YHA Life membership

[Jan Mayen]

Just read an article saying 20 youth hostels are up for sale.
I used to be a member in my youth. Does anyone know if they still do life membership? I can't find any mention on the website, so I'm guessing not.

 

[Fragezeichnen]

I was gifted a Life Membership for my 18th Birthday (2007), I think mainly has a sentimental gift as my parents met through a YHA walking group and we often stayed in them in my childhood.

Until recently they were still involved as volunteers, and from what they've said it's changed a lot from what it used to be. The management are from a hotel background and it is basically run as a budget hotel chain.
You no longer have to make up your own bed. The traditional green bedding has been replaced, at vast expense. The smaller rural hostels have mostly been sold off, or are operated partially or entirely essentially as large holiday homes which can only be booked for exclusive hire by large groups.

I lost my membership card a long time ago, but Hostelling International hostel in the rest of Europe don't seem bothered these days if you are a member or not. Not sure what the YHA policy is on it nowadays. I haven't used a YHA hostel for a long time, though the one opposite St Pancras was very useful for early E* departures.

However for the most part the rise of large numbers of independent backpacker hostels are far more useful for the independent traveller. Hostels in Germany are mainly focused on the school market and are usually large and inconveniently placed. I was at one point the sole guest in the 280 bed Wernigerode Youth Hostel, which has it's own theatre and bowling alley, until 100 school children turned up the following night!

 

[Jan Mayen]

I don't suppose I can complain. I used to be a member, was a volunteer and stayed on a regular basis. I think the last time I stayed in one was 15 years ago. Since then I've used the cafe at the South Downs hostel a couple of times.

 

[infobleep]

I believe you can still be a life member. I became a Scottish YHA member though as they were cheaper to join and still allowed access to English and Welsh YHAs at the cheaper rate.

I believe Scotland is still cheaper.

I still us my card from time to time. Whether I'll have made back my savings I don't know.

 

[181]

I took out life membership in the late 1990s, as it only cost the equivalent of about 10 years of annual membership.

The last time I stayed in a YHA hostel was in September 2019, so things may have changed with Covid, but I was using them from time to until then, and my experience was as I describe below.

I lost my membership card a long time ago, but Hostelling International hostel in the rest of Europe don't seem bothered these days if you are a member or not. Not sure what the YHA policy is on it nowadays.

I think you get a modest discount (£3 or so) if you're a member. (By the way, prices are now variable, so the same hostel could cost £10 on one night and £30 a few nights later).

from what they've said it's changed a lot from what it used to be. The management are from a hotel background and it is basically run as a budget hotel chain.
You no longer have to make up your own bed. The traditional green bedding has been replaced, at vast expense. The smaller rural hostels have mostly been sold off, or are operated partially or entirely essentially as large holiday homes which can only be booked for exclusive hire by large groups.

From my experience, there is indeed a recognisable trend in the direction described, but it hasn't (or hadn't in 2019) gone as far as the description above might suggest -- small rural hostels, self-catering kitchens, etc. still exist. (I think some sold-off hostels remain part of the network as franchised operations).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Coincidentally, the (regular) YHA England & Wales annual membership fee seems to have gone up by £5 (from £15 per annum to £20 per annum) just today.

YHA Scotland also charge £20 per annum (with life membership priced at £150).

 

[Tester]

I joined as a life member in 1974, aged 18, for £15, after a year of normal membership (£1).

I haven't benefited from the hostel side of things much in recent years, but I have obtained many reductions on other things by being a member, particularly in Australia and New Zealand.

The most impressive was a 50% reduction on the rail fare from Melbourne to Darwin in 2004 (coincidentally the first public train to Darwin) - from A$490 to A$245.

Unfortunately this particular offer is no longer possible.

 

[infobleep]

I forgot about the discounts I get else where with my Scottish YHA card. That will have contributed to my card costs and I might have actually saved by now if I take those into account.