While Airbnb can be way less expensive than staying in a hotel, apartments and rooms found on short-term stay sites are still not friendly to a lot of peoples' travel budgets. Enter hostels, a European traveler stronghold which have, in New York City, been largely relegated as seedy and limited as a consequence of a 2010 law seeking to eliminate illegal hotels. Five years and 55 shuttered hostels later, city councilman Mark Weprin plans to introduce legislation that will help return the dormitory-style lodgings and bring some $300 million in economic activity to the city that's lost when travelers surpass New York for destinations with more affordable lodging, NYDN reports. One of the main arguments behind the legislation is that travelers who would likely stay in hostels aren't not an economic boon to the city; they'd just rather spend their dough on attractions like shows and restaurants than where they crash at night.
Under the bill, hostels could have up to eight beds in a room, shared bathrooms, and communal eating areas. Lodging in hostels could cost as little as $30 a night. A similar bill proposed in 2013 didn't make any headway, but Werpin suspects that's because it was introduced late in the session. [Image via HostelWorld.com]
· City Councilman Mark Weprin wants to open up the city to European-style lodging [NYDN]
· Hostel Environment archives [Curbed]
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