The Hostel Project

Unique characters

You'll have bookings from digital nomads, budget backpackers, touring performers, party animals and many more.

With additional traits like hot heads, night owls, slobs, and laid back travellers there are always opportunities for new friendships as well as new rivals. Dorm dynamics are a challenge to manage, but with big potential of review pay off.

No working toilets, but 5 new BFFs? That may just be a 10/10 anyway! Best facilities but a hot head started a fight at the sports watch party? Maybe they won't be back... Design your hostel to attract a certain niche, or keep it one big melting pot of personality; the choice is yours.

Local flair through sponsorships 

You'll get opportunities through destination-themed companies to run your hostel in certain ways, gain money, and fame (or infamy). If you hold up your end of the deal, you'll find new items available and new ways to play. Influencers will also book stays and tell their followers about you; whether it was good, or the worst thing they've ever done...

Every guest wants something different

Guests build memories as they stay at your hostel. They pay attention to the vibes of different rooms, the friends they make along the way, the queues, and the vending machine prices.

Digital nomads want a focused place to work with a quiet but communal vibe. Party animals will be disappointed if there's no bar, and definitely disappointed if all you have are meeting pods. Budget backpackers, adventurers and luxe travellers all arrive with their own expectations, and each one rates you against them.

A luxe traveller in a 30-bed dorm is a bad review waiting to happen.

From 30-bed dorms to private suites

While guests can book online, sometimes the auto-matching isn't quite right. Tailor your bookings and rooms to lead to the most drama or the most legendary hostel experience.

Sometimes you'll double book, and someone will sleep in a tent after begging for a refund. Actions have consequences and consequences lead to great stories.

Split a stag do across three dorms. Put the hot head next to the snorer, and watch your ratings for the fallout.

Rebuild as they sleep

Clone rooms, paint walls, stain floors, bulldoze it all. No construction queues, so you can build around guests who are already in bed. Or pause, delete every toilet, and unpause. Chaos! 

Got an influx of guests for the weekend? Maybe it's time to take out a loan and build the mega-dorm of your dreams.

Somebody has to work the front desk

Hire staff and put them on shifts so the place runs seamlessly around you. Leave reception empty and backpackers queue for hours, then tank your ratings. And don’t forget to remake the beds, or you’ll have guests pitching tents outside just to get some quick shut eye before their early flight.

Put on events to bring the vibe

Board game nights. Networking sessions for the startup hopefuls.

Pick a space, pick a time, send a staff member out to promote it. A pub crawl leaves your toilets in a questionable state by 2am, but a hefty deposit behind the bar. A speed dating night occasionally ends in romance. Watch parties fill the lounge for a sports final (watch out for rivalries) or a reality TV reunion.

Different destinations = different challenges

A beachy town will fill with digital nomads on long term stays. Edinburgh has the fringe festival crowd during the summer, and unpredictable Scottish weather. Other locations end up with travellers who booked a hostel expecting a hotel experience.

Perhaps there's even a lake? Or a mountain? There’s so many places to discover and build the most legendary hostel in town. Each location brings its own guests, events, activities and challenges.

So, what should you expect?

In the full game you'll have all of the above, with 3+ unique destinations, story arcs and a whole host of furniture.

In the demo, you'll play a smaller scale Edinburgh map where you can experience unlimited days as you pass through the seasons and survive your first fringe festival. With 6 fleshed out sponsorship arcs and unlockables, there's 3+ hours of content. Play longer in the sandbox mode with unlimited funds as well. Save files will not translate to the full game, but this is an opportunity to have a free taster while we continue to add wide-reaching features.