Whose up for heading over to eastern India to discover the best hostels in Chennai? Come with us!
This city on the Bay of Bengal is probably not as popular as other Indian destinations like New Delhi and Jaipur. Yet it has a lot up its sleeve as a great backpacker destination.
Good to know: in this part of India the main language spoken is Tamil, not Hindi.
We’re excited to show off the modern design and spacious rooms at our Chennai hostel collection.
Your shortcut:
- Zostel Chennai – top pick for couples
- Red Lollipop Hostel – perfect for female solo travelers
- Backpackers Inn – ideal for backpackers
As for party hostels? These are not a thing in Chennai, unfortunately.
This guide is perfect for YOU, when …
- tired of bad and crappy hostels
- want to avoid the “young party kids”
- happy to spend 1-2€ for a better experience
Looking for 5 star hostels in India? Sorry folks, there aren’t any yet.
Your best bet is to hop across to Sri Lanka and discover the impressive Clock Inn Kandy and Bunkyard Hostels in Colombo.
What we cover in this article?
- Introduction
- 3 best hostels in detail
- cheapest hostels in Chennai
- best hostels in Chennai for solo travellers
- discounts and promo codes
- How to book?
- all hostel and sights on a map
- Flights
You can find all 5 Star Hostels here with Hostelgeeks and all guides to “Best Hostels In” here.
Quick Introduction to Chennai
Average price for a bed: Hostels in Chennai cost 7€ – 9€ per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 10€ up to 24€ per night. This is a rough average just to give you an idea.
Prices always depend on season and holidays. Please always check exact rates on Hostelworld.com or Booking.com.
Check-In and Check Out: The average check-in time is from 15:00 (3pm), while the Check Out time is before 11:00 (11am). Hostels usually offer luggage storage in case you arrive earlier or leave later. Make sure you check if luggage storage is free or if there is an extra cost.
Party Hostels in Chennai? Although alcohol is legal in this part of India, there isn’t much in the way of party hostels. In fact, partying isn’t really encouraged in this city.
New to Hostels? Read our full hostel starter guide here. We especially recommend to read:
- how to book hostels (and websites to use)
- 23 items for the hostel packing list
- Are hostels safe? 13 safety tips for hostels
The 3 Best Hostels in Chennai
Let’s jump right into the boutique hostels in Chennai.
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- Zostel Chennai
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- Red Lollipop Hostel
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- Backpackers Inn
We put all three accommodation on the map, you will find the map at the end of the article.
1. Zostel Chennai
When backpacking India there is no doubt that you will come across the successful hostel chain Zostel. And Zostel Chennai is set to impress!
This cosy backpacker hostel is right in the middle of the action.
“Every day in Zostel is happening, complete with doses of laughter and experiences.”
The team here stress that intoxication is not what it’s about. Instead, they prefer to share stories and chill vibes.
Put simply; this is not a party hostel.
Yet this doesn’t mean we’re providing you with a boring hostel, oh no.
Here are a few things to look forward to:
- Air conditioned lounge room
- Rooftop area
- Free Wifi
- Shared kitchen (unusual in India)
It’s kept cosy because of the minimal room choices on offer.
There are two options: an 8-bed mixed dorm, and a private double room.
And boy, are they super spacious and pleasantly clean! You know these guys had big backpacks in mind when they designed the space.
If you’re happy to spare a few extra coins, feel free to arrange a breakfast with the staff.
Other perks include 24/7 reception, free water dispenser and hot showers.
Location: Located in T Nagar area, the shopping hub of the city. All of the major city attractions are within walking distance from here. The metro station which takes you to the airport is just a 5-minute walk.
This is one of the best hostels in Chennai for
- Couples
- Older travellers
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
2. Red Lollipop Hostel
Next up is another great backpacker hostel called Red Lollipop Hostel.
“We offer international-standard and affordable accommodation to backpackers and young travelers.”
The best part? There is a 6-bed female dorm!
Start your day with a fresh cup of chai and fill your belly on the free breakfast each morning.
Fill up your water bottle with the complimentary filtered water, and go off exploring by foot – this is easy thanks to the great central location.
If you fancy a day inside away from the craziness, enjoy:
- Common area w/ guitars
- Free Wifi throughout the property
- Air conditioning
- Chess, TV and friendly conversation
Note: these is an age limit here of 18-50 years.
Alongside the female dorm, there is a 6-bed mixed dorm and a budget twin option with two single beds.
There is also a handy kitchen onsite which is suitable for rustling up a basic meal.
Location: Situated close by to the famous Marina Beach, US consulate and T Nagar. There is a bus station right across the road for trips further afield.
This is one of the best hostels in Chennai for
- Female solo travellers
- Friends
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
3. Backpackers Inn
Last but not least we have a no frills hostel with possibly the best dorms on offer in Chennai: Backpackers Inn.
No doubt the name gives it away, but this is our top recommendation for backpackers.
Why?
This hostel attracts a lot of Indian travellers so it’s a great opportunity to get to know locals, as well as people from other parts of India.
The dorms are also well-designed for backpackers.
Each bed comes with a privacy curtain and spacious under bed storage. The bunks are really well built so there won’t be any rattling or squeaking from your neighbour.
Good to know: payment on arrival is by cash only.
As there are no private rooms here, it’s an easy option of where to sleep.
A vegetarian breakfast is made to order each morning for an extra cost. In our opinion, this is easier than going out to find some food in this busy city.
For those that feel like chilling for the day you’ll appreciate the A/C, flat screen TV and a cosy sitting area to meet other people.
Location: In the heart of Chennai not too far from the beach, shopping malls, mosque and historical temples. This makes getting around on foot super easy.
This is one of the best hostels in Chennai for
- Backpackers
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
What about cheapest hostels in Chennai?
Of course, there are always cheap hostels.
We think, it’s not worth it to go with the cheapest hostel out there.
Why?
The difference is usually 1-2€ ($1-2) per night, and a lot of amenities are not included. This can be breakfast or linen.
However, if you are traveling on a shoe-string budget and you wanna save every penny, there are ways to find the cheapest places in Chennai.
- Open Hostelworld with full list of budget places to stay in Chennai
- Order the listing by price
Simple as that.
Read: 15 hacks for booking hostels
Make sure you use then the other filters and rank per price.
Also keep a close eye on the ratings, especially the “extreme ratings”. Meaning, the best and worst. These ratings can give great insight on what to expect.
Best Hostels in Chennai for Solo Travellers?
What is seriously the best hostel in Chennai for solo-travellers?
Let’s face it; all the hostels in this list are good for solo travellers of different types. That’s what makes Chennai a great destination in India!
And we’d like to throw one more hostel in the mix for you.
The owner of Hostel Gandhi will ensure you have nothing but a great time.
This hostel is spread over two floors with spacious common areas and rooms. It’s completely air conditioned, there are safety lockers and the breakfast is free!
Stay here and you’ll be in the heart of the city close to fine restaurants and shopping malls.
From female and mixed dorms to twin and double privates – it’s all here at Hostel Gandhi!
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
How to book?
We recommend using Booking.com or Hostelworld for your reservations.
Hostelworld is the most popular website when it comes to hostel bookings.
Read: step-by-step guide on how to book with Hostelworld
On both platforms your credit card is 100% protected and the booking 100% confirmed.
We included the handy links to each of the recommended hostel. Just click on the hostel name. The link will lead you to check prices and availability.
Here is the overview:
- Zostel Chennai: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Red Lollipop Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Backpackers Inn: Booking.com | Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible!
All of Chennai best hostels are popular; especially in high-season. To make sure you end up in those stylish hostels, secure your room or bed as soon as you have your travel dates fix.
Any Discounts?
Currently, we have no special hostel discounts in Chennai. I know, it’s a pity. You can subscribe to our newsletter to receive our newest hostel discounts always to your inbox.
You can find all our hostel discounts worldwide here.
All 3 Hostels put on a map + sights
Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all three best Chennai hostels on a map.
Personally, we love to plan our trips with a map having all sights and potential hostels on it. We thought this map will help you with planning your trip too.
We also included the main tourist attractions you’ve to know in this list:
- Marina Beach
- Government Museum Chennai
- Santhome Cathedral Basilica
- Fort Saint George
- Guindy National Park
- Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathyswamy Temple
Flights to Chennai?
We enjoy Omio.com and Kiwi.com to find cheap flights all over Chennai.
This new website has super cool features like a so-called radius search. Just draw a circle over Asia and find the cheapest rates for the area.
Here is our review of Kiwi.
More guides
Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in Chennai.
We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel guides to destinations:
You can find all our new and updates articles for Best Hostels in here.
We also created a huge guide to hostels. Here we cover how to build lifetime friendships in hostels, the perfect packing list and more.
Over to you
Was this useful? Do you have any questions, doubts?
Then please please leave us a comment. This list of awesome Chennai hostels should be as informative and useful as possible.
Your question will help me to understand what I have missed to mention.
Therefore, drop us a comment, we are keen to help you!
Last note: Our commitment
This is a genuine article to help you travel a bit smarter and find the best place on a budget! We ONLY recommend places we know you will enjoy, no matter what.
At Hostelgeeks we will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. Our promise is to only share with you places we also recommend to our best friends and family!
Enjoy this fine hostel selection and all 5 Star Hostels.
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Your Smart Packing List
It is time to see what you should pack in your backpack or suitcase. Make sure you always pick a quality hostel, it totally reduces the things you need to pack. Here is our ultimate hostel packing list. It features 23 items you should really throw in your backpack.
The most important things to pack are:- earplugs
- eye mask
- key chain flashlight
- the right backpack, the Nomatic (our review of Nomatic here) or Lowe Alpine Lightflite 45 Pack
- packing cubes
- generic padlock (fitting all locker types)
- quick-dry travel towel
- universal power adapter
- travel-sized toiletries
