2 Best Hostels in Zurich – With Central Location, Rooftop Terrace and On-site Bar, What Else Do You Need?

Photo by Samuel Zeller

Congratulations, you’ve just stumbled across the only guide you need to discover the 2 best hostels in Zurich!

You could argue ‘why only 2’?!

Well let’s face it; you only really need one great hostel, so two is really a bonus.

But wait! Our #1 hostel is actually located in Wintherthur, not far from Zurich. Have a look at our intro to Zurich to find out why.

It’s important for us to only deliver hostels we’d recommend to our friends and family. And to you! Here we have hand-picked the ONLY hostels we enjoy in Zurich.

It may not be the cheapest destination, which is why we’ve found two great central hostels with great anemities to help keep costs down.

Your shortcut:

  1. Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur
  2. Oldtown Hostel Otter
  3. A place for those seeking the best view of Zurich

Any questions about hostels in Zurich ?

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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 cool 5 Star Hostels? Spend a bit more time and check out Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof in Interlaken.

In case you’re still deciding on a destination; we’ve also created an epic guide to the 23 Best Hostels in Switzerland.

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 Zurich

Average price for a bed: Hostels in Zurich start from 34€ per night up to 41€ per nights for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 72€ up to 173€. 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.

Winterthur vs Zurich: As you may notice further down, our #1 hostel is actually located in Winterthur – a beautiful small city just 25 minutes from Zurich. It’s an fantastic hostel in an area well worth visiting. Honestly, we think it’s better than any hostel in the centre of Zurich.

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

The 2 Best Hostels in Zurich

Let’s jump right into the coolest hostels in Zurich.

Quick overview:

  1. Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur
  2. Oldtown Hostel Otter

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: Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur
🙎‍♀️ best for Female Solo Traveler: Oldtown Hostel Otter
🎒 For Backpackers: Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur
👩‍❤️‍👨Couple Hostel: Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur
👨‍👩‍👦 Family Hostel: Oldtown Hostel Otter
👩‍💻 For Digital Nomads: Oldtown Hostel Otter

1. Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur (rooftop terrace + bar)

Our #1 recommendation in the nearby city of Winterthur is the new Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur. Set close to the Winterthur Old Town in an industrial building, this is an old-meets-modern accommodation great for backpackers.

It really is the best choice out of all central Zurich hostels. The ONLY one we really recommend!

It’s fun, well located and a great place to meet other travellers. Oh and you can rent a snazzy bicycle here, too!

Don’t forget: Zurich is only 25-minutes away by train and will cost you around 13€ each way.

Book Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur here

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

Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland

There’s a great selection of rooms to suit different traveller types:

  • 4-8 bed mixed dorms (linen included)
  • Family rooms (en-suite)
  • Double/twin rooms (en-suite)

If you enjoy basic, modern design then we think you’ll love it here. What matters is the rooms are spacious and bright.

Note: reception hours are 7am-10am and 4pm-10pm.

Now, let’s get on to the really exciting stuff that will have you booking right away!

For one thing, there is a bar on-site and a super cool rooftop terrace with great views. Are you convinced yet?

Word has it the common kitchen is better equipped than yours back home, but if you prefer to wine and dine you’ll be close by to a vibrant urban area full of restaurants.

To brighten the social areas, several local artists have left their marks on the walls. We love this!

Lastly, the location is top. The main train station is just 7-minutes away, and great nightlife, music and entertainment are just around the corner.

This is one of the best hostels in Zurich for:

  • Solo travellers
  • Couples
  • Backpackers
Book Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur here

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

Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland

2. Oldtown Hostel Otter (mix of hotel + hostel standard)

If you’re really keen on a second option, we’d like to introduce you to the newly renovated hotel to hostel Oldtown Hostel Otter. This one is above a trendy cafe-bar!

What’s cool is that the upper floors have been kept at a hotel standard, whereas the lower floors have been converted to dormitories.

The best of both worlds in one!

Book Oldtown Hostel Otter here

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

Oldtown Hostel Otter one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland

The balance of dorms and privates is almost perfect, with 45 beds spread across both.

Psst! There are both female and male only dorms. How cool is that?!

We think then, that this is a wonderful choice for solo travellers and couples alike. The bar is a wonderful place to gather, regardless of who you are.

Don’t fret if you enjoy a good night’s sleep – quiet time is after 10pm in the dorms.

The location is great, full stop.

As you might have guessed, it’s situated in the Old Town. Right bang in the middle, actually. Major sights are close by and the train station is 20-minutes by foot.

If you fancy cooking, there is a small kitchenette to prepare food. Bare in mind it is very basic, with a small oven and microwave.

This is one of the best hostels in Zurich for:

  • Female Solo Travellers
  • Small Groups
Book Oldtown Hostel Otter here

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

Oldtown Hostel Otter one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland

Oldtown Hostel Otter one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland

Comparing all 2 Top Hostels in Zurich

Here is an overview of our handpicked top hostels in Zurich. In this chart we compare the main facilities and things to expect.

It will help you to make a decision.

 
  Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur Oldtown Hostel Otter
Recommended for…
  • Solo Travellers
  • Couples
  • Backpackers
  • Female Solo Travellers
  • Groups
Kitchen Yes Small Kitchenette
WiFi Free (Good) Free (Good)
Breakfast Simple Breakfast (extra) Big Buffet Breakfast (extra)
Location Top Top
Special Roof Top Terrace, Bar Cafe-bar
Activities Events on Twitter No
Lockers – and safe? Yes Yes
Facilities for disabled guests Wheelchair Friendly No
How to book? Hostelworld Hostelworld

This information can vary by season and availability. Please take this into account.

What about cheapest hostels in Zurich?

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 Zurich.

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

Simple as that. 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 Zurich for Solo Travellers?

If you’re looking for a great hostel for solo travellers in Zurich, you’ve already discovered it.

Wait, what?

Yep, our #1 hostel Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur is perfect for solo travellers of every kind!

We did already tell you that there really is only one great hostel in Zurich, and we meant it.

Whether you’re a backpacker, female or male solo traveller, we stand by that Depot 195 is social, comfortable and safe.

If you want to get social head to the bar, or let the conversation flow whilst relaxing on the rooftop. However if you are looking for some down-time, opt for an affordable private room and rent a bicycle for the day.

Book Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur here

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

Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur one of the best hostels in Zurich, Switzerland

Party Hostels in Zurich

Can we shock you yet again by telling you that you’ve also already discovered the best party hostels in Zurich?!

Well, kind of!

Both of our hostel recommendations have the main ingredients for a great party hostel, yet neither of them are technically party hostels.

For example, Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur has an on-site bar but does not advertise evening events or happy hours.

Oldtown Hostel Otter also has a bar on the ground floor open to guests and the public, yet quiet time is strictly after 10pm.

So! Instead of heading to Zurich especially for an all-night party, head to either one of our hand-picked hostels for the option of meeting people at the bar and take advantage of the central location to party close by in the city.

Party in the city, enjoy a great night’s sleep at the hostel – perfect!

How to book?

We recommend using Booking.com or Hostelworld for your reservations.

Booking.com is the biggest and safest platform for hotel and hostels reservations. Their cancellation policy is one of the best, normally 100% refundable until 24h before the stay.

Hostelworld is also super safe and the biggest booking platform for hostels.

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. Hostel Depot 195 Winterthur: Booking.com | Hostelworld
  2. Oldtown Hostel Otter: Booking.com | Hostelworld

We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible!

All of Zurich 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 fixed.

Any Discounts?

Currently, we have no special hostel discounts in Zurich. 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 Zurich put on a map + sights

Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all two best Zurich hostels on a handy map to make your planning even easier.

We also included the main tourist attractions you’ve to know in this list:

  • Lake Zurich
  • Grossmünster
  • Fraumünster Church
  • Bahnhofstrasse
  • Swiss National Museum
  • Kunsthaus Zürich
  • Lindenhof hill

There are also a few day trip options outside of the city you may consider, including:

For inside the city we recommend buying a Zurich Card: Save on attractions, Transport & Dining.

(You can deactivate and activate the different layers in the left sidebar.)

Any questions about hostels in Zurich ? 🤔

Join our Facebook Group!

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

FAQ

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

Flights to Zurich ?

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

More guides

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

We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel guides to destinations:

Don’t forget to check out all 23 best hostels in Switzerland.

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 Zurich 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.

We will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. We 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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Best Hostels in Zurich, Switzerland - the complete guide and overview for backpackers

 

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