The second most populous city in Switzerland is also home to the best hostels in Geneva. Close your eyes and imagine standing by the side of Lake Geneva while enjoying epic views of dramatic Mont Blanc. Yes please!
You only need one hostel, right? Just to be sure, we’ve included 3 that have been handpicked by us.
These are the hostels we’d recommend for our friends and family… and you, dear reader!
Good to know: We’ve also included a hostel in nearby Nyon, a gorgeous town just 22km from Geneva. Stay here if you’d rather not be right in the middle of the tourist area.
Your shortcut:
- City Hostel Geneva – top pick for solo travellers
- Geneva Hostel – great for groups
- Nyon Hostel (Nyon) – one for digital nomads
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These cool hostels in Geneva offer a simple, no-frills environment as a base whilst exploring the natural beauty of the area.
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
Why not go wild and tick off all 23 best hostels in Switzerland whilst you’re in the country!
Our one and only 5 star hostel in Interlaken is well worth a visit, too. Here’s a full review of Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof.
What we cover in this article?
- Introduction
- 3 best hostels in detail
- #1 City Hostel Geneva
- #2 Geneva Hostel
- #3 Nyon Hostel
- cheapest hostels in Geneva
- best hostels in Geneva for solo travellers
- hotels in Geneva
- discounts and promo codes
- How to book?
- all hostel and sights on a map
- Flights
- FAQ
You can find all 5 Star Hostels here with Hostelgeeks and all guides to “Best Hostels In” here.
Quick Introduction to Geneva
Average price for a bed: Hostels in Geneva cost x€ – x€ per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from x€ up to x€ 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 Geneva: Sorry folks, there isn’t a good party hostel in this city! There’s plenty of nightlife though, so we recommend staying at City Hostel Geneva for it’s central location.
Staying in Lausanne: Lausanne is another option as a place to base yourself around Lake Geneva. It’s an easy 30 minute train ride to Geneva. A hostel we recommend in this area is Lausanne Youth Hostel Jeunotel – a great Geneva youth hostel.
New to Hostels? Read our full hostel starter guide here. We especially recommend reading:
- 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 Geneva
Let’s jump right into the boutique hostels in Geneva.
We put all three accommodation on the map, you will find the map at the end of the article.
Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type
| 🦸 Solo Traveler: | City Hostel Geneva |
| 🙎♀️ best for Female Solo Traveler: | Geneva Hostel |
| 🎒 For Backpackers: | City Hostel Geneva |
| 👩❤️👨Couple Hostel: | Nyon Hostel |
| 👨👩👦 Family Hostel: | Geneva Hostel |
| 👩💻 For Digital Nomads: | Nyon Hostel |
| 🧘 Cozy Hostel: | Nyon Hostel |
1. City Hostel Geneva
Our #1 hostel in Geneva happens to be located right in the centre of the tourist area so it’s super easy to explore from here.
City Hostel Geneva is a modern minimalist accommodation that has all of the comforts you’re after. Whilst it’s pretty simplistic, we rate this highly because of the superb location.
It’s for any traveller that prefers to spend most of their time outside exploring. It’s one of the top Geneva backpackers hostels.
Super cool: Upon check in you’ll be given a transit card which qualifies you for free public transport during your stay!
As we say, the rooms here are pretty basic, yet very clean and comfortable.
You can either sleep in a shared dorm (mixed & single sex) or opt for a single, twin or triple room. Out in the corridor you’ll find huge lockers big enough for your backpack.
What else?
- Large guest kitchen & dining area
- Lounge area w/ vending machines
- Free WiFi
- Gift shop
There aren’t any organised activities or events happening here, so it’s best to choose this hostel if you’re happy pleasing yourself.
Just so you know, there is an elevator here so forget about hauling your luggage up the stairs. Phew!
At the end of every day there is a free English movie shown to keep you entertained on chilly nights in.
Location: It’s an easy 7 minute walk from the main train station to City Hostel Geneva. Need a Geneva hostel near airport? It’s free to reach the hostel from Geneva airport, just grab yourself a Unireso ticket which allows you free public transport for 80 minutes – it will take you 20 minutes. Lake Geneva is just a 5 minute walk away!
This is one of the best hostels in Geneva for
- Solo travellers
- Backpackers
Compare prices and check availability at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
2. Geneva Hostel
Next up is a similarly modern accommodation that’s surrounded by 5 star hotels in a quiet neighbourhood. Let us introduce Geneva Hostel.
This historic building is from the 19th century, refurbished with all the mod-cons and traveller comforts.
Out on the outdoor terrace you can enjoy views of Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva – wow!
Thanks to the 24hr reception and no curfew, you’re welcome to turn up whenever you like to check in.
The nice thing about Geneva Hostel is that the spaces are more set up for socialising. There’s a foosball table to bring people together, and a mini library for the book worms.
Thanks to the sheer size of the place (336 beds in total!), groups are welcome and there’s tons of common areas to spread out in.
If you’re looking for student hostels in Geneva, this one is a perfect choice.
Room choices include:
- Male & female only dorms
- Single, twin & triple private rooms
- Quad room w/ private toilet
Dorms come with 3, 5, 6, 8 and 12-beds, so now you can choose depending on how sociable you’re feeling.
To save you money and time, there’s an onsite restaurant that’s open for a few hours each evening. It’s also possible for groups to order take-away picnics and lunches here.
And and guess what? There’s a free breakfast, yay!
Location: Just 2km from picture perfect Old Town, Vieille Ville. The very pretty Parc de La Perle du Lac is just around the corner. Geneva Railway Station is a 10 minute walk from the hostel.
This is one of the best hostels in Geneva for
- Groups
- Families
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
3. Nyon Hostel (Nyon)
To mix things up a bit we want to include a hostel that’s located in Nyon, a pretty little lakeside town just 22km north of Geneva city.
Nyon Hostel is a great choice if you don’t necessarily want to be in the city centre of Geneva, and it only takes around 15 minutes to reach the city by car.
Once again, this hostel isn’t anything super exciting – the design is modern and minimalist and there are no organised activities here.
Still, for a comfortable, affordable stay we think it’s a good option for any backpacker and digital nomad visiting the area.
In fact, there are well set up desks and computers for location independent workers on the move. The coffee machine in the dining area is there for you anytime of the day!
Let’s show you the room types:
- 6-bed mixed, male & female dorms
- Double room w/ balcony
- Standard family room (up to 8 people)
- Suite w/ balcony
- Economy quadruple room
The dorm room beds are equipped with reading lights and electrical charging sockets. Everyone gets a locker which also includes a charging socket inside.
Some of the common areas include a kitchen, chill-out room with big TV and a beautiful garden with terrace.
Breakfast is free and discounts can be enjoyed for two of the nearby museums.
Location: It take 30 minutes to reach Nyon Hostel from Geneva International Airport (by bus), and it’s a 10 minute walk from Nyon train station.
This is one of the best hostels in Geneva for
- Digital nomads
- Couples
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
What about cheapest hostels in Geneva?
Of course, there are always cheap hostels in Geneva Switzerland. Forget hotels!
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 Geneva.
- Open Hostelworld with full list of budget places to stay in Geneva
- 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 Geneva for Solo Travellers?
What is seriously the best hostel in Geneva for solo-travellers?
Honestly, Geneva is a bit of a strange destination to recommend to solo travellers. It’s far more popular for couples, groups and families… and richer people!
Still, if you are visiting the area as a solo traveller, we recommend staying at City Hostel Geneva.
It’s super central and within easy reach to good bars and restaurants, making it easier to meet people outside of the hostel.
If you choose a dorm room it’s more likely you’ll meet friends here.
As there aren’t any organised activities, make sure you’re happy with doing your own thing for the most part.
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
Looking for Hotels in Geneva?
Normally we don’t include hotel recommendation in our guides. The reasons are pretty obvious, right? We are Hostelgeeks for a reason!
Yet, as the hostels in Geneva have more of a hotel vibe, we thought we’d throw a hotel in to the mix so that all of your bases are covered.
MEININGER Hotel Genève Centre Charmilles is a brand new property in Geneva and we choose to include it here because of the good reputation MEININGER has over the years. It’s a great budget hotel option.
The cool thing about this hotel is that there is a shared kitchen and dining area for guests.
Travelling with kids? They’ll love the ping pong tunnel table by reception!
Rooms include single, twin, triple, quadruple and family rooms for 5-6 persons. It’s an ideal accommodation for families and couples.
Another option: La Cour Des Augustins Boutique Gallery Design Hotel is another modern, hip hotel in the area.
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:
- City Hostel Geneva: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Geneva Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Nyon Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible!
All of Geneva 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 Geneva. 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.
Airbnb Geneva is another option. Here is our full review of Airbnb + promo code.
All 3 Hostels put on a map + sights
Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all three best Geneva 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.
Looking for things to do in Geneva Switzerland?
We also included the main tourist attractions you’ve to know in this list:
- The Geneva Water Fountain
- Musée d’Art et d’Histoire
- Palais des Nations
- Bains des Pâquis
- St Pierre Cathedral
Flights to Geneva?
We enjoy Skyscanner, Omio.com and Kiwi.com to find cheap flights all over Geneva.
This new website has super cool features like a so-called radius search. Just draw a circle over Europe and find the cheapest rates for the area.
Here is our review of Kiwi.
Easyjet is also another common and affordable flight company in Europe.
FAQ
Alright, you should have found your accommodation already. Below we list all the frequently asked questions. Have a look.
What are the best hostels in Geneva?
Welcome to the only guide you need for finding the best hostels in Geneva! The top 3 hostels we recommend are:
- City Hostel Geneva – top pick for solo travellers
- Geneva Hostel – great for groups
- Nyon Hostel (Nyon) – one for digital nomads
What is the best hostel for solo travellers in Geneva?
If you are visiting the area as a solo traveller, we recommend staying at City Hostel Geneva.
What is Geneva best known for?
Here are the Geneva main tourist attractions:
- The Geneva Water Fountain
- Musée d’Art et d’Histoire
- Palais des Nations
- Bains des Pâquis
- St Pierre Cathedral
What are the best sites for finding hostels?
Of course, the best site to find hostels is Hostelgeeks.com
We are doing our best to deliver the best hostels to you. Check out the best hostels in the world guides; from Paris to Tokyo.
You can also have a look at Hostelworld.
More guides
Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in Geneva.
We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel guides to destinations in Switzerland:
- 23 BEST hostels in Switzerland
- best hostels in Interlaken
- best hostels in Lucerne
- best hostels in Basel
- best hostels in Zurich
- Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof in Interlaken
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 Geneva 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!
Before you pack your bags, make sure you check if you need travel insurance.
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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Booking Hostels and Discounts 👏👏👏
As a user of Hostelgeeks, you also have access to exclusive hostel discounts. For booking hostels, we use:
- Hostelz.com - hostel price comparison
- Hostelworld
We recommend installing the Hostelworld App. It is very useful!
How to find cheaper Flights ✈️
The first websites we always check are Skyscanner and Google Flights.
Find our step-by-step process in our review about Skyscanner.
Travel Insurance made easy 🤒
We are currently using Safetywing and Hey Mondo. We wrote detailed guides about these insurances:
- Our review of Safetywing, compared to others
- a detailed review of HeyMondo Travel Insurance
Smartest Travel Tools you need to know 🤓
- Onward Ticket - get a proof for onward travel
- iVisa - get your visa online fast
- Get Your Guide - for activities and sightseeing tickets
- Omio.com - for all types of transport
Find all our recommended travel tools and websites here.
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