As a backpacker

mountaingirl

- what facilities do you look for in a backpacker’s guesthouse?



To name a few: clean toilets, safety box, a bar …

chiwai

a sitting area, an open space kind of small patio or roof balcony where you can meet people.

steven_ber

Location, Location, Location, though my perfect location would be near transport links and local restaurants, others prefer quieter locations.

A helpful owner.

Accessible 24 hours.

A view (even locals doing their washing in the back yard), A balcony is always nice.

The smell off home cooking.

A fan that works.

Clean sheets.

And most importantly, 20 light switches that have no logical order.

indiamike

I agree with 'chiwai' about the sitting area. It's nice to be able to just hang out and talk with people or just play some cards.

One of my favorite things was something that they used to do at the Lalghat in Udaipur (they stopped this I believe) was to have a small kitchen where guests could buy the raw food and cook it themselves.

Something about be able to make up your own breakfast is really nice. I used to make my own french toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, giant omlettes, etc..etc....getting dressed and going out to eat every single meal gets tiresome.

I also agree with Steven about being accessible 24 hours a day, and please don't lock me out at 10pm, my night is just getting started.

I also look for 24hour hot water. Sometimes it's like "we have hot water between 8am and 10am". I am on vacation and don't roll out of bed before ten.

A small snack shop is also good. Again remember I am not carrying a refrigerator around and everytime I need something I have to go out and find it. (things like batteries, chips, sodas, milk, etc..)

Washing facilities for people who wish to clean their clothes themselves. A nice clean area with large sinks or buckets.

Oh and hot coffee or tea 24/7 (some places in Delhi do this already and it's free with the room--ie Roxy, Kelson, etc..)

Mike
(note-I am not sure though if I am really considered a backpacker anymore though)

indiamike

oh and I am going to throw in 'a free massage' onto the list while I am rambling on the subject.

All the members of the site can thank me later when this starts showing up at guesthouses

mountaingirl

Guys, hopefully your prayers are about to be answered except the FREE massage

Indiamike about the Kitchen: does a microwave, a toaster, gas and free tea & coffee sound good to you? Would people mind paying a small fee for using the facility? let's say Rs.25.00 a day (to be charged with the room or should it be charged separately?) or what do you suggest?

Mini-bar/ small refrigerator is a must in each room.

In the restaurant: what kind of a menu would you prefer? I will come to this again after getting more response. Is beer a pre-requisite? (I know some people who are wagging their tails!) :-)

Would people mind having a coin laundry? besides a 'DHOBI' who will iron your clothes for you? Or do you want to have an iron in the room?

What do you think of having WOMEN staff also in the guesthouse? I don't see any in the guesthouses. Do you think they should dress up in Sarees of their choice or should we have a uniform?

Would you like to get pressure-boiled water to fill up your water bottles? a box to dispose of your used batteries (which will be disposed off at the right place instead of throwing it in the neighbours hotel!), used clothes (to be given to NEEDY people)?

Steve, I will buy you a play switchbox for you whenever you visit!



About Location: Does it have to be Connaught place? Will a central place in South Delhi do? from where, you can get frequent buses to the train station, bus station and Central Delhi etc?

Sitting Area: would you like a library/ recreation room in addition to a sitting space? Will the lobby do as a sitting place? or, wil the rooftop restaurant be OK besides having a little garden with greens for those thirsy eyes?


Lastly, Toilets that has working FLUSH. WOuld you prefer shower cubicles? or be given a choice of a shower + the bucket....or a bath tub witha overhead shower?
ok, let's see who answers to all my questions.

steven_ber

OK, we will pay Rs50 for the massage.

The only thing I would do in a kitchen would be a good old English breakfast, so would need a couple of frying pans and an ordinary pan, (would backpackers look after these?), this would put off Muslims and veggies using the frying pans.

It would be difficult to charge separately for use of the kitchen, so probably easiest to add it to the room cost.

Small refrigerator in each room is a must; I wouldn't use the mini-bar though.

I wouldn't use the restaurant no matter what was on the menu, though a cold beer would be nice.

I wouldn't use a coin laundry, I'd either wash them in my room (and dry them by spinning them slowly round on the fan) or send them to the dhobi wallah, and I try to take clothes that don't need ironing.

Women staff would be good, in their own clothes, as they would probably feel more confident/comfortable, it would make a change to be able to say, "send for the girl".

I wouldn't really use the pressure-boiled water, and don't carry a water bottle, though an environmentally friendly hotel would at least make me feel I'd done my bit for the environment for the year.

Location, I would much prefer to be away from the main hotel areas, that way, anything we spend in local shops/restaurants is helping local businesses.

A rooftop restaurant/relaxation area would be good as a place to chill out with a beer.

Western toilets are probably better, as most people will have just arrived in India, so will you supply toilet paper? Would the pipes be able to cope with toilet paper?

I would say there are 3 choices of bathroom, 1, With bathtub and toilet (at a premium), 2, With shower (and bucket & pail) and toilet, it would help indiamike if the shower was close to the toilet 3, Toilet down the hall and sink in the room.

chiwai

now you are talking about what a perfect guesthouse should be. I think the most important is the atmosphere, relaxing, comfortable and friendly. I running a very small family style guesthouse in china. I never like the idea to have kitchen in-house, because no matter how careful you are, there will be food left or drop on the floor or into any unknown corner. it will attract rat or cockroach. unless the guesthouse is too out of the way with no restaurant around. same goes to putting up a restaurant inside the guesthouse. beside...it just kind of too bussiness like, it against my atmosphere idea. better concentrate on one thing, let meal provided by restaurant, and guesthouse are for accommodation.
a self service mini bar provide coffee and tea and beer with some snack will do.
services provided is a must, the staffs must love their work(better chooose them carefully)the guesthouse must arm with tons of information, just give advices and direction, I think backpacker wouldn't mind to bring their luandry to the shop or go to find something they want by themself. they can meet people and get experience that way I guess. beside...you can't provide everything in the guesthouse, let some other people do some bussiness.
for the sitting room, same...atmosphere is most important. of course..a small library would be great, a message board for travelers can be put on the wall.
no...hotel lobby wouldn't be the same.
just my 2 cents

Alan D

The essentials first

A room with windows and a view.

A room where all the electricity switches work.

A room where all the plumbing works, including no dripping taps and a shower where the floor is angled so that the water flows out the drain.

A room that is reasonably clean.

I could settle for this but many of the suggestions others have made would be an added bonus - a courtyard or garden where guests can talk and relax, some female staff to offset the almost totally male domination of the Indian hotel scene, a bar that serves cold KF's, a small library where you could borrow or exchange books, a fast internet connection, etc. etc.

I've seen some of these facilities in backpacker hotels but never all together. Who's going to put it together or are we all just fantacising here?