1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,300 Hello friends and travelers. Thanks for listening. You are riding along on the Hostile Road Trip podcast 2 00:00:05,300 --> 00:00:13,140 Our mission is to spread awareness of the true hostile experience in the Americas and share stories from the fascinating hosts who create those unique 3 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:20,140 Facilities. I'm your host Jimmy Black joined alongside co-founder of International Travelers House Bobby Dyer and Eric Ferrier 4 00:00:20,140 --> 00:00:28,200 co-founder of World Packers. Each session we sit down with hostile operators or travel influencers to hear about their real success 5 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,900 discuss trending hostile topics and 6 00:00:31,340 --> 00:00:37,200 Close with tips for travelers who are seeking to have the ultimate experience when visiting each destination 7 00:00:37,380 --> 00:00:41,640 You can't afford to miss this trip. Now fasten your seatbelts and let's hit the road 8 00:00:47,220 --> 00:00:54,180 Hello friends, welcome back to Hostile Road Trip. My name is James Black. I'm here alongside my 9 00:00:54,180 --> 00:01:00,900 co-founder and partner Bobby Dyer as well as Eric Ferrier the co-founder from World Packers 10 00:01:00,900 --> 00:01:03,860 We are here as we've said in the beautiful city of Boston 11 00:01:04,780 --> 00:01:09,320 Meeting with Mark Johnson the manager of the HI Boston 12 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:15,920 Thanks so much for taking the time mark of your busy schedule to join with us. HI is actually a repeat 13 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:23,280 Oscar winner and finalist which if you do not know in the world of hostiling a Oscars is like winning an Oscar 14 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,680 so it's quite a big deal and 15 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:32,640 To start off. We just want to hear a little bit about your story mark and how you got into the hostile industry 16 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,520 Did you start off as a worker or a backpacker? 17 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,880 Backpacker. Oh, actually. Yeah, it's the first time so you ever stayed at so first house 18 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:46,200 I ever stayed at was a also called Millennium Millennium Lodge in 19 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:48,400 North 20 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:55,600 London in Kensal Green. Okay, so I've been working and having a good time with friends and whatnot and 21 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,720 Some of my friends went to travel and check some things out and after a couple years I realized a few didn't come back 22 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:09,720 So I'm not sorry. There might be something to this. You know, maybe we should check it out. Yeah, and 23 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,000 So I kind of did the extreme thing. I mean I was in management at the time and about 24 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,640 The extreme sold everything I had and just kind of left 25 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:26,760 And came back once over the course of three years and had a pretty incredible time. So it kind of caught me 26 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:32,480 Real quick. So you got the bug and then you hit the road for a few years just backpacking all over the world 27 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,200 I'm staying at hostels and then that's what said way into you 28 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:42,760 Becoming a hostile manager or working in the industry. Absolutely. Okay. Yeah, tell us a bit how that happened. So 29 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:44,480 I 30 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:50,080 Was I was actually working for Xerox and like I said was in management got up there and then some of their to be honest 31 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:54,920 What our corporate materials getting sent to me so I was kind of young in the management scheme and kind of said 32 00:02:54,920 --> 00:03:01,240 You know in what's your two-year three-year five-year plan and you know, I'm just like I don't even know what happened for lunch tomorrow 33 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,640 You know, this is kind of freaking me out a little bit like I'm planning the rest of everything 34 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:10,240 I was like, I think there's some things I need to do and like I said some friends 35 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:15,040 I might have gone to travel and hostile and didn't come back. So I was like, you know, there's a little window here 36 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:21,200 Let's do this. And so kind of sold it went out. I was like, wow, this is incredible experience 37 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:26,560 Everybody meeting traveling is kind of having these these the greatest trips are lies basically 38 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,040 each one of them and 39 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,880 I was like do we have these United States? 40 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:40,720 So I thought was that cool and picked up little odd jobs at different hostels and then when I came back 41 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,440 Finished up school and kind of looked into 42 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,160 Figuring out what I want to do, but I knew this was it 43 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:52,720 Yeah, very similar to some of our experiences as I had a similar one as I studied abroad in Ireland 44 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,920 And I stayed in hostels there and then moved around and I was like, yeah if these were in the US I'd stay in them 45 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:02,840 All the time. Why don't I hear about it? But then you'd come back here and you'd hear that they're at that time 46 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:04,840 Especially, you know, this is going back 15 years 47 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:12,720 It was not as saturated as now and a lot of people still think it's an unsaturated market in the US and the perception was very bad 48 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:17,920 Especially as some of these horror films started to roll out did the industry a lot of injustice here in the US 49 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:24,680 So now as you found yourself breaking into and making that jump from traveler into working in the hostels 50 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,600 Was an HI the first host you got a job at or did you work at a different host first? 51 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,440 No, so I worked at an independent hostel and just kind of picked up like I said when I was traveling 52 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,480 Security size wise I worked in 53 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:44,100 When did you make the job into a child what was your first age I'd be high Seattle 54 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:47,840 2009 okay 55 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:50,300 Ten years with a child. Mm-hmm. Yeah 56 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:57,540 So you spend some time over there the HI Seattle and then you come over here to Boston 57 00:04:57,840 --> 00:04:59,840 No, actually, I moved had a little 58 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,320 Side project is working on with some youtubers down in Austin, Texas 59 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,320 Down there for a couple years. Yeah 60 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,520 Yeah 61 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,520 and then realized 62 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:16,160 Love the love what I was doing, but it was my passion when we get back into hostiling 63 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,440 so opportunity opened up high Sacramento and 64 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,200 Had connected with some people used to work with 65 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,480 New and was able to get that management position at Sacramento 66 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,280 Was able to turn that that property. I was a beautiful property if you ever have opportunity 67 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:37,720 opportunity old merchant house merchants row there right downtown and 68 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:45,440 Slip that property Boston came open and I had experience in larger hostels and and background and done pretty well 69 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,240 So you're my house in the ring and was able to come here 70 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,900 You have a particular favorite hostile or an inspiration hostile that really? 71 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:59,000 Motivated you or you look up? Yeah, you know to be honest and I know it's probably not the 72 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,000 most typical kind of promotion for a 73 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:08,680 Particular brand or anything like that, but you know the hostile stay really kind of depends on the people that you're traveling with in 74 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:10,680 The group you know you've been true 75 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,120 And the people that are staying at the hostel you know 76 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:18,280 We do a lot of programming here that kind of tries to bring people together to have those experiences 77 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:20,960 But I've been in hostels where there's two inches of water on the floor 78 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:29,960 Graffiti in a broken down basement at the best time in my life. You know there's no windows or anything like that. Everybody's hanging out the best time ever. 79 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:35,040 I've also been to the hostels that have like a five-star rating everybody raves about them 80 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:40,000 But either a little bit of a dip when we roll in it just depends on where the party is 81 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:44,440 There was a big weekend everybody's kind of chilling after that and it was just a so-so experience 82 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,440 You know and so I think it just all depends on 83 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:53,800 First of all yourself if you're going to be going and meeting with other people and also some of the travelers or things that are going on 84 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:58,320 In the city and at the hostel at the time too. That's such a great point Mark 85 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:05,120 And I think people that haven't stayed at the hostel wouldn't understand that that the energy that's created by the people inside the hostel 86 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,680 Is so much of the experience and a lot of times. It's a staff. It's the owner 87 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:13,080 That's the manager that feeds that energy to the actual guest and the guest experience 88 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,520 So it is very much like that element of why do you go to that dive bar? 89 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,480 Why don't they go to the dive bar go with my friends to that dive bar and have a great time? 90 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:26,440 Yeah, so it's it's definitely got that type of energy to it that you're not going to capture on a hotel experience 91 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:31,160 No, and hotels are trying to do it as much as they can and they realize they're missing the experience 92 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:36,320 But I think it's a you know invitation is the best form of flattery in that way 93 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:41,160 So when you see hotels trying to mimic or copy the experience of a hostel 94 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,800 It's always very encouraging to me, but I think you hit the nail on the head there with that 95 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:50,400 All right, so now in your inspiration to create that experience 96 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:57,040 Within this hostel for those guests would you say that that's come from your raw experiences? 97 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:03,920 Traveling individually in the hostels that you know with that turned you from a hotelier to a hostile 98 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:09,400 Well, I think we all kind of start out as hoteliers 99 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,880 Yeah, that's the only way right you do right if you need a cheap one you go to Motel 6 100 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,080 Whatever you I don't know in those senses 101 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,280 I think the rest of the world is kind of ahead of us in that sense because they're been hostiling forever 102 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,080 You know and there's been hostels that exist here 103 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:29,000 You know for even over a hundred years, but just hasn't been a thing here, you know, and it's a little bit more 104 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,640 You know the experience 105 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,000 That I had was really eye-opening and kind of life-changing 106 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:40,400 I think a lot of people that do ever hostile they kind of get that experience and feel it. So 107 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:45,880 basically how that translates coming into hostels kind of make this a lifelong pursuit now is 108 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:53,320 You know my I imagine like I was when I was traveling that every person walking through that doors on the greatest trip of their life 109 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:58,120 That's okay. How do we help that? How do we help enhance that? How do we help facilitate and make that? 110 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:05,040 The best part of their trip we might not be that right the guests or the I mean ourselves the staff or the 111 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:10,800 Facilities or something like that, but if we can help facilitate them meeting people that kind of fit those needs 112 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:15,800 I mean, that's a beautiful thing to be a part. That is words of wisdom from Mark Johnson 113 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:21,300 Yeah, a shot Boston. We will be returning shortly after this read of sponsorship 114 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:29,220 Thank you. This podcast is fueled by cloud beds the America's premier real-time property management cloud-based software 115 00:09:29,940 --> 00:09:31,420 managing over 116 00:09:31,420 --> 00:09:34,340 17,000 properties worldwide including six of my own 117 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:37,900 Handling all of our needs from managing guests and reservations 118 00:09:38,820 --> 00:09:40,740 distributing room availabilities 119 00:09:40,740 --> 00:09:43,220 saving inventories and collecting paints 120 00:09:43,220 --> 00:09:47,220 Welcome back to hostile road trip our episode now is in Boston, Massachusetts 121 00:09:47,900 --> 00:09:54,100 With hi manager Mark Johnson. Thanks for being with us. It's me here. All right now we're gonna dive into the 122 00:09:55,020 --> 00:10:00,260 hot topics of the trending issues within the industry of hostiling and 123 00:10:01,060 --> 00:10:05,180 discuss some of the challenges in running a hostile and some of the 124 00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:08,100 challenges that we're going to be discussing today 125 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:15,740 and discuss some of the challenges in running a hostile and some of the issues that we face on a daily basis 126 00:10:16,980 --> 00:10:20,420 Something that this podcast is trying to achieve is hostile awareness 127 00:10:21,220 --> 00:10:28,380 Within the American industry as it has a bad perception with a lot of the millennial demographic in Americans in general 128 00:10:28,620 --> 00:10:33,580 I've been working in the industry for ten years and I still have friends that when I tell them I'm working in a hostile 129 00:10:33,580 --> 00:10:35,860 They have no idea what it is. They ask me if I need help 130 00:10:35,860 --> 00:10:37,860 Yeah 131 00:10:41,060 --> 00:10:45,260 Such a cool experience of working for hi for the past ten years in 132 00:10:45,820 --> 00:10:53,180 Multiple different spots across the country during a ten-year period where I think there's been the most action going on in the industry 133 00:10:53,180 --> 00:10:59,300 Within America, there's a lot of growth. There's a lot of big hotel players getting into it and it shows that there's potential 134 00:10:59,700 --> 00:11:01,700 But what would you say the? 135 00:11:02,220 --> 00:11:04,220 perception of the American 136 00:11:04,220 --> 00:11:08,980 Backpacker particular that millennial demographic. Have you seen it? 137 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:14,880 Improve have you seen it stay the same? What is your overall impression of it? 138 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:20,980 So I think like you know, we've talked about before I think a lot of people don't necessarily know that hostels exist in United States 139 00:11:20,980 --> 00:11:22,980 Something you do elsewhere, right? 140 00:11:23,060 --> 00:11:29,020 But we do exist here the sharing aspect can be off-putting to some Americans, you know as we see everybody 141 00:11:29,020 --> 00:11:33,620 With the freeways full of cars and one person in each one, you know type of thing 142 00:11:34,620 --> 00:11:40,340 That's kind of like going to the hotel and shutting your door and not talking to anybody. Yeah, so it's a it's a social enterprise 143 00:11:40,340 --> 00:11:43,940 I think to be honest hostiling kind of fits right in line with 144 00:11:45,060 --> 00:11:47,060 millennial ideals and looking for a lot more 145 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:52,140 Social enterprise here in the rapids. Yeah, exactly and those types of things 146 00:11:52,140 --> 00:11:55,660 So I think the perception is changing and evolving yet 147 00:11:55,660 --> 00:12:01,660 And and that's why you're seeing kind of a lot of larger players adapting a little bit to that adding more 148 00:12:02,060 --> 00:12:07,180 Social aspects. I agree to put it in something that you know, we've been trying to 149 00:12:08,380 --> 00:12:10,380 publicize a lot and also make a 150 00:12:10,940 --> 00:12:16,260 Correlation that sometimes the millennial gets stumped by is they'll say to us well, you know 151 00:12:16,260 --> 00:12:17,820 The hostiling thing sounds interesting 152 00:12:17,820 --> 00:12:23,220 But I'm not interested in staying in a room with a stranger that I don't know it's a stranger and I'll say then well 153 00:12:23,220 --> 00:12:25,980 You're interested in getting a ride from that stranger via Uber or Lyft 154 00:12:26,180 --> 00:12:32,820 How different are we talking to you know, how much you exposing yourself more and you know, that's a big thing that in a hurdle 155 00:12:32,820 --> 00:12:34,820 I think psychologically that needs to be overcome 156 00:12:35,260 --> 00:12:38,900 But maybe you could tell us a bit about the measures that are taking 157 00:12:39,700 --> 00:12:47,660 Within the hostile industry and within your own hostile of how you protect that experience and make sure people are safe because that is such 158 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:50,740 Obviously a bedrock foundation of the good experience 159 00:12:50,740 --> 00:12:54,380 We always tell our people you got the best activities the most fun events plan 160 00:12:54,380 --> 00:12:57,860 But if it's not clean and safe, they're not enjoying it, you know 161 00:12:57,860 --> 00:13:02,700 They're they're either checking out or they're in their bed leave a bad Yelper view. Yeah, they're not engaged 162 00:13:02,980 --> 00:13:07,780 So how do you go about protecting that experience and making sure it's safe and secure for your guests? 163 00:13:07,780 --> 00:13:13,260 Yeah, so a variety of things right so we're just as safe as secure and if you know 164 00:13:13,260 --> 00:13:15,900 One of the things we kind of talk about people kind of coming in 165 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:22,980 And hostiling this kind of general is that we're a travel enterprise, right travel and experience right and social enterprise 166 00:13:22,980 --> 00:13:26,060 I mean all those things right all these great things for people coming together, right? 167 00:13:26,620 --> 00:13:30,420 we're not necessarily we're not a place to live, right we're not kind of a 168 00:13:31,540 --> 00:13:36,300 Paid for shelter type of situation. Okay enough that those are negative things 169 00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:38,860 but we are for travelers that are coming to visit and 170 00:13:39,700 --> 00:13:43,020 See a place and meet together and have these experiences, right? 171 00:13:43,020 --> 00:13:46,860 Yeah, so being a travel enterprise and a social enterprise 172 00:13:47,060 --> 00:13:53,020 We have a variety of things that we do to ensure safety. I mean obviously key cards locking systems stuff like that 173 00:13:53,780 --> 00:13:58,200 We kind of educate the staff kind of the guests kind of coming in and the staff 174 00:13:58,540 --> 00:14:04,340 How to talk to hostilers and a variety of things that you know, we're in a major metropolitan area 175 00:14:04,340 --> 00:14:08,700 So elements exist in every major city that are going to exist here, right? 176 00:14:08,700 --> 00:14:13,380 Just kind of be aware of your surroundings and those types of things you are in shared accommodation 177 00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:18,060 So in the rooms even themselves each person has their own locker that they can lock up. Yeah, right 178 00:14:18,740 --> 00:14:21,380 You are in shared accommodations, but so is everybody else 179 00:14:21,380 --> 00:14:24,220 And then also I also say it's a lot of hospitals have private rooms 180 00:14:24,220 --> 00:14:29,220 And a lot of people don't understand that either if you can get the social experience and have all the fun 181 00:14:29,220 --> 00:14:33,020 And you can go back to your private room and as a person who's in you know 182 00:14:33,220 --> 00:14:38,300 Pushing that 35 limit and as we always talk about, you know, the demographics 18 to 30 or 35 183 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:42,580 You know, it is still there as an experience and I might be more likely to book a private room now 184 00:14:42,580 --> 00:14:47,660 But I still like to go into the events or down to the bar and socialize. So there is a variety of 185 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:53,660 Options you can also rent out the entire dorm room for all your friends so that you don't have to stay with any strangers 186 00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:57,660 If you're not comfortable, so we encourage people to give it a try maybe in those formats 187 00:14:58,140 --> 00:15:00,420 And ease their way into the experience 188 00:15:00,820 --> 00:15:07,060 But that's that's some great topics that people can feel comforted by now within the industry 189 00:15:07,060 --> 00:15:10,720 I think it's an encouraging thing a lot of hostile operators have been 190 00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:12,220 Intimidated by it 191 00:15:12,220 --> 00:15:15,220 but as we see these hotels like Hilton and 192 00:15:15,540 --> 00:15:22,700 Marriott making brands like Moxie and flux to try to replicate the hostile experience and then we have Airbnb 193 00:15:23,140 --> 00:15:28,380 Which is it's such a big new player on the block in the the hotel OTA service 194 00:15:28,540 --> 00:15:34,260 That also you see the Airbnb experiences now coming about and it's very much replicating 195 00:15:34,260 --> 00:15:40,140 What's missing there in comparison to a hostile experience? What do you think about Airbnb? 196 00:15:40,140 --> 00:15:46,100 Do you look at it as a an enemy? Do you use it within your hostile as a booking site? How do you work with it? 197 00:15:46,660 --> 00:15:52,620 We don't use it as a booking site yet. I I'm not against that and I'm not against Airbnb. I think 198 00:15:53,540 --> 00:15:57,860 You know, we have a unique situation here. My perspective might not be typical 199 00:15:57,860 --> 00:16:03,500 I guess I think when Airbnb came on the scene the hotels really got little punch in the stomach 200 00:16:03,500 --> 00:16:06,140 Wake up call. Yeah for that and they got really hit 201 00:16:06,140 --> 00:16:10,300 I don't see a lot of fluctuation with what we're doing and I think it could be a nice 202 00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:16,620 Kind of gateway experience into the hostile because you go stay at someone's house. Maybe the cleanliness isn't there 203 00:16:16,620 --> 00:16:18,900 You don't know necessarily right? You're going off over views 204 00:16:19,620 --> 00:16:21,620 Stuff right those that we were talking about 205 00:16:22,220 --> 00:16:27,020 But you're still there on your own. Yes, you know what I mean? So you're missing the social part 206 00:16:27,020 --> 00:16:31,740 So you took a little step and tried the Airbnb. I'm done. I think everybody probably has tried it 207 00:16:31,740 --> 00:16:34,220 It's a cool thing. You go out with a group of friends, but you're hanging out 208 00:16:34,220 --> 00:16:39,500 You know the people stuff like that the piece that's missing is the social part, right? 209 00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:42,300 And so that could be a nice turn. Hey, we tried this it worked out 210 00:16:42,300 --> 00:16:47,660 Okay, let's go check the hostel next time and then meet everybody, you know and have these experiences 211 00:16:47,660 --> 00:16:49,660 So I don't see them as an enemy 212 00:16:49,660 --> 00:16:51,660 I see them as a nice kind of 213 00:16:51,660 --> 00:16:58,300 alternative and gateway for other people that are kind of dipping their toe into the into the more unique and local experiences and then 214 00:16:58,740 --> 00:17:00,300 transitioning into 215 00:17:00,300 --> 00:17:04,300 The hostile experience as well for the social aspects. That's really cool 216 00:17:04,300 --> 00:17:09,940 You know we haven't heard that in between thought there kind of Airbnb as the gateway drug to a hostile 217 00:17:09,940 --> 00:17:11,940 I try it out 218 00:17:12,380 --> 00:17:16,900 I think that's really cool way to look at we as operators at it 219 00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:21,460 Hostels we use Airbnb and we were one of the first ones to use it within the hostel 220 00:17:21,460 --> 00:17:23,460 We remember working with Airbnb 221 00:17:24,060 --> 00:17:25,980 Six seven years ago and talk well 222 00:17:25,980 --> 00:17:28,180 No, I need four beds in the same room 223 00:17:28,180 --> 00:17:35,260 You know so but they worked with us and it's it's been a great driving booking force for us 224 00:17:35,260 --> 00:17:38,700 So we've been always been on well, we don't look at us. We look at it as another OTA 225 00:17:39,420 --> 00:17:45,100 Now different cities though vary in opinion based on the municipality zoning laws with yeah 226 00:17:45,100 --> 00:17:50,860 If it's free game for Airbnb you find the operators a little more looking at as the enemy 227 00:17:50,860 --> 00:17:56,340 Whereas if it's a little more restricted to commercial areas and things like that, it may be a little bit more of an ally 228 00:17:56,340 --> 00:18:00,740 In this city of Boston, how is Airbnb being treated? So 229 00:18:02,420 --> 00:18:07,780 You know, I think it was just kind of new for everybody at first right and so a lot of cities kind of are kind of 230 00:18:07,780 --> 00:18:11,260 Catching up to that right? I think there does need to be standards 231 00:18:13,100 --> 00:18:15,100 It's not yet 232 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:22,940 At the same time what they're seeing is a lot of corporate companies buying up a lot of residential properties and running them out of Airbnb 233 00:18:22,940 --> 00:18:28,500 That's the part I'm not excited about yes, then what's the difference if you have no regulations? 234 00:18:28,620 --> 00:18:35,540 But it's these companies running these things. There should be some connection between hey, there needs to be standards and certain things 235 00:18:35,540 --> 00:18:40,980 Yeah, you know some people written up their their house or their condo for the weekend and they go away and managing me 236 00:18:40,980 --> 00:18:42,420 Can I like that? 237 00:18:42,420 --> 00:18:46,300 Yeah, but companies just kind of manipulating this scenario 238 00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:49,740 Those are kind of challenging. We saw that in San Diego and they 239 00:18:49,740 --> 00:18:53,980 Pass the law. Yeah, yeah going back to the owner has to live on site. Yeah 240 00:18:55,980 --> 00:19:01,700 In all it takes really is one unfortunate incident like a fire or something happened like well, you don't have sprinklers 241 00:19:01,700 --> 00:19:03,700 You don't have safety measures. You know 242 00:19:04,620 --> 00:19:06,620 Yeah 243 00:19:06,620 --> 00:19:11,340 Well, and you know some of those things where people had come to the house and the person was 244 00:19:12,220 --> 00:19:14,820 Scrupulous. Yes certain things. Some of those have been out 245 00:19:14,820 --> 00:19:20,340 Absolutely. Now, what about Boston as a city in its viewpoint towards hostels? 246 00:19:20,340 --> 00:19:25,020 A lot of times and as we've traveled and spoken to a lot of operators and potential operators 247 00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:29,180 Sometimes some cities just outright won't acknowledge a hostile 248 00:19:29,180 --> 00:19:33,280 We saw in New York City a few years back ban all of them except H I believe 249 00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:40,580 How is Boston as a city working with hostels friendly for us has been very friendly. Okay, but we also 250 00:19:41,220 --> 00:19:44,420 Try to give back to the community that I'm not just here running a business 251 00:19:44,420 --> 00:19:49,340 Fantastic tell us more about that because that's an important part of hostels. So yeah, absolutely 252 00:19:49,460 --> 00:19:56,100 So with the high and our mission right to help all especially the young gain a greater understanding the world and its people, right? 253 00:19:56,100 --> 00:20:01,660 That also means the communities that the hostels are in. Okay a few of our programs 254 00:20:02,500 --> 00:20:04,500 great hostile give back 255 00:20:04,740 --> 00:20:05,740 the 256 00:20:05,740 --> 00:20:12,060 Sleep for peace event and also explore the world's scholarships give back to communities, right? 257 00:20:12,060 --> 00:20:15,060 We also invite communities in on an event basis 258 00:20:15,660 --> 00:20:20,300 To experience the hostile mix with the guests and those types of things as well. That's it 259 00:20:20,340 --> 00:20:26,540 And so, you know, we try to connect with the local communities as well while facilitating the travel community 260 00:20:27,060 --> 00:20:31,620 So important to have the local residents really be a fan of a hostile and you know 261 00:20:31,620 --> 00:20:35,380 We're seeing a lot where the hostels are really a community hub for world travelers 262 00:20:35,380 --> 00:20:39,260 Where if you're living in the local area, you can tell your friend who's coming in to you know 263 00:20:39,260 --> 00:20:42,580 I'm just going to stay at the hostel. It's a great place where you can you know, obviously meet travelers 264 00:20:42,580 --> 00:20:43,580 Yes, have a good experience 265 00:20:43,580 --> 00:20:43,980 Yeah 266 00:20:43,980 --> 00:20:50,300 And I absolutely hit on such an important point for all hostile operators listening out there if you want to improve your image within 267 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:51,900 the city or the neighborhood 268 00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:59,140 Engage in these type of activities and community outreach and let them find out the organic way through seeing your facility 269 00:20:59,460 --> 00:21:05,340 Visiting your facility that you are not what the perception lies out there to be a lot of the time for sure 270 00:21:05,340 --> 00:21:13,100 Yeah, and so with even our explore the world scholarships, that's a $2,000 scholarship. We gave away eight of those last year 271 00:21:13,580 --> 00:21:15,580 to a variety of communities 272 00:21:15,580 --> 00:21:18,060 So disadvantaged communities that wouldn't have been able to travel 273 00:21:18,060 --> 00:21:19,580 Oh, that's so cool 274 00:21:19,580 --> 00:21:21,780 So we're trying to grow that program as well and give more of those 275 00:21:21,780 --> 00:21:27,980 Yeah, I think HI is always a great model for all hostels in that way of you've been around for so long 276 00:21:27,980 --> 00:21:34,020 And you've had some of these cool initiatives that other hostels can look to you as a format example to do a lot of these things 277 00:21:34,020 --> 00:21:35,020 I hope so, yeah 278 00:21:35,020 --> 00:21:37,660 As we talked about before some bigger players get into the game 279 00:21:38,020 --> 00:21:40,820 Generator hostels, although they're dropping the name hostile 280 00:21:40,820 --> 00:21:45,840 Which is an interesting part of the hostile awareness and perception image and then we've got moxie 281 00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:48,500 Which is opening up actually right down the street from you 282 00:21:48,540 --> 00:21:55,980 How do you feel about these hotel style operators getting into the niche into the market and competing with them as well? 283 00:21:55,980 --> 00:21:58,500 How do you know how you're gonna take down the moxie over there? 284 00:21:59,860 --> 00:22:03,020 You know, I don't know we're looking to take them down. It's a different 285 00:22:03,020 --> 00:22:06,700 Form of competition and I think it's the kind of the very 286 00:22:07,740 --> 00:22:09,660 You know well endowed 287 00:22:09,660 --> 00:22:14,820 Hoteliers that are kind of you know noticing the trends of the Millennials kind of coming through 288 00:22:14,820 --> 00:22:17,860 That'll be an interesting experiment to see if it works. I still think 289 00:22:18,660 --> 00:22:19,980 you know 290 00:22:19,980 --> 00:22:25,780 By far and I would say hi and me in general, you know, I'm not embarrassed to say hostile, right? Right? 291 00:22:25,780 --> 00:22:29,360 I love it. I embrace it. I think we're very different from a hotel 292 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:33,940 So I don't want people mistaking us for that because the experience is night and day different. Yes 293 00:22:33,940 --> 00:22:39,220 I know anytime I'm traveling I'm going to a hostel. I'm thinking of the people I'm meeting in the hostel 294 00:22:39,220 --> 00:22:44,860 What adventures we're gonna get in the cool activities and things I'm gonna learn from them, right? Every time I go to a hotel 295 00:22:44,860 --> 00:22:49,020 I'm not thinking about the hotel. Mm-hmm. I'm thinking about maybe what I'm gonna do in the city 296 00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:53,500 Very much true. I'm not thinking about the place. I'm saying that's a very good point 297 00:22:54,140 --> 00:22:58,380 Absolutely. Yeah, you hit the nail on the head there. I would say that that's a very good point 298 00:22:58,380 --> 00:23:03,940 Well, this episode's like a this episode's like a fine bottle of whiskey. It just gets smoother with every sip here 299 00:23:03,940 --> 00:23:09,940 All right, so we're gonna take a short break and we'll be back with Mark Johnson from the HI Boston 300 00:23:09,940 --> 00:23:13,620 All right, and now quickly over to another one of our sponsors 301 00:23:13,620 --> 00:23:20,660 Thank you so much hostel management forum for your love and support on the road and look forward to having all episodes streamed on your platform 302 00:23:20,660 --> 00:23:39,060 Where other industry related issues can be discussed and learned? 303 00:23:40,260 --> 00:23:47,340 Welcome back to Hostel Road trip where HI Boston with Mark Johnson. Thanks so much for being with us today 304 00:23:47,340 --> 00:23:54,140 We've had a great episode so far and we're looking to dive into a little bit more about your facility in the operational 305 00:23:54,220 --> 00:23:56,740 Strategies of what makes your hostel great now 306 00:23:56,740 --> 00:24:02,660 We've all stayed here personally before which is really cool because sometimes we're on the road and we're meeting these people for the first time 307 00:24:02,660 --> 00:24:04,660 And we're taking a little tour of their facility 308 00:24:04,780 --> 00:24:08,900 But to actually stay there when they didn't know that you were coming beforehand 309 00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:13,160 You really get the raw authentic experience and as I was telling you a little bit before the show 310 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:18,240 I found myself just kind of sitting back and all sometimes of watching the size and scope of the operation 311 00:24:18,540 --> 00:24:26,540 Whilst how smoothly it was running so I think all hostel operators owners managers that have tried to expand or going through an expansion 312 00:24:26,820 --> 00:24:31,500 You realize those challenges. How do you have more people without losing intimacy? 313 00:24:31,580 --> 00:24:37,780 How do you have more people without being able to focus on guest issues the way you used to when it was 40 or 50 beds? 314 00:24:37,900 --> 00:24:42,700 So it's something that's been very impressive in watching is that operation? 315 00:24:42,700 --> 00:24:50,380 And the logistics of how you execute such a large shop now within that shop you have multiple different demographics 316 00:24:50,660 --> 00:24:57,280 How do you cater to the old traveler the young traveler the solo traveler group traveler? 317 00:24:57,700 --> 00:24:59,700 How do you make everyone happy? 318 00:25:01,540 --> 00:25:04,140 That's a great question, I don't know if there's one answer 319 00:25:04,140 --> 00:25:09,060 I don't know if you can necessarily reach everybody sure I think if you run a 320 00:25:09,060 --> 00:25:16,820 An operation and activities and events that's kind of catered to a general sense and even more specific if they're socially minded 321 00:25:17,740 --> 00:25:21,460 Type of things have a learning aspect to them, but still kind of have a fun upbeat 322 00:25:22,220 --> 00:25:24,980 Feel to them you're doing pretty good right yeah 323 00:25:24,980 --> 00:25:31,760 I think just in general one of the beautiful things about a hostile right is this huge melting pot of people from all different 324 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:40,240 demographics and countries and age groups that come together and are able to have this common thread of travel between them right and 325 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:46,120 That connects them to be able to open up and meet and and have experiences and adventures with each other 326 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:50,960 Where as even if you took these same people and they lived in the same city probably wouldn't even meet each other 327 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:56,020 Or have the opportunity to talk to each other yeah, so this is a it's not something you control 328 00:25:56,020 --> 00:26:01,860 That's something you kind of harness because we're just kind of pulse in here. Yeah, I mean this is something you just kind of yeah 329 00:26:01,860 --> 00:26:03,140 Yeah 330 00:26:03,140 --> 00:26:07,180 That's such a great point because I think if you try to control it too much you can ruin it 331 00:26:07,180 --> 00:26:09,180 Yeah, and you can drive yourself crazy 332 00:26:09,180 --> 00:26:09,860 control it 333 00:26:09,860 --> 00:26:15,380 It's so much more of a harnessing or a cultivating or setting up the opportunity for and letting it roll 334 00:26:15,700 --> 00:26:18,700 So many times you see a traveler coming by themselves 335 00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:25,180 And then they find themselves with a completely different itinerary because they met someone or a group and now we're going to New York together 336 00:26:25,180 --> 00:26:31,860 And now my whole travel has changed, and it just wouldn't happen at any other setting than that beautiful authentic hostile experience 337 00:26:32,420 --> 00:26:33,460 now 338 00:26:33,460 --> 00:26:39,780 Breakfast I talked a bit about before I said it compared it to the Ford assembly line of making a mom tea 339 00:26:39,820 --> 00:26:42,860 You just see all these people rushing it at the same time 340 00:26:43,100 --> 00:26:48,540 They're all getting a wide array of foods far better than a continental breakfast at a hotel 341 00:26:48,540 --> 00:26:51,900 And it's getting done seamlessly without a problem 342 00:26:51,900 --> 00:26:55,420 How many people do you serve breakfast to on average in the morning? 343 00:26:56,420 --> 00:27:01,540 You know in the summer times gonna be upwards of 300. I mean, that's significant 344 00:27:01,540 --> 00:27:07,740 Yeah, yeah, then the offseason just depends on who kind of rolls through but that kind of gives you a testament to the amazing staff 345 00:27:07,740 --> 00:27:09,740 That's here, and you know 346 00:27:09,780 --> 00:27:14,740 comparing it, you know to the Michael Jordan makes it look easy right, but it's a lot of work and organization and and 347 00:27:15,820 --> 00:27:17,820 Kind of putting things together 348 00:27:17,820 --> 00:27:22,700 To make it run that smooth. You know as much as possible right it's still it's destroyed after breakfast 349 00:27:25,660 --> 00:27:28,580 But I think you put a good point on it you make it look easy 350 00:27:28,860 --> 00:27:34,220 But if you are an operator or someone who's tried to execute a breakfast like that even for 20 or 30 people 351 00:27:34,340 --> 00:27:38,280 You know how difficult it is and how many things go wrong and how easily you can 352 00:27:38,420 --> 00:27:43,540 Make someone who is gonna leave you a good review now leave with the average you because their last taste of the place was not 353 00:27:43,540 --> 00:27:48,780 A good one. Yeah, you know so it's so sad to see that so it really is a you should be commended 354 00:27:48,780 --> 00:27:53,980 You and your staff to be able to execute such volume with precision on a daily basis 355 00:27:54,460 --> 00:27:57,220 And that was something I made sure I didn't miss the breakfast 356 00:27:58,020 --> 00:28:01,720 Because I knew I could get loaded up for the day and you know be off on my way 357 00:28:01,980 --> 00:28:09,260 So it was definitely a great experience there now we talked about the wide range that your 358 00:28:09,260 --> 00:28:16,540 Hostel caters do and I think it's very important to listeners and to potential hostile operators out there that you don't 359 00:28:17,340 --> 00:28:23,660 Typecast yourself too much into being known as the party hostile or the youth hostile as a lot of them have been called and so many 360 00:28:23,660 --> 00:28:28,260 Of our best guests have been 70 or 80 year old people you see hopping up on the top bunk 361 00:28:28,260 --> 00:28:34,140 And you're like oh my god. I can do that when I'm that age, but what type of guests would you say this hostile caters do? 362 00:28:34,140 --> 00:28:41,180 You know to be honest we try to cater to everybody but the demographics and the statistics are about 80 to 85% 363 00:28:41,180 --> 00:28:45,380 Of our overnights are 18 to 30 18 30 18 to 30 yeah, and 364 00:28:46,140 --> 00:28:48,140 You know but you still see the 365 00:28:48,780 --> 00:28:53,180 85 year old grandma traveling as you become a lifelong host or and that's a beautiful thing 366 00:28:53,180 --> 00:28:57,860 You know and we're wide open to that and you know a lot of people were even touching on the safety aspect 367 00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:03,500 They like the social they like being around people and so safer for them than going and closing the door if someone finds you 368 00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:05,660 Or if someone followed them in their hotel room type of thing 369 00:29:05,660 --> 00:29:10,580 I don't hear people out about that, but the social aspect and being around people feels good 370 00:29:10,580 --> 00:29:13,020 You feel connected and you feel yeah 371 00:29:13,740 --> 00:29:18,700 And I think that's a great point to a lot of times people who are trying to get over that hurdle another I gave the uber 372 00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:22,920 Example earlier, but they're saying hey, I'm staying in a six-bed dorm this five other strangers 373 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,240 What if one of them's crazy there's four other people in there that are yeah 374 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,020 And that's a very good safety and numbers point that a lot of times 375 00:29:30,020 --> 00:29:36,860 Just having that strength in numbers or that crowd that vibe all the time to organically that energy will weed out with that apple 376 00:29:36,860 --> 00:29:38,340 Yeah, or the wolf amongst the sheep 377 00:29:38,340 --> 00:29:42,460 And you won't even have to worry about it because that person learns that this just isn't gonna fly here 378 00:29:42,540 --> 00:29:45,820 So I think that's important for listeners to realize on that 379 00:29:46,660 --> 00:29:49,980 Here a question with being such a you know large hostel 380 00:29:49,980 --> 00:29:54,340 What is it like as far as running it as day-to-day manager to you know? 381 00:29:54,740 --> 00:29:59,400 Have such great attention to detail in your shoes like how do you find your day? 382 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,180 What's an average day for you? 383 00:30:01,180 --> 00:30:04,820 You know that I think that's the beauty of why I'm in this too right there is an average day 384 00:30:04,820 --> 00:30:08,660 As you were talking about we understand and little fires come up all the time 385 00:30:09,820 --> 00:30:12,940 You know I don't think there's ever a day. I didn't want to come to work. That's 386 00:30:13,660 --> 00:30:17,760 Yeah, and it's exciting. I think people that don't kind of have the hostel 387 00:30:18,540 --> 00:30:23,300 The thing that kind of grabbed them when they connected with the hostile won't last in the industry very long 388 00:30:23,300 --> 00:30:27,860 Yeah, because you have to write to ride the waves and the ups and downs and have these 389 00:30:27,860 --> 00:30:33,740 Incredible things, but you know you need to hire the right staff right? I mean that's that's critical right so I'm people 390 00:30:33,740 --> 00:30:40,420 I do at least meet every single person that is brought on a management team. That's fantastic 391 00:30:42,220 --> 00:30:48,820 AGM that's fantastic housekeeping front desk. We also have an engagement team here, so one is 392 00:30:49,820 --> 00:30:56,100 Melanie she does engagements all the activities and events you see on the board out here. They have an education coordinator and also now a 393 00:30:56,100 --> 00:30:59,180 Public affairs manager, so connecting with the community, so 394 00:30:59,820 --> 00:31:02,180 trying to get all these things into place and 395 00:31:02,820 --> 00:31:08,660 Really putting systems into place so people know what their role is and know what to do and know what they need to do at a 396 00:31:08,660 --> 00:31:13,020 Certain time yeah at some points in the summer it can feel like you're hurting a lot of people 397 00:31:13,020 --> 00:31:16,740 I mean we're we can get up to 470 at our max 398 00:31:18,260 --> 00:31:20,260 Which is a lot yeah? 399 00:31:20,260 --> 00:31:22,260 That's gonna be one of the most incredible 400 00:31:22,260 --> 00:31:24,260 Pretty close. I think there's a few others in New York 401 00:31:24,260 --> 00:31:26,260 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah 402 00:31:28,180 --> 00:31:32,060 Yeah, and then you just you know you still try to get those intimate experiences 403 00:31:32,060 --> 00:31:35,820 So even the layout of the hostel with the smaller kind of breakout little cubbies and stuff 404 00:31:35,820 --> 00:31:40,260 It gets you more intimate not just big huge halls that are gonna be filled with 500 people 405 00:31:41,220 --> 00:31:48,180 You know and then the group events and activities you know you get anywhere from 10 to 30 sometimes for sometimes 406 00:31:48,180 --> 00:31:49,540 They get a little bigger than that 407 00:31:49,540 --> 00:31:55,860 But then the group leaders try to facilitate people meeting each other in those senses then you're having a little more intimate experience 408 00:31:55,860 --> 00:32:00,980 And it's not like I said based on the staff trying to manage a hundred people 409 00:32:00,980 --> 00:32:07,900 It's everybody if the hostile mentality and socializing aspect breaking off into these little kind of groups and meeting each other 410 00:32:07,900 --> 00:32:12,260 That's great advice on how to set up your hostels layout for a 470 411 00:32:13,300 --> 00:32:18,460 Volume location to see that you don't get that overwhelming feeling of being so many in one room 412 00:32:18,460 --> 00:32:24,660 And I also think that you made another profound point of you know in the hostile industry your staff can be your greatest asset 413 00:32:24,660 --> 00:32:28,580 Your greatest liability they can make your life beautiful or they can drive you nuts 414 00:32:28,860 --> 00:32:32,040 Yeah, it's so true, and I always get the analogy of you know 415 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,660 You're a good hostile manager with a good operation 416 00:32:34,660 --> 00:32:39,380 You can take your hands off the wheel and let it roll and nothing you know to start falling apart on that 417 00:32:39,660 --> 00:32:42,560 So I think that that's great advice for anyone listening 418 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:48,740 That's trying to build a good team who you surround yourself with it's gonna be a large impact on how you perform 419 00:32:50,500 --> 00:32:55,900 All right, so we're gonna take a quick break, and then we're gonna come back and close up with Mark Johnson at H I Boston 420 00:32:56,060 --> 00:32:58,060 Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back shortly 421 00:32:58,060 --> 00:33:02,780 Welcome back to hostile road trip we're here with Mark Johnson from H.I. Boston 422 00:33:02,780 --> 00:33:04,780 It's just been an absolute pleasure 423 00:33:05,140 --> 00:33:11,380 Covering topics will be ranging from guest experience to hostile operations in the city of Boston 424 00:33:11,380 --> 00:33:16,180 And that's where we kind of want to close out here is to just hear what you guys have to say about the hostels 425 00:33:16,180 --> 00:33:20,180 And what you guys have to say about the hostels and what you guys have to say about the hostels 426 00:33:20,180 --> 00:33:24,180 And what you guys have to say about the hostels and what you guys have to say about the hostels 427 00:33:24,180 --> 00:33:28,880 And the city of Boston and that's where we kind of want to close out here is to just hear a little bit more 428 00:33:29,140 --> 00:33:36,140 About the potential guest experience from your particular location here located in Chinatown in Boston 429 00:33:36,460 --> 00:33:43,860 What they could expect if maybe they had a day to kill or something that you would say is one of the things they can't miss 430 00:33:44,020 --> 00:33:49,920 As far as events attractions and things to enjoy within the city here around your location 431 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:53,600 Absolutely, you know when everybody's experience is unique 432 00:33:54,040 --> 00:34:00,360 But if you're coming to Boston, there's a this is a great little gem of a city to come visit from the historical aspect 433 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:07,000 And all the history that's taking place here for American history on museums the schools incredible universities 434 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:11,200 I think Massachusetts has 140 some universities of the most in the United States 435 00:34:11,720 --> 00:34:18,080 so academic backgrounds as well as a you know, great food scene clean city and 436 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:25,600 Incredible park system as well. So we're about two blocks from the Boston Common, which is the Central Park area 437 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:29,080 A lot of historical aspects that have taken place there 438 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:32,680 Freedom Trail, which is actually a bricks trail throughout the city 439 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:37,560 You can go walk and see a bunch of the historical aspects of the city, which is fantastic 440 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:40,480 incredible 441 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:43,440 Sports teams that are here that everybody obviously knows 442 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:47,320 Boston is a true sports town on game days 443 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:53,040 You'll see everybody in the city in their variety of gear whether it be, you know Patriots or Red Sox 444 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:57,560 Or Bruins those those those teams for sure at Celtics. Absolutely 445 00:34:58,080 --> 00:34:59,840 so now and 446 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:04,960 We've stayed here personally, which is great to kind of give some straight raw feedback to the listeners 447 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:09,380 It's a fantastic location and one of the things that we really enjoyed was the ease of getting here 448 00:35:09,380 --> 00:35:14,960 We took the train from Providence got into South Station a short walk over and it was fantastic 449 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:20,780 You can carry in your bags. You don't even break a sweat. So where else could you I mean you obviously get from New York City 450 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:25,800 From Washington, Philly get to South Station from all these places, right? I think from most places 451 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,240 Yeah, I mean it's really kind of a central artery 452 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:30,800 Of the train system in the Northeast 453 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:36,840 So if you're on the Northeast backpacker trail be sure to make HI Boston one year stops 454 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:47,000 because if you you miss up you're missing out and we once again want to thank Mark Johnson so much for taking the time to be with us and 455 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,840 Sharing your insights and your experience and your wisdom and knowledge 456 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:57,840 I think this is going to be one of our finer episodes that we record on the road here and of course 457 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:01,040 Robert Dyer my partner from ITH Hostels 458 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:07,880 This is episode number four, but we're looking forward to many more and we're onward to New Hampshire next 459 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:12,920 Thanks so much. You guys this has been a fantastic and ask me for the next trip 460 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:26,920 Until next episode. Thanks so much