The Best Hostels Around the World
Updated: Sep 24
Hostels are the best way to travel on a budget, especially when you’re solo. I have stayed in over 100 hostels in my life, and some have been incredible either in terms of facilities, experience, location or just overall vibe. This is my guide to some of the best hostels around the world with my honest review, and I'll update it as I keep travelling!
Looking for the ultimate guide to staying in hostels? Look no further than my Hostel Survival Guide.
The Best Hostels Around the World
Lub D: Siem Reap, Cambodia
For incredible facilities including a pool, gorgeous rooms, copious common areas, great food options, and endless hostel-organised activities, Lub D in Siem Reap is probably my favourite hostel of all time. It was also absolutely spotless and had great air conditioning which is vital for Cambodia. You can’t visit Siem Reap and not stay at Lub D.
See my one week Cambodia itinerary here.
Bounce: Noosa, Australia
Bounce is a chain of hostels but its best is in Noosa, on Australia’s east coast. It looks like a hotel with its almost luxury bathrooms, spacious rooms, glass-walled pool, large kitchen and fridge, and bar and restaurant. It’s also perfectly located in Noosa and hosts great activities. I loved my stay here.
See my one month Australia East Coast itinerary here.
Old Quarter View Hanoi Hostel: Hanoi, Vietnam
Old Quarter View Hostel in Hanoi was also hotel-like. The rooms were spotless, slick, the beds were very comfortable, and the showers were amazing. They have free beer at happy hour which is good for meeting people, especially in a city hostel. You can also book tours through them including the Ha Giang Loop and Ha Long Bay cruises, and all of them were excellent. The hostel is also really well located right in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, so you’re close to everything.
Flock Hostel: Kathmandu, Nepal
Flock Hostel is a real haven from the busyness that is Kathmandu. The rooms are really modern, beds are super comfortable, and it has so many nice common areas to relax and socialise. The food they make there is also great, and the staff are so friendly when it comes to helping you book treks across Nepal. I really loved it there.
Have a look at my Everest Base Camp guide here.
Adventure Q2 Hostel: Queenstown, New Zealand
Adventure Q2 Hostel is the best place to stay in Queenstown. The beds are great, it has everything you need, a great TV and common room, and is really centrally located. They also have plenty of activities on offer so it’s easy to meet people, so it’s social without being too party focused!
Pipes Hostel: Kuta, Lombok, Indonesia
Pipes Hostel is the place to stay in Kuta Lombok. The rooms are really spacious, comfortable, and private, and it has a great pool, café/restaurant, and skateboarding area. It’s a great place to stay if you’re surfing in Kuta, which is the most popular thing to do. The atmosphere at night is also amazing and the whole setting is so peaceful.
Hive Hostel: Ella, Sri Lanka
I’ll remember my stay at Hive Hostel forever. The owner had just opened it when I visited, and it was so great. With only three rooms, it was really small, but they were really comfortable and the hostel was extremely social. They run a free cooking class every other night which turns into a huge family-style dinner, organise meals out for the whole hostel, waterfall tours, and bonfire nights. It was honestly the best experience, I cannot recommend it enough.
See my one month Sri Lanka guide here, which includes all the best things to do in Ella.
Aha Lanta Cozy Hostel: Koh Lanta, Thailand
Koh Lanta is one of Thailand’s lesser-visited islands, but it makes it a gem, and Aha Lanta Cozy Hostel made it so much more memorable. The bathrooms were beautiful and the rooms were really comfortable with great beds and air conditioning. The common area outside was great and they had a yummy free breakfast too. The hostel is also a five minute walk to the beach, several restaurants, a 7/11, and more.
Read my ultimate guide to backpacking Thailand for a month here.
Mooka’s Home: Da Lat, Vietnam
Da Lat was unique in that all the hostels do family dinners. I stayed in two hostels in Da Lat and Mooka’s Home was definitely the best. The rooms were so spacious, clean, and comfortable, the common area was great, and the family dinner was so much fun. It was really easy to meet people and they helped book tours and activities in Da Lat too. It’s a must-stay!
The Imperfect Downtown Hoi An: Hoi An, Vietnam
The Imperfect Downtown Hostel in Hoi An was another of my favourites. While it flies under the radar compared with some of the larger hostels in Hoi An, it really cannot be overlooked. The staff there were so lovely and they put on so many great activities, including a hostel breakfast in town, and more. It was such a friendly atmosphere so it attracted such nice people. The rooms were comfortable and the whole place was absolutely spotless.
Read about all the best things to do in Hoi An here.
Adventure Inn Marahau: Abel Tasman, New Zealand
Adventure Inn Marahau was built by a backpacker, so it was perfect. It is located right near the entrance to Abel Tasman National Park and is next door to the water taxi office. The rooms are all in cabins, the kitchen had plenty of room, and there was a great outdoor and indoor common area with pool tables and more. The best thing about it was the atmosphere - it was such a friendly place to be and you felt welcome from the second you set foot on the property. I wish I could have stayed longer.
See my ultimate New Zealand guide here.
Glow Worm Accommodation: Franz Josef, New Zealand
Glow Worm Accommodation is one of the homiest hostels I have ever stayed at. It felt like you were in someone’s house. The beds were unbelievably comfortable, it was so cozy, had really friendly people working there, and had a free breakfast and dinner. It was so easy to meet people and everyone I met there was so lovely. They even have a jacuzzi!
Check out my guide on the best things to do in Franz Josef here.
Haka House Wanaka: Wanaka, New Zealand
Haka House in Wanaka (formerly YHA) was such a great hostel. The rooms were really clean and comfortable, the kitchen was big, and the common area was great too. The hostel put on some great activities so it was great for meeting people, and the best thing about it was the view you get over Lake Wanaka. It’s only a 2 minute walk to the lakefront which makes it a perfect location.
Wanaka was my favourite place in New Zealand! Read about the best things to do in Wanaka here.
Homy Seafront Hostel: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Homy Seafront Hostel was such a nice hostel in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. The place was spotlessly clean, had all-day breakfast available for free, and the rooms were really nice. The common areas looked out onto the ocean and it was a really social place to be. It’s really the place to stay in Kota Kinabalu.
See my one week Borneo itinerary here.
I hope that if you’re travelling to any of these places, you’ll stay at these hostels and have as good of a time as I did. Don’t forget to check out my hostel survival guide and my itineraries and best things to do in all of these destinations!
Have a read of my other posts on travel advice here:
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