How To Prevent Noise Complaints In Your Hostel

Noise complaints can be detrimental to any hospitality business, whether it be an Airbnb, hotel, or hostel, especially when they go unreported. When they are unreported to staff, there is little chance of addressing the issue immediately. What generally happens is that guests won’t report a noise complaint at the moment but will include it in a negative online review. These reviews later affect your hostel’s online standing. It may also affect your future bookings, as most travelers base their decisions on online reviews. Guests are also more likely to leave negative reviews than they are to leave positive ones. Because of this, it is essential to do your best to handle guest noise complaints as soon as you can. If you can show effective customer service, you will improve guest satisfaction. Now, let’s dive in and find the best ways to prevent noise complaints in your hostel.

Different types of hostels

As I am sure you know, many different types of hostels cater to many kinds of people and the experiences they are looking for. While all hostels bring people together from around the world, they all do this differently. Depending on a hostel’s location, some are also more prone to external noise. Some hostels are meant for backpackers, and others are meant for partiers. But some are non-party hostels. It doesn’t mean that the people staying there don’t go out, just that the hostel isn’t throwing these parties. At party hostels, noise is expected because that is what draws guests to stay—the party aspect. For non-party hostels, noise complaints are more harmful to their business. This is because guests coming to these are specifically looking for more relaxed accommodations. And noise complaints can damage a company’s success when they are mentioned in reviews. This is why preventing noise complaints in your hostel is so important.

Use soundproof curtains

Soundproofing rooms through insulation and flooring can be time-consuming and expensive. Especially once a hostel is up and running, it is unrealistic to implement these things. A more accessible and cost-effective way to block out unwanted external noise is by purchasing soundproof curtains for your rooms. It won’t completely solve the problem, but it will help limit external noise. This is because the curtains will absorb the noise. Soundproof curtains also provide a small amount of thermal insulation, which helps if your hostel’s rooms tend to get particularly cold. It would be best if you made efforts to increase the satisfaction of your guests so they may feel comfortable and be returning guests.

Be open

If your hostel is in a bustling location, surrounded by nightlife, the area will be noisy. Because this is external noise, it is just about impossible to do anything about it. Depending on your clientele type, they might be okay with the noise. They might have picked your hostel due to its central location. However, it is essential to do what you can to make sure your guests are comfortable, especially if you end up with a group that might complain about the noise. A way to get ahead of these potential complaints is by including it in the description of your listing in the right way. Whichever words you choose, they should paint a positive picture of the location.

An example of this would be to use words like “lively,” “busy,” or “nightlife.” Using descriptive words to shed light on the situation area while still sounding positive will help guests to expect a bit of noise during their stay. This kind of language will also excite guests about the area; they will be thinking about all the exciting activities near your hostel. Since your guests will know what to expect, this should help you to prevent noise complaints in your hostel. In the spirit of being open, if you are worried that despite these efforts, your guests may still complain, provide earplugs in your rooms. Especially if you can customize these to your business, they may be a funny and thoughtful souvenir for your guests. And if they end up needing them, your guests will surely appreciate them later.

How technology can help

You can use technology to prevent noise complaints in your hostel while respecting the privacy of your guests is installing a room monitor like Alertify. Alertify is a small, plug-in room-monitoring device that monitors noise decibel and occupancy levels. Alertify also detects cigarette smoke, mold growth, and temperature changes. Hostel owners will receive customizable notifications with this device if guests smoke inside or make too much noise. These notifications allow you and your staff the opportunity to intervene before any damages or complaints happen. You will also have access to an online portal to view reports of what of these activities occurred and when. With Alertify, you can protect your hostel from potential noise complaints and damages. By preventing these things, you will be helping your hostel save money.