Zostel’s Zo Selections Makes Jaipur Debut as Brand Evolves from Backpacker Hostels to Premium Stays

Written By: Ricky Acharjee

Ricky Acharjee

I am travel writer at Travel And Tour World with 3 years of experience covering global tourism, aviation, hospitality, and destination news. Dedicated to accurate reporting and compelling storytelling, Ricky explores the trends, innovations, and developments shaping the international travel industry while delivering engaging insights for travellers and industry professionals.

See Full Bio

September 2, 2026 5:57 PM |

Image generated with Ai

Zostel, known for building one of the world’s largest backpacker hostel networks, has introduced Zo Selections, a new premium social-hospitality concept under its parent company, Zo World. The new vertical marks the group’s move into more elevated accommodation while retaining the community-led travel experience closely associated with the Zostel brand.

The concept makes its debut with Zo Selections Jaipur by Zostel, where the accommodation offering focuses on stylish private rooms and higher-end categories, including suites equipped with jacuzzis.

Rather than representing a complete departure from Zostel’s original model, Zo Selections reflects the changing preferences of the travellers who helped the company grow. Zostel began with a 24-bed hostel in Jodhpur in 2013 and has since expanded to roughly 5,000 beds across India, Nepal and Thailand. During that period, the brand says it has facilitated more than five million traveller journeys while developing a sizeable community of young and independent travellers.

Many of Zostel’s earliest guests are now entering a different stage of their travelling lives. Travellers who once preferred dormitory stays are increasingly taking trips with partners, family members, friends and professional colleagues. Their accommodation expectations may have evolved towards greater privacy and comfort, but their interest in social interaction, local experiences and a strong sense of community remains.

Zo Selections has been developed around that shift. The new hospitality format aims to give these travellers the privacy and premium comforts they now seek without removing the social atmosphere and shared experiences that originally attracted them to Zostel.

Aviral Gupta, CEO of Zostel said, “Premium hospitality is easy to buy and hard to earn. We did not want to build another five star hotel with a logo on the door, we wanted to build the next chapter of a community we have spent thirteen years growing. The traveller who found us in Jodhpur is now planning family holidays and company offsites, and they still want what they wanted then: people, not just a room. Zo Selections is us answering that. It is not louder and it is not bigger, it was built for the same reason our first hostel was, to bring the right people into the same space. Jaipur is where we start. It will not be where we stop.”

While much of India’s premium hospitality market has increasingly focused on exclusivity, seclusion and private experiences, Zo Selections is taking a more social approach. The concept places shared moments at the centre of the guest experience. Bonfire gatherings, workshops and sundowner sessions are deliberately woven into each stay, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, couples, families and corporate offsite groups to connect in a natural yet purposeful setting.

At Zo Selections Jaipur, this philosophy is reflected in interiors influenced by the colours and character of the Pink City. Soft pastel tones, spacious communal zones and dedicated work areas combine leisure with productivity. The property also features Amaano, its in-house dining venue, where guests can explore flavours inspired by Rajasthan’s culinary traditions.

Across the Zo Selections portfolio, three principles shape the guest experience. Service is designed to recognise needs before guests have to ask. Architecture and interiors draw inspiration from the local culture, craftsmanship and identity of each destination. Experiences are also tailored around individual travel preferences, allowing visitors to decide whether they want to relax, work, socialise or explore.

Following its Jaipur debut, Zo Selections is preparing to open another property in Gokarna. The upcoming coastal retreat will focus on slower, more immersive travel. The company’s broader development pipeline also includes planned locations in Mussoorie, Pench and Lonavla, signalling an ambition to expand the brand across different leisure markets in India.

Zo Selections becomes part of a wider hospitality ecosystem developed around the changing preferences of Zostel travellers. That portfolio includes Zostel Plus, which offers an upgraded hostel experience with design-led spaces and organised activities, and Zostel Homes, which focuses on stays surrounded by nature. Zo World also operates Zo House, positioned as India’s first permanent network of hacker houses. Each format has evolved in response to different accommodation, community and lifestyle needs identified among the company’s guests.

The introduction of Zo Selections comes as Zo World accelerates its wider expansion strategy. During the past year, Zostel reached the milestone of opening its 100th property and entered the international market with its first location in Phuket. Its global presence has expanded further through Safestay, giving the broader network exposure across more than 20 European destinations.

The group is now working towards building a portfolio of 10,000 beds. Within that growth strategy, Zo Selections marks an important shift into premium hospitality, allowing Zo World to move beyond its hostel and alternative-stay roots while retaining the community-focused philosophy that has shaped its development.