3 Best Hostels in Vancouver – a drink with World Travellers and sleeping in Pod-Style Dorms

So you’re heading to Canada! No doubt British Columbia is on the list, so let us introduce the 3 coolest and best hostels in Vancouver, handpicked by yours truly; the Hostelgeeks.

This ethnically diverse city is surrounded by mountains and is home to the famous Stanley Park.

Your Shortcut:

1. Samesun Vancouver – one for solo travelers
2. HI Vancouver Downtown – great for female solo travelers
3. St. Clair Hotel-Hostel – a top pick for couples

Money-saving tip: On Hostelz.com you can compare prices before making your final reservations.

It’s a great destination for solo travelers, couples and party hostel lovers. As with most cities, there is plenty to do and it’s super social.

BRAND NEW: 17 Best Hostels in Canada

Basically, it’s the place for you if you have an affinity for nature. And love the sound of snowboarding and sailing in the same day!

This Vancouver Hostels 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

As for 5 Star Hostels, I’m afraid we don’t yet have one in Vancouver.

In this detailed guide to the best hostels in Vancouver, you will find:

• Quick Intro to Vancouver Hostels
• 3 Best hostels in Vancouver
  • #1 Samesun Vancouver
  • #2 HI Vancouver Downtown
  • #3 St. Clair Hotel-Hostel
• Best Hostels for Solo Travellers
• Great Party Hostels
• Cheap Hostels
• More Vancouver Hostels worth a mention
• Promo Codes
• All hostels and sights put on Map
• FAQ
• Flights to Vancouver

Quick Introduction to Vancouver Hostels

The average price for a bed: A bed in a dorm can be as cheap as 16€ up to 23€ per night. A private room in a hostel in Vancouver starts from 32€ up to 69€ per night.

This is a rough average to give you an idea. Prices always depend on season and holidays.

Please always check the exact rates on Hostelworld.com or Booking.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.

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

• How to book hostels? (and websites to save $)
• 23 clever items: the hostel packing list to download
• How does the Hostelworld App work exactly? Our Advanced Guide

3 Best Hostels in Vancouver

Grab your coat, we’re going to investigate the best hostels in Vancouver. They are:

1. Samesun Vancouver – one for solo travelers
2. HI Vancouver Downtown – great for female solo travelers
3. St. Clair Hotel-Hostel – a top pick for couples

Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type

🦸 Solo Traveler:	HI Vancouver Downtown
🙎‍♀️ best for Female Solo Traveler:	HI Vancouver Downtown
🥳 Party Hostel:	Samesun Vancouver
👩‍❤️‍👨Couple Hostel:	St. Clair Hotel-Hostel
👨‍👩‍👦 Family Hostel:	St. Clair Hotel-Hostel
👩‍💻 For Digital Nomads:	Samesun Vancouver
🧘 Cozy Hostel:	Cambie Hostel Seymour

1. Samesun Vancouver (big in-house bar + restaurant)

SameSun Vancouver is one of the many SameSun hostels.

This centrally located hostel is an Instagram story all in itself. It’s the exposed brick walls and potted plants that really make Samesun Vancouver stand out. The best hostel Vancouver BC has to offer!

It’s certainly the best hostel in Vancouver for social butterflies.

That’s because there are daily and nightly events to sink your teeth into, alongside a huge bar and outdoor terrace.

Book Samesun Vancouver here

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

The Beaver Bar is also a place to grab a bite. It’s relaxed, comfy and the heart of the hostel.

Fancy a bit of privacy without the price tag? Then choose a dorm room.. they come with pod beds! Enjoy your own light, shelf and power points.

No worries if you prefer privacy full stop. The private rooms come with a mini fridge and TV with Netflix. Alright, alright you may Netflix and chill if you really want.

Fill up first thing with a tasty included breakfast of muffins, eggs, cereal and tea and coffee. There’s a kitchen for cooking and vending machine for snacking. Score!

Samesun Hostel Vancouver is located in the Granville entertainment district, near the skytrain and less than 15 mins from clubs, restaurants and shops.

Samesun is one of the best hostels in Vancouver for:

• Solo travellers
• Friends

Book Samesun Vancouver here

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

2. HI Vancouver Downtown (bagel breakfast + rooftop terrace)

Another hostel Vancouver Canada has for you! HI Vancouver Downtown is spacious, modern and located within a peaceful neighbourhood.

In fact, Davie St is nearby and home to great cafes and clubs. Walk 10 minutes and you’ll find Sunset Beach.

There are a lot of cool spaces at HI Hostel Downtown Vancouver which we think you’ll appreciate:

• Rooftop terrace w/ sun beds + parasols
• Library w/ armchairs
• TV room w/ movies
• Huge kitchen
• Games room

Pretty cool, right? It is like getting one of the Vancouver hotel deals.

Book HI Vancouver Downtown here

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

The rooms are a mixture of shared and single-sex, all of which are spacious and bright. Each room has a sink, linen and even a towel included.

Breakfast includes muffins, bagels and fruit – how good does that sound?!

All travellers will be glad to know the reception is 24-hours. The staff will be happy to point you in the direction of late-opening bars.

HI Vancouver Downtown is one of the best hostels in Vancouver for:

• Female solo travellers
• Backpackers

Book HI Vancouver Downtown here

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

3. St. Clair Hotel-Hostel (male dorms + central location)

Choose to stay at St. Clair Hotel-Hostel and you will be sleeping in a listed building built in 1911. Cool, right?

Yet again this hostel is central, close by to the Holy Rosary Cathedral and moments from the lookout tower.

There is a great little activities board listing the local entertainment. Of course you can always have a chat with the staff who are happy to help.

Book St. Clair Hotel-Hostel here

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

Not only are there female dorms, but male dorms too! Solo travellers seeking privacy will enjoy the single private room, no doubt.

Read: Room Types – What are the Differences?

We love the large windows and old-style shutters in each room!

After a long day of walking Vancouver, relax in the lounge area where you’ll also find a TV.

Note: there is a 7 night maximum stay in the dorms.

Simply put, it’s one of the best hostels in Vancouver for:

• Couples
• Budget travellers

Book St. Clair Hotel-Hostel here

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

Best Hostels in Vancouver for Solo Travellers?

It would be rude of us not to include a section for the solo traveller.

Especially when so many people are braving new experiences by themselves. Wonderful!

Let’s have a quick recap of the already mentioned hostels in this article:

• Best solo traveller hostel for sociable women: HI Vancouver Downtown
• Best hostel for solo travellers that like privacy + group activities: Samesun Vancouver
• And Best hostel for male solo travellers (single sex dorms): St. Clair Hotel-Hostel

Best Party Hostel Vancouver?

Without doubt if you’re looking for a lively atmosphere without having to leave the hostel, we highly recommend staying at Samesun Vancouver.

It’s the number one Vancouver party hostel!

Remember; there’s a large bar here that sells food. After a big night you can enjoy the free breakfast and relieve a hangover on the outdoor terrace.

As a second option for a party hostel in Vancouver, head over to Cambie Hostel Vancouver.

On the ground floor you’ll find the oldest bar in the city, The Cambie. This is where you can also enjoy a discounted breakfast.

Each week there are live bands to enjoy!

Head upstairs away from the noise, stroke Oreo the cat and collapse in a ready-made bed. Lovely jubbly.

Book Cambie Hostel Gastown here

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

Cheapest Hostels in Vancouver

Do you have ideas on hostel prices? Well, 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.
 Although, keep in mind a bad location far away from the city centre costs you more in transport.

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 Vancouver.

1. Open Hostelworld
2. Order the listing by price

Simple as that.

Good to know: Make sure you select the accommodation type you actually want. Many homestays and guesthouses claim to be a hostel. Fact is, they are not. Hostels offer common areas, are social.

Here’s our guide on how to book hostels with Hostelworld.

More Vancouver Hostels worth a mention

We believe that booking hostel is a way to go and the best way to enjoy hostel travel. There are plenty of hostels Vancouver has to offer and here are more hostels in Vancouver Canada.

Hostels are indeed the best option compared to Vancouver hotels because they are more affordable.

If you are not into top Vancouver hostels, you can have a look at best hotels in Vancouver BC but we promise you hostel is worth a try!

• HI Vancouver Central
• Vancouver Backpacker House
• HI Vancouver Jericho Beach
• Cambie Hostel Seymour

HI Vancouver Central

HI Vancouver Central is one of the good hostels in Vancouver BC.

It is decently priced Granville Street hostel with very clean accommodations in a convenient location.

Every dorm room is equipped with a shared bathroom and they have backpack sized lockers that you can use for your things.

HI Hostel Vancouver Central is great for meeting people but if you want your little me-space, private rooms are a great choice.

Hostel Highlights:

• Non-smoking rooms
• Free WiFi
• Family rooms
• 24-hour front desk
• Breakfast

Location: Situated on Granville Street, this hostel is within 7 minutes’ walk to a variety of bars and restaurants. Shopping on Robson Street is just 3 minutes’ walk away. Just 1 km from Granville Skytrain, this hostel is conveniently located in Vancouver’s Entertainment District.

Book HI Vancouver Central here

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

Vancouver Backpacker House

Vancouver Backpacker House is relatively decent.

A place where fellow travelers are very warm, friendly and happy to talk and share stories. It’s not super fancy but it’s very clean and the staffs are really friendly!

Hostel Highlights:

• Free parking
• Non-smoking rooms
• Free WiFi

Location: Situated 10-minute walk from the Metrotown Skytrain stop and the Metropolis at Metrotown shopping mall.  Downtown Vancouver is 14 minutes from the Vancouver Backpacker Guesthouse by Skytrain. Burnaby Central Park is a 15-minute walk away.

Please have a look at the map though. For us, this is not the ideal location.

Book Vancouver Backpacker House here

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

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach is another good hostel and an ideal West Coast home that you must try.

Cycling, kayaking, beach volleyball, wind-surfing and hiking are some of the activities you could do.

Bike rentals are available and sporting equipment including tennis, soccer, football, badminton, bocce, croquet, frisbee and more are free to borrow.

Hostel Highlights:

• Non-smoking rooms
• Restaurant
• Parking
• Free WiFi
• Family rooms
• Bar

Location: Located 4 minutes’ walk from Jericho Beach Park. Surrounded by parkland and beaches, we’re located in the friendly neighborhood of Kitsilano, a 30 minute bus ride from downtown Vancouver and 10 minutes from the University of BC.

Book HI Vancouver Jericho Beach here

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

Cambie Hostel Seymour

Cambie Hostel Seymour is one of the Cambie hostels. It is beautiful with a lot of character and unique features. Everything is super clean and the bathrooms and public areas are well-maintained.

The staffs are super friendly and helpful. It’s in a great location, making it an easy walk to most of the popular destinations.

They have a bar and it is a lot of fun, and a great place to meet people. The food and drinks are at reasonable price.

Hostel Highlights:

• Non-smoking rooms
• Free WiFi
• Restaurant
• 24-hour front desk
• Laundry
• Bar

Location: The Cambie Hostel Seymour is a heritage building over 120 years old and located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, just 1.5 km away from BC Place and Rogers Arena. Hostel Cambie is less than 5 minutes’ walk from Granville Skytrain. Vancouver Convention Centre and Canada Place Vancouver are less than 2 km away.

Book Cambie Hostel Seymour here

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

Discounts + Promo Codes

Currently, we have no special hostel discounts in Vancouver. So for now 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.

We also do have a 35€ discount for Airbnb here.

Map of Vancouver Hostels + TOP Sights

Now that you’ve got your eye on one of the best hostels in Vancouver, let’s put it on a map. Actually, this map has ALL the mentioned hostels in this article.

Plus best of Vancouver and top things to do in Vancouver including:

• Stanley Park
• Capilano Suspension Bridge
• Granville Island
• Gastown
• Queen Elizabeth Park
• Canada Place
• Grouse Mountain
• Vancouver Art Gallery
• VanDusen Botanical Garden

Other cool ideas for you:

• 7 Hour City Tour of Vancouver
• Take a private tour with a local
• 2.5 hr sunset cruise (with buffet)
• Indian Arm half day cruise (with lunch)

FAQ

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

Flights to Vancouver

We enjoy Skyscanner, Omio.com and Kiwi.com to find cheap flights all over North America including Vancouver and Los Angeles.

This new website has super cool features like a so-called radius search. Just draw a circle over North America and find the cheapest rates for the area.

Here is our review of Kiwi.

More Epic Hostels in North, Central + South America

So, a little birdy tells me you have lots of time to play with. That means there is more exploring to be done!

Except perhaps visit all of the best hostels in Canada!

Now that you’ve been introduced to the best hostels in Vancouver, we’d like to show you our many other hostel guides to Canada and North America:

• best hostels in Montreal, Canada
• 3 best hostels in Toronto, Canada
• best hostels in Whistler, Canada
• best hostels in Banff, Canada
• best hostels in Calgary, Canada
• best hostels in Jasper, Canada
• best hostels in Quebec City, Canada
• best hostels in Ottawa, Canada
• 3 best hostels in Los Angeles, USA
• 3 best hostels in San Francisco, USA
• best hostels in Seattle, USA
• best hostels in Washington DC, USA
• cool hostels in Chicago, USA
• best hostels in New York City, USA

Here you can find our massive guide on the best hostels in the USA – from West to East.

Prepare yourself as we create more travel guides for give you and feature more hostels British Columbia has to offer very soon!

Find many more hostel guides around the world here. Also check out all of our 5 Star Hostels.

Over to you

So there you have it; the coolest and best hostels in Vancouver, Canada. Hopefully by now you already know which one you’re going to choose.

But perhaps you are left with some questions, doubts?

Then please leave us a comment. This list of awesome Vancouver hostels should be as informative and useful as possible.

Your question(s) will help me to understand what I have missed to mention and you’ll help improve this article.

Therefore, do not be shy, drop us a comment!

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.

It is our commitment that 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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