Ryan L.

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has worked, possibly just in exchange for
room and board, at a hostel in Europe? I'm taking the summer off
between leaving my job and going back to school, and I would really
like to work at the reception, bar, whatever at a hostel. There
doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there...your views on how
easy/hard this is and what your experience was like would be greatly,
greatly appreciated.

Ciao,

Ry, Toronto

Ulf Kutzner

"Ryan L." schrieb:

    > I was wondering if anyone has worked, possibly just in exchange for
    > room and board, at a hostel in Europe? I'm taking the summer off
    > between leaving my job and going back to school, and I would really
    > like to work at the reception, bar, whatever at a hostel. There
    > doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there...your views on how
    > easy/hard this is and what your experience was like would be greatly,
    > greatly appreciated.


    > Ry, Toronto

The problem is that you need a work permit *and a visa*.

Regards & X-Post, ULF

Mel

"Ryan L." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi all,
    > I was wondering if anyone has worked, possibly just in exchange for
    > room and board, at a hostel in Europe? I'm taking the summer off
    > between leaving my job and going back to school, and I would really
    > like to work at the reception, bar, whatever at a hostel. There
    > doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there...your views on how
    > easy/hard this is and what your experience was like would be greatly,
    > greatly appreciated.
    > Ciao,
    > Ry, Toronto

I've worked in a few, mainly in England and Australia. I have a friend who
worked at one in Austria (the one without the kangaroos!) I had a permit
for the UK (but was I think the only legal employee!) and I got that job
just by being in reception on the right day after staying there for a few
weeks. I got free accommodation in a single room with en suite in zone 2,
plus about 160-180 pounds a week. I worked 6 mornings (8-3) a week on
reception and one afternoon doing the wages and bookings for the hostel.
When I was just a mere receptionist I made a little less, and sometimes did
afternoon or night shifts (11pm-8am, ouch!). I was paid about the same in
all the hostels I worked at in London, this example was the best as it was a
big hostel (350+ beds) and great fun! I lived in Notting Hill and Earl's
Court. In Austria, with no visa, it was kitchen hand work, but I don't
think the bar staff had visas. My friend shared a free room, but some of
the long term staff had their own rooms. Pay was a little less, but the
work was more menial and the cost of living was not as high as London.
In Oz, it paid very poorly and was not live in, but since I live in
Melbourne anyway I didn't want to live there. Fun, but long hours for
little pay, and they are really careful about visas here.
One thing- a good time to get work is just as summer starts, we always hired
new staff to cope with the busy summer period (we had only around 200 beds
in winter).

All in all, the London jobs were possibly the most exciting jobs I've had,
and I made loads of friends all over the world.

Good luck!
Mel

St

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 06:06:57 GMT, "Mel" <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >"Ryan L." <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> Hi all,
    >> I was wondering if anyone has worked, possibly just in exchange for
    >> room and board, at a hostel in Europe? I'm taking the summer off
    >> between leaving my job and going back to school, and I would really
    >> like to work at the reception, bar, whatever at a hostel. There
    >> doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there...your views on how
    >> easy/hard this is and what your experience was like would be greatly,
    >> greatly appreciated.
    >> Ciao,
    >> Ry, Toronto
    >I've worked in a few, mainly in England and Australia. I have a friend who
    >worked at one in Austria (the one without the kangaroos!) I had a permit
    >for the UK (but was I think the only legal employee!) and I got that job
    >just by being in reception on the right day after staying there for a few
    >weeks. I got free accommodation in a single room with en suite in zone 2,
    >plus about 160-180 pounds a week. I worked 6 mornings (8-3) a week on
    >reception and one afternoon doing the wages and bookings for the hostel.
    >When I was just a mere receptionist I made a little less, and sometimes did
    >afternoon or night shifts (11pm-8am, ouch!). I was paid about the same in
    >all the hostels I worked at in London, this example was the best as it was a
    >big hostel (350+ beds) and great fun! I lived in Notting Hill and Earl's
    >Court. In Austria, with no visa, it was kitchen hand work, but I don't
    >think the bar staff had visas. My friend shared a free room, but some of
    >the long term staff had their own rooms. Pay was a little less, but the
    >work was more menial and the cost of living was not as high as London.
    >In Oz, it paid very poorly and was not live in, but since I live in
    >Melbourne anyway I didn't want to live there. Fun, but long hours for
    >little pay, and they are really careful about visas here.
    >One thing- a good time to get work is just as summer starts, we always hired
    >new staff to cope with the busy summer period (we had only around 200 beds
    >in winter).
    >All in all, the London jobs were possibly the most exciting jobs I've had,
    >and I made loads of friends all over the world.
    >Good luck!
    >Mel

I'd like to work in a hostel in Melbourne. I live in Brighton (in
Melbourne, not the UK). Is it difficult to get hostel work around here
- meaning do they hire locals or backpackers?

Cheers