What Is A Hostel

Stay The Night: Sleeperzzz Hostel, Pittentrail, Sutherland

Now here's a lovely idea. Take some discarded train carriages, spruce them up, and offer a bed for a night to weary travellers. Throw in a converted vintage Bedford bus and travelling showman's wagon and you have the makings for one of the jolliest nights north of Hadrian's Wall.

You'll find this slightly bizarre but enchanting set-up 50 miles north of Inverness, in the wilds of Sutherland. The owners rescued the carriages and vehicles and somehow transported them to their new home, which abuts tiny Rogart station, on a hardy branch line that continues to serve the north-east of Scotland. One complete refit and a lick of paint later and the result is a hostel (not a hotel) of real charm.

The target market is clearly backpackers, families and cyclists. But anyone with imagination will enjoy a heart-warming night here before heading off to that luxury highland retreat. When you return from a day's exploring, you'll find the kitchen has been given a clean, something not traditionally associated with hostels. All in all, this is loving, well-executed work that belies a quirky ambition.

The bedrooms

If you want Molton Brown smellies and your bed turned down, look away now. What you do get here is spotless converted bunkbeds with bedding and soap. The carriages, which were in service with Network South East from the 1960s up to the 1990s, are named after regional whiskies, such as Dalmore and Glenmorangie. Two of them sleep eight people in four separate compartments; the third is divided to sleep four and two. The claret-coloured showman's wagon sleeps three and the Bedford bus two.

Oddly enough, the bedrooms were converted from commuter compartments because they are wider than traditional sleeping carriages. Shower cubicles with constant hot water and separate toilets stand at either end of each carriage. Every compartment has a heater and, in some cases, it's the original under-seat heating. You'll need them: wooden British Rail train doors never shut properly even when brand new.

The food and drink

There'll be teabags, coffee and a pint of milk in the fridge of the converted kitchens. The well-stocked shop just up the lane sells more than basics, and the carriage kitchens have electric hobs, a microwave oven and all utensils, but no oven.

Settle back in your original mottled blue-green railway seat and raise a glass to the ghosts of those many thousands who stood, sweated and fumed on these trains as they travelled in and out of London.

What is a Hostel Like?

We had never stayed in a hostel prior to our first long-term backpacking trip in Central and South America.  I honestly had no idea what a hostel was, and I wasn’t about to watch the horror movie flick “Hostel” to find out.  It had always been hotels for me, so what was I to expect?  This travel tip will serve as an introduction to hostels for backpackers preparing for their first round the world trip or just long term budget travel in general.

Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, sometimes a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. – Wikipedia Types of Accommodation

There exists a tremendous amount of variation between hostels and locations.  Typically, you have the option of booking a private room or a dormitory bed.  When traveling as a couple its makes sense to book a private room, considering it’s usually only a few dollars more than reserving 2 bunk beds in a dormitory.  The private rooms come with double beds and single beds and sometimes have the option of including a private bathroom for an extra fee.  Dormitory sizes also vary.  A room with 4 beds is a bit easier to adapt to compared with a dorm of 8 beds.  With 8 people you have to expect persons coming and going at all hours of the night.  Some will party late and some will have to awake early for a tour.  When staying at a beach hostel you might even have the option of renting a hammock or setting up your tent.  It’s best if you travel with a mosquito net for these open air places.

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Just as most businesses in the travel industry, hostels are evolving to meet all of your travel needs; a one stop shopping center.  Here is a list of services that hostels often provide:

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So what should you expect when staying at a hostel?  Well, it depends on what type of person you are.  If you enjoy partying late night, then consider a party hostel, or one with a bar and music.  If you don’t enjoy drunks walking into your dorm room, and loud music late in the evening stay away from hostels with bars.  Some hostels are designed and advertised as guest houses.  The accommodation will more so resemble a big house divided up into individual rooms.  It is a much more quiet and mellow atmosphere.  Most importantly, hostels provide a perfect environment for meeting other travelers.  This is where you can get the best information regarding future plans, other hostels, suggested tours and possibly new unplanned adventures with some new friends!

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