What is a 5 Star Hostel? It is more than just a Design-Thing…

In how many hostels and hotels did you stay during all your travels? Before you continue reading ask yourself the following questions:

• “How do you see Hotels?”
• “How do you see Hostels?“

And last but not least…

• “What type of accommodation offers more “quality” to you?

Depending now on your age, your travel experience, and your general attitude there are usually several answers – no surprise here. But most of the time people refer quality more to Hotels rather than Hostels. Would you agree here?

There is No Standard in Hostel Ratings

Have you actually stayed all your life at outstanding, great Hotels? The same question must be asked for Hostels, here may be the other way around.

You see, a type of accommodation nowadays does not tell you anything anymore about its quality, its services, or facilities. The Hotel industry developed, and therefore, the rating system based on stars as a quality sign. From 1 to 5 Stars – simple and easy you might say, but those stars also depend on the country and its standards of accommodation.

Let’s come back to hostels. We are right now experiencing a paradigm shift for hostels! Outstanding hostels doing an effort to get better and better every day, improving facilities, services, quality.

The Next Level of Hostels

Many Hostels out there have grown up, started to add more values and offers for their guests. We have hostels with own swimming pools (Sunset Destination Hostel in Lisbon).

Sunset Destination Hostel in Lisbon

Bunch of activities and tours, rooftop terraces with panoramic views (Bunk Hostel Taskim in Istanbul), and stunning design – just to name a few.

 Bunk Hostel Taskim in Istanbul

There are a lot of those, let’s call them upgraded hostels, out there, and year by year they are becoming more.

The Rating System for Hostels

How do you recognize those outstanding hostels without spending valuable time in front of a computer or on the mobile phone? We at Hostelgeeks were looking for a way to put together Hostels with those amazing facilities plus certain values.

What are the Criteria of a 5 Star Hostel?

We developed the concept of 5 Star Hostels, and before you now think that all those Hostels are posh, fancy, expensive – no worries! Let’s have a close look at the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 criteria of a 5 Star Hostel.

• Sustainable, Conscious, Eco-Friendly

A 5 Star Hostel is sustainable! An eco-friendly installation, fair trade furniture and supporting the local economy – one thing or the other, a 5 Star Hostel takes responsibility. We take this factor into account. A wonderful example of a sustainable Hostel is here The Backpack Hostel in Cape Town.

• Design

For sure, we at Hostelgeeks love Design. When a design invites you to relax, to feel comfortable, and to socialize we simply cannot resist. But hey, the design is a very objective gusto, right?! Therefore, you do not have to expect now every 5 Star Hostel being posh with white walls and golden chairs (… this would actually look weird though…). The design part has to fit as an authentic part of the rest of the hostel and location.

• Unique

This is the ONE thing most guests talk about after their stay, and this is what we include. Is there a swimming pool, a rooftop terrace, or is it simply the outstanding character and atmosphere which makes this specific hostel unique? Whether it has an awesome facility or the social factor, every 5 Star Hostels has its unique comfort point which makes the hostel extraordinary.

• Social

The social part at hostels is important. Interacting with people around the world, turning strangers into friends, and opening your mind – this is a beautiful part of traveling, isn’t it? We think so and therefore, the social part is 1 criterion for becoming a 5 Star Hostel.

• The Staff

Without a good staff, a 5 Star Hostel would be just a good-looking hostel without any soul. We think the hostel’s staff adds a tremendous value to the hostel experience, and should not be underrated nor missed. Great staff can usually provide valuable tips on what to do and what to see outside the touristic box.

What Do You Think of 5 Star Hostels?

Our goal is to put together the really great hostels out there. And we want to have all our criteria transparent, making it simple for you to pick a really great hostel.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Do you like it, are you missing anything? Just leave us a comment below or drop us a tweet!

About Hostelgeeks

Hostelgeeks is a travel website offering #5StarHostels, geeky backpacking guides for travelers looking for hidden gems, and unique short travel stories. Hostelgeeks collects for you sustainable 5 Star hostels offering outstanding hostel experiences.

Author Bio: 

Matt is a media professional working for more than 5 years in the tourism industry. Besides traveling the world, Matt enjoys beach volleyball, snowboarding, and a “café con leche” in his favorite Cafe in Barcelona.