Hostel Management Software Built for Bed-Level Operations
Managing dorm beds, shared spaces, and group travelers requires different software than hotels. Frontdesko handles it all.
Why Hotel Software Doesn't Work for Hostels
Hostels have fundamentally different operations than hotels. Generic PMS software ignores these differences.
Room-Based, Not Bed-Based
Hotel PMS software tracks rooms as the smallest bookable unit. Hostels need bed-level inventory management for dorms with 4, 8, or 12 beds per room. Without it, you are manually tracking beds in spreadsheets alongside your PMS.
High Volume, Low Margin
Hostels process significantly more bookings at lower rates than hotels. A 50-bed hostel might handle 300+ bookings per month. Per-room PMS pricing models at $3-5 per room make traditional software unaffordable for budget accommodation.
Group & Social Focus
Backpackers book in groups, change plans on the fly, and need shared space management. Hostels manage common kitchens, social areas, and lockers. Hotel software was never designed for these communal, high-turnover operations.
Hostel-Specific Features That Actually Work
Every feature built around how hostels actually operate, not adapted from hotel workflows
Bed-Level Inventory
Manage individual beds in 4-bed dorms, 8-bed dorms, mixed dorms, female-only dorms, and private rooms all from one dashboard. Each bed has its own availability, pricing, and assignment status. No more spreadsheet tracking.
Group Booking Management
Handle group arrivals, backpacker groups, school trips, and tour groups with easy bulk bed assignment. Assign an entire group across multiple dorms in seconds. Split payments, track group members, and manage changes effortlessly.
OTA Integration
Connect to Hostelworld, Booking.com, Expedia, and other major OTAs. Sync bed availability in real-time across all platforms to prevent overbookings. Update rates and restrictions from a single interface.
Shared Facility Management
Track common areas, kitchen access schedules, locker assignments, laundry slots, and shared bathroom usage. Manage everything communal that makes a hostel different from a hotel, all in one system.
Fast Check-in/Check-out
High-turnover hostel operations need speed. Process arrivals in under 60 seconds with streamlined check-in flows. Scan IDs, assign beds, hand over locker keys, and share WiFi details in a single workflow.
Revenue Reports
Track per-bed revenue, occupancy by dorm type, average length of stay, seasonal booking trends, and revenue per available bed. Get hostel-specific KPIs that actually matter for your business decisions.
Designed for Hostel Operations
We understand hostel-specific challenges and built solutions for each one
Hostel Challenges
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High guest turnover - daily check-ins and check-outs across dozens of beds create chaos without proper tools
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Mixed dorm management - juggling female-only, male-only, and mixed dorms with different capacities and pricing
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Group coordination - backpacker groups of 6-20 people needing beds across multiple dorms at once
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OTA dependency - most hostel bookings come from Hostelworld and Booking.com, requiring tight integration
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Thin margins - beds at $10-30/night mean software costs must be minimal to stay profitable
How Frontdesko Solves Them
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60-second check-in - streamlined workflows with ID scanning, auto bed assignment, and instant key/locker handover
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Dorm-type dashboard - visual bed maps for every dorm type with real-time occupancy, gender filtering, and drag-drop assignment
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Bulk bed assignment - assign groups across dorms instantly, split payments by guest, and track every member in one booking
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Real-time OTA sync - two-way integration with Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Expedia keeps bed counts accurate everywhere
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Free for small hostels - free for up to 5 rooms, from $42/month for 10-30 rooms. No setup fees, no contracts
Hostel Software Cost Comparison
Traditional hostel PMS pricing was built for hotels. Frontdesko pricing is built for hostels.
Traditional Hostel PMS
per month regardless of bed count
- • $1,800-3,600+ per year minimum
- • Setup fees: $500-2,000
- • Annual contracts required
- • Extra charges for OTA integrations
- • Pay the same in slow season
Frontdesko for Hostels
Free for up to 5 rooms, from $42/month for 10-30 rooms
- • Free PMS for up to 5 rooms
- • From $42/month for 10-30 rooms
- • No setup fees at all
- • No contracts, cancel anytime
- • OTA integration included free
A small hostel with up to 5 rooms pays $0/month with Frontdesko instead of $200+/month with traditional software.
Hostel Management Software FAQ
Common questions from hostel owners and managers
What is the best PMS for hostels?
The best hostel PMS must handle bed-level inventory, not just rooms. Frontdesko is purpose-built for hostel operations with individual bed management across dorms, mixed dorms, and private rooms. It integrates with Hostelworld and other major OTAs, handles group bookings, and is free for up to 5 rooms.
Can Frontdesko manage individual beds in dorms?
Yes. Frontdesko provides true bed-level inventory management. You can track and assign individual beds within shared dorms, female-only dorms, mixed dorms, and private rooms all from a single dashboard. Each bed has its own availability, pricing, and booking status.
Does it integrate with Hostelworld?
Yes. Frontdesko connects with Hostelworld, Booking.com, Expedia, and other major OTAs. Bed availability syncs in real-time across all connected platforms to prevent overbookings and keep your inventory accurate everywhere guests are searching for beds.
How much does hostel management software cost?
Traditional hostel PMS software costs between $200 and $500+ per month. Frontdesko offers a free forever tier for up to 5 rooms, then from $42/month for 10-30 rooms including PMS, Channel Manager, and Booking Engine. Small hostels can operate entirely within the free tier.
Can I manage both dorms and private rooms?
Absolutely. Many hostels offer a mix of shared dorms and private rooms. Frontdesko manages both from a unified dashboard. Dorm beds are tracked individually while private rooms are managed as complete units, and both appear on a single availability calendar for easy management.
Is there a free hostel management system?
Yes. Frontdesko offers a genuinely free hostel management system for up to 5 rooms at no cost, forever. There are no setup fees, no contracts, and no credit card required to start. It includes bed-level inventory, OTA integration, guest management, shared facility tracking, and reporting.
Ready to Modernize Your Hostel?
Stop wrestling with hotel software that was never designed for bed-level operations. Frontdesko is built from the ground up for hostels.
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