Back in the day, the best backpackers could expect from a hostel was a rock-hard bunk bed, a grimy shared bathroom, and with luck, checking out with all their belongings in tact.
But now, a burgeoning cohort of young travellers dubbed sa国际传媒渇lashpackerssa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� backpackers with a slightly larger budget sa国际传媒� has given rise to a form of lodging that at one time would have been considered an oxymoron: the high-end hostel.
Unlike the dingy dormitories of decades past, hostels in Canada have been revamped to cater to millennial wanderlust, offering affordable luxuries such as free breakfast, private rooms, digital amenities and modern-day security features.
Look at the M Montrealsa国际传媒檚 Instagram feed, and yousa国际传媒檒l find photos of guests lounging in the hostelsa国际传媒檚 two rooftop Jacuzzis, partying in the neon-lit bar, taking in musical and comedy acts or chowing down at the cafe, which offers free or pay-what-you-can dinners several nights a week.
Located in Montrealsa国际传媒檚 Gay Village, the hostelsa国际传媒檚 most lavish accommodations sa国际传媒� a 700-square-foot private room with a kitchen, living room and large-screen TV sa国际传媒� can run for up to $250 per night during peak summer months.
Owner Andreas Zacharakis said the M Montreal is designed to facilitate connections among tourists and locals alike, which he sees as the hostelsa国际传媒檚 competitive advantage over five-star hotels and shared-economy accommodations such as Airbnb.
sa国际传媒淭he customers are smart. Theysa国际传媒檙e smarter than ever before,sa国际传媒� said Zacharakis. sa国际传媒漈hey donsa国际传媒檛 mind paying. They just want to be assured that theysa国际传媒檙e going to have a good experience and a good service.sa国际传媒�
In low season, budget-conscious guests can still pick up a key card to a 10-person room for roughly $30 per night, which includes a bunk bed with a back pillow to lean on while web surfing, outlets for charging devices, storage spaces, a curtain for privacy and access to a shared ensuite bathroom.
Zacharakis compared todaysa国际传媒檚 tech-savvy consumers to sa国际传媒渃yborgssa国际传媒� who are pushing hostels to provide upscale amenities on par with hotels through reviews on social media and sites such as hostelworld.com, where the M Montreal globally ranks as the best extra-large hostel of 2019.
sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 a communal spirit going on,sa国际传媒� said Zacharakis. sa国际传媒淲hen yousa国际传媒檙e checked in, yousa国际传媒檙e introduced to everyone in your roomsa国际传媒� By the time yousa国际传媒檙e leaving, you feel like yousa国际传媒檙e about to cry, because yousa国际传媒檙e leaving your family.sa国际传媒�
The Two Peas Pod Hostel in Toronto bills itself as a sa国际传媒渘ew travel conceptsa国际传媒� straddling the hotel-hostel divide. Guests can book a spot in one of the Chinatown hostelsa国际传媒檚 four-pod rooms sa国际传媒� each bunk equipped with a memory-foam mattress, bamboo pillow, a personal fan, flat-screen TV and headphones sa国际传媒� for as low as $49 per night this spring, its website boasts amenities such as luxury showers, a quiet lounge, cafe, hair dryers and a home theatre.
Gabor Forgacs, an associate professor in Ryerson Universitysa国际传媒檚 hospitality and tourism management department, said hostels comprise only a small share of Canadasa国际传媒檚 commercial lodging industry, and theresa国际传媒檚 a wide variation in quality.
But as hotel prices have increased year after year, Forgacs said an influential segment of tourists sa国际传媒� millennials who are looking for a good deal, but would pay a premium for purportedly authentic experiences sa国际传媒� are turning to alternatives like hostels and Airbnb over sa国际传媒渃ookie-cuttersa国际传媒� accommodations.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 an age cohort specifically that is more interested in gathering experiences than objects, and they place higher value on seeing the world,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭he traveller is more socially interactive. They want to at least have the illusion of being part of a community.sa国际传媒�
Even hostel chains are upping their offerings to stay competitive.
Hostelling International has updated many of its 54 locations to serve these plugged-in, community-oriented travellers, said Shelbey Sy, marketing director for the Pacific/Mountain region.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not just offering a place to crash, but a wide experiences within the property, and also outside that takes them closer to the community theysa国际传媒檙e visiting,sa国际传媒� said Sy.
sa国际传媒淭ravellers nowadays not only want to be able travel comfortably, but they also want to stay connected and to be able to share their experiences with their networks.sa国际传媒�
The HI Vancouver provides local-guided pub crawls and walking tours for tourists who want to go off the beaten path and explore the city, while the HI Ottawa Jail offers one-of-a-kind stays in converted prison cells, some of which are rumoured to be haunted, Sy said.
The HI Toronto maintains some of the hostelsa国际传媒檚 ramshackle charms, with one hallway strewn with debris from guests, and a basement bar and cafe dubbed sa国际传媒淭he Cavernsa国际传媒� with exposed vents and tangle of wires in the ceiling.
But manager Desmond Tibby said the HI Toronto has come a long way since he came on board in 2003, offering free breakfasts, live performances and private accommodation costing up to $200 per night that are fully booked during high season.
sa国际传媒�(Guests) have a bigger disposable income now. They expect better furnishings; they expect better service; they expect breakfast included,sa国际传媒� said Tibby. sa国际传媒淭he way we could be going is having a concierge. If they demand that, thatsa国际传媒檚 what will happen.sa国际传媒�
Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press
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