YHA Selling a Third of its Hostels

[Richard Fairhurst]

The YHA lost the plot a long time ago. I just found a posting I made to Usenet back in 2005 (!) when Capel-y-Ffin was under threat of closure - indeed it was closed soon afterwards. The YHA had a checklist of fairly pointless standards (reading lights by every bed, that sort of thing) against which they rated every hostel. Anything that fell below par would either have to justify the investment to bring it up to scratch, or be closed. It seemed like a deliberate missing-the-point exercise for the rural hostels.

Their focus for the last 20+ years has been city centre urban hostels for the international backpacker market. The rural hostels have always seemed like a historical inconvenience they'd rather be rid of.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Great shame, but times and economics change.
In other areas bunkhouses, hobbit houses (pods) seem to be thriving. Camping equipment is much improved and cheap to buy. There's more opportunities for alternative accomodation these days....

 

[pawl]

Sorry the picture is not very clear.Houghton Mill YH on theGreat Ouse
I visited this hostel more years ago than I care to remember

It has now returned to its original use of producing flour. Mrs p gave me the drawing Bought from a local garden centre

 

[pawl]

UIn Loughborough we had the CTC and YHA group.Most weekends YHA had a hostel weekend some times cycling Some times hiking Those of us those of us in the CTC would have a joint YHA weekend

Derbyshire was always a popular venue.From Loughborough we had a wide choice of hostels

Shining Cliff
Matlock I
Ilam hall
Hartington
Edale

To mention just a few

The Lakes were myself and a mate spent are August holiday walking with plenty of hostel it on was easy to make a route with hostels in a convenient distance of a hilly day’s walking

The first hostel on are route was Ambleside.I can’t remember if it was called the Royal or the The Grand or some other imposing title but it was an ex hotel .No dormitories just individual rooms
That hostel is now once again a hotel
Would I still use a hostel probably not.In our late teens it was a cheap and easy way to tour are country.I and the club members had a great time .I certainly have fond memories of my YH visits despite the chores hostellers had to complete prior to leaving

 

[pawl]

Does anyone remember the Black Sale Hut in the Lake District?If my ageing memory is not failing me Coniston had two hostels Copper mines can’t remember what the other was called Probably just Coniston The YHA seemed to have the nack of converting old buildings into hostels Ilam Hall just one of many.

 

[Jameshow]

Several of the hostels (SW and Wales) seem to have periods where they're only available as 'whole hostel' hires. I don't think that is really in line with the YHA ethos (as was) but I can see the commercial attraction.

That's where they went wrong and alienated their core market. That and the rise of alternative accommodation such as vans, yurts, glamping, pods shepherds huts etc. But the independent hostels show it can be done.

 

[presta]

Many years ago I stayed in the Winchester City Mill YH.

The ablution arrangements were underneath the building, where you threw a bucket on the end of a rope into the River Itchen.

Winchester was one of the very first hostels in the country, along with Clun and Ellingstring. The washing facilities at Black Sail were the river when my father was cycling in the 1940s, and a jug of water and a bowl when I was there in the 1970s.

There are some fantastic hostels elsewhere in Europe

Top of my to do list would be Colditz Castle.

And yet, stayokay, backpackers and various other hostel chains keep on going, at least as well as anyone is in the face of booking, airbnb and even less ethical players. It really does seem to be YHA who have lost the plot.

I get the impression that there's a top heavy bureaucracy bleeding them dry, and an ethos that the YHA is doing the hostellers a favour instead of the other way around.

I seem to remember that at the time the YHA were pushing for this kind of block-booking

A lot of the independent hostels are groups only, the YHA ones are following suit, possibly as they're bought up by independent owners.

can’t remember what the other was called Probably just Coniston

Holly How

The first hostel on are route was Ambleside.....an ex hotel....That hostel is now once again a hotel

The current hostel's an ex-hotel too, down by the waterside. At ~200 beds it was (maybe still is) the biggest hostel.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm enjoying seeing some of the names of hostels Corris, Shining Cliff and Kington are all names that I recognise having stayed at. I don't remember anything about them, mind.

I think Corris was very basic and we were drenched when we arrived and nothing would dry. Or maybe that was another one.

 

[Jameshow]

I'm enjoying seeing some of the names of hostels Corris, Shining Cliff and Kington are all names that I recognise having stayed at. I don't remember anything about them, mind.

I think Corris was very basic and we were drenched when we arrived and nothing would dry. Or maybe that was another one.

That would be Corris - wettest place in UK.. or it was when we where there for nearly a decade of holidays!

 

[IaninSheffield]

Anyone remember the Sabrina B in Selby?
Yorkshire & North East Film Archives
Used to stay there when heading to or returning from further north whilst preparing for DofE expeditions.

 

[Beebo]

Everything these days has to be instagramable. And YHAs just aren’t sexy.
I stayed in the Bristol YHA last month with a group of young lads on a rugby tour.
It provides basic accommodation in a great city centre location. And seemed to be doing ok. was full of similar groups stating 4 to a room with bunks.
It clearly caters for city centre groups.

I’ve stayed in New Forest a few times, but not since Covid. It never quite hit the mark for me. We’d rather spend a bit more and stay somewhere a bit nicer.

 

[Time Waster]

Rotherhithe in London I thought was the biggest for decades now.

I think it reached the point that you could stay in nice B&Bs with a single, twin or double room for YHA overnight rates in some places. Camping was cheaper and tbh nearer pubs and the hills we were visiting. For me the YHA has only been a last minute desperate place to kip for me for a very long time now. Last was a SYHA place I turned up in late in an area I didn't know. Didn't know where else to stay but saw hostel symbol on map. Fortunately there was someone at reception. In the past after s certain time that wasn't likely, you're out of luck.

I think they're obsolete!

BTW they also had a habit of announcing a certain formerly popular hostel us closing. Wait for the backlash, sudden increase in bookings from ppl wanting to save it or who remember using it on trips and nostalgia. Then it either quietly survives with high booking levels or it gets a big push that they've saved it for future generations knowing that ppl will still keep booking to save it.

In other words this could be at least partly a cynical bookings promotion at certain country hostels.

 

[HelenD123]

Winchester was one of the very first hostels in the country, along with Clun and Ellingstring. The washing facilities at Black Sail were the river when my father was cycling in the 1940s, and a jug of water and a bowl when I was there in the 1970s.

Top of my to do list would be Colditz Castle.

I get the impression that there's a top heavy bureaucracy bleeding them dry, and an ethos that the YHA is doing the hostellers a favour instead of the other way around.

A lot of the independent hostels are groups only, the YHA ones are following suit, possibly as they're bought up by independent owners.

Holly How
View attachment 696185


The current hostel's an ex-hotel too, down by the waterside. At ~200 beds it was (maybe still is) the biggest hostel.

We've had some good value stays at YHA Ambleside in the autumn.

 

[cougie uk]

I've stayed in a few at home and abroad. Zurich YHA is awesome. Marble flooring etc.
The one in Keswick always seems very busy too. I'd not be surprised if the upsurge in early retirees doesn't boost their bookings. I'd say the Instagram people are very visible but in the minority.

 

[Emanresu]

I stayed in the Oban one before climbing Ben Nevis with my son. There were some 20 or so Australian miners who were there to do the same. Problem was they were out on the town the night before for beer and curry.

Sometimes communal rooms have their downsides