Hostels Offer Inexpensive Lodgings Around the World

Quick: What do a battleship in Massachusetts, a castle in the English countryside, a prison in Ottawa, a clipper ship in Stockholm and a couple of treehouses in Georgia have in common?

Answer: Each provides budget accommodations and is affiliated with the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF).

Youth hostels provide clean, safe, inexpensive accommodations, often in small, dormitory-type rooms. Most guests are 18 to 24 years of age, but few hostels impose age restrictions. There are more than 5,200 IYHF hostels worldwide, providing more than 370,000 beds in 59 countries.

In addition to financial savings, hostels also offer an excellent atmosphere for solo travelers. Communal kitchens and lounges are ideal settings in which to meet other travelers.

According to the IYHF’s 1989 annual report, the countries in which American travelers spent the most nights were West Germany, England, Wales, Switzerland, Israel, Italy, Austria, France, Australia, the Netherlands and Canada.

Travelers are encouraged to purchase an IYHF membership, which costs $25 per year, from their own national hostel association before leaving home. Although guest passes are sold abroad, if you buy before you go, some of the money will be used to support the local organizations.

A portion of the membership fee also is earmarked for hostel development in underdeveloped countries, plus other special projects.

For example, Kenya’s association this year was able to open a simple hostel in Samburu bush country. In addition to the dormitory rooms, it contains some facilities for couples. It also has camping, often with zebra grazing around the sites.

In response to the recent changes in Eastern Europe, IYHF funding was used to produce a free map, in six languages, with information to assist young people from Eastern Europe who want to visit Western European countries. A special IYHF membership card also is available to young people from this area, at a cost of $2.

One of the main focuses of IYHF in the past several years has been the development and upgrading of youth hostels in key gateway cities. For example, in the past two years, New York City got its first IYHF hostel (500 beds).

In Paris, Le D’Artagnan was renovated and reopened (400 beds); in Auckland, New Zealand, a new hostel opened with 140 beds (maximum four per room); a facility was opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (14 air-conditioned rooms), and construction has begun on a new one in the Banglumpoo area of Bangkok, Thailand, with the opening expected in October.

A new hostel has opened in Dublin, and, for the first time, the youth hostels in Northern and Southern Ireland are covered in a joint handbook.

Many national hosteling associations have travel services, and the trend is to market each other’s “do-it-yourself” touring packages. In some cases you’ll have to contact the foreign association directly to find out if it has anything suitable.

Finland, for example, offers packages combining bus, rail and bicycle transport with hostel accommodations. Belgium’s association has its own bike-touring club and invites foreign members to join.

For more information on the IYHF network, or hosteling at home, contact American Youth Hostels, Los Angeles Council, 335 West 7th St., San Pedro 90731, (213) 831-8846.