From co-working to co-living spaces – youngsters today are spoilt for choice. Gone are the days when hostels were the only places where students could stay when they moved out of their city for higher education. Now, we have a number of co-living spaces that offer the convenience and safety of a hostel along with the freedom of a hotel.
Typically, a co-living space comprises a common kitchen, a utility space and a lounge area along with a common study zone the students can use, a private bedroom and bathroom each resident has access to.
“It is good that India is opening up to these places. A co-living space helps a youngster take up the responsibility for his/her life. It is different from a hostel where a student is always sheltered,” says Greater Noida resident Manmohan Gupta, adding, “My daughter who is studying in Delhi University lives at one such place. Believe me, she is happier now than when she was at the university hostel.”
“Additionally, co-living spaces have many benefits, mainly of being more comfortable than a hostel. The facilities available, such as utilities and maintenance, are at par with what is available in your own house, although the cost is a little high,” says another parent, Bikram Singh, who also put his son in a co-living space in Delhi.
Not just college/university students, even frequent travellers and those who relocate from their hometowns for jobs are opting for co-living spaces as these offer curated experiences, unlike a hotel which has only boarding and loading acilities. “Moving out of my city was in itself a big change for me. It would have been a bigger challenge if I had to look for a rented house, then buy a refrigerator, a washing machine or setting up an Internet connection,” says Taruna Sharma, who lives at a co-living space.
“Youngsters now want more than just going to a clichéd place, taking a few pictures, eating the local cuisine and coming home. They want wholesome experiences like going to offbeat places and interacting with locals. These ‘hostels’ give youngsters a perfect balance between privacy and comfort,” says Pallavi Agarwal, Co-founder of goStops that started operations in Varanasi in 2014 and now has its presence in Agra, Amritsar, Dalhousie, Bir, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Mumbai, Naggar, Rishikesh, Leh, Udaipur and Delhi.
Here we have listed five co-living spaces in and around Delhi:
GoStops
Offers private rooms and dormitories. The dormitories have different capacity of beds. There are four, six, eight, 10, 12 and 14 bed dormitories. An only female dormitory is also available. goStops has a total 800 beds capacity across all their 13 hostels as of now.
Co-Ho
Available in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram, Co-Ho living spaces are mostly present near colleges and educational institutions. These are hassle-free managed dorms at affordable prices. They also extend social experience, fun and recreation, student labs and online concierge along with high-speed Wi-fi and wholesome meals.
WudStay
Provides standardised and branded rooms to corporate and leisure travellers. Ensures quality experience and promises complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, clean washrooms and linen.
Stanza Living
Offers shared accommodation, especially for student living. Promises to address a wide array of needs and requirements. More than 47,500 beds across ten cities in India.
Studentacco
Offers over 2,000 properties and more than 55,000 beds with a vast range of amenities and features to suit every budget in New Delhi, Gurugram and Noida.