An ancient Roman statio ( Latin for "position" or "location", pl. stationes ) was a stopping place on a Roman road for travellers looking for shelter for the night and a change of horses. The name of the statio was sometimes a town or city with suitable accommodation, such as inns, and sometimes a dedicated building between larger settlements. They often included thermal baths in the facilities.
21-546: They are often referred to in English as a waystation or poststation. They were sometimes identical to, or complementary to, mansiones , maintained by the central government for those on official business whilst travelling. Stationes are mostly known through the famous Antonine Itinerary , a register of stationes and their distances along various roads of the Roman Empire , seemingly based on official documents, possibly from
42-506: A receptionist or in housekeeping . There are approximately 10,000 hostels in Europe and approximately 300 hostels in the United States. In 2023, the hostel industry worldwide was estimated to be worth US$ 6 billion annually, and growing. The typical guest is between 16 and 34 years old, although it can vary depending on the country. In addition to shared kitchen facilities, some hostels have
63-505: A 13.5% share of lodging guests/nights in 2007. Guests are advised to be respectful of others: In August 1909, Richard Schirrmann , a teacher in Germany, first published his idea of inexpensive accommodation for youth travel after leading a school camping trip that was derailed by a thunderstorm. Schirrmann received considerable support and opened a makeshift hostel for hikers in the school in which he taught. On June 1, 1912, Schirrmann opened
84-599: A niche market of travelers. Different hostels can be known for offering different experiences. For example, one hostel might feature in-house social gatherings such as movie nights or communal dinners, another might feature local tours, one might be known for its parties, and another might have a quieter place to relax in serenity, or be located on the beach. Newer hostels focus on a more trendy design, some of which are on par with boutique hotels . Some may cater to older digital nomads , global nomads , and perpetual travelers who prefer slightly more upmarket private rooms or
105-406: A quieter atmosphere. Hostels may also differentiate themselves by being environmentally friendly ecohostels. In countries where wages are lower, the cost of staying at a hostel may be similar to staying in a budget hotel. Many hostels are locally owned and operated, and are usually cheaper than hotels. Hostels may offer long-term lodging to guests for free or at a discount in exchange for work as
126-649: A restaurant and/or bar. Washing machines and clothes dryers are often provided for an additional fee. Hostels sometimes provide luggage storage. Most hostels offer lockers for safely storing valuables. Some hostels do not provide linens. Some hostels may have a curfew and daytime lockouts. In some cities, hostels reported a higher average income per room than hotels. For example, in Honolulu , Hawaii , upscale hotels reported average daily room rates of $ 173 in 2006, while hostel rooms brought in as much as $ 200 per night, for rooms of eight guests paying $ 25 each. Even during
147-479: A survey carried out under Augustus . Examples of stationes are: Mansio In the Roman Empire , a mansio (from the Latin word mansus, the perfect passive participle of manere "to remain" or "to stay") was an official stopping place on a Roman road , or via , maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling. The roads which traversed
168-747: Is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed , usually a bunk bed in a dormitory sleeping 4–20 people, with shared use of a lounge and usually a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared bathrooms. Private rooms may also be available. Hostels are popular forms of lodging for backpackers , however very few impose age limits, so hostels are an option for travellers of all ages and styles. The benefits of hostels include lower costs and opportunities to meet people from different places, find travel partners, and share travel experiences. Some hostels, such as in India or Hostelling International , cater to
189-444: Is derived from manere , signifying to pass the night at a place while travelling (the word is likely to be the source of the English word mansion , though their uses are entirely different). These substantial structures, normally in the form of a villa, were dedicated to the travellers' rest and refreshment. Guests were expected to provide a passport to identify themselves. In many cases infrastructure to sustain them sprang up around
210-577: The Ancient World were later surveyed, developed and carefully maintained by the Romans, featuring purpose-built rest stops at regular intervals, known as castra . Probably originally established as simple places of military encampment, in process of time they included barracks and magazines of provisions ( horrea ) for the troops. Over time the need arose for a more sophisticated form of shelter for travelling dignitaries and officials. The Latin term mansio
231-513: The financial crisis of 2007–2008 , many hostels reported increased occupancy numbers at a time when hotel bookings were down. A 2013 study in Australia showed that youth travel was the fastest-growing travel demographic and that the hostel industry was growing at a faster rate than the hotel industry. It showed that youth travel can lead to higher overall spending due to longer trips than traditional vacations. In New Zealand, backpackers hostels had
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#1732851834878252-440: The mansio , but also the villas of provincial officials; forts and ultimately even cities. Ox-drawn carts could travel about 30 km per day; pedestrians a little farther, so each mansio was about 25 to 30 km from the next. At each mansio cisiarii kept gigs for hire and for conveying government dispatches ( Cisium ; Essedum ). The Itinerarium Burdigalense , which is a road book drawn up in 333, mentions in order
273-451: The mansiones from Bordeaux to Jerusalem with the intervening mutationes , and other, more considerable places, which are called either civitates , vici , or castella . The number of leagues or of miles between one place and another is also set down. New mansio locations continue to be discovered and yield archaeological elements, e.g. in July 2024 a ring with the inscription "Roma"
294-647: The case may be. One of the best hostels was the Tabernae Caediciae at Sinuessa on the Via Appia . It had a large storage room containing barrels of wine, cheese and ham. Many cities of today grew up around a taberna complex, such as Rheinzabern in the Rhineland, and Saverne in Alsace . A third system of way stations serviced vehicles and animals: the mutationes ("changing stations") ( ἀλλαγαὶ ). In these complexes,
315-498: The driver could purchase the services of wheelwrights, cartwrights, and equarii medici , or veterinarians. Using these stations in chariot relays, the emperor Tiberius hastened 200 miles in 24 hours to join his brother, Drusus Germanicus , who was dying of gangrene as a result of a fall from a horse. Stationes are mostly known though the Antonine Itinerary and may be similar to mansiones . Hostel A hostel
336-921: The first hostel in Altena Castle . The original hostel rooms are now a museum. Schirrmann served in World War I and after observing the Christmas truce on the Western Front in December 1915, he wondered whether "thoughtful young people of all countries could be provided with suitable meeting places where they could get to know each other". In 1919, he founded the German Youth Hostel Association . By 1932, Germany had more than 2,000 hostels recording more than 4.5 million overnights annually. The International Youth Hostel Federation (now Hostelling International )
357-530: The road were required by law to offer hospitality on demand. Frequented houses no doubt became the first tabernae (Latin word " taberna " ("shed" or "hut"; from tabula , meaning "board"), which were hostels , rather than the " taverns " we know today. A tabernaculum or small taberna was a portable place of worship for the Hebrews , thus producing the word tabernacle . As Rome grew, so did its tabernae, becoming more luxurious and acquiring good or bad reputations as
378-444: The same locations as the mansiones . A private system of cauponae were placed near the mansiones . They performed the same functions but were somewhat disreputable, as they were frequented by thieves and prostitutes. Graffiti decorate the walls of the few whose ruins have been found. Genteel travellers needed something better than cauponae . In the early days of the viae , when little unofficial travel existed, houses placed near
399-459: Was a proponent of hostels and was president for several years. During World War II , many hostels in Europe were temporarily shut down or placed under the control of the Hitler Youth . In the 1960s and 1970s, hostelling prospered. The industry declined during the 1970s energy crisis . Hostels continued to grow during the financial crisis of 2007–2008 , in part due to their cost appeal. After
420-653: Was discovered at a mansio near Coriglia close to Orvieto . The mansio was under the superintendence of an officer called " mansionarius ". As the bishops assumed control in the Christian West during the fifth and sixth centuries, the office of mansionarius developed new connotations. Mansionarius is inserted as a synonym of prosmonarius/paramonarius in canon 2 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (451). Non-official travellers needed refreshment too, and different grades of facilities were available, often at
441-457: Was founded in October 1932. It is now an organization composed of more than 90 hostel associations representing over 4,500 hostels in over 80 countries. These hostels cater more to school-aged children, sometimes through school trips, and families with school-aged children. In 1936, Franklin D. Roosevelt was the honorary president of AYH (now Hostelling International USA ). John D. Rockefeller III
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