what does a backpacker look for in a dorm?

ashish442

hi all..just got back 4m a backpacking trip,and am wondering what are the good dorm options in delhi?also when a backpacker is in delhi,what does he expect from a so called good dorm?any ideas/suggestions?

wonderwomanusa

Sunny's (and Ringo's, if they are open again) have dorms. They are clean, as are the shared showers and toilets. They do not. however, have mosquito nets, and last time I saw Ringos dorm, it had no window.

These are both behind Scindia House, at Janpath.

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ashish442

thanks for that tip..will try and have a look at it..
although it still doesnt answer some questions in my mind?why is it that v in india dont have top quality dorms as found in other parts of the world?why is it that only the guest house culture is more prevalent here?what is it that a backpacker requires from a dorm that isnt provided to him in these guest houses etc?..

nayan

"top quality dorms" as you speak of, are mostly a function of economics.

private rooms are very expensive in most cities of europe. that is why dorms are popular. I dont think anyone would prefer a dorm over a private room(unless one is in a large group).

ashish442

hmmm..dont know about that for sure,like i said having backpacked myself,actually given the choice,personally i would prefer to live in hostels(abroad) as the options of meeting new people,exchanging ideas,views etc is far more viable in the environment of a hostel as compared to a hotel,for example..but having said that,whatever little bit of the hostel culture have seen here in india seems very shoddy and even shady in some places,in comparison...and so back to the thought,why cant we have that here..and am sure there are some seasoned travellers on this site,who can proivide some insight on this?

rajesh.p

Atleast in Delhi the most important thing I would consider is safety and trying my best not to get fleeced..all other things come next

ashish442

yes agree,i guess thats primary on most travellers minds crossing through delhi,as the general perception being that one is going to get fleeced here..

Brisso

Dorms are rare in India because you can have a room for 200 rupees or less. I hate dorms - snoring, people moving around at all hours, stuff being nicked - rank share bathrooms.

You will still meet other travellers in a conventional guesthouse.

ashish442

although will agree entirely with you on that opinion,my point is that the rooms that are available for say 200rs or so are mostly in shoddy parts of the city..
and as far as the dorms go maybe i am just looking 4 some travellers inputs..as am thinking of opening a dormitory here in delhi,away from the paharganj and karol bagh areas of delhi..and want to provide a dormitory in a relatively safe and secure area of delhi and give the ambience of a home away from home,and not the damp,stale air,shoddy and compact living space kind of environment that these places have(atleast in my opinion) and am just looking for ideas from various quaters as to what would they basically look for?what would make them break away from the traditional backpacker haunts of paharganj and karol bagh to say somewhere in south delhi?how much would they be willing to pay for a dorm in those areas?how much is too much etc...

so people pour in your thoughts...would highly appreciate..

nayan

Dorms in the european cities too are in shoddy, backpacker areas - usually near train stations etc. Posh localities usually would not like a lot of low budget travellers crowding the place and a low budget traveller wont have most of his requirements fulfilled(travel agencies, cheap eateries etc)in a posh, non-touristy locality.

And dorms anywhere are compact(and damp and stale air occasionally).

As for interacting with other travellers - The interaction among travellers take place mostly in the common areas of the hostel/guesthouse. Its highly frowned upon to talk/chatter a lot in the dorms as you will be disturbing others.

wonderwomanusa

Some of the best dorm conversations I ever had were in Bodh Gaya and at the Modern Lodge in Kolkata... in the early 1970s.

Especially Bodh Gaya ...

Both of these were, by the way, mixed men and women, all foreigners.

nycank

[This is my dos quetzal]

The pensiones, as they tend to be called in Europe were mostly frequented by student backpackers and young adults, most staying more than a week maximum and moving on. They existed because the notion of Bed&Breakfast was not too popular, nor were the YMCA/YWCAs prevelant.

The dorm/flop houses in India, are not pensiones in any sense of the term. These dorms are addressing the low budget guests. In india these types of accomodations did not really exist for local desi travelers.

Anecdotally, in the late 60s early 70s, the influx of hippies created a demand for low quality places for people who were perceived as "cheap" long term "guests". Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and the other popular destinations.

Till the '70s internal tourism was embodied by restaurants/guesthouses/stores in each major tourist destination in the country that had signs in bengali; attendants who understood bengali, and a few dishes at the local restaurant that was near attempt to replicate bengali flavors. Because the people from WB travelled a lot, and they travelled to all parts of the country. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, From Mahableshwar to Manipal - in season you'd hear and see the familiar bengali tourist group. Every thing else was a Dhaba or a Room in the Dharamshala

The typical indian tourist in the '70s visited hill stations or religious centers with family, stayed in Dharamshalas which gave a basic room, not shared by strangers. Small scale hotels in Shimla, Dehradun, Mussorrie, etc. Kulu, Manali had a range from upscale to basic.

Finding the right mix of economics to run and operate a dorm/pensiones for backpackers type crowd is left to others India's hospitality industry either caters to really high end (and heavily taxed too) or bare-room,no amenities type dharamshalas,guestrooms. Nothing in the mid-spectrum like B&B/YMCAs even though there are YMCAs in all major cities in India.

I wonder how Delhi is going to address the demand for space during Commonwealth Games ? Or maybe the global recession has self-corrected the demand.

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108

he/she should look for bedbugs. And when there are bedbugs, look for a bed without bedbugs.
There is a choice: bedbugs or pesticides.
Often this decision has been made for you, and you sleep on a pillow that reeks of insectizide. Bedbugs are not nice as well. They bite where your body touches the sheets, and itch and the bite can easily get infected an then a lonely death in a shabby dorm is soon to come. ;