New hostel opening in Anaheim Sept 1

[bcla]

Sounds interesting for those willing to share a room. Looks like a converted motel. They will require "proof of travel" which I suppose is meant to prevent it from being used by locals or as a place for the homeless to be housed.

https://www.bposhtels.com/anaheim

 

[Smugpugmug]

I stayed at hostels when I was travelling in Germany and Ireland. Never again lol They're cheap and you get exactly what you paid for. I would be willing to pay extra for the peace of mind of having my own room.

 

[Lisa24jks]

Good luck to those staying! I'm sure some people will find it super useful.

I'm definitely at the "too old for this" stage of my life though. I'm all about value, but I'm also now at the point in my life where I need some comfort for that value. Hell, I wear earplugs when I stay in a hotel room ALONE just to drown out ambient noise. Trying to imagine me staying here is a big no and it makes me laugh.

 

[BrianL]

I stayed at hostels when I was travelling in Germany and Ireland. Never again lol They're cheap and you get exactly what you paid for. I would be willing to pay extra for the peace of mind of having my own room.

When I was going to Iceland I was asked if I was staying in a hostel. My answer was no, becauase I'm 35 and have money! I'll take a good old fashioned hotel room please.

 

[Smugpugmug]

When I was going to Iceland I was asked if I was staying in a hostel. My answer was no, becauase I'm 35 and have money! I'll take a good old fashioned hotel room please.

That's where I am now in terms of hotels. I stayed at hostels because I wouldn't have been able to afford going otherwise. I was barely in the room and only used it to shower + sleep, but the low cost really isn't worth it. Especially since in a lot of these shared rooms you are with 11 other people that often have parties in the room when you're trying to sleep.

 

[BrianL]

That's where I am now in terms of hotels. I stayed at hostels because I wouldn't have been able to afford going otherwise. I was barely in the room and only used it to shower + sleep, but the low cost really isn't worth it. Especially since in a lot of these shared rooms you are with 11 other people that often have parties in the room when you're trying to sleep.

Yeah, funny story about the Iceland trip. I noticed a marked change in demeanor in pretty much everyone as soon as I spoke English, as they were bracing themselves for German as I would walk up. "Why yes, I do have an American Express!" I mean, they're not all like that, but there would be a lot of mainland European 20 year olds sharing one beer, where as I was ordering a huge dinner. One time they even warned me that it "was a lot of food and expensive." They've never seen US portions! It was like 20 bucks too, so you know. I said I might even get desert!

 

[RoseColored97]

That's going to be a no for me. Good option for those who would like this type of setup, but I would not enjoy it.

 

[bcla]

That's where I am now in terms of hotels. I stayed at hostels because I wouldn't have been able to afford going otherwise. I was barely in the room and only used it to shower + sleep, but the low cost really isn't worth it. Especially since in a lot of these shared rooms you are with 11 other people that often have parties in the room when you're trying to sleep.

I have limited experience with hostels. Once I stayed at the Point Reyes Hostel even though I live maybe 40 minutes away. But it was atypical. Apparently I was to have a single roommate, who cancelled so I had a room all to myself. It was less than $20 and I could prepare my own meal. The only other guests were a mom and her young daughter, and they were assigned another room.

Another time was the Mellow Mountain Hostel in South Lake Tahoe when my family was away and I was bored. They mostly had rooms for four, but I got one unassuming roommate. But the common room was where everyone mingled, used the kitchen, and ate. Most of the guests were Pacific Coast Trail thru hikers, and several were setting up their caches to send to post offices. I had some hiking and backpacking experience so at least I could talk about something we had in common. I thought I was the oldest guest there, but they said an older guy and his teenage son were there. I hear during the winter it’s a cheap place to stay when skiing. But that was a pretty good experience. Nobody was partying late into the night, and if they did it wasn’t in the rooms since they were small.

Not sure what kind of crowd this place will attract. When we planned our last trip I was thinking of staying at a hostel to save money, but with a child I could only book a private room. I ended up moving to another week and got a cheap motel room on Hotwire that was better than reviews of the place made it out to be. I have figure out that it’s too easy to research their “actual photos” even when there are two or three possibilities given for the actual place.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I have limited experience with hostels. Once I stayed at the Point Reyes Hostel even though I live maybe 40 minutes away. But it was atypical. Apparently I was to have a single roommate, who cancelled so I had a room all to myself. It was less than $20 and I could prepare my own meal. The only other guests were a mom and her young daughter, and they were assigned another room.

Another time was the Mellow Mountain Hostel in South Lake Tahoe when my family was away and I was bored. They mostly had rooms for four, but I got one unassuming roommate. But the common room was where everyone mingled, used the kitchen, and ate. Most of the guests were Pacific Coast Trail thru hikers, and several were setting up their caches to send to post offices. I had some hiking and backpacking experience so at least I could talk about something we had in common. I thought I was the oldest guest there, but they said and older guy and his teenage son were there. I hear during the winter it’s a cheap place to stay when skinning. But that was a pretty good experience. Nobody was partying late into the night, and if they did it wasn’t in the rooms since they were small.

Not sure what kind of crowd this place will attract. When we planned our last trip I was thinking of staying at a hostel to save money, but with a child I could only book a private room. I ended up moving to another week and got a cheap motel room on Hotwire that was better than reviews of the place made it out to be. I have figure out that it’s too easy to research their “actual photos” even when there are two or three possibilities given for the actual place.

I have never stayed at a hostel in the US so maybe they're different than the ones in Europe. A lot of the ones I stayed at banned kids under 15 and adults over 40 as they were advertised as "youth hostels", meaning only young people can stay there. Others allowed kids, but they could only stay in family rooms, but at the price point of the private family room I would just book a regular hotel room. Most of them also operated like Spirit airlines where the initial price was cheap, but everything was an additional cost - the breakfast, lock for your storage unit, towels, extra storage space, etc.

I was barely in the room and spent the entire day exploring whatever city I was in, so it didn't matter to me that I was in a 6-12 person bedroom at night. These places tended to attract 18-25 year olds and backpackers in general. Most people seemed to be pretty cool, albeit there were A LOT of drunk people that would be disruptive in the room at night.

I don't regret staying at these places, they were clean and staff was friendly but I would absolutely not book a hostel if I was doing a trip to Disneyland.

 

[shosh1530]

I stayed in a number of hostels during my 30s both in the U.S. and abroad (the ones in Iceland were the best!). They can vary widely in quality. Some are great and you meet interesting people. One in the Pacific Northwest was just a bedroom in some dude's home and had a bathroom full of spiders.

I can't really imagine staying in one in my current life as communal sleeping just seems horrible to me now (I'm kind of amazed I ever could do it). This does seem like an interesting option though for groups of young people. Like if I was traveling with a bunch of teenagers on a school trip. My last hostel stays were in grad school where a bunch of us would share a room at a conference. It was more comfortable than getting a cheap hotel because we could each have our own bed rather than sharing or taking the floor (which we also did some times).

The appeal for me back in the day as a solo traveler was getting to meet up with new people from around the world. I'd often make new friends I could travel down the road with for a few days. And having a kitchen was a big money savings.

 

[tink89]

I do not even want to share a room with my own family can't imagine sharing with others. The hostel life is not for me.

 

[bcla]

I have never stayed at a hostel in the US so maybe they're different than the ones in Europe. A lot of the ones I stayed at banned kids under 15 and adults over 40 as they were advertised as "youth hostels", meaning only young people can stay there. Others allowed kids, but they could only stay in family rooms, but at the price point of the private family room I would just book a regular hotel room. Most of them also operated like Spirit airlines where the initial price was cheap, but everything was an additional cost - the breakfast, lock for your storage unit, towels, extra storage space, etc.

I was barely in the room and spent the entire day exploring whatever city I was in, so it didn't matter to me that I was in a 6-12 person bedroom at night. These places tended to attract 18-25 year olds and backpackers in general. Most people seemed to be pretty cool, albeit there were A LOT of drunk people that would be disruptive in the room at night.

I don't regret staying at these places, they were clean and staff was friendly but I would absolutely not book a hostel if I was doing a trip to Disneyland.

Again (and pardon my previous spelling errors which I have since corrected) I've only had an experience where I had a room all to myself then had one roommate who was quiet. But the hostel in Tahoe was really designed for any activity to be in a common area. The place was obviously a converted motel, but one where they converted several rooms into one large common area.

I've never heard of a hostel in the United States (and I've researched it a bit) that had an age limit. That would probably be illegal. Age floors are pretty common though, although it's a bit tough to figure out if there is one. Some put them upfront but others bury it in fine print somewhere. However, my first hostel experience I think the girl was maybe 10, but with her mother. Last month I was thinking of staying at the Banana Bungalow Hostel in Hollywood, as it was about the same price for their private room as for a fleabag motel that might be frequented by drug dealers and prostitutes. I get that hostels often have an issue with noise and guests overindulging in alcohol, but often they have a sense of community where guests are encouraged to mingle and look out for each other while keeping out illegal activity. My first time I was in my 30s but it would have been tough to figure out my age my looking at me. My later experience I was clearly older than nearly everyone else, but it didn't really matter that I wasn't passing through on a PCT hike.

I guess cheap appeals to me as I've always been pretty frugal. Our trip last month to Anaheim and LA was designed around how little money I could spend on my child and myself. We arrived by Amtrak bus/train using points I accumulated when I used to commute on Amtrak. I got a cheap motel via Hotwire. We only used public transportation, including ART ($12 for two day passes) and LA Metro ($11 for two day passes including new TAP cards), although Uber/Lyft or a taxi would be a backup plan if we absolutely had to make it to our train. Maybe $20 was the most we spent on food anywhere - I think at Porto's. We went to Downtown Disney and spent zero money (although we probably should have just gotten a pint at Salt & Straw) and watched fireworks for free on the esplanade (with other cheapskates). But we ate well, although I did use an old gift card for dinner that was more than $20, but still less than $20 out of pocket including a tip.

 

[bcla]

I stayed in a number of hostels during my 30s both in the U.S. and abroad (the ones in Iceland were the best!). They can vary widely in quality. Some are great and you meet interesting people. One in the Pacific Northwest was just a bedroom in some dude's home and had a bathroom full of spiders.

I can't really imagine staying in one in my current life as communal sleeping just seems horrible to me now (I'm kind of amazed I ever could do it). This does seem like an interesting option though for groups of young people. Like if I was traveling with a bunch of teenagers on a school trip. My last hostel stays were in grad school where a bunch of us would share a room at a conference. It was more comfortable than getting a cheap hotel because we could each have our own bed rather than sharing or taking the floor (which we also did some times).

The appeal for me back in the day as a solo traveler was getting to meet up with new people from around the world. I'd often make new friends I could travel down the road with for a few days. And having a kitchen was a big money savings.

I was thinking the "pod hotel" concept might be interesting. Works in Japan, but they're intensely driven by rules and a sense of decorum. There are similar setups in the US, but obviously it's not the same with a pod/capsule hotel in California.

 

[WonkaKid]

I stayed at hostels when I was travelling in Germany and Ireland. Never again lol They're cheap and you get exactly what you paid for. I would be willing to pay extra for the peace of mind of having my own room.

To each their own. I’ve been all around the world (30 countries. 39, if you count repeats, which I don’t ). I’ve stayed in at least 100 hostels and the overwhelming majority of them have been fantastic. If you do your research, you’re unlikely to get burned. Just like with hotels. I’ve also met countless really cool people with awesome stories to share.

When I visit NYC, I stay in a castle-style hostel on the upper west side. I’ve stayed there at least eight times over the years. A hostel I stayed in for several nights in Hanoi was $8 a night, including breakfast. It was spotlessly clean. They also had several organized events, as most hostels do. Many also have kitchens so you can cook rather than eat out. You can expect to share a room with up to ten people (in bigger places with bunk beds - many of them are) but I’ve only felt uncomfortable with other guests two or three times and I simply changed rooms.

HI - Hosteling International - was established in 1932 and has more than 4,000 affiliated hostels around the world. I’ve stayed in dozens of HI hostels and they’ve always been professionally run and comfortable. A large part of the reason I’ve been able to travel as much as I have is because I stay in hostels. The cheapest was in Bolivia - around $7.50 per night and included breakfast. The most expensive was in NYC - between $50-$60 per night. But that’s NY where I’ve seen a one-bedroom apartment rented at $11,500 a month. I once saw a one-bedroom condo in a realtor’s window listed at $3M. A friend who was with me and was a native New Yorker said, to my great shock and surprise, “That’s not bad.”

In short, don’t dismiss hostels out of hand. My experience with them has been overwhelmingly positive.

 

[Smugpugmug]

To each their own. I’ve been all around the world (30 countries. 39, if you count repeats, which I don’t ). I’ve stayed in at least 100 hostels and the overwhelming majority of them have been fantastic. If you do your research, you’re unlikely to get burned. Just like with hotels. I’ve also met countless really cool people with awesome stories to share.

When I visit NYC, I stay in a castle-style hostel on the upper west side. I’ve stayed there at least eight times over the years. A hostel I stayed in for several nights in Hanoi was $8 a night, including breakfast. It was spotlessly clean. They also had several organized events, as most hostels do. Many also have kitchens so you can cook rather than eat out. You can expect to share a room with up to ten people (in bigger places with bunk beds - many of them are) but I’ve only felt uncomfortable with other guests two or three times and I simply changed rooms.

HI - Hosteling International - was established in 1932 and has more than 4,000 affiliated hostels around the world. I’ve stayed in dozens of HI hostels and they’ve always been professionally run and comfortable. A large part of the reason I’ve been able to travel as much as I have is because I stay in hostels. The cheapest was in Bolivia - around $7.50 per night and included breakfast. The most expensive was in NYC - between $50-$60 per night. But that’s NY where I’ve seen a one-bedroom apartment rented at $11,500 a month. I once saw a one-bedroom condo in a realtor’s window listed at $3M. A friend who was with me and was a native New Yorker said, to my great shock and surprise, “That’s not bad.”

In short, don’t dismiss hostels out of hand. My experience with them has been overwhelmingly positive.

Oh certainly. None of the places I stayed at were bad in any way except for the rowdy people in some of the rooms I was in. I say never again because I would rather spend the extra money to have my own room rather than share with strangers. And I don't care about meeting new people or the social aspect of it at all. It was just a place to shower and sleep for me.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I've done hostels before but I'm kind of past that stage of my life. It was when I had an international internship and it would have been too expensive to pay an additional month of rent for the couple of extra days I needed.

I can't think of a single place I need to visit enough that I'd stay in a hostel to make sure it can happen. But I'm OK with tiny rooms like you get at some business hotels in Japan for the $40 range. The ones where you can't extend your arms out in both directions because you'd hit the walls. But at least it's private.

I wonder if the target market is actually Disneyland guests who are stretching their finances for a Disney vacation or if it's more like cast members who can't find affordable housing or are interviewing/temporary.

 

[bcla]

I've done hostels before but I'm kind of past that stage of my life. It was when I had an international internship and it would have been too expensive to pay an additional month of rent for the couple of extra days I needed.

I can't think of a single place I need to visit enough that I'd stay in a hostel to make sure it can happen. But I'm OK with tiny rooms like you get at some business hotels in Japan for the $40 range. The ones where you can't extend your arms out in both directions because you'd hit the walls. But at least it's private.

I wonder if the target market is actually Disneyland guests who are stretching their finances for a Disney vacation or if it's more like cast members who can't find affordable housing or are interviewing/temporary.

They have a "proof of travel" requirement and they're clearly targeting people visiting Disneyland. So not likely with the cast members, although I could imagine that someone could just buy and cancel a train ticket to get around that. But someone coming in would have the proof of travel although I'd need to see the details.

Our last trip we had an Amtrak ticket.arriving at Anaheim. However, some planning included the possibility of arriving in LA and then taking the bus to OC.

 

[AustinTink]

My kid stayed in hostels all over Europe when he was in college. He always traveled with a group of friends and they would have the whole room to themselves. For whatever reason I never worried about him doing this. On the flip side, I would absolutely have worried if he had stayed in hostels in the US. Sad but true. I hope places like this new Anaheim hostel can prove me wrong.

I remember when airbnb first started and it was largely ungoverned. I heard so many horror stories. I think that is why I feel the way I do about hostels.

Anyway, my son and friends always booked through Hostel World. Seems very legit.

 

[Wesley815]

My kid stayed in hostels all over Europe when he was in college. He always traveled with a group of friends and they would have the whole room to themselves.

I wouldn't mind that, but honestly that's basically the same as having a private hotel room since he knew the other guests in room.

Will be interesting to see if hostel concept works in Anaheim.... the city/property owners better have a good 'screening' process for people booking. Living in the city, we have some rather ....unique.... people who may try to take over rooms.

 

[Gladys Belcher]

Agree about 'Screening' + security lockers.

It's a LONG walk to gate via corner Harbor/Willow.

Give us an update what you decide. Hugs