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Walchensee Youth Hostel: Bitter closure in November 2025!
The Urfeld youth hostel on Walchensee will close in November 2025 due to economic unprofitability and stagnating demand.
Walchensee Youth Hostel: Bitter closure in November 2025!
The Urfeld am Walchensee youth hostel will finally close its doors on November 17, 2025. This decision represents a bitter blow for the region, as Mayor Jens Müller emphasizes. Despite the idyllic location on the lake and the proximity to the popular Herzogstand, the youth hostel was not able to achieve the expected occupancy. Loud sueddeutsche.de The demand for overnight stays and offers remains stagnant, which, in combination with a high investment backlog of around 2.5 million euros, leads to the closure.
The hostel, which was built in 1928, is in a condition that no longer meets today's standards. “The windows are 60 to 70 years old, and the room sizes and sanitary facilities are now outdated,” explains the manager of the youth hostel, Rico Hofmann. Despite its opening hours from May to October and full occupancy in these months, the financial deficiencies could not be remedied. The youth hostel's reach has been supported in recent years by internal cross-financing, which can now no longer be maintained due to rising costs and insufficient revenue.
The loss of opportunities
Klaus Umbach, President of DJH Bayern, emphasizes that the closure will also mean the loss of valuable educational offerings and meeting opportunities. These aspects are particularly important for the young generation in order to develop social skills and gain experiences in nature. But stagnating demand and high maintenance and upkeep costs contributed to the final decision.
The current situation of the youth hostel is symptomatic of a change in the industry. More and more establishments are having to adapt to the challenges posed by rising costs and changing guest needs. The trend is towards adventure resorts and modern accommodation, while traditional youth hostels can often no longer keep up consumer protection forum.berlin notes.
What's next?
The revival of the site is uncertain. The municipal administration will be involved in the planning, as the land and building are to be sold after the closure. The youth hostel at Walchensee is the only one in the Oberland that will be closed; while in Mittenwald we are working on a hostel that will operate all year round. This leaves Kochel and the surrounding area without an important contact point for groups and hikers, which could influence the future of the region.
In 2024, the youth hostel recorded 3,800 overnight stays, indicating the potential of the location. Nevertheless, efforts to ensure sustainable operations failed. This development not only has an impact on the 101 beds affected, but also on the entire tourist infrastructure in the region. The decision to close shows that the challenges facing the industry are greater than ever and a rethink is needed for the future.