of the recently developed high-end ‘haute hostels’ in Europe. Throughout his review Mr. Sherwood provides insightful information about the offerings of these ‘haute hostels’ as well as informed opinions on the emergence of this new genre of hostel accommodation and how it compares to the traditional hostel model and the current state of hotel accommodation.
In his review and opinion piece, Seth Sherwood comments on the offerings of various ‘Haute Hostels’ from around Europe; including Lisbon, Paris, Barcelona and Berlin. Throughout the article he emphasizes the high quality of facilities and services that are being offered at and expected from ‘Haute’ or ‘Boutique’ Hostels throughout Europe. The general consensus was that modern European ‘Haute Hostels’ are raising the bar in the ever-evolving and fast-growing hostel industry and that the informed traveler can often get much more value for their dollar staying at a European Hostel as opposed to a hotel or pension.
Seth Sherwood, a Paris based travel author and frequent contributor to the Travel section of the New York Times presents an informed perspective that provides valuable insights into the development of hostel accommodation in Europe over the past 5 years. A stay in a hostel is no longer just for starving students trying to travel Europe on less than $20 a day. Although that option still exists and European hostels remain very reasonably priced, they have begun to offer facilities and services that are often light-years ahead of what one gets at a more expensive and, dare I saying, boring and impersonal hotel.
We are very excited to see that people are becoming more and more aware of the higher standards being adopted by many hostels throughout Europe. We see this as a step in the right direction for the hostel industry: one that we hope leads to more and more advancements to come. We at Sant Jordi Hostels are continually striving to move the hostel industry in the direction of higher quality facilities and more involved services and activities.
Later this year we will be opening another Sant Jordi Hostel in the downtown Eixample district of Barcelona. We don’t want to give away too many details just yet but we are very excited and are confident it is going to be the next thing in European ‘Haute Hostel’ accommodation. Just a hint – think Rock n’ Roll!!!
We just want to send a big thank you out to Seth Sherwood and all the other informed travel writers out there that are beginning to recognize the emergence of this new genre of hostel. If it wasn’t for their hard work and thorough travels, people who might otherwise never consider staying in a hostel just might have the chance to be utterly blown away by what we have to offer.
