The term Glostel is a word combining the meaning of the words “Glamourous” and “Hostel”.
Glostel is a marketing term used to describe more chic and fashionable hostels. The glostel concept, a blend of “glamorous” and “hostel,” represents a transformative approach to alternative accommodations that caters to modern travelers seeking comfort, style, and social interaction. By combining the communal spirit of traditional hostels with the luxury amenities of boutique hotels, glostels create a welcoming environment that appeals to a diverse range of guests, from solo adventurers to families and groups of friends.
Glostels stand out from their competitors due to their strong focus on art and fashion, while still catering to a similar budget-conscious market as hostels.
Glostels also offer shared accommodation and a more social atmosphere, hence differentiating themselves from boutique hotels (Landman , Glostel Definition / Meaning, 2020).
The Green Elephant Hostel and Spa, Maastricht
Many glostels incorporate sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly materials, promoting recycling, and sourcing local products. This innovative concept appeals to a growing segment of travellers seeking specific, immersive experiences without sacrificing quality and convenience.
What Defines a Glostel?
Glostels distinguish themselves through several key characteristics:
- Design-led environments
Strong emphasis on art, fashion, and contemporary interiors creates visually striking spaces that enhance the guest experience and encourage social interaction. - Social yet comfortable accommodation
While shared rooms remain central, they are often complemented by high-quality private rooms, wellness facilities, and thoughtfully designed communal areas. - Accessible luxury
Glostels maintain price points comparable to traditional hostels, while offering higher-quality finishes, better spatial design, and enhanced amenities. - Community-driven atmosphere
Like hostels, glostels prioritise social connection, events, and shared experiences — setting them apart from boutique hotels, which tend to focus on privacy and exclusivity.
As noted by Landman (2020), glostels differentiate themselves by retaining the social DNA of hostels while elevating the overall experience through design and service.
Sustainability & Experience-Led Travel
Many glostels integrate duurzame praktijken as part of their operational model. These may include the use of eco-friendly or recycled materials, waste reduction and recycling initiatives, energy-efficient systems and sourcing food and products locally
This alignment with sustainability makes glostels particularly appealing to travellers seeking immersive, values-driven experiences without compromising on quality or convenience — a core principle of the Epic Stays philosophy.
Epic Stays Example: The Green Elephant Hostel & Spa
A strong example of the glostel concept in practice is The Green Elephant Hostel & Spa. Located in the historic city of Maastricht, this glostel combines contemporary, design-focused interiors, a strong sustainability ethos, wellness and spa facilities and a vibrant social atmosphere
The Green Elephant demonstrates how glostels can successfully appeal to a wide audience — from solo travellers and digital nomads to couples and groups — while contributing positively to local tourism ecosystems.
Why Glostels Matter for Epic Stays
Within the Epic Stays framework, glostels offer a highly replicable and scalable model for urban and semi-urban contexts. They show how design can elevate budget accommodation, social spaces can become experiential assets and sustainability can be embedded into mainstream tourism products
Glostels are not just a trend — they represent a strategic response to changing traveller expectations, blending affordability, creativity, and community in ways that redefine what an “epic” stay can look like.
Written by;
Radu Mihailescu
Senior Researcher at Stenden University of Applied Sciences
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