Should Hostel Guests Make Their Own Beds?
Nowadays, there is a 50% chance your hostel dorm bed will be made or not. Okay, more than 50% of hostels actually make the beds for their guests, but there is a growing number of hostels that hand over the sheets to the guests to make their own beds. Is this something that could work for you? Guests staying in hostel dorms aren’t nearly as picky as those staying in a two-star hotel. They wouldn’t mind making their own beds if it saved them some money. This only works in the dorms, where the naked beds are clean and well-prepared with mattress pads and pillow protectors. Having guests make their own beds will only burden them with moments of inconvenience for many nights of good sleep.
To operate this way, you need a storage unit at the desk to hold your sheets. Staff should prepare sets of fitted sheets, flat sheets, and pillowcases in batches so they are ready at check-in. Also, the cleaners should prepare the beds, changing the mattress pads and pillow protectors where needed. This system works great in hostels that do not assign beds, as unoccupied beds are even easier to determine for other times; for example, one guest spreading their belongings across multiple beds can cause confusion.
Guests are also instructed to remove their sheets and bring them to the desk at check-out. Having the guests do the work frees up many man-hours, allowing your staff to focus on other tasks, such as cleaning the bathrooms or paying more attention to the guests. You can find some well-known, award-winning hostel chains doing just this, such as USA Hostels in California and Generator Hostels in Europe, showcasing that guests don’t mind.
This model isn't for everyone, and it does not apply to all dorm rooms. Some hostel operators prefer the ability to control the quality of each and every bed, ensuring their staff prepares it with diligence. Additionally, some hostels cannot find a way to operate without assigning beds. However, if you are looking for ways to cut costs and minimize the impact on your dorm guests’ experience, perhaps having them make their own beds would be right for you.