3 Best Hostels in Portland, USA – Green Living and Homely Vibes

3 Best Hostels in Portland, USA
Photo by The Society Hotel

It’s time to pack your bags and head to the state of Oregon and discover the best hostels in Portland.

Couples and solo travelers that love microbreweries and coffeehouses, will love Portland.

The largest city in the state is shadowed by snow-capped Mount Hood. It’s full of parks, bridges and great bicycle paths.

Your shortcut:

  1. HI Portland Northwest Hostel – great for couples & adults
  2. Lolo Pass – top pick for female solo travellers
  3. KEX Hotel – for flashpackers

Any questions about hostels in Portland?

🤔

Join our Facebook Group!

Ask all your questions and connect with like-minded wanderers 🔥

This collection of hostels represent cosy home-away-from-homes in the United States.

We’ve also included a social hotel ideal for couples. It’s pretty cool and definitely worth a look.

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

Exploring the East Coast of the USA? Check out:

Go crazy and discover the 45 best hostels in USA here.

What we cover in this article?

You can find all 5 Star Hostels here with Hostelgeeks and all guides to “Best Hostels In” here.

Quick Introduction to Portland

Average price for a bed: Hostels in Portland cost 21€ – 25€ per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 53€ up to 67€ 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 Portland: Portland might not be the destination for you if you’re looking for party hostels – there aren’t any! Instead, we recommend staying at Traveler’s House for a quiet rest, and join their staff-led pub crawls for a good time.

🎁 New to Hostels? Read our guide to staying in a Hostel for the First Time here. We especially recommend reading:

The 3 Best Hostels in Portland Oregon

Let’s jump right into the boutique hostels in Portland. This is your guide to finding a great Oregon hostel.

  1. HI Portland Northwest Hostel
  2. Lolo Pass
  3. KEX Hotel

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: KEX Hotel
🙎‍♀️ best for Female Solo Traveler: Lolo Pass
🥳 Party Hostel:The Society Hotel Portland
👩‍❤️‍👨 Couple Hostel: HI Portland Northwest Hostel
👨‍👩‍👦 Family Hostel: HI Portland Northwest Hostel
👩‍💻 For Digital Nomads: KEX Hotel
🧘 Cozy Hostel: Lolo Pass

1. HI Portland Northwest Hostel

Our top recommendation in Portland is a big hostel that offers a mixed vibe close to downtown Portland.

Set inside a clapboard building, HI Portland Northwest Hostel is as all-American as you can get.

It started out as a cute 36 bed hostel. Now it has become a 6 building village, all in the same block and most built in the late 1800s.

So now you can choose from 160 dorm beds, 32 private rooms and 2 apartments!

Let’s have a look at the main highlights:

  • Outdoor courtyard & garden w/ BBQ
  • Hostel cafe
  • Free breakfast (bagels, locally roasted coffee)
  • Fully-equipped kitchen
  • 24-hour access

Of course there is also free WiFi and laundry facilities. Added perks we know you love.

What’s also handy to know is that there is free luggage storage on the day of arrival and departure if you need it.

For every guest there is an array of fun and social events to get involved in.

From walking tours and music in the cafe, to tap tasting and communal pasta dinners.

Because of the nature of these calmer, more intimate activities, we rate this a great stay for couples and families. Having said that, as it’s such a large property, almost every traveller type you can imagine stays here.

Groups are welcome, as are solo travellers and the younger bunch. It’s diverse, and we like that.

Location: In a quiet neighbourhood in the Nob Hill District. It’s an Instagrammer’s dream with artisan cafes, craft breweries and picture-perfect streets. The nearest Greyhound staton is a 15-minute walk. It’s also the closest hostel to Pearl District.

This is one of the best hostels in Portland for

  • Couples
  • Families
Book HI Portland Northwest Hostel here

Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

HI Portland Northwest Hostel is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA HI Portland Northwest Hostel is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA HI Portland Northwest Hostel is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA

2. Lolo Pass

Rolling in closely behind is a brand new property on the block that’s sure to impress any solo traveller that appreciates modern, stylish design.

Welcome to Lolo Pass, a hostel that’s designed to help you “make friends in your sleep“!

By the looks of the gorgeous rooms, we’re sure it’s going to be easy to start up a friendly conversation with your roommates. Sleeping is going to be effortless, regardless.

Don’t take our word for it, have a look at what the rooms include:

  • Blackout shades (+ privacy curtains on bunks)
  • Towels & linen included
  • Huge security lockers
  • Soap, shampoo & hairdryer
  • Shelf, light, charging socket per bed (dorms)

What’s really cool about Lolo Pass is that they offer not only female-only and mixed dorms, but male-only dorms, too!

Otherwise, you could treat yourself to a private queen or twin room for some space to yourself. Go ooooon.

When you’re not snoozing, make sure you take full advantage of the excellent onsite amenities.

These guys have covered all bases so that you needn’t leave the hostel for anything other than exploring Portland.

Cafe, bar, restaurant, gallery, rooftop (an absolute highlight) – everything you could possibly need for a social, stomach satisfying stay!

To top it off, there’s even a shared kitchen if you prefer to cook your own food and further save on expense.

Good to know: Groups are welcome here and discounts are available for +8 bed bookings.

If you’re a floating social butterfly, you’ll definitely enjoy the frequent movie nights up on the hostel rooftop. The bar is open and the popcorn poppin’!

Location: Just a short walk away from downtown Portland and great eateries. Views of downtown can be enjoyed from the rooftop.

This is one of the best hostels in Portland for

  • Female solo travellers
  • Groups
Book Lolo Pass here

Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Lolo Pass is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA Lolo Pass is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA Lolo Pass is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA Lolo Pass is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA

3. KEX Hotel

A relatively new hostel on the block, yet with consistently high reviews so far, we just had to include KEX Hotel here.

Don’t let the name throw you off! For this is a hotel-hostel hybrid, with a great collection of both shared and private rooms.

In fact, there are also female-only rooms and rooms that come with an ensuite, too. As long as you’re in a shared room you can enjoy a private partition as well as personal power sockets, reading light and a lockable sliding drawer.

There are 28 rooms in total, all of which are non-smoking and come with towels and a daily housekeeping service. Lovely!

Overall the design of this accommodation is impressive.

Modern amenities, sleek design and attractive details certainly support the hotel element of this place.

Walk around and discover lots of spaces, including:

  • Rooftop terrace with 360° views
  • Onsite restaurant, Dóttir
  • Hostel bar
  • Sauna
  • Relaxed common spaces

As you can see, there are plenty of places to relax, socialise and enjoy different vibes.

Happy Hour is well worth joining if you fancy enjoying some live entertainment and DJs alongside your affordable drinks.

To top it off, there is even a guest-only kitchen which is ideal if you’re looking to save money on food.

Psst! This is sister hostel to KEX Hostel in Reykjavik, our one and only 5 star hostel in Iceland!

If you decide to head out in the evening, rest assured that you’ll have 24/7 secure access to the building with your keycard, so don’t forget to take it with you.

Super fast Wifi will follow you throughout the hostel, and we deem this a great place for any digital nomad to set up their temporary workspace.

Location: An easy 10 miles from PDX Airport and situated in a vibrant area of the city. The light rail is a minutes walk away so traversing Portland is very easy from here.

This is one of the best hostels in Portland for

  • Flashpackers
  • Female solo travellers
  • Digital nomads
Book KEX Hotel here

Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

KEX Hotel is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA KEX Hotel is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA KEX Hotel is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA

KEX Hotel is one of the best hostels in Portland Oregon, USA

What about cheapest hostels in Portland?

Of course, there are always cheap hostels. 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 Portland.

  1. Open Hostelworld Portland with full list of budget places to stay
  2. Order the listing by price

Simple as that.

Read: 15 hacks for booking hostels

Here a couple of cheap Portland hostels you may consider:

Best Hostels in Portland for Solo Travellers?

What is seriously the best hostel in Portland for solo-travellers?

For ladies going solo, we have to say that Traveler’s House is one of the best options for you.

They offer lovely cosy 4-bed rooms for female solo travellers, and the atmosphere is super friendly and intimate. Getting around is easy, and the activities will make it even easier to meet people.

Similarly, Lolo Pass is a wonderful option for solo travellers in general. This hostel has a collection of female, male and mixed dormitories that have between 4 and 8 beds.  It’s a brand new, modern accommodation with an awesome rooftop with views of downtown Portland.

Traveler's House is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA
Traveler’s House

More Hostels Worth a Mention

When we came across The Society Hotel Portland, we couldn’t NOT include it in this guide.

Initially, the word hotel deterred us – you came here to get social and meet other travellers, right?!

Well, you’re about to be pretty impressed with this hotel slash hostel.

This boutique hotel has redefined what it means to stay in an upscale, modern hotel in the USA.

Alongside gorgeous private rooms and a very temping cafe & bar, Society houses a gorgeous dorm room that includes:

  • Rooftop access
  • 3-level bunks
  • Privacy curtain & personal inclusions
  • Earplugs

The common areas pose a great place to mingle with others. Otherwise, enjoy anonymity and hide in your cosy bed.

It’s a perfect social hostel for couples.

Location: Conveniently in the Downtown Portland district. The Rose Garden is 2km away, the airport just 14km from the property.

Book The Society Hotel here

Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com

The Society Hotel is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA The Society Hotel is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA

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:

  1. HI Portland Northwest Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
  2. Lolo Pass: Booking.com | Hostelworld
  3. KEX Hotel: Booking.com | Hostelworld

We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible!

All of Portland 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 Portland. 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.

Our Favorite Hostels in Portland put on a map + sights

Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all three best Portland 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:

  • Portland Japanese Garden
  • Pittock Mansion
  • Washington Park
  • Pioneer Courthouse Square
  • Portland Art Museum
  • Portland Saturday Market
  • Powell’s City of Books

Any questions about hostels in Portland? 🤔

Join our Facebook Group!

Ask all your questions and connect with like-minded wanderers 🔥

Flights to Portland?

We use Skyscanner and Omio.com to find cheap flights and good connections all over the globe.

Skyscanner has a bunch of cool features like Multi-City Trip. Instead of doing this research step-by-step, Skyscanner offers this flight planning tool.

Our Step-by-Step Guide to Skyscanner

review of Skyscanner flight searches

FAQ

Alright, you should have found your accommodation already. Below we list all the frequently asked questions. Have a look.

More Guides

Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in Portland.

Here are all our US Hostel Guides:

Party hostels in the US:

Not too far away in Canada, you can also discover the best hostels in Vancouver.

You can find all our new and updated 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

So there you have it; the best hostels Portland has to offer!

Which Portland Oregon hostel is your favourite?

Was this useful? Do you have any questions, doubts?

Then please please leave us a comment. This list of awesome Portland 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.

– – –
pin it for later

A complete guide and overview to the best hostels in Portland, USA for solo travelers and couples

CLOSED: HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel

Update: Unfortunately, HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel has permanently closed its doors.

Cosy stay #3 is in the form of an eco-friendly home-away-from-home at HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel.

This converted house is the perfect base for exploring the culture, art, food and music of Portland. Sorted.

Hats off to their Eco efforts.

Check out the living roof, rainwater collection system and green cleaning practises.

No matter what the weather decided to do during your stay, it’s impossible to feel bored or trapped.

Stay inside and enjoy the TV room and kitchen. And when the sun in shining, rent a bicycle or sit on the porch and watch the world go by.

Personally, we vote for reading a book in the backyard with a complimentary cup of tea!

Other things to enjoy:

  • FREE breakfast (DIY pancakes)
  • Free (and cheap) activities

Sometimes in the evenings the backyard transforms into a movie theatre. Other times there are open-mic nights and story-telling soup nights.

What about the rooms, we hear you ask.

Choose from:

  • 6-bed mixed dorm
  • 8-bed male dorm
  • 8-bed female dorm
  • Double bed private (shared bathroom)

Note: Groups are accepted, just make sure you contact them in advance.

Each room is spacious and basic in design. And luckily for you, each bed has a socket to charge your phone.

Location: Situated in Portland Hawthorne district, it’s just a quick bus or bike ride to the downtown sights.

This is one of the best hostels in Portland for

  • Groups
  • Solo travellers

HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel is one of the best hostels in Portland, USA

We are 100% Independent: Some links on Hostelgeeks are so-called affiliate links. If you decide to book through these links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support allows us to keep producing high-quality, independent content free of influence from hostels or external advertisers. Learn more here. 🙏

✏️ Read our Editorial Guidelines

Our Favorite Travel Resources 2024

👏 Booking Hostels: Always find better deals for Hostels on Hostelz.com. They compare prices from Hostelworld and Booking.com.

✈️ Cheap Flights: The first websites we always check are Skyscanner and Google Flights.

🤒 Travel Insurance Simplified: We always go either with Safetywing and Hey Mondo.

🤓 Smart Travel Tools you need to know: Find a list of our favorite travel tools.

Get your Smart Packing List (Free Printable): Knowing what to pack and what not to pack is key. Get our ultimate list of smart items to bring on your trip.

Download your Free PDF Packing List

Best Hostel Packing List