Backpacker accommodation has evolved well beyond bunk beds and shared bathrooms — the best hostels now compete genuinely on design, social atmosphere, and location, while still keeping prices low. Here’s a world tour of the standouts, pulled together from our destination guides.
Southeast Asia
Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Thailand — both covered in our [best cities for solo travelers guide] and [hidden gems Southeast Asia guide], remain some of the most established, affordable backpacker hubs globally, with an extensive well-reviewed hostel scene.
The Pod Boutique Capsule Hotel and Cube Boutique Capsule Hotel, Singapore — featured in our [Singapore hotel guide] and [capsule hotels guide], offering a design-forward, private-pod alternative to a traditional dorm at a still-accessible price point in an otherwise expensive city.
Europe
Wombat’s City Hostel and MEININGER Hotel Wien, Vienna — covered in our [Vienna hotel guide], both offering strong social hostel-hotel hybrid options in a city otherwise known for imperial-era luxury pricing.
Home Lisbon Hostel and Yes! Lisbon Hostel — featured in our [Lisbon hotel guide], consistently well-reviewed for social atmosphere and central location in one of Europe’s most popular budget-friendly capital cities.
Milhouse Hostel Buenos Aires — covered in our [Buenos Aires hotel guide], a long-established, highly social hostel offering organized activities alongside affordable dorm and private room options.
South America
Masaya Bogotá and Selina La Candelaria, Bogotá — featured in our [Bogotá hotel guide], both centrally located in the historic La Candelaria district near the city’s main museums and attractions.
Pariwana Hostel Lima and Kokopelli Hostel Lima — covered in our [Lima hotel guide], both centrally located in Miraflores with strong social reputations among backpackers passing through Peru.
Books Hostel Ipanema and Rio Hostel Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro — featured in our [Rio de Janeiro hotel guide], offering beach-adjacent budget accommodation in a city otherwise known for premium beachfront pricing.
Australia & New Zealand
Base Backpackers Auckland and YHA Auckland City — covered in our [Auckland hotel guide], both well-established options for travelers starting or ending a New Zealand trip.
What Makes a Great Backpacker Hostel (Beyond Just Price)
- Genuine social spaces, not just a dorm room — a well-designed common area or bar significantly shapes the overall experience for solo travelers looking to meet people, more than the room itself does.
- Organized activities and tours, which the best-reviewed hostels increasingly offer as a core part of the experience, effectively functioning as a built-in way to explore a destination with a ready-made group.
- Security basics, including lockers for valuables and reasonably secure entry systems — worth checking specifically in reviews, since this varies more at budget properties than at standard hotels.
- Location relative to public transit, which matters more on a backpacker budget where taxis and rideshares are a bigger proportional cost than for other types of travel.
Booking Tips
- Book directly through the hostel’s own site when possible, since some hostels offer better rates or perks (free walking tour, welcome drink) for direct bookings compared to third-party platforms.
- Read very recent reviews specifically, since hostel quality and management can shift more noticeably year to year than at larger branded hotel chains.
- Consider a private room within a hostel as a middle-ground option if you want the social common areas without sharing a sleeping space — most well-reviewed hostels now offer this alongside traditional dorms.
