Salvador, Brazil, offers many types of places to stay, from hotels to hostels and Airbnb. But to know which one will suit your needs, you have to decide the purpose of your trip. Do you want to explore the city and discover the culture? Or are you looking for comfort and luxury?
Maybe all of the above?
This article reveals the absolute best hostels in Salvador, Brazil, suitable for those looking for a more authentic travel experience. So, if you’re a solo traveler, backpacker, or digital nomad, this is – as always – for you.
You’ll find a great hostel to book and connect with other people looking for a similar experience. If you like partying, we also have a party hostel to recommend.
All 3 hostels we’ll cover in this article are perfect, as they offer great accommodation conditions. At the same time, they are very affordable – as a hostel should be.
Planning to visit Ilha Grande after Salvador? We got you! We have a detailed guide on the best hostels in Ilha Grande.
Your Shortcut:
- Hostel Galeria 13 - best for Party Travelers
- Manhatã Hostel - best for female solo traveler
- Nomads Hostel Multicultural & Coworking - best for backpackers
Money-saving tip: Compare hostel prices with Hostelz.com. They compare prices from Hostelworld, Booking.com and others with 1 click.
Salvador, also known as “the Capital of Joy” because of its jubilant week-long Carnival celebrations, is teeming with modern music and art set against an architectural backdrop of preserved 17th-century grandeur.
This is a great place to visit if you want to discover a new culture and beautiful sights while having a lot of fun.
Now, as for the actual capital of Brazil, we also have a great guide on the best hostels in Rio de Janeiro that should come in handy.
As well as one entirely dedicated to the party scene there (it’s incredibly vibrant): best party hotels in Rio de Janeiro.
If you’re planning on backpacking throughout Brazil, make sure to check out our guide on the best hostels in Brazil!
This guide is perfect for YOU, when you…
- are tired of crappy hostels!
- want a social Hostel to actually meet people
- are happy to spend $1 to $2 more for a much better experience
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 Salvador
Average price for a bed: Hostels in Salvador cost $7 – $20 per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room has an average price of $32 per night. This is a rough average, just to give you an idea.
Prices always depend on the season and holidays. Please always check the exact rates on Hostelz.com or Hostelworld.com.
Check-In and Check-Out: The average check-in time is from 15:00 (3 pm), while the Check-Out time is before 11:00 (11 am). 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.
Documents: It would be better for you to make some good-quality copies of your personal documents instead of carrying the original ones with you.
Vaccines: Make sure to check the required vaccines if you are traveling to a different continent. For Brazil, you’ll most likely need at least 3: Hepatitis A, Yellow fever, and Typhoid.
Safety: Our advice is to refrain from walking with cameras or a cell phone in sight. A fanny pack is highly advised because it is secure for storing your items and convenient for carrying your phone and taking fast pictures.
Also, avoid going on nighttime walks alone, especially in uncrowded areas.
Don’t visit Lagoa do Abaeté by yourself. While you may be tempted to visit the place due to its unquestionable beauty, the local people consider it to be somehow dangerous. If you really want to go and see it, at least make sure you’re not going there alone.
Don’t rush to any beach without researching it. For example, while it may be beautiful, Praia de Itapuã is known for its lack of security.
Traffic: Make sure you do your shopping at appropriate hours. If you plan to go to the mall, avoid arriving or leaving it during rush hours, as it is located in the city center.
Sunburns and mosquitoes: Brazilian summers are very hot, and the UV rays can be very dangerous for your body, so make sure you don’t forget your sunscreen.
In case you do, buy one and apply it every 4 or 5 hours to avoid damaging your skin.
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 Salvador are …
Let’s jump right into the coolest hostels in Salvador.
- Hostel Galeria 13 – best for Party Travelers
- Manhatã Hostel – best for female solo traveler
- Nomads Hostel Multicultural & Coworking – best for backpackers
We put all accommodations on the map, incl. our own tips for restaurants, things to see, and more.
🥳 Best Party Hostel: | Hostel Galeria 13 |
🦸♂️ Solo Backpackers: | Manhatã Hostel |
🙎♀️Female Solo Traveler: | Manhatã Hostel |
👩💻Digital Nomads: | Nomads Hostel Multicultural & Coworking |
🎒 for Backpacker | Nomads Hostel Multicultural & Coworking |
1. Hostel Galeria 13
This location is perfect if you’re searching for a party hostel. It is situated in the center of the old town and a short distance from Pelourinho, San Francisco Church, and Arena Fonte Nova.
The rooms in Hostel Galeria 13 are spacious and clean, with private bathrooms and fresh linen and towels. The breakfast is delicious, and it can be served at the location. The hostel also features a bar and a swimming pool – both perfect for hot days that call for relaxation.
Hostel Galeria 13 is an oasis for peace and relaxation and a place where you can party and make new friendships. The location offers a daily happy hour, which means free caipirinhas and sharing daily insights on tips, events, and nightlife.
For entertainment, you have game rooms with board games or puzzles, or if you want to learn something new while having some fun, you can opt for a cooking class (additional charge).
The best choice in Salvador for
- Party Travel
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
2. Manhatã Hostel
If you’re dreaming of waking up and looking at the sea, Manhatã Hostel will make your dream come true. Manhatã Hostel is located just across Bara Beach. The rooms are spacious, with comfortable beds and air-conditioning, and some of them feature sea views.
Among the facilities of the hostel, you’ll find a shared kitchen, free WiFi throughout the property, a shared lounge, and a 24-hour front desk.
The top attractions near the hostel are Solar do Unhao, Museum of Modern Art, Rio Branco Palace, Lacerda Elevator, Sé Square, African-Brazilian Museum, Our Lady of Monte Serrat Fort, and Humaita Point.
Also, there are many restaurants around the location and a promenade for walking. Across the street, you find a large supermarket and a self-service laundry, in case you need to wash your clothes.
Some of the activities offered by the location are:
- Walking tours
- Happy hour
- Beach activities
- Snorkeling
- Diving
- Canoeing
The best choice in Salvador for
- Female solo travelers
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
3. Nomads Hostel Multicultural & Coworking
Nomads Hostel Multicultural & Coworking is the perfect place to meet other travelers and locals, make new friends, learn about Brazil, and enjoy its beautiful beaches.
The hostel offers dorms with shared bathrooms on its two floors. All rooms have lockers, fans, and air conditioning.
The coworking space includes free Wi-Fi and all the essential amenities. The kitchen is equipped with everything you need to cook your own meals. The property also features a common area with hammocks where you can relax!
If you want to explore Salvador and discover its hidden gems, the staff will help you organize any activity or excursion.
From hiking through Chapada Diamantina National Park (the second largest diamond reserve in the world) to surfing off Praia do Forte beach, they have everything covered.
Some of the most important features of this hostel are:
- It’s situated in a great spot in the city center and close to many attractions.
- It’s well-located for backpackers who want to travel around the city, but it also has good amenities for those staying longer.
- The hostel has a large communal area where you can meet other travelers and make friends. There are also many activities that you can join if you want to meet people from different countries.
- There are rooms available for all budgets, from private rooms with shared bathrooms to dormitories with bunk beds (all including breakfast).
- There are also some private bathrooms available on request.
The best choice in Salvador for
- Backpackers
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
Best Hostels in Salvador for Solo Travelers?
Manhatã Hostel is our top pick for solo travelers in Salvador. It has all the facilities you’d need to feel comfortable.
The 24/7 reception will come in handy if you need help but don’t know anyone around the city or if you don’t speak the local language.
This is also a very centrally located hostel which will make traveling around and discovering the city easier on your trip.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
Party Hostels in Salvador
With its daily happy hours and high social atmosphere, our favorite pick for party hostels in Salvador has to be Hostel Galeria 13.
We also really like its relatively small size, which encourages a warm and familiar atmosphere and makes socializing (and partying) extremely easy.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
More Hostels worth a mention
At the moment, we think you are all set with the hostels we just shared with you. We always try to keep our guides super fresh and up to date. We might add more hostels worth a mention soon here, if we feel that it could enrich your travel and hostel experience.
What about the cheapest hostels in Salvador?
Of course, there are always cheap hostels. But how do you actually find them? When you are traveling on a shoe-string budget and you want to save every dollar, there are ways to find the cheapest places in Salvador.
- Open Hostelz.com with a full list of all hostels in Salvador
- add your dates
- Order the listings by price
Simple as that.
Hostelz.com is a price comparison site for hostels. They list every single one in the world and tells you exactly which website is cheaper to use.
Another smart Tip: Check what is actually included, and what is excluded. Take a closer look at the location, too. A further location might mean more costs in transport.
Any Discounts?
You can find all our hostel discounts worldwide here. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the freshest hostel discounts directly in your inbox. There are even special discount codes that we only share in our newsletter.
It is completely free to join!
How to book?
The most popular booking platforms are Booking.com and Hostelworld.com. On both platforms, your credit card is 100% protected and the booking 100% confirmed.
We included some handy links to each of the recommended hostel. Just click on the hostel name. The link will lead you to check prices and availability.
Read: step-by-step guide on how to book with Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible! All of Salvador best hostels are popular; especially in high-season. To make sure you end up in those stylish and good hostels, secure your room/ bed as soon as you have your travel dates fix.
The coolest Hostel App you need comes as well from Hostelworld. It gives you super cool features like you can contact your hostel mates beforehand and make plans together. Find more details in our review of the app
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to download the Hostelworld App from the App Store - like a real Hostel Geek!
A Few Recommendations for things to do in Salvador
Get to know the region’s markets: Besides Mercado Modelo, which is the most important handicraft market in Brazil, Salvador has many other markets that offer an explosion of flavors and different types of craftsmanship. Here are some of them:
- Mercado Rio Vermelho. This is recommended if you’re staying in the Rio Vermelho neighborhood. The prices are pretty high, though.
- Feira de São Joaquim. If you want to buy ingredients, clothing, or candomblé articles, this is the perfect place for it. It’s also the cheapest market in Salvador.
Enjoy the artistic work: Salvador has a lot of beautiful sculptures, like Dique do Tororó, As Meninas do Brasil, Morro do Cristo, and Zumbi dos Palmares. So make sure you don’t pass by without taking the time to admire some of them.
Take a private city tour: If you want to experience the highlights of Salvador during a sightseeing tour of the city, choose a knowledgeable local guide and small group.
Noteworthy places to visit include the Bahia Lighthouse, the Barra Fortress, the Jesuit Basilica Cathedral, and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pelourinho, the historical center of Salvador.
Along the way, you’ll definitely learn a lot about the rich, eclectic history of this city that was once the capital of Brazil.
Attend a Candomble Ceremony: If you want to learn more about the legacy left by the African slaves in Brazil, you can do that through immersion in a Candomblé ceremony.
During this unique evening tour accompanied by a local guide, you’ll discover more about the religion of Candomblé, which worships Orixas, Inquices, and Voduns.
Also, you’ll get the opportunity to hear about the history of this religion and discover ties to slavery, watch the worshipers summon their gods through their rituals, rhythms, songs, colors, food, and reverence.
All Top Hostels put on a map + sights
Let us have a look at the map. Below, we list all three best Salvador hostels on a map.
We also included the above-mentioned sights as suggestions on the things to see in Salvador.
Any questions about hostels in Salvador?
🤔Join our Facebook Group here!
Ask all your questions and connect with like-minded wanderers 🔥
FAQs
Here we share with you the most asked question:
Is Salvador Brazil safe?
Salvador isn't one of Brazil's safest cities. While we think it is worth a visit, safety should always be kept in mind. This means not wandering alone (especially not during the night) and researching the places you want to go to. Always ask your hostel staff for advice about areas or landmarks if you're not sure.
Are hostels in Salvador Brazil safe?
Not all hostels in Salvador, Brazil are necessarily safe, especially the one that offers the cheapest price in sketchy areas. It might be an illegal hostel without the proper license to run and safety measures.
So in all fairness, it is best to check out Hostelgeeks.com because we feature safe hostels in Salvador.
If you are not secure, you can also email us and ask us!
Brazil vs Brasil – what is correct?
This is a pretty common confusion. It’s about time to clear that out. Brasil and Brazil are both correct. Brasil with an s is used by the Portuguese, and Brazil with a z is used in English and other countries. Either way, both are correct.
What is the best hostel in Salvador Brazil for solo travelers?
The best hostel in Salvador, Brazil, for solo travelers is:
Manhatã Hostel
What is the best party hostel in Salvador Brazil?
The best party hostel in Salvador, Brazil, is:
Hostel Galeria 13
Any questions about hostels in Salvador?
🤔Join our Facebook Group here!
Ask all your questions and connect with like-minded wanderers 🔥
Flights to Salvador?
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.
More handmade Guides for you
Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in Salvador.
Here are other guides that should come in handy for the rest of your trip in Brazil:
- best hostels in Brazil
- best hostels in Foz do Iguacu
- best hostels in Sao Paulo
- 7 Top Party Hostels in Rio de Janeiro
- 3 best hostels in Buenos Aires
- best hostels in Florianopolis
- 3 best hostels in Buzios
We did the leg work for you and brought you more hostel guides to destinations:
- best hostels in Lima, Perú
- 3 best hostels in Cusco, Peru -a full guide
- best hostels in La Paz, Bolivia
- best hostels in Montevideo, Uruguay
You can find all our new and updated articles for Best Hostels 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
Do you have any questions left, maybe doubts? Then please leave it in the comment below. We are very keen to help you - and actually you would even do us a favor!
Your question will help us to improve this Salvador guide.
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 will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. We are constantly updating all our guides to keep them as fresh and accurate as possible.
Safe travels,
The Hostelgeeks
Best Travel Websites we recommend ❤️
(Fresh Update 2023)
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.
Get your Smart Packing List (Free Printable)
Knowing what to pack and what not to pack is key. As an example, you need a one-fits-all padlock.
We put together the ultimate list of smart items to bring.