Hostel to open in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood

By ELLEN CREAGER
Free Press Travel Writer

Great world cities have youth hostels.

Now, the first hostel in Detroit in 15 years will open in early 2011.

"People who come here want to explore the city," said founder Emily Doerr, 25, who lives in Corktown. "We want to give people a clean, safe and inexpensive place to stay."

Hostel Detroit is to open in April at 2700 Spruce St., in sparsely occupied North Corktown, north of the site of long-gone Tiger Stadium. It will have nine bedrooms, a total of 20 bunk beds and four double beds. Rates are $25 a night for a single, $45 for a double.

Doerr said she's had lots of support, with "local people signing up to be ambassadors. They'll even pick people up here at the hostel and show them around town."

Added supporter Ashley Woods, 26, of Detroit: It's "sort of like a grassroots concierge to show you the best bands, the best restaurants."


1st Detroit hostel in 15 years to open in Corktown in April

Step out of Hostel Detroit's front door at Spruce and Vermont in Corktown, and fields grow wild. Fisher Freeway traffic roars nearby. The ruins of Michigan Central Station loom like a mirage.

"This is close to everything," said Emily Doerr, a 25-year-old Detroiter who sees possibilities, not obstacles, for Hostel Detroit, the city's first hostel in 15 years. It is set to open in April. "The Gaelic League, Slows [[Bar BQ), the train station are within walking distance. There are hundreds of couch surfers who come to this city, and they all want to see the train station," she said.


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ex-o-lent!

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Originally Posted by begingri

"The Gaelic League, Slows [[Bar BQ), the train station are within walking distance. There are hundreds of couch surfers who come to this city, and they all want to see the train station," she said.

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Is the League a hipster hangout now? That's pretty funny if it is. What's next, the AOH?

Ive been wondering when someone would finally try this out. I love staying in hostels when on the road. Best way to make some new friends and find the coolest places to hang out.

Ill be sure to pass the word that a hostel in Detroit is finally open for business.

Used to stay at a hostel in Toronto many years ago. Mrs Bennet was an affliated with the YWCA. Good luck to this new endeavor.

Great location --- it's within walking distance of the Greyhound bus station, isn't it?

1.2 miles, 24 minutes walking.

so how do these businesses work? are they cash only? do you just walk in and say-- I need a bed for the night/week? how many shared rooms are there?

The cretins on the Freep boards are really giving the female founder of this venture a hard time. I wish her all the luck, and I think she'll succeed. There is a market for what she's doing.

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Originally Posted by Hypestyles

so how do these businesses work? are they cash only? do you just walk in and say-- I need a bed for the night/week? how many shared rooms are there?

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Most take credit cards too and are hooked up to the big international hostel booking sites, so that travelers can book in advance. Most of the time you would call ahead and tell them you need a room [[either shared or private room, private rooms cost more since you're not sharing) and if they have space, you've got a bed. You can stay for a day, a week or even longer. I lived in a hostel in Rio de Janeiro for 3 months cause it was much cheaper than a short-term apt & it was a blast. Met tons of people from all over the world and made many new friends.

This is going to be great for young tourists. I expect a packed house in May in time for the DEMF. Detroit is cool to international visitors. Everyone I met this summer/fall had positive things to say about Detroit when I told them I was from the D and many wanted to come to check it out. So, this hostel will do well. Good luck to all involved!!

I donated a bunch of stuff to her a few weeks ago and had the pleasure of meeting her. I really wish her the best and plan on helping when I can. It's definitely a cool idea.

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Originally Posted by Zozo

The cretins on the Freep boards are really giving the female founder of this venture a hard time. I wish her all the luck, and I think she'll succeed. There is a market for what she's doing.

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Probably most of them a bunch of people who'd never venture south of Eight Mile, and probably haven't seen Corktown in their lives. Yeah, I'd love to accept advice on businesses in the city from people like that.

It sounds like a bad vibe...but the hostel biz is tough in the US, they have problems with people moving in, they don't pay and stay there anyway.
I've done it in Utah, and even the strictest-run place [[I stayed there) was for sale. Hope it don't offend, but you need a strong male to keep things in check. [[freeloaders + substance abusers scare away legit travelers )

This is a great idea and will provide opportunities for budget travelers to see our city. I wish them the best.

I stayed at numerous hostels in Europe, Africa and Israel in my younger days. They were wonderful, even if bare bones and usually with dorm-style rooms. The rules back then were that each day you were kicked out from 9 AM to 5 PM. So they weren't exactly a great place to set up a household as some seem concerned about above. They also locked the doors around midnight, so if you stayed out too late, too bad.

As others mentioned, it was a great place to meet up with other travelers and share information on what to see and do, where to eat on the cheap and get info on your next destination and its hostels.

They were also relatively secure although I had two traveler's checks lifted in Harare, Zimbabwe [then Salisbury, Rhodesia]. The thief cleverly tore two checks from the bottom of my check pad that he somehow managed to get from my backpack during the night. By chance I noticed it in the morning, reported the loss to the police who caught him, a local drifter. I slept with them and my passport on my person thereafter.

Let's be perfectly clear here. This is a hostel and not some swanky five star hotel here. Generally the people who are going to be staying here are the young and adventurous. If we can somehow provide them with some temporary secure housing on a budget as they travel, more power to them. I'm hoping it does well too- if even just for the public relations aspect of promoting Detroit as a destination for other travelers.

FYI: Hostel Detroit is now open. Ribbon cutting ceremony was today. Very inspiring! A host of political dignitaries were in attendance, including the Lt. Governor, a representative from the Mayor's office, Representative CAY, Jr. and lots and lots of supporters. Emily gave a speech thanking everyone for their help and continued support. Very much a "pro-Detroit/new future for the the city" atmosphere and acknowledgment of putting the city vs. suburbs rhetoric behind us. A bunch of local vendors provided food and drink. I think the Hostel could help be the tipping point for the revitalization for north Corktown. Wishing it the best of luck!

Photos of the ribbon cutting from the Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...4170803&Ref=PH

Great to see this kind of interest generated in North Corktown and I wish them nothing but the best!

Wish I could have been there. Damn Palm Sunday! lol

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Originally Posted by Poppa Burb

I don't think this will work. once the media forgets about this place someone's going to rob it. I only hope no one get's hurt.

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This would be based on your vast knowledge of Corktown right? I bet your one of those suburban types who brag about how long its been since you ventured into the big, bad, scary city.

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Originally Posted by Poppa Burb

I don't think this will work. once the media forgets about this place someone's going to rob it. I only hope no one get's hurt.

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Gosh darn it. I was all sure this was going to be a success. Now this. Well, Poppa Burb has spoken. Too bad Poppa Burb hadn't let her know this before she got started dreaming about a better Detroit and doing something about it. Poppa Burb could have saved her a lot of trouble. She could have invested her time much more wisely, such as moving to the suburbs and lobbing heaps of criticism toward the city.

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Originally Posted by Rocko

Photos of the ribbon cutting from the Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...4170803&Ref=PH

Great to see this kind of interest generated in North Corktown and I wish them nothing but the best!

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Wow, that's a lot of people there to see a hostel open. I mean, its nice that there's a hostel now, but you'd think it was a new skyscraper going up based on all the dignitaries/press/onlookers. Bet she's good at marketing.

best of luck to them, this should be good for traveling folks, tourists with minimal budgets..

Detroit could become a backpacker destination like Hue and Hoi An in central Vietnam. If that trend helps to push the lumpen proletariat out of Detroit that would be good for the city.

Sounds like a good place for young urban explorers to hole up, guided tours ? Yes !

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Originally Posted by downtown_racine

Sounds like a good place for young urban explorers to hole up, guided tours ? Yes !

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Im thinking bout putting up a card on their bulletin board for tours. Ive given several this year already and have two lined up for May. Have you heard of anybody else doing this?

Django, where do you go on these tours? It sounds really cool.

Stromberg2

It depends on who Im taking. I took Barbara Nadel from the Detroit Connections thread around to a couple of abandominiums being used by some street folks I know. The Packard is by far the favorite of everyone but also the MCS, Fisher Body 21, Grand Trunk, Boblo Maintenance Bldg, Michigan Theater if the door man will let us in, Theres one in Eastern Market which I have no idea what it was, looks like a maintenance building for the city, wish I knew the name of it. Its on the NW corner of Erskine and Orleans. Thats a favorite of mine. Its been a couple of years since I explored on a daily basis like I used to so Im a bit behind on whats hip these days but I have a lot of experience and ppl dont mess with me [[knock on wood). IM me if interested.