Prayers answered. Women. Photo: foilman

Pope John Paul II apologized for being wrong about the trial of Gaileo. YHA might allow men and women to sleep in the same dorm room. Major advancements have been made in the past decade.

THE GUARDIAN reported this week that YHA is considering the implementation of mixed dorms, in London at the very least. The piece suggests that this move comes as a response to the the rapid growth of the hostel movement, many with properties that not only allow for mixed rooms, but also fancier digs.

No one is mentioning numbers but it’s obvious to this oft-packer that YHA must have a difficult time competing in towns leaking other hostel options. Party backpacker digs certainly aren’t the answer for everyone, but YHA’s are often affairs so stodgy that not even sex-crazed rats would breed in them, let alone backpackers lulled into submission by sparse rooms, concrete walls and a rigid lockdown schedule (which, to be fair, many seem to also be doing away with).

Ladies, your future bunkmate. Psyched? Photo: rileyroxx

It’s not about taking off the garter belt – it’s more about at least unbuttoning the collar.

Not one put off by being in a room with a woman, I do understand why some people prefer to be with their own sex, especially women who might be traveling alone. Because The Guardian’s piece is less of an announcement and more of a hmmmmm, one has to guess that they’ll at least leave some of the rooms to single sex guests.

More than one person has spoken to enjoying mixed rooms because it leads to a diverse experience, in terms of who you meet. And let’s face it – both guys and girls can be kinda gross.

Let’s hope that one thing is for sure; that like with other hostels, the unspoken code should apply. If you’re gonna get some, find dark corners or take a long shower.

With more and more party hostels popping up each year, it will be interesting to see if YHA loosens up or even realizes that marketing a more puritanical angle might actually benefit them.

I’m kind of Switzerland in the whole debate. Me, I’d be happier if they outlawed bad movies in the common room.

Hostels
 

About The Author

Tom Gates

Tom is a wayward writer based in Los Angeles. He has served as Editor for both Matador Nights and Life. He loves to go far, far away whenever possible. He is also pretending to be a third person right now and is obviously writing his own bio. He knows that you knew that, despite the deft maneuvering of pronouns.

  • http://evaholland.com Eva

    I think it’s a good thing in some ways to have a range of hostel styles – I know the YHAs tend to be more popular with school groups and families on a budget, say, and I like knowing that there’s a quiet, clean, reliable option for me on the hostel menu when that’s what I want/need. I tell you what, I’ve had some awesome sleeps in YHA spots over the years. So I guess I vote for ongoing puritanism!

    (Plus, while both guys and girls can certainly be gross, I think the guys generally take the cake on the potent body smells and loud snoring. Given the option, and assuming it doesn’t cost extra, I’ll take the all-girl dorm every time.)

  • Caroline

    YHA’s in New Zealand offer co-ed rooms, I’ve stayed at several and always had great experiences!

  • http://jennifertice.wordpress.com Jennifer Tice

    I have stayed at dozens of YHA hostels all over New Zealand and Australia, and have to say they are among the best I have seen anywhere. They are always clean, have great staff and are very affordable. They are also already all mixed dorms, which isn’t really that big a deal when traveling. It makes it a lot easier for my boyfriend and I to travel cheap, but still be able to stay in the same room.

  • Susan

    I’m with you…I’m Switzerland on this issue. I’ve always stayed in mixed rooms and it has never bothered me. If given a choice I choose mixed rooms. A room full of girls can be, well….a big gossip or bitch fest…and very boring.

  • hari

    best

    best

  • Adam

    If the YHA in the UK do change great – but I think every hostel I have ever stayed in offers – single sex male, single sex female and mixed. I know there are hotels that don’t do this. I’d agree with Eva in that sometimes I like to know I’m staying somewhere I can sleep if I need to or want to – I’ve always found YHA’s quieter and their guests more considerate to others – maybe I have just been lucky and I am not claiming that all independents are nightmare, one of the best hostels I have stayed in was an independent. Whatever the YHA do with dorms I will still stay there, loosing the curfews would be an improvement though.

  • http://wheretherebedragons.com Tim Patterson

    Female only rooms are important, but there’s nothing wrong with a big mixed-sex crashpad at the end of the hall.

  • Pui Yee

    Just got back from backpacking around NZ and Australia. The YHAs there have long offered mixed dorm rooms! What’s the hype?

    I’ve stayed at other non-YHAs hostels, some good some bad but let me tell you that 90% of the time, the YHAs will most likely guarantee you a complete kitchen, better mattresses, CLEAN BATHROOMS!

  • Pui Yee

    And some have even hair dryers in the bathroom, so fret not the men! :)

  • http://ideopede.wordpress.com/ iriana

    Some time ago I stayed in a mixed dorm room at a youth hostel in Amsterdam. There the rule was that men were allowed to sleep in the room only if they were in there with a woman. Single male guests had to sleep in the men’s dorm. This was a very large facility, high tourist season. Apparently they had learned this was the best way to handle it at the time. That plus some of the events that happened the first night I was there (what a welcome!: after ‘lights out’ a man was chased by the police through the dorms, later a fight broke out about a bed assignment, etc…) – all made me consider that they made the best decision they could.

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