Hostels and bed-and-breakfasts are small, personal lodging businesses, often in converted townhouses, brownstones or older homes. Guests share common rooms, kitchens and sometimes bathrooms, and the owner may live on site or leave a single host to cover the night. Problems tend to be practical: luggage and belongings that go missing from common areas, guests who let in strangers, disputes over damage or noise, break-ins through a back or basement door and the safety of a lone host at night. Cameras help, but guests are sleeping and living in the building, so the line between public and private matters more than anywhere else. This guide explains how to lay out cameras in a hostel or bed-and-breakfast in New York and New Jersey: what to cover, what to leave alone, how to pair cameras with keys and locks and what a sensible system costs.
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your attorney, insurer and any host platform about requirements.
1. The Short Version
| Zone | Camera goal |
|---|---|
| Front entrance | Everyone arriving and leaving |
| Common room/lobby | Wide overview, no close-ups |
| Shared kitchen | Entry and general view where appropriate |
| Luggage storage | Access and handling |
| Guest rooms, dorms, bathrooms | No cameras |
| Back and basement doors | After-hours entry points |
| Exterior/parking | Approaches, bikes and cars |
2. What Small Lodging Faces
Typical problems include theft of belongings from dorms and common areas, unregistered visitors, guests who prop doors open, damage disputes, theft of bikes and luggage, and break-ins through rear doors. Owners also worry about liability if someone is hurt or harassed. Our guide on camera placement explains how to plan coverage.
3. The Front Entrance
Put a face-level camera inside the entrance and an exterior camera covering the stoop or sidewalk. A video doorbell can help at a locked street door, but a recorder-based camera is more reliable for evidence. Post a sign that video is in use. Require guests to use a key or code, and tell them not to hold the door for strangers. Our local pages on commercial camera installation in Brooklyn and business camera installation in Manhattan describe typical entrance setups.
4. Common Rooms and Lobby
Cover the common room with a wide view from a high corner. Guests lounge, work and relax here, so keep the view general, avoid close-ups of laps and screens and never record audio without legal advice. Our guides on camera laws in New York and New Jersey and on audio recording laws explain why aim and notice matter. Make sure signs are visible at the entrance so guests know before they book or check in.
5. Shared Kitchens
Shared kitchens are the site of theft, mess and fire risk. A wide camera at the entrance shows who comes and goes. Keep views away from places where guests may change clothes or sit privately. A kitchen camera also helps if a pan is left on or a fire starts. Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as required, and keep exits clear.
6. Dorms, Rooms and Bathrooms: No Cameras
Never place cameras in dorms, guest rooms or bathrooms. That is illegal and a profound breach of trust. Give each guest a locker with a lock. Cover the corridor outside dorms from a wide angle, not into doorways. Inspect rooms regularly for unauthorized devices. The Federal Trade Commission publishes consumer guidance on hidden cameras at consumer.ftc.gov.
7. Luggage Storage and Lockers
Many hostels hold bags before check-in and after check-out. Put luggage in a locked room or behind the desk with a camera on the door. Use numbered tags and a simple log. Cover lockers from a distance. This protects guests and the business if someone claims a bag was taken.
8. Keys, Codes and Access
Cameras work best with good access control. Use key cards or codes that can be changed, retire old codes and keep a key log. Do not hand out the same code to every guest for months. A smart lock on the front door can record entries; see our guide on smart lock installation. Combine logs with entrance video to resolve disputes. Our local page on commercial camera installation in Hoboken shows how small properties handle this.
9. Back Doors, Basements and Fire Escapes
Rear and basement doors are what burglars test. In July 2026, according to Hoodline, NYPD Crime Stoppers released images of a suspected serial burglar tied to 11 commercial break-ins in Brooklyn, entering through basement-level doors. Put a camera and a motion light on every rear or basement entrance, use strong locks and keep fire exits usable from inside. Never chain or block an exit.
10. The Lone Host at Night
A single host covering the night should have a panic button, a way to call for help and clear rules: do not confront anyone alone, call 911 in an emergency. Cameras with phone alerts help the host see who is at the door before opening it. Consider professional video monitoring; see our guide on professional monitoring vs. watching your own cameras.
11. Parking, Bikes and Exterior
Cover the sidewalk, bike storage and any parking with cameras and lighting. Bikes are common targets at hostels. Provide a locked bike room or secure racks. Place cameras so they show racks and doors. Remind guests not to leave valuables in cars.
12. Guest Notice and Privacy
Tell guests in the booking confirmation and at check-in that cameras cover the entrance, common areas and exterior only. Keep footage access limited to the owner and manager. Release clips to police, not to other guests. Store the recorder in a locked space and use strong passwords. Our guide on securing cameras against hacking explains the steps.
13. Retention and Storage
Keep at least 30 days of video, longer for incidents. Storage planning: total GB = cameras x Mbps x 10.8 x days. Eight cameras at 3 Mbps for 30 days is about 7,776 GB, or roughly 8 TB. Make sure the clock is correct and the owner can export clips. Our guides on how long to keep footage and on storage planning explain the math.
14. Common Mistakes
- Any camera in a dorm, room or bathroom.
- Cameras aimed into doorways.
- No notice to guests.
- Shared codes that never change.
- No camera on rear and basement doors.
- Blocked or chained fire exits.
- A lone host with no safety plan.
- Showing footage to other guests.
15. Cost
Planning ranges in 2026: four-camera system for a small B&B, $1,800 to $4,200; eight-camera system for a hostel, $3,000 to $7,000; twelve-camera system, $4,800 to $10,000; smart lock or access control, $300 to $3,000 per door; recorder and storage, $600 to $3,000; exterior camera, $350 to $900. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
16. A Second Data Point
NYPD reported burglary down 19.5% citywide in May 2026 compared with May 2025 (NYPD). A small lodging property's risk is about its doors, its hours and its guests' belongings, so plan around the building you have.
17. Questions to Ask Your Installer
- Which areas will cameras cover and which will they avoid?
- How will you cover rear and basement doors?
- Can cameras work with our key or code system?
- How will you support a lone host at night?
- How will we secure the recorder and accounts?
- Can the work be phased?
See our local pages for commercial camera installation in Brooklyn, business camera installation in Manhattan, commercial camera installation in Hoboken and our services page.
Running a hostel or B&B? Revolvis will walk the property with you and mark the spots, and keep rooms private.
18. A Hypothetical Hostel
A 30-bed Brooklyn hostel in a converted townhouse installs eight cameras: a front door camera, a stoop camera, a common room camera, a kitchen entrance camera, a luggage room camera, a rear door camera, a basement door camera and a bike room camera. No cameras are in dorms or bathrooms. Guests receive a notice at booking. Footage is kept 30 days. After a bag goes missing, the host finds the time on the luggage room clip and gives it to police.
19. Daily Routine
Open by checking cameras and alerts. Walk the common areas. Verify the luggage log. At night, lock rear and basement doors, set alerts and confirm the host's safety plan. Wipe lenses monthly. Test an export monthly.
20. Annual Review
Once a year, walk the property at night with an installer. Check angles, lighting, locks and exits. Review incidents and complaints for patterns. Update notices and procedures. A short review keeps guests and the host safer.
More From Revolvis
Cameras are one layer of a secure property. The same in-house crew also handles the rest:
- Keyless entry installation and smart lock installation
- Access control systems and commercial access control
- Video doorbells and intercoms
- Alarm system installation
- Complete unified security
Learn more about Revolvis, meet the team, see all services, browse the blog or contact us.
Areas We Serve
Revolvis installs residential and commercial camera systems across the New York metro area. Every borough and county has its own building stock, rules and wiring challenges, so the plan for a Queens two-family is not the plan for a Manhattan co-op.
- Staten Island: houses, detached garages and shop fronts. See security camera installation in Staten Island.
- Brooklyn: brownstones, row houses and storefronts. See security camera installation in Brooklyn.
- Queens: attached brick homes, two-families and busy commercial strips. See security camera installation in Queens.
- The Bronx: pre-war buildings, bodegas and warehouses. See security camera installation in the Bronx.
- Manhattan: co-ops, condos, offices and retail. See security camera installation in Manhattan.
- Long Island: Nassau County and Suffolk County.
- New Jersey: Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken and nearby towns.
The full list is on the service areas page.
Get a Custom Quote After a Site Visit
Revolvis prices every job after a site visit, because the building sets the cost as much as the equipment does. A few things make the estimate faster and more accurate:
- The address and property type: house, apartment, co-op, condo, storefront or warehouse.
- Which doors, sides and areas you want covered, and what worries you most.
- Photos of those spots and any spots where you already have cabling or power.
- How many days of footage you want to keep and whether you want to watch on your phone.
- Any landlord, board, lender or insurer requirement.
Call 347-258-9165 or use the contact page to book a site visit. The quote you receive is written and itemized, so you can compare it line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a hostel put cameras in dorms? Never. Cameras belong only in entrances, common areas and the exterior.
Where should cameras go? Front door, common room, kitchen entrance, luggage storage, rear and basement doors and the exterior.
Do I need to tell guests? Yes. Use signs and a notice at booking or check-in.
Can I record audio? Usually not without legal advice.
How long should I keep video? Often 30 days, longer for incidents.
How do I protect a lone host? Panic button, door alerts, clear procedures and monitoring.
Ready for a custom quote? Call Revolvis at 347-258-9165 for a site visit and a written, itemized estimate.
Safety note: A camera system supports, but does not replace, good locks, lighting, alarms and everyday habits. If you are in danger or witnessing a crime, call 911. Prices and legal summaries in this guide are general information for the New York metro area, not an offer or legal advice. A written quote after a site visit governs your actual price, and for legal questions you should confirm with the agencies linked in the article or a licensed attorney.