Graham B

Hi all
I'm trying to find out if, and how many, members are being put off by
mandatory breakfasts at YHA hostels (i.e. B&B with no opt-out).
Has anyone voted with their feet and stayed elsewhere, such as an
independent hostel or, dare I mention it, Travelodge, because of the cost of
B&B inclusive packages?
Your experiences and comments would be most welcome.
Thanks in anticipation, Graham.

undercover_mrx@hotmail.co.uk

On Jun 26, 6:33 pm, "Graham B" <gra...@ninety9.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi all
> I'm trying to find out if, and how many, members are being put off by
> mandatory breakfasts at YHA hostels (i.e. B&B with no opt-out).
> Has anyone voted with their feet and stayed elsewhere, such as an
> independent hostel or, dare I mention it, Travelodge, because of the cost of
> B&B inclusive packages?
> Your experiences and comments would be most welcome.
> Thanks in anticipation, Graham.

Are you allowed to be posting on here Mr B? ;-)
The hostelling Police will be onto you you know!

MrX

Ken

The price isn't really that critical for me. Provided that the members
kitchen is open at a reasonable time (so that I can ignore the breakfast
and cook my own food) it doesn't worry me that much. Very often, the
reason for staying at the hostel in the first place is that I can get an
early breakfast.

I can't think of that many places where Travelodge makes a conveniently
situated alternative. The few places where there is a choice of both,
(eg Brighton) I've found that Travelodge is not available at discounted
rates.

Breakfast isn't actually mandatory. If, however, the hostels try to
force the issue by keeping kitchen's locked, then that would make them
less attractive.

I know that some hostels offer a packed breakfast for early leavers, but
one won't get anything one can't have bought in the local supermarket,
so seems pointless to me.

The main problem is that so few hostels left I am forced to rely more
and more on hotels.

In article <ZpGdnZnyGoB-0BzbnZ2dnUVZ8sqjnZ2d@eclipse.net.uk>, Graham B
<graham@ninety9.co.uk> writes
>Hi all
>I'm trying to find out if, and how many, members are being put off by
>mandatory breakfasts at YHA hostels (i.e. B&B with no opt-out).
>Has anyone voted with their feet and stayed elsewhere, such as an
>independent hostel or, dare I mention it, Travelodge, because of the cost of
>B&B inclusive packages?
>Your experiences and comments would be most welcome.
>Thanks in anticipation, Graham.
>
>

--
Ken

Jacki

On Jun 26, 10:35 pm, Ken <K...@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Breakfast isn't actually mandatory.

Depends how you look at it. Sure, you can choose not to partake and
use the members' kitchen instead, but it's certainly 'mandatory' in
that you can't choose to pay a bed-only rate. I think that's what the
OP meant.

It certainly annoys me, particularly since YHA went all 'continental'
on us. It mightn't have been the greatest cooked breakfast in the
world, but I did like to start the day on bacon and eggs. That option
doesn't seem to be available anymore.

Nigel

On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:04:51 -0700, Jacki <jacki@pr-photo.net> wrote:


>
>It certainly annoys me, particularly since YHA went all 'continental'
>on us. It mightn't have been the greatest cooked breakfast in the
>world, but I did like to start the day on bacon and eggs. That option
>doesn't seem to be available anymore.

[Pedant mode on]

It's not continental but buffet as there is always two or three hot
elements available. Continental wouldn't have these.

[Pedant mode off]

Nigel
replace SPAMHATER with n and t*sc*li with totalise

Ken

In article <1183050291.166819.142240@n2g2000hse.googlegroups. com>, Jacki
<jacki@pr-photo.net> writes
>On Jun 26, 10:35 pm, Ken <K...@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Breakfast isn't actually mandatory.
>
>Depends how you look at it. Sure, you can choose not to partake and
>use the members' kitchen instead, but it's certainly 'mandatory' in
>that you can't choose to pay a bed-only rate. I think that's what the
>OP meant.
>
>It certainly annoys me, particularly since YHA went all 'continental'
>on us. It mightn't have been the greatest cooked breakfast in the
>world, but I did like to start the day on bacon and eggs. That option
>doesn't seem to be available anymore.
>
I know what the OP meant and I find it annoying too. But an annoyance is
simply that. If the change is taken one stage further and the wardens
decide that as we are forced to eat their breakfast they need not open
the kitchen at a reasonably early hour, or not open them at all, then
what was just an annoyance now shifts the balance of advantage in using
the hostel.
--
Ken

Nigel

On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:51:46 +0100, Ken <Ken@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>In article <1183050291.166819.142240@n2g2000hse.googlegroups. com>, Jacki
><jacki@pr-photo.net> writes
>>On Jun 26, 10:35 pm, Ken <K...@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> Breakfast isn't actually mandatory.
>>
>>Depends how you look at it. Sure, you can choose not to partake and
>>use the members' kitchen instead, but it's certainly 'mandatory' in
>>that you can't choose to pay a bed-only rate. I think that's what the
>>OP meant.
>>
>>It certainly annoys me, particularly since YHA went all 'continental'
>>on us. It mightn't have been the greatest cooked breakfast in the
>>world, but I did like to start the day on bacon and eggs. That option
>>doesn't seem to be available anymore.
>>
>I know what the OP meant and I find it annoying too. But an annoyance is
>simply that. If the change is taken one stage further and the wardens
>decide that as we are forced to eat their breakfast they need not open
>the kitchen at a reasonably early hour, or not open them at all, then
>what was just an annoyance now shifts the balance of advantage in using
>the hostel.

How many hostels actually lock the self catering kitchen and forcilbly
prevent access. I know most say not to be used between 2230 & 0700
but I can't recall a hostel I have stayed in recently where access
wasn't actually possible.

Nigel
replace SPAMHATER with n and t*sc*li with totalise

Ken

In article <aqca83dj0soe5eblk9la0d6lcliel9vdil@4ax.com>, Nigel
<SPAMHATERepper@tiscali.co.uk> writes
>On Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:51:46 +0100, Ken <Ken@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In article <1183050291.166819.142240@n2g2000hse.googlegroups. com>, Jacki
>><jacki@pr-photo.net> writes
>>>On Jun 26, 10:35 pm, Ken <K...@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Breakfast isn't actually mandatory.
>>>
>>>Depends how you look at it. Sure, you can choose not to partake and
>>>use the members' kitchen instead, but it's certainly 'mandatory' in
>>>that you can't choose to pay a bed-only rate. I think that's what the
>>>OP meant.
>>>
>>>It certainly annoys me, particularly since YHA went all 'continental'
>>>on us. It mightn't have been the greatest cooked breakfast in the
>>>world, but I did like to start the day on bacon and eggs. That option
>>>doesn't seem to be available anymore.
>>>
>>I know what the OP meant and I find it annoying too. But an annoyance is
>>simply that. If the change is taken one stage further and the wardens
>>decide that as we are forced to eat their breakfast they need not open
>>the kitchen at a reasonably early hour, or not open them at all, then
>>what was just an annoyance now shifts the balance of advantage in using
>>the hostel.
>
>How many hostels actually lock the self catering kitchen and forcilbly
>prevent access. I know most say not to be used between 2230 & 0700
>but I can't recall a hostel I have stayed in recently where access
>wasn't actually possible.
>
>Nigel
>replace SPAMHATER with n and t*sc*li with totalise
I have a recollection of it being a problem at Swanage, Salisbury and
Matlock. In the latter case, I recollect that the hostel actually locked
you in, and you couldn't get out the hostel before a certain time.

In cases where the kitchen is locked until 7.00, one must bear in mind
that the hostel staff are not standing round with a stop watch ready to
open the door dead on 7.00. You might be lucky and get the door opened
at 6.55 or you might be unlucky and not get it opened until 7.15. If you
need to get somewhere by a particular time it can all get rather risky.

Of course, some hostels are very considerate, but when YHA find out
about them, they shut them down.

--
Ken

Jacki

On Jun 30, 5:41 pm, Ken <K...@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> I have a recollection of it being a problem at Swanage, Salisbury and
> Matlock. In the latter case, I recollect that the hostel actually locked
> you in, and you couldn't get out the hostel before a certain time.
>

Yes, I remember being locked in at Matlock when I needed to leave
early. Most annoying.


> Of course, some hostels are very considerate, but when YHA find out
> about them, they shut them down.
>

Quite.

Nigel

On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:02:35 -0700, Jacki <jacki@pr-photo.net> wrote:

>On Jun 30, 5:41 pm, Ken <K...@dasha.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> I have a recollection of it being a problem at Swanage, Salisbury and
>> Matlock. In the latter case, I recollect that the hostel actually locked
>> you in, and you couldn't get out the hostel before a certain time.
>>
>
>Yes, I remember being locked in at Matlock when I needed to leave
>early. Most annoying.
>
>
>> Of course, some hostels are very considerate, but when YHA find out
>> about them, they shut them down.
>>
>
>Quite.
explains why Matlock is closing then
replace SPAMHATER with n and t*sc*li with totalise