Noticed hostel common rooms basically vanished between 2015 and 2020

Was looking back at old photos from a trip through Southeast Asia in 2014. Every hostel had a big common room where people actually hung out, played cards, shared travel tips. Went to the same region in 2019 and most places just had a small kitchen table or nothing at all. Everyone was in their dorms on their phones. What do you think caused that shift more - cheaper smartphones or free wifi becoming everywhere?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wendy1mo ago

Hostels swapped out social lounges for private pods to maximize bunk space.

claire_grant341mo agoMost Upvoted

Totally changed my mind too @the_wendy, I used to love the old open lounge setup but these pods make way more sense.

the_fiona1mo ago

Wendy's totally right about that shift. I actually just read a piece in a travel blog that said some hostels in Berlin now have these soundproof sleeping pods with blackout curtains and personal charging ports. Makes sense for business since they can squeeze more paying guests in, but it does feel like they traded community for efficiency. Kind of sad if you ask me, especially for solo travelers who used to rely on those common areas to meet people. I remember bunking in a hostel in Prague where the lounge had this big communal table and random board games, you know? Feels like that era is fading fast.