Experience hostel life as a social host in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

Infos

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  Description

  Ready for an Adventure? Become a Social Host in Sunny Unawatuna!
  
  So... are you looking to swap alarm clocks, traffic jams and the daily grind for palm trees, tropical beaches and conversations with travellers from every corner of the world?
  
  If your answer is “Absolutely!”, then keep reading.
  
  We’re a small backpacker hostel in beautiful Unawatuna on Sri Lanka’s stunning south coast. We’re not right on the beach (we asked the ocean to move a little closer, but it politely declined 😜), although it’s only a walk away. We’re also just a quick tuk-tuk ride from the famous UNESCO World Heritage city of Galle Fort.
  
  If you’re the type of person who enjoys meeting new people, sharing stories over a beer, joining spontaneous beach trips, laughing over board games or simply making others feel welcome, then you might be exactly the person we’re looking for.
  
  ### What We’re All About
  
  Our mission is simple:
  
  “To create an unforgettable experience of a lifetime for every guest who walks through our doors.”
  
  Over the years we’ve learned something important.
  
  Guests rarely remember whether the Wi-Fi was fast or whether the pillows were especially fluffy.
  
  They remember the people.
  
  The late-night conversations.
  
  The beach trips.
  
  The group dinners.
  
  The people they met from countries they’d never even thought about visiting.
  
  Those are the memories that stay with them.
  
  That’s why we’ve created our Social Host Programme.
  
  ### So... what exactly is a Social Host?
  
  Here’s the important bit.
  
  Your role is to be the friendly face of the hostel.
  
  Our Social Hosts work around 15 hours a week, usually in five-hour morning or evening shifts. While you’re on shift, your main job is simply to be around, welcome guests when they arrive and help them feel at home from the moment they walk through the door.
  
  Each day, our Duty Manager will let the Social Hosts know which guests are expected to arrive and which rooms they’ll be staying in.
  
  When one of those guests arrives, you’ll greet them, check the arrivals information, show them where they’ll be staying and let the Duty Manager know they’re here.
  
  The Duty Manager takes care of the formal stuff — the booking system, passport details, payments and the actual check-in.
  
  If somebody simply walks in looking for a bed, that’s easy too. Make them feel welcome, give the Duty Manager a call and keep them company until they arrive.
  
  Once everything is sorted, you can show the guest their room, their locker and help them settle into hostel life.
  
  That’s basically the job.
  
  No handling money.
  
  No booking systems.
  
  No emails or reception administration.
  
  No cleaning shifts — we have wonderful housekeeping staff who take care of that.
  
  What we do want is someone who genuinely enjoys being around travellers and understands that arriving somewhere new is a lot nicer when there’s a friendly person there to say hello.
  
  And once your shift is over?
  
  You’re another traveller living in the hostel.
  
  Head to the beach.
  
  Join everyone for dinner.
  
  Play cards.
  
  Start a drinking game.
  
  Organise a movie night if the mood strikes.
  
  Go out together.
  
  Sit on the terrace talking until someone realises it’s somehow 2am.
  
  We don’t have a rigid calendar of compulsory hostel activities. The best hostel nights usually aren’t planned weeks in advance anyway. They happen because the right group of people are together and somebody says, “Who’s up for...?”
  
  That’s the kind of atmosphere we want our Social Hosts to help create simply by being part of the hostel.
  
  ### Who’s in the Hostel Family?
  
  Our little team consists of two owners, a manager and our wonderful housekeeping staff, who keep everything running behind the scenes.
  
  Alongside them, we normally host around four to six Social Hosts at any given time, creating a genuinely international community where guests and Social Hosts quickly become part of the same group.
  
  ### What We Offer
  
  As a Social Host you’ll receive complimentary accommodation in one of our shared dormitories.
  
  You’ll also have access to our shared kitchen if you’d like to cook your own meals.
  
  Not much of a chef?
  
  No problem.
  
  There are a few a lovely local restaurants less than five minutes away where you can enjoy authentic Sri Lankan breakfasts, lunches and dinners for less a very reasonable price.
  
  The rest of your time is yours.
  
  Explore the beaches.
  
  Learn to surf.
  
  Visit Galle Fort.
  
  Go diving.
  
  Take a train along Sri Lanka’s spectacular coastline.
  
  Or simply spend the afternoon in a hammock chatting with people from around the world.
  
  ### How to Stand Out (Hint: We Love a Sense of Humour!)
  
  If you’d like to become part of our little community, send us a message with the subject line:
  
  “Hi, I’m looking forward to becoming part of your hostel family!”
  
  Then forget the “copy and paste” applications.
  
  Tell us something about yourself.
  
  What makes you laugh?
  
  What’s the best travel story you’ve got?
  
  Do you have a completely useless talent you’re oddly proud of?
  
  We’re much more interested in getting to know the person than reading a perfect CV.
  
  ### What You’ll Get in Return
  
  If you decide to join us, we hope you’ll leave with far more than just photos of Sri Lanka.
  
  Our aim is that you’ll leave with friendships that last long after your flight home, unforgettable memories, and a collection of stories you’ll still be telling years from now.
  
  If that sounds like your kind of adventure...
  
  We’d love to hear from you.
  
  See you in sunny Sri Lanka!
  
  Rajiv
  Hostel Owner

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Aide à la maison

  Accueil / tourisme
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Événements/vie sociale

  

  Technologie

  

  Politique/justice sociale

  

  Culture

  

  Animaux de compagnie

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Vie en van

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Films et télé

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Jardinage

  

  Langues

  

  Photographie

  

  Animaux

  

  Écriture

  

  Livres

  

  Art et design

  

  Architecture

  

  Plage

  

  Voile / bateau

  

  Fitness

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Sports d'équipe

  

  Randonnée

  

  Sports d'aventure

  

  Sports nautiques

  

  Activités en plein air
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Let’s be honest. You probably won’t leave here knowing how to run a hostel. But we hope you’ll leave with something much more valuable.
  
  One of the greatest things about backpacking is that the world suddenly becomes a much smaller place. On any given evening you might find yourself sharing dinner with someone from Germany, playing cards with someone from Brazil, discussing life with someone from Japan, and planning tomorrow’s beach trip with someone from Australia. Those are the experiences people remember long after they return home. Our hostel brings together travellers from all over the world, creating the kind of international atmosphere that’s difficult to find anywhere else.
  
  
  Living in a hostel is completely different from staying in a hotel. You’ll quickly become part of a community where people explore together, recommend hidden beaches to one another, organise spontaneous day trips and often make friendships that continue long after everyone has returned home. When you’re not relaxing at the hostel, you’ll have plenty to explore.
  Beautiful beaches, surfing, diving, whale watching, jungle walks, local markets and incredible Sri Lankan food are all within easy reach. Just 5.5 km away lies the historic city of Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where centuries of Portuguese, Dutch and British history blend with cafés, boutiques and spectacular ocean views.
  
  
  One of the most rewarding parts of this experience isn’t something we organise. It’s the people you meet.
  Every traveller arrives with different stories, cultures, traditions and perspectives. Some may teach you a card game you’ve never played. Others might introduce you to food from their country, recommend destinations you’ve never considered visiting, or simply change the way you look at the world through a late night conversation on the terrace. We think that’s one of the greatest forms of cultural exchange there is.
  
  
  Of course you’ll probably go home with thousands of pictures of beaches, sunsets and palm trees. But our hope is that you’ll also leave with new friendships, unforgettable memories and stories you’ll still be telling years from now. After all, those are the souvenirs that don’t take up any space in your backpack.

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  Aide

  So... what exactly does a Social Host do?
  
  Your role is pretty simple.
  
  Our Social Hosts work around 15 hours a week, usually in five-hour morning or evening shifts. During your shift, you’ll be the friendly face of the hostel — hanging around, welcoming arriving guests and helping them settle in.
  
  Before guests arrive, our Duty Manager will post the day’s expected arrivals and room information in our WhatsApp group.
  
  When someone arrives, you’ll greet them, check that they’re on the arrivals list, let the Duty Manager know they’re here and help make them feel at home.
  
  Our Duty Manager handles all the boring official stuff — the booking system, passport details, payments and formal check-in.
  
  Once that’s done, you can show the guest their room and locker, introduce them to whoever happens to be around and help them settle into hostel life.
  
  And if someone walks in without a booking?
  
  No problem.
  
  Welcome them, give the Duty Manager a call and keep them company until they arrive. The Duty Manager will take it from there.
  
  That’s basically your shift.
  
  You won’t be handling money, working with booking systems, answering emails or doing reception administration. And you definitely won’t be cleaning rooms or making beds — our housekeepers already have that covered.
  
  But being a Social Host is about more than those 15 hours.
  
  You’ll also be living in the hostel alongside travellers from all over the world, and some of the best moments in a backpacker hostel are completely unplanned.
  
  You might find yourself chatting with someone who’s just arrived from a country you’ve never been to, joining a group heading to the beach, playing cards on the terrace, sharing travel stories over dinner, starting a drinking game or introducing two guests who end up becoming great friends.
  
  We don’t have a compulsory calendar of organised activities. Sometimes there might be karaoke. Sometimes a quiz. Sometimes a drinking game. Sometimes everyone suddenly decides they’re going out.
  
  We’d much rather let those things happen naturally than turn hostel life into a timetable.
  
  Every Social Host brings something different. Some are naturally outgoing and end up getting the whole hostel involved in something. Others are better at sitting down with the new person who just arrived and making them feel like they’re already part of the group.
  
  Both are equally valuable.
  
  And you’re always welcome to bring your own personality and passions into hostel life.
  
  Love photography? Enjoy making travel videos? Play guitar? Know a fun card game from your country? Speak five languages?
  
  Whatever makes you YOU, feel free to share it with the people around you. Some of the most memorable hostel experiences come from travellers sharing their own interests and cultures with each other.
  
  If you enjoy photography or social media and happen to take some great photos or videos during your stay, we’d absolutely love it if you shared a few with us.
  
  Likewise, if you feel inspired to create content about your experience at our hostel, that’s fantastic! We want anything you share to come from genuine enthusiasm, not because anyone asked you to do it.
  
  More than anything, come with an open mind, be kind, be respectful, get to know people from different cultures and help make our hostel the sort of place that travellers remember long after they’ve gone home.
  
  Everything else tends to happen naturally.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant

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  Hébergement

  As a Social Host, you’ll have a comfortable bed in one of our shared dormitories with everything you need for a relaxed stay.
  
  Your accommodation includes:
  • A comfortable bed with fresh bed linen (so no need to pack your own!)
  • Fresh towels
  • Individual charging sockets for your devices
  • Easy access to shared bathrooms
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout the hostel
  • Access to our shared kitchen if you’d like to prepare your own meals
  
  Need to do some laundry after a few days at the beach?
  
  No problem! A local laundry lady regularly collects and returns clothes from the hostel for a very reasonable price, making it an easy and convenient option during your stay. If you prefer, there are also other laundry services available nearby.
  
  Our aim is simple: we want you to feel less like you’re staying in a hostel and more like you’ve found a temporary home while exploring Sri Lanka.

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  Autres infos...

  Most attractions are just a walk or a quick tuk-tuk ride away. And if you’re feeling adventurous, we can set you up with a scooter rental. Helmet on, wind in your face, and the thrill of dodging the occasional monkey paparazzi trying to photobomb your journey..
  
  Welcome to the real Sri Lankan experience!

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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