Where to Open a Hostel

From Hostel Wiki

This page contains community-contributed ideas about places to start new hostels. Many of these ideas come from the hostel forum:

• Where should I start a hostel in Europe?

These are not necessarily good places to open a hostel, but this list is intended to be a starting point for people who are researching places to open new hostels.

Contents 1 North America 1.1 Canada 1.2 USA 2 Europe 2.1 Croatia 2.2 Montenegro 2.3 Ukraine 2.4 Italy 2.5 England 2.6 Ireland 2.7 France 2.8 Greece 3 Asia 3.1 Taiwan 3.2 China 3.3 India 4 Africa 5 Australia & New Zealand 6 South Pacific 6.1 New Caledonia 7 Central and South America 8 Caribbean

[edit] North America

[edit] Canada

If you are thinking of starting a hostel in Canada, definitely contact Backpackers.ca for assistance and see their Start a Hostel Guide.

• Windsor, Ontario
• Calgary, Alberta

[edit] USA

• Arizona
  • Sedona - there are no hostels in this tourist destination between the Grand Canyon and Phoenix
  • Phoenix - large city with only one hostel
  • Tucson - large city with only one hostel
• California
  • Big Sur, California
  • Santa Barbara (currently only one hostel)
  • Anywhere along the coast -- California State Route 1: "It is famous for running by some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world"
  • Berkeley - near San Francisco, with a University of California at Berkeley. There are no hostels here that offer dorm beds.
• Connecticut - easy stopover between Boston and New York City
• Florida
  • Tallahassee, Florida
• Georgia
  • Atlanta - this city has the world's busiest airport, but only one hostel
• Hawaii
  • a well-run hostel could do well anywhere in Hawaii
• Iowa
  • Des Moines
• Kansas
  • Kansas City
• Louisiana
  • New Orleans
  • Baton Rouge
• Maine
  • Portland, Maine - there are no hostels in the largest city in the State of Maine. There is a large university in Portland. There are probably many towns in Maine where a hostel could do well. It's a very popular summer tourist destination.
• Massachusetts
  • Amherst or Northampton, Massachusetts
  • Boston needs hostels
• Michigan
  • Detroit
• Mississippi - hotbed of American culture, especially music
• Nebraska
  • Omaha
• Nevada
  • Las Vegas - still opportunity here
• Ohio
  • Columbus
  • Cincinnati
• Pennsylvania
  • Pittsburgh
• Rhode Island
  • Providence - the capital city of Rhode Island is close to Boston
  • Block Island - tourist getaway dying for low-price lodging
• Tennessee
  • Memphis
  • Nashville
• Texas
  • Dallas - there are only two or three hostels in the 4th largest city in the USA
• Utah - spectacular national parks with many tourists, but very few hostels
• Wisconsin
  • Milwaukee
• Wyoming - spectacular wilderness, but few hostels
  • Yellowstone National Park
  • Grand Teton National Park

[edit] Europe

The Mediterranean is apparently highly seasonal.

[edit] Croatia

• the coast
• Dubrovnik
• Brac
• Korcula
• Hvar

[edit] Montenegro

• Podgorica (currently no hostels)
• There is only one hostel in Montenegro, and it's apparently closing

[edit] Ukraine

• Lviv
• Odessa

[edit] Italy

• Milano
• Torino
• Padua
• Pisa (?)
• Bologna
• Ravenna
• Verona
• Firenze

[edit] England

• Leeds
• Sheffield
• Lincoln
• Ludlow
• Norwich
• Shrewsbury

[edit] Ireland

• Waterford
• Dublin

[edit] France

• Bordeaux
• Toulouse
• Lille
• Lyon
• Paris

[edit] Greece

Impossible I am afraid. A 1993 law says that hostels are facilities for young people run by federations that are non-commercial.

[edit] Asia

[edit] Taiwan

Taiwan still has an underdeveloped hostel scene. It is a top-notch travel destination, but many of the hostels on the island are HI hostels that are not marketed through regular backpacker channels. The HI hostels seem to focus more on "youth" travel, with names like "Youth Activity Center".

[edit] China

• Qingdao - "Qingdao is very different feel and does have more of a coastal European feel to it...I also there is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to open a hostel here because there is only one in this big city." (from a traveler's blog in 2008). UPDATE: There are at least 4 hostels in Qingdao as of January 2010.

[edit] India

• Mumbai
• Banglore

[edit] Africa

• Morocco
• Tunisia
• Egypt
• South Africa

Mozambique

[edit] Australia & New Zealand

• Add ideas here

[edit] South Pacific

[edit] New Caledonia

• Nouméa

[edit] Central and South America

• Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco State, Mexico (If you are interested in opening a hostel here, see the Talk Page for more information)

[edit] Caribbean

• Add ideas here