Proposed Development of Youth Hostels in Montabaur
Montabaur, a town in Westerwald, is set to welcome a new youth hostel by 2028, marking it as the largest in Rhineland-Palatinate. However, the project has drawn criticism from locals and competing establishments.
The proposed youth hostel will move into the existing administrative building of the Verbandsgemeinde, part-owned by the city and part-owned by Montabaur Verbandsgemeinde. In a council meeting on Tuesday, the city council agreed to hand over the building to the Rhineland-Palatinate Youth Hostels free of charge and pledged one million euros in support. All factions of the council endorsed the decision unanimously, with no abstentions. The Verbandsgemeinde council will make its decision in June. The youth hostel association plans to renovate and expand the building.
Biggest Youth Hostel in Rhineland-Palatinate to Open in Montabaur
Once renovated, the building will offer almost ninety rooms and conference facilities over three floors, accommodating approximately 400 guests. Located in the town center, adjacent to Konrad-Adenauer-Platz, the youth hostel will not feature its own outdoor area with play facilities. Critics argue that future guests will lack opportunities for recreation.
Critics Fear Noise Levels and Lack of Recreational Spaces
Kathrin Tschernich, the house leader of Karlsheim Kirchähr, shares these concerns. She emphasizes the importance of ample space for children and young people to engage in physical activities, which the current Montabaur concept does not offer. She also voices worries about potential conflicts with residents due to noise levels. Citizens expressed similar concerns when the project was presented earlier in May.
The family holiday resort in Hübingen, a competitor, fears a drop in overnight stays if many of their guests switch to the Montabaur youth hostel. The association accommodates around 20,000 guests annually, according to its chairman, Hanno Heil. He believes the resort could only endure a few thousand fewer overnight stays for a year or two before facing insolvency, as the resort operates on tight margins.
Family Holiday Resort Wary of Competition
The family holiday resort relies on low prices to attract guests, making little profit in the process. Heil welcomes appreciation from Montabaur Verbandsgemeinde for the voluntary commitment that has sustained the resort for 56 years. He has already voiced his concerns about the youth hostel project to the mayor of Montabaur Verbandsgemeinde.
However, municipal mayor Hans Ulrich Richter-Hopprich (CDU) does not share the concern about the family holiday resort's revenue. He believes the youth hostel and hotels cater to different audience segments, with the surroundings of the establishments demonstrating this already. He views the project as an opportunity to revitalize the Montabaur town center, anticipating positive effects on the train station, swimming pool, retail, and gastronomy.
Originally, the municipal association sought an investor for the old town hall, planning to sell it profitably to a hotel investor. These plans fell through, and other investors also withdrew after initial interest. Only the Youth Hostel Association expressed a willingness to develop the building. If the municipal council agrees in June, renovation work could commence in 2022, with the first guests arriving in 2028.
The proposed youth hostel, set to open in Montabaur's town center, plans to transform the existing administrative building, offering ninety rooms and conference facilities, catering to around 400 guests. Conversely, critics like Kathrin Tschernich fear a lack of recreational spaces for young guests, expressing concerns about noise levels impacting residents. Additionally, the family holiday resort in Hübingen, a competitor, expresses worry that the arrival of the Montabaur youth hostel could lead to a drop in overnight stays if guests switch from their facilities, potentially leading to insolvency.
