A sustainable hostel is one that, regardless of its classification, category, or location, are based on their economic-strategic, environmental, social and cultural design and management principles. These goals are determined by the satisfaction of the needs of the different agents of interest, respecting the environment and its biodiversity, within a framework of permanent ethics, while contributing to sustainable human development, seeking to improve social capital and quality of life of the entire present and future community.
Based on this, we can determine that there are five common points in what could be called hostels sustainable and socially responsible, which various authors refer to as the “5 Rs”. Five "Rs" that every sustainable hostel should comply with:
- Rethinking: understood as the first exercise that a hostel that aspires to be considered sustainable. A hostel must be designed or redesigned aligned with an action strategy based on sustainable management.
- Reduce: one of the objectives of any sustainable hostel must be the reduction of consumption, waste and energy to minimize the environmental impact.
- Reuse: the hostel must reuse by taking its own measures and cooperating with allies (NGOs or other facilitators and partners), to promote sustainable initiatives.
- Recycle: The recycling of residues, scraps and components that have been end of its useful life and are no longer used, it is a fundamental part for meet the demands of being a sustainable hostel.
- Respect: the value of respect must be established as a support for the entire strategy and operations of the hostel, both at a social and environmental level, making them aware and communicating and disseminating it to all groups of interest.