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

3 Best Hostels in Vancouver - In-House Bar for World-Traveller and Pod-Style Dorms
Photo by Kian Kamyabi

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.

Our favorite hostels in Vancouver are:

  1. HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel - best for Solo Travelers
  2. HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel - best for Female Solo Travelers
  3. The Cambie Hostel Seymour - best for Digital Nomads

Money-saving tip: Compare hostel prices with Hostelz.com. They compare prices from Hostelworld, Booking.com and others with 1 click.

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.

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:

The 3 Best Hostels in Vancouver are …

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

  1. HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel – best for Solo Travelers
  2. HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel – best for Female Solo Travelers
  3. The Cambie Hostel Seymour – best for Digital Nomads

These are our favorite hostels in Vancouver. We want to make your life even easier, so we put all accommodations on a map for you. We even added our own tips for favorite restaurants, things to see, and more.

Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type

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

1. HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel is 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.

The best choice in Vancouver for

  • Solo Travelers
Book HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel here

Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel Room

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel Kitchen

HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel Room 11.51.51

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

Another hostel Vancouver Canada has for you!  HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel 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 - Hostel here

Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com

HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel Terrace

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.

Location:

A great choice for

  • Female solo travellers
  • Backpackers
Book HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel here

Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com

HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel Billard Space

HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel Dorm Room

HI Vancouver Downtown - Hostel Dining Room

3. The Cambie Hostel Seymour

The 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.

This is one of the best hostels in Vancouver for

  • Digital Nomads
Book The Cambie Hostel Seymour here

Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com

The Cambie Hostel Seymour Common Space

The Cambie Hostel Seymour Bar

The Cambie Hostel Seymour Room

The Cambie Hostel Seymour Common Space

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 Party Hostel Vancouver?

As a 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

Cambie Hostel - Best Party Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

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!

  • Vancouver Backpacker House
  • Samesun Vancouver
  • St. Clair Hotel-Hostel

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
Vancouver Backpacker House

Samesun Vancouver (big in-house bar + restaurant)

Note: This hostel is currently closed. Its reopening is expected in the autumn of 2024.

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

Samesun Vancouver - Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

Samesun Vancouver - Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

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

Samesun Vancouver - Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

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

St. Clair Hotel-Hostel - Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

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

St. Clair Hotel-Hostel - Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

St. Clair Hotel-Hostel - Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada

What about the cheapest hostels in Vancouver?

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 Vancouver.

  1. Open Hostelz.com with a full list of all hostels in Vancouver
  2. add your dates
  3. 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. We even have special discount codes we only share in the 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 Vancouver 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, ask questions, and make plans together. Find more details in our review of the app.

Download the Hostelworld App here

QR Code to Download your Hostelworld app with one scan
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to download the Hostelworld App from the App Store - like a real Hostel Geek!

The best way to find hostels: Hostelgeeks website and Hostelworld App

Our Favorite Hostels in Vancouver put on a map + 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:

Any questions about hostels in Vancouver? 🤔

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.

What is the best hostel in Vancouver for solo travellers?

The best hostel in Vancouver for Solo-Travellers is: HI Vancouver Jericho Beach - Hostel.

Are hostels in Vancouver safe?

Yes, Vancouver hostels are safe. It is best to check out Hostelgeeks.com because we feature safe hostels in Vancouver. You can find backpacker hostel with top ratings! Keep a close eye on the overall ratings on booking platforms.

What is Vancouver best known for?

Top sights in Vancouver are:

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

Flights to Vancouver?

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 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:

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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Best Hostels in Vancouver, Canada the complete guide and overview for backpackers

CLOSED: HI Vancouver Central

Update: This hostel has permanently closed. We’ve kept this content here for your information.

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.

HI Vancouver Central

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