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Old 08-04-20, 05:29 PM
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adventurepdx
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Well, hostels were a thing, up until 2019.

COVID will alter hostelling. Many hostels have remained shuttered since the pandemic started, and some of those hostels aren't going to re-open. The whole philosophy and design of hostels is built around being in close proximity to strangers, and that's not something people want to (or should) do in these times. The bigger hostels (mainly in cities) can get around that. They have many rooms and can basically function like a hotel for the time being. But those cool ol' funky smaller hostels with mostly common areas and dorm beds are having a tough go.

I know that Hostelling International-USA is in the process of selling off some of the shuttered hostels, since they're not going to be making any profit off of them for a year or two. It's sad, and I don't know what hostelling is going to look like after this all passes. I'm feeling that there's going to be a lingering wariness around the idea of sleeping in a dorm room for awhile.
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