What is a Hostel?
Isn't a hostel just for backpackers?
No. At least, not any more.
Unfortunately, especially in Australia, many people have negative associations with 'backpackers hostel' like that lower price means lower standards, full of mostly young people who just want to party.
Contributing to this is that the most hostels that get attention are marketed as party places. There are actually others like us, that are quiet retreats, but that doesn't appeal to the mass marketing.
Travel (backpacking is one way) is a wonderful rite of passage for many around the world. Although never a 'backpacker', I did a lot of travel from a London base (typical Aussie!) for several years. I certainly couldn't afford to stay in expensive places, but I would seek out the cheap & cheerful hidden gems, where I went. I stayed in exactly three typical 'hostels' - back when they were mostly dorms rooms - during many years of travel.
A hostel by definition will have at least some dormitory style shared rooms, although these days private rooms are as common. A hostel also has shared facilities, like bathroom, kitchen, common areas, laundry etc. Shared bathrooms were actually the norm in any hotel in the early 20th Century.
These days there are poshtels, flashtels, and ho(s)tels that are more like hotels just without the room service!
No.14 Lovel St. is the kind of hidden gem I used to find. Gavin and I continued to build on from the previous owner & team, and great business that they started, and have now made it our own. I still do seek places like ours to stay. Although my budget has thankfully increased over the years, and sometimes the accommodation is the destination, we generally prefer to stay somewhere unique and less expensive and spend more money on experiences.
To me, a hostel is actually about the likemindedness of the guests. I find a preference for experience over things, often more broadminded and perhaps curious about the world around them. They may do a wide range of things to make a living, they may be of any demographic, they choose to stay somewhere like No.14 despite the fact that the may be able to afford to stay elsewhere. Call us a guesthouse if you want. I differentiate between when we operate as a hostel and 'private guesthouse' for full house bookings, just to make it easier.
I hope that helps clear things up :)
Cheers,
Annette