A little about Jo&Joe

for a start it could not be more central if it tried, a 100 yards or so from the underground, and tram stop, I have never been in a hostel quite like this one before, it is ultra modern, all service ducts and cable trays have been left exposed, and this standard of minimalist design is not easy to achieve, joints, ducts, trays, excreta have to be perfect, or they will stand out like a sore thumb.

The bunks are plywood,

mine is the messy one

and when I first saw them the lyrics, little boxes by Malvina Reynolds came to mind.

Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky
Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes all the same

And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same

They even have a roller blind inside so you are not disturbed by late (or should that be early) comers putting on lights. And I have never seen a vanity curtain for people to change behind,

And yes, the walls are painted black

saves a queue in the morning for the bathroom to change. The more you look around this palace the more you see that a lot of thought has gone into getting it just right, and why it is the most popular hostel on the circuit.

Night falling over the city

Scarry Man

I love these little cartoons all over the place (I did not read the once in the girl’s toilets)

The reason this one is black, it is in the cinema which is a blackout

These guys must be on the back shift

To the woods, -I can’t my mother won’t let me – how old is your mother – 21 bring your mother too, – too – to the woods.

I did go up to the roof garden, and yes it has stopped raining, but it was really too dark for proper photographs so will post some from there later, preferably when the sun is shining.

The kitchen hostels for the use off, and two big fridges for your food

This really is the high standard demanded of hostelers now, and every place I have stayed so far has tried hard to achieve this level, even in the older buildings where compromises have had to be made between room size and comfort, the biggest change I see in European hostels the areas to relax and work in, most people have phones and computers that require charging and this is also catered for with outlets in each bunk. Like the cycle tracks, put in the infrastructure and people will come – don’t and they will stay away.

The first rule in marketing, you must allow your customers, or potential customers, to design your product.