International agency wants to put small hostel in Bellingham

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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BELLINGHAM - After establishing a popular 320-bed hostel in Seattle, the state chapter of Hostelling International is looking to establish a smaller one in Bellingham, and it wants volunteers to help develop a plan for one.

The state chapter will hold a meeting Nov. 9 to explain how establishing a hostel works and to look into forming a committee of interested residents to guide the process of creating one.

"We believe that a hostel can't thrive unless it has real roots in the local community," said Mike Ruby, treasurer for the state council of Hostelling International. "That's the nature of hostelling. It's a people thing, as opposed to just a place to stay in the community."

Years ago Hostelling International operated two hostels in Whatcom County: one at the former Blaine Air Force Station in Birch Bay and another at the former caretaker's house in Fairhaven Park. Both facilities were too small to generate enough revenue to meet organization standards, Ruby said. The Bellingham location was shut down in 2000, and the Birch Bay hostel was closed in 2002 (the Birch Bay Lions Club now operates the building).

While any exploration committee would need to study the market feasibility in Bellingham, Hostelling International officials think Bellingham could support a hostel as small as 45 beds and as large as 120 beds, Ruby said. They'd like to look first at adaptive reuse of an old building, but if that doesn't work they'll look at building a new one.

Attractions like Mount Baker, the Alaska ferry and Western Washington University make Bellingham a good candidate for a hostel, he said.

Hostelling International, which oversees about 4,000 facilities worldwide, has three types of hostels: ones owned and operated by the nonprofit organization, ones owned and operated by the nonprofit's chapters and ones owned by private parties that meet Hostelling International standards and can use the organization's name and book stays through its Web site.

With ones it owns, the nonprofit tries to break even, although it sometimes has to subsidize them. Privately owned ones generally cost slightly more per night and turn a small profit, Ruby said.

"You don't get rich running an affordable hostel, but if hostelling is something you love and just this sort of contact with international travelers and American travelers is something you love to do, you may very well run hostels and enjoy that," Ruby said.

Even with privately run hostels, the nonprofit needs local volunteers to help with things like providing information, directions and tours for travelers, he said.

ATTEND THE MEETING

What: A meeting is being held by the state council of Hostelling International to provide information on how to start a hostel and begin forming a hostel development committee in Bellingham.

When: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9.

Where: Re Sources for Sustainable Communities, 2309 Meridian St.

More information: Hiwsc.org.