This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
The world of youth hostels is changing. In Quebec and Ontario, a new collective was born from a common desire: to dust off the formula while bringing sociability back to the fore.
Bye bye HI, hello Saintlo
At the Saintlo Montreal hostel — known until recently as the Montreal International Youth Hostel — a new position was created a few months ago: experience creator. Halfway between a concierge and a facilitator, the activity manager has the mission of energizing the offer in order to encourage encounters.
This is a concrete example of the changes made by the innkeepers of the Saintlo collective, created a year and a half ago to join forces and emancipate themselves from the International Federation of Youth Hostels (Hostelling International), in which they no longer recognized themselves. . We are not revolutionizing the formula here — hostels have always offered activities — but we are looking for better ways to meet the needs of today’s travellers, who are emerging from the pandemic with a greater need for privacy looking for opportunities to build relationships. “Our promise is sociable accommodation, which we don’t have with Airbnb or hotels,” underlines Kathleen Murphy, director of marketing.
These are not new hostels either, but properties that have chosen to work together around common values, including eco-responsibility. “These are the same hostels that were previously under the HI banner, confirms Mme Murphy. While hostels were closed, we needed to rethink our brand. […] The membership model no longer necessarily works. No longer being part of an association offers greater flexibility to come up with new ideas and “create a more vibrant and colorful brand,” says the director of marketing.
In Saintlo Montreal, collaborative workspaces have been set up. The common rooms, including the bar, have undergone a makeover. Kathleen Murphy points out that even if families and older people are always welcome, the clientele between the ages of 18 and 35 is the one that the collective is mainly looking to attract.
Explore Bas-Saint-Laurent differently
In Rivière-du-Loup, Vincent Bérubé has been running the youth hostel for three decades. Very involved in his community, he has resided in a number of similar properties in Canada and Europe. According to him, the traditional model is outdated. “The Hostelling International association has done a lot of things, but for 25 years, it has been two waves behind. Safe, HI member hostels do not, however, put the whole experience at the heart of their priorities.
The pandemic has also transformed the habits of travelers, believes Vincent Bérubé. “There is a demand for a different experience, especially since COVID-19,” he says. Travel is not just about going to a city, going to your room and walking around alone. Having an interaction in an inn is going to be key. »
The dormitories have also been refurbished at the Rivière-du-Loup hostel in recent years. The rooms now have four to six beds, except in one, which has retained nine. Single rooms are also available.
The little extra of the hostel? “We try to make a connection with the people of the place. For example, we will bring visitors to improv matches. We have also agreed with the City to use the park next door. We can play petanque there and practice activities, but it is above all for conviviality. We have about twenty picnic tables. »
The hostel is located two kilometers from the train station, travelers who do not wish to drive can easily make it their base camp. On site, bicycles are available free of charge. “All our decisions are made based on sustainable tourism”, underlines Vincent Bérubé, who considers it important to “change our communities”.
Griffon adventure in Gaspésie
Often cited as an example for its environmental and community implications, the Griffon Aventure Inn, a few minutes from Forillon Park, offers new accommodation options in addition to cabins and dormitories: prospector tents, sites for recreational vehicles, camping under the trees…
As its name suggests, excursions are at the heart of the experience offered. Canyoning (or canyoning) proposes, for example, to follow a route forged by thousands of years of water flow, sometimes hiking, sometimes swimming. Facing the sea, the bar is the place to meet other travelers after a day outdoors.
About the Saintlo Collective
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.