How is a hostel different from a hotel?

Often, instead of the usual words “hotel” and “hotel”, we hear a foreign “hostel”. What lies behind the fashionable foreign name? In order to answer this question, we turn to the literal translation.

Hostel in English means “hostel”. It would seem that everything is clear, however, we will not rush to conclusions.

European hostels
In Europe, there are two types of hostels. The first one is, indeed, a hostel for the long-term residence of certain categories of the population (for example, our student hostels). The second type is rather mini-hotels, intended for short-term stops of travelers. Naturally, the standard of living is much higher in the second case.

Since the name will not always be clear which particular category of hostel you are interested in, you need to carefully approach the choice: make calls, talk, find out the conditions.

Hostels in Moscow. Differences from the hotel
Moscow hostels appeared relatively recently. And, of course, if Europeans cannot clearly separate the hostel from a mini-hotel, then in Russia the confusion with concepts has intensified even more. Therefore, the name “hostel” itself should not immediately bind you to a particular view. Your understanding of the hostel may be far from what the owner understands it.

In general, unlike a hotel in a hostel, you will not find:

Concierge
a maid who will change your underwear;
separate TV with telephone;
a separate bathroom.
A hostel usually has:

public shower;
public bathroom;
shared kitchen or lounge;
more strict schedule than in a hotel.
Do not expect perfect cleanliness and a quiet working environment from the hostel. Of course, few people step beyond the bounds of reason, and you will naturally not see mountains of mud. But you need to be prepared for everything.

The most important advantage of a hostel compared to a hotel is its price, which can be several times lower. However, when compared with mini-hotels, the level of accommodation in which is an order of magnitude higher, differences in price may turn out to be insignificant.