What is a hostel?

What is a hostel? I have run hostels for 20 years so I get this question a lot. If you love to travel, but don't have a lot of money to spend on accommodations, hostels might be the right choice for you. If you like sharing travel stories and getting to know the local culture, food and language, consider a hostel. If you are uncomfortable in formal hotel lobbies with bellmen and gilded ceilings, a hostel could offer the informal atmosphere you're seeking. Created in Germany in the early 20th century, the first hostels were designed primarily for young travelers to have a cheap place to stay while they toured the country. Early hostels were run on a communal basis, with the temporary residents taking care of the cleaning, laundry and maintenance chores. The first hostels closed during the middle of the day to encourage residents to enjoy the fresh air. Hostels became particularly popular in the 1960s and 1970s when flocks of college students toured Europe during the summers and today, you'll find hostels in all parts of the world, in most major cities.