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Pandemic forces hostels in Saint John, Moncton to close

The only hostels in Saint John and Moncton are permanently closing because of the pandemic, reducing accommodation geared toward young budget-conscious travellers.

The BunkHaus Hostel in Saint John and the C'Mon Inn in Moncton, owned by different people, announced the closures two days apart late last month.

Monique Vautour, who co-owns the C'Mon Inn with her husband, Morgan LeBlanc, said normally the hostel would get through the winter based on income from the busier summer season.

But when the pandemic hit, the hostel with its communal sleeping and bathroom spaces closed and hasn't reopened.

"It's very stressful to have the properties with no income coming in," Vautour said in an interview.

BunkHaus Hostel/Facebook
BunkHaus Hostel/Facebook

The BunkHaus, which opened two years ago on Water Street, announced it will close Sept. 2.

Owner Ingrid Woodhouse said the hostel reopened after temporarily closing earlier in the pandemic but has only had one to two bookings per week.

"Like a faucet, it just kind of turned off and dripped a little bit," Woodhouse said of the bookings.

"But it's essentially just not not functioning, and it seems as though business will continue to be dead for another couple of years at least."

The Uptowner café and bar connected to the BunkHaus will remain open, Woodhouse said.

Woodhouse declined to get into specifics but is excited that the hostel space will be repurposed as an inclusive space for the community.

"We do want to still keep bringing people together — socially distanced of course — with this new business," Woodhouse said.

'Absolutely amazing experience'

The C'Mon Inn hostel has operated out of a home built in 1884 on Fleet Street in downtown Moncton. The hostel originally opened in 2006. Vautour and LeBlanc have owned it since 2010.

"Running the hostel has been a highlight — an absolutely amazing experience," Vautour said.

She said she's met people from around the world and had helpful volunteers who have helped run the hostel.

As a school teacher, she said they also tried to teach guests about the history of Moncton and the Acadian culture.

"There's an attachment here with our guests and our travellers and the house, so it was a very hard decision to make," Vautour said.

Shane Magee/CBC
Shane Magee/CBC

The closure reduces options for travellers trying to save on accommodations.

Peak season rates at C'Mon Inn were around $37 for a shared room or around $89 for a private room, prices that include taxes and breakfast. Rates at downtown Moncton hotels ranged from $120 to $160 this week.

She said about 90 per cent of C'Mon guests were from outside the Maritimes. They typically would have 20 to 25 guests per night this time of year.

Vautour said they considered turning the building into another business, but that also required money. And raising prices would defeat the purpose of catering to budget travellers.

"We've been running it for 10 years. If we close, we can close on a high, not a low," Vautour said.

The property is for sale along with an adjacent home owned by LeBlanc and Vautour.

"We're hoping someone who's in love with old, heritage houses will come and buy it," she said.

Other older homes in the neighbourhood, some that had been rooming houses, have been torn down in recent years. Some have been replaced by apartment buildings.

Vautour will return to teaching in September. As well, she's now a grandparent and said they're looking forward to a quieter few years to spend with family.