I’ve been backpacking through Europe for the last couple of weeks and stayed at hostels in order to save some money – and be cool like everyone else lol. If there is one thing that I could improve at all hostels with only a fixed costs, it is making beds a more intimate experience. Simply surround the bed with a box that I have the key to – it can act as a locker while I’m gone, I get privacy while I sleep, and it is slightly more secure. The main worry is that it might be a hazard in case of fire and that some people might be claustrophobic (or even make it less secure) but it would certainly improve privacy. The security concerns can also easily be addressed with a fixed (non-recurring) cost.
Until then, I won’t go to hostels anymore. I like my privacy 
