What’s it really like to run a hostel? Dave, owner of Hawes Youth Hostel, shares an honest, personal insight into the hard work, challenges and rewards of hostel life. A lifelong love of hostelling meets the realities of hospitality, with plenty of passion along the way.
I was a hosteller in my youth and am now the owner of the hostel at Hawes, having spent a career as a SEND Headteacher. It’s a hobby and a labour of love (ably supported by a manager and housekeeper), but blimey, is it hard work!
Hospitality is relentless!! I thought I worked hard as a headteacher, but this is tougher. It is also a lot of fun and an absolute pleasure to do. But goodness, the health and safety, the ordering, the maintenance, the cooking, the cleaning, the accounting, the recruiting, the banking, and so on and so on. And that’s all before a single guest has walked through the door!
That’s when the responsibility to the customer starts, and that is, of course, essential. The booking, the greeting, the room, the Wi-Fi, the breakfast, the advice, the warmth, the help, the lounge, the missing plug, the spraying tap, the noisy door, the goodbye, the thank you, and then the next day.
Time to reiterate that it is a labour of love. I meet so many wonderful people.
I guess I’m writing as a YHA fan. I like their ethos and, believe me, they’ve been very supportive of me. I haven’t looked that deeply into their performance, but I hope they get it right and grow and grow.
Meanwhile, I hope as many hostels as possible survive. We will go on and on here. We’re committed to a lifetime and legacy of service, and I hope more like us get that chance.
Hostels are a service, aren’t they? We’ve even gone dog-friendly now. We have to have the occasional group in to help us survive, but for the rest of the 365 days, we are open for individuals, and that’s how it should be.
I don’t take anything out of this business (got a nice teacher’s pension), but margins are very, very tight.
Very grateful for the wide variety of guests we have. Keep on coming (and going to other hostels)!
