It feels like you’re heading back to Mom’s house as you pull up to the modest pink home at 4232 North Blvd. The streets are familiar—centrally located in Mid City, close to downtown.
But it’s The Hostel Baton Rouge owner Melanie Bennett, warmly greeting you with wide arms, who immediately makes you feel at ease.
Bennett was born and raised in Baton Rouge, and this “Mid City cat” calls the area her stomping grounds. Prior to being a hostel owner, she worked for more than 20 years as a homemaker, stagehand, tour guide and even an Uber driver for those new to the Baton Rouge area. She loves the Red Stick, which is why she purchased this home that was destined to become the city’s first hostel.
|
|
|
When she’d travel, she would generally stay in one, and once she discovered the former day care building, she knew it was the place.
“It made it a perfect transition, I think. It was already zoned correctly and just a charming, warm little place,” Bennett says.
Inside the hostel, which had its soft opening this fall, visitors are welcomed into a shared bunk room. Custom-built bunks accommodate up to nine guests. Guests who travel together are also able to stay in a private suite with a king-sized bed and closet. And, in true hostel fashion, there is a shared bathroom, which includes a bathtub and eventually a shower. The walls of each space in the hostel are painted a different color, and the rooms are awash in antique furnishings and eclectic art.
The scent of coffee lures guests into the common room, where they can find games, a laundry unit, food and everything you need to make a sandwich.
Bennett is determined to make this a creative space that not only welcomes out-of-towners but also brings the Baton Rouge community together. She plans to host regular events, like live music, book clubs, yoga classes and even diverse language classes—every club and get together is welcome at The Hostel.
Bennett had her first guests this fall amid the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, despite ongoing renovations. She hosted Habitat for Humanity volunteers in town helping hurricane victims. She says the experience made them lifelong friends.
Bennett hopes her guests feel awestruck and accommodated by the hostel, and she is excited to see what the future holds for it. Guests will soon have access to a treehouse, Southern-style rocking chairs and even a space for performing musicians.
It’s a blank canvas, and Bennett is Picasso. The sky is the limit for The Hostel, she says—especially when she imagines all the visitors who can meet each other and spend time together in the space. It’s all part of Bennett’s tagline: “Bringing the world to Baton Rouge, and sharing Baton Rouge with the world.”
“Ultimately,” she says, “I just envision the whole place lit up with lots of people, and it’s going to be even better.”
Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.
|
|
|
SEE THE CITY’S FIRST HOSTEL
Contact Melanie Bennett at 288-6915 to book your stay, with online bookings coming soon at thehostel.la.
This article was originally published in the December 2021 issue of 225 magazine.