The Early Days
Back in 2003, HostelBookers started out with a very simple idea: Get together a range of the best youth hostels, backpackers’ hostels and budget accommodation out there, and make them available for travelers to book for free.
What made – and still makes – HostelBookers different from the others is that we charge no booking fees… which we think is exactly as it should be! But we also put the emphasis firmly on the quality of the properties in our 2500-plus destinations, not the quantity. We always have and always will.
And it’s this emphasis on quality that’s led us to set our sights on being: “the leading website for booking quality budget accommodation worldwide and an essential research resource for independent travelers.”
Something a Little Different
In March 2004 we burst on to the scene full of enthusiasm. Since then very little’s changed. We’re a bit bigger, and while we think we keep getting better our core values have stayed the same.
We’re still a friendly, approachable bunch, who try to give independent travelers what they’re after. Most importantly though, we’re highly professional and ultra-reliable.
But we haven’t lost the sense of fun involved in working in travel – the best workplace in the world. We’re still bringing together all our knowledge, the years of experience and the passion for traveling into something positive, something of benefit to the travel community.
A Multinational Cast
We might be London-based, but we’re internationally orientated. And for a small company, we’re from all over the globe: Argentina, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Mozambique, China, France, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, the Philippines, the United States… and counting!
And this first-hand, local knowledge is vital to us. Our staff of all ages are well-traveled, with a passion for the world, its peoples and everything in it. What’s more, as we continue to travel, we’re learning more and more about it all the time – a pool of knowledge that we constantly channel back into our work.
People are often surprised by how much there is going on behind the scenes – it’s not just about individuals booking hostels online. What we do at HostelBookers extends a lot further than that.
Our Customer Service team never stops helping people out (with a smile!); our Groups Department keeps finding the best accommodation options out there for larger bookings; our new Destinations Department make sure all of our properties are up to scratch – and, if they’re not, advise them on how to go about offering a better service to their guests.
A Journey
It’s been quite a ride: A lot of fun and a lot of hard work. And we’re proud to say that, along the way, we’ve worked with some of the biggest names in travel.
Ultimately, though, we owe a big debt of gratitude to all the backpackers’ hostels, youth hostels, guesthouses, B&Bs and cheap hotels who’ve come on board in the last few years. Not just the big boys – the Generators (London/Berlin), the St Christopher’s and the Flying Pigs (Amsterdam) – but to everyone, for doing such a great job.
What’s New?
We’re always looking to offer more to travelers, and it’s with this firmly in mind that we’ve started rolling out our local language sites:
es.hostelbookers.com
de.hostelbookers.com
fr.hostelbookers.com
it.hostelbookers.com
We’ve also got a number of additional projects up and running:
HostelBookers on Facebook
HostelBookers on Flickr
HostelBookers on YouTube
HostelBookers on del.icio.us
HostelBookers blog
HostelBookers Google Gadget
If you run a travel website you might want to use one of two HostelBookers products:
1) “PowerHostels” gives property managers the ability to take bookings on their own website.
2) “HB-247” allows any travel website to affiliate with HostelBookers and earn revenue:
HostelBookers booking engine
HostelBookers white label affiliate scheme
But they’re only a small part of our ongoing commitment to giving our customers what they need: The best hostels and cheapest accommodation on the web.
Here’s to the future... |
