Montréal’s youth hostels are undergoing a transformation, moving beyond the traditional backpacker model to cater to a broader range of travelers with upgraded amenities and a focus on experience. This shift reflects a changing tourism landscape and evolving customer expectations, impacting the hospitality sector in the Canadian city.
Room 206 at the Auberge Saintlo Montréal, located in the city’s downtown core, now resembles a boutique hotel room, complete with a large bed, television, and private bathroom – a far cry from the basic dormitories historically associated with hostels. This upgrade is indicative of a wider trend within the industry.
Une partie de l’équipe de l’Auberge Saintlo Montréal, située au centre-ville.
Photo : Gracieuseté de l’auberge Saintlo Montréal / Sylviane Robini
Even as the hostel continues to offer affordable dormitory-style accommodations, private rooms are now a key component of its business model, priced at $125 per night. During peak events like the Grand Prix, rates can increase significantly, according to Auberge Saintlo Montréal Director Nicolas Lemaire: ça peut monter à plusieurs centaines de dollars
.
Le directeur général de l’Auberge Saintlo Montréal, Nicolas Lemaire.
Photo : Auberge Saintlo Montréal
This transformation of a former dormitory room illustrates a broader evolution within the sector. The traditional image of hostels is giving way to a more diverse offering, catering to a wider demographic.
The Decline of the Solo Backpacker
Les dortoirs restent plébiscités dans les auberges de jeunesse, mais Hostelling International Canada constate que les chambres privées ont de plus en plus la cote.
Photo : Gracieuseté de HI Canada / Zach Baranowski
Nicolas Lemaire has observed these changes for years. Le backpacker [le voyageur à sac à dos, OBNL] qui arrive en gougounes
, the long-standing symbol of the hostel experience, no longer represents the majority of guests.
Travelers have changed, and so has the clientele. Hostels are now attracting more older tourists seeking comfort at a lower price point. One hostel director in the Eastern Townships recently estimated that the average age of her customers is around 45.
At Auberge Saintlo Montréal, Graziella, a traveler in her sixties, had never stayed in a hostel before but is delighted with her experience. On est comme à l’hôtel, se réjouit-elle. La seule chose, c’est qu’il faut qu’on fasse notre cuisine, mais c’est agréable et c’est très familial.
Generation Z travelers, having grown up during the pandemic, are also seeking more privacy than millennials, driving demand for private rooms.
The rise of remote work has also broadened the customer base. Les auberges accueillent de plus en plus de nomades numériques à la recherche de lieux d’hébergement conviviaux et d’un bon wi-fi
, Lemaire noted. This demographic tends to stay longer, according to DataHorizzon Research, a desirable trait for hostel operators. Auberge Saintlo has even converted one room into a co-working space.
On est loin des années 1970!
remarked Eva De Narkevitch, marketing manager for the hostel. Mais l’âme des lieux n’a pas changé
, she added.
From Tent to Established Network
The concept of providing safe and affordable lodging for young travelers originated in 1909 in Germany, quickly spreading across Europe.
In Canada, this history began in 1933, when the Barclay sisters offered hikers a place to pitch a tent on their property in Bragg Creek, Alberta, for a small fee. This marked the first youth hostel in North America.
Le 13 mai 1933, Mary et Catherine Barclay ont monté une tente en toile à Bragg Creek, en Alberta, considérée comme la première auberge de jeunesse en Amérique du Nord.
Photo : Glenbow Library
The sisters later established a permanent location and founded the Canadian Federation of Hostels, now known as Hostelling International Canada.
Its mission: Mettre à la disposition [des voyageurs] des auberges de jeunesse […] où aucune distinction ne sera faite en fonction de l’origine, de la nationalité, de la couleur de la peau, de la religion, du sexe, de la classe sociale ou des opinions politiques et favoriser ainsi une meilleure compréhension mutuelle, tant à la maison qu’ailleurs.
A Fragile Model in Canada
En 1937, des fêtards réunis à l’auberge de jeunesse de Canmore, en Alberta.
Photo : Glenbow Library
Globally, the hostel market is thriving. According to an analysis by DataHorizzon Research, the global market, estimated at nearly $4.3 billion in 2024, could approach $10 billion by 2033, driven by growth in international tourism and budget travel.
Europe remains the historical stronghold of the movement, with a dense network of hostels and transportation infrastructure that facilitates itinerant travel.
In Canada, however, the historical network has significantly weakened.
Rémi Lambeau, gestionnaire en Alberta pour Hostelling International Canada.
Photo : Gracieuseté de Rémi Lambeau
In the 2000s, the original organization, Hostelling International Canada, operated around sixty establishments, explains Rémi Lambeau, operations manager for the organization in Alberta. Today, that number has been halved.
In Spain, with a population of 49 million, compared to Canada’s 41 million, Hostelling International operates more than 200 hostels.
Some Canadian hostel closures are linked to specific circumstances. During the summer of 2024, three hostels were destroyed in the wildfires that affected Jasper National Park in Alberta.
Un feu de forêt a touché le parc national de Jasper à l’été 2024. (Photo d’archives)
Photo : Parcs Canada
The pandemic also hit hostels hard. Several national organizations struggled, with the Youth Hostel Association (YHANZ) in Fresh Zealand even closing its doors in 2024.
Other factors are more structural. Maintaining low-cost accommodation in cities where the cost of living has risen sharply has become a challenging undertaking.
In Canada, a further obstacle to hostel development is the lack of affordable transportation solutions. C’est difficile pour quelqu’un avec un budget limité de se déplacer d’auberge en auberge
, Lambeau explained, lamenting a lack of investment from the Canadian government. Les associations européennes d’auberges de jeunesse sont plus aidées par leur gouvernement que nous
, he added.
The rise of short-term rental platforms also plays a role, capturing a portion of the traditional hostel customer base in major North American cities.
Recruiting “Experience Creators”
To differentiate themselves from short-term rentals and hotels, hostels are now focusing on selling an experience.
Hostel managers are working to facilitate interaction among guests. Il y a des moments où tout le monde est dans la même pièce, mais chacun sur son téléphone
, noted Philippe Messier, bar manager at Auberge Saintlo.
The bar is hosting a 1984-themed night, offering discounts to those who deposit their phones in a bucket – an initiative that appears to be gaining traction.
Les auberges de jeunesse tentent de se démarquer en recrutant des « créateurs d’expériences », qui organisent sur place des activités pour les touristes. Ici, des voyageurs profitent d’un feu de camp à l’auberge Hostelling International de Lake Louise.
Photo : Hostelling International Canada
Hostels are also employing “experience creators,” such as Éloïse Brunet, who has held the position at Auberge Saintlo Montréal for a year. She is responsible for organizing local experiences, such as an ice-skating outing at the Esplanade Tranquille. She also focuses on building a team spirit among the volunteers, who receive accommodation in exchange for their time.
Éloïse Brunet, « créatrice d’expériences » depuis un an à l’Auberge Saintlo Montréal.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Alexis Gacon
Si je réussis à faire rester les bénévoles, à faire en sorte qu’ils se sentent comme à la maison, c’est la bonne première étape. Et après, il faut développer des activités diversifiées, qui amènent les clients à expérimenter l’hiver canadien.
Paige, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, has stayed in dozens of hostels and is pleased to have someone organizing activities for her and her friend. She believes that North American hostels have an undeserved terrible reputation.
L’idée de vivre avec une autre personne, de ne pas avoir une chambre à soi, ça fait peur plus ici qu’ailleurs. Dans toutes les auberges de jeunesse où j’ai dormi en Amérique du Nord, les gens étaient plus réservés. Il y a une barrière. Je ne sais pas pourquoi.
The Holdouts
In Montréal, some hostels continue to operate in the traditional style, bucking these trends. Chez Jean, an hostel opened more than thirty years ago by Jean Bériou, still offers beds for $30 a night, including breakfast.
When beds are full, the owner sometimes offers a couch. In the parking lot, an old Volkswagen van even serves as an improvised room.
The engine is no longer functional, but Jean remembers driving the vehicle with travelers sleeping in the back to pick up others.
C’était rock’n’roll dans le temps
, he laughs.
Despite all these changes, the essence of hostels remains the same: places of passage where encounters are central, where people only stay a few nights before hitting the road again.
But sometimes that passage is extended.
Jonathan, a 31-year-old French engineer, initially planned to stay at Chez Jean for a
