|
Hostels are a budget travel hack to more frequent and longer vacations. As a cheaper alternative to hotels and Airbnbs, hostels are often centrally located, a great way to meet fellow travelers, and a nice space to set up shop with your laptop if you’re a digital nomad. I’ve stayed in my fair share of hostels over the years and am sharing my picks for the best hostels in Europe and the U.S.
The Best Hostels in Europe and the US for 2025
Líbere Córdoba Spain - Editor's Pick Córdoba is located in southern Spain in the country’s Andalusia region. It’s perhaps most famous for the Mezquita, a mosque originally built in the 700s. Other notable sites include the Alcazar de Los Reyes Cristianos, the Synagogue of Córdoba, their ancient Roman bridge, and the Calahorra Tower. Why the Líbere Córdoba Earned the Top Spot on My List The Líbere Córdoba is not your run-of-the-mill hostel. First, it appears newer and not so rundown like other hostels I’ve been to, but it still retains the charming southern Spanish design you’ll find all around this city. The building surrounds a beautiful outdoor patio with plenty of tables and seating for people to hang out or work remotely. If sitting outside isn’t your cup of tea, they also have an indoor area where people can eat or work. Another plus is how clean the rooms are. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
HI Boston - Best Hostel in Boston Boston is one of my favorite cities in the United States. Washington D.C. may be the nation’s capital, but Boston and Philadelphia feel more representative of America’s founding fathers and history. Plus, Boston is just a 40-minute train ride from Salem, which means you can see two great places in one trip. Why the HI Boston Earned Best Hostel in Boston Surprisingly, Boston has very few hostels, and the HI Boston is pretty much the Boston hostel. Despite limited options, this is a great choice for those who want to visit Boston and save money by skipping expensive hotels. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
New Samay Seville - Best Hostel in Seville Seville is a well-known city in Spain’s Andalusia region in the south, featuring incredible architecture like the Plaza de España and Giralda Tower, along with vibrant cultural charms like flamenco dancing. Why the New Samay Seville Earned Best Hostel in Seville From my experience, I felt very safe at the New Samay Hostel in Seville. The hostel felt safe and secure, and the neighborhood it’s in felt safe, too. Plus, it was easily walkable to popular tourist sites. This isn’t a party hostel either, which made it feel safer. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Find out more about this hostel in my full-length New Samay Hostel review HI New Orleans - Best Hostel in New Orleans New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in the U.S., with a rich history and culture unlike any other city I’ve ever been to. It’s also a great place to go on a trip with friends. I spent a long weekend in Nola for my birthday, and the HI Hostel allowed me to have a great stay while saving some money. Why the HI New Orleans Earned Best Hostel in New Orleans This HI Hostel is a clean, well-kept hostel on Canal Street in the heart of the city, within walking distance of New Orleans’s iconic French Quarter and the Mississippi River. Of course, the French Quarter is a prime spot for friend groups to take tours, explore, or hit exciting bars and restaurants. While most folks go to New Orleans to see these spots, the HI New Orleans is also within walking distance to the street cars to take you to other areas of town like the old cemeteries and the Garden District. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Helpful Tips: Guide to Visiting New Orleans for the First Time ECO Hostel Granada - Best Hostel for 30-Year-Olds Granada is located in southern Spain and is most famous for the Alhambra Palace, which sits atop a hill overlooking the city. However, I would encourage you to also visit the Royal Chapel there, which is where Spain’s most famous monarchs, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, are buried. Why the ECO Hostel Granada Earned Best Hostel for 30-Year-Olds There’s a slight misunderstanding that hostels are only for twentysomethings, but from my experience, I’ve seen people of all ages stay at them. That said, if you’re over 30, odds are you’ll probably want something more low-key than a rowdy party hostel. Hey, we need our sleep, right? The ECO Hostel was a quiet, calm hostel with a good mix of adults of all ages, which is why I think this is a good choice for the over-30 budget traveler. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Find out more in my ECO Hostel Granada review Astor Oxford Street - Best Hostel in London London is one of the biggest and most famous cities in the world, but that also means staying here can get expensive. In this case, hostels are a great workaround for this. That said, in such a big city, you want to make sure the hostel you’re staying at is in a decent, safe location. Why the Astor Oxford Street Earned Best Hostel in London There are multiple hostels around London, but I chose to stay near Oxford Street as this seemed like a good central location for someone who had never been to London before. The Astor Hostel Oxford Street is near London’s West End, and even though it’s a busier area, I never felt unsafe here. The hostel is a secured building a block behind Oxford St., where you can get to buses. It’s also just a 10-minute walk to the Oxford Circus subway station. During my stay, the hostel was clean and well-maintained, and I saw people of all ages, including families, there. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Discover more tips about London in this London Travel Guide Young and Happy Latin Quarter - Best Hostel in Paris Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements that sort of work their way up from the center out. This means that the lower your arrondissement number is, the more central you’ll be to the popular sites. For your first trip to Paris, I’d recommend finding accommodations within the first 10 arrondissements so that you’re close to the best sightseeing. Why the Young and Happy Hostel Latin Quarter Earned Best Hostel in Paris The Young and Happy Hostel is located in the Latin Quarter (A.K.A. Arrondissement 5) on a street called Rue Mouffetard. What’s special about the Latin Quarter is that it’s one of the city’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods, particularly for education, and it was where Ernest Hemingway lived during his time there in the 1920s. Rue Mouffetard is also home to a local market, so you can find lots of yummy foods from local vendors. The Young and Happy Hostel’s excellent location made it easy for me to walk to the must-see Paris sites like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, among others. As for the hostel, I loved that it felt more historic, like the neighborhood it was in. I think my favorite part was the cozy hangout area below the main floor, which kind of felt like you were entering some catacombs or something. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Learn more about what to do in Paris with this Paris Travel Guide Kick Ass Greyfriars - Best Hostel in Edinburgh Scotland is one of my favorites of all the countries I’ve traveled to, with Edinburgh being one of the most magical cities I’ve ever seen. Seriously, I’m still dreaming of living there and writing in cozy coffee shops. Why the Kick Ass Greyfriars Earned Best Edinburgh Hostel The Kick Ass Greyfriars (previously known as Budget Backpackers) Hostel in Edinburgh was the very first hostel I ever stayed at, and it clearly left a positive impression. This hostel is in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh at the bottom of the iconic Victoria Street. If you’ve seen images of Edinburgh, you’ve likely seen that street. It curves and has colorful buildings along it. Because it’s so central, I could easily walk to major sites in the city like Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. It’s also close to coffee shops, restaurants, bars, tours, etc. This hostel was also only a 15-minute walk to Waverly Train Station. Aside from a great location, the hostel felt safe and even provided meal and drink coupons for their restaurant and bar. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Find out more on what to do in Scotland in this Scotland Travel Guide Euro Youth Hostel Munich - Best Hostel for Digital Nomads Munich was my favorite of the three big cities I’ve visited in Germany, which included Frankfurt and Berlin. While Frankfurt seemed too industrial and Berlin too overwhelming, Munich had some great character to it. To offset the price of a hotel, I stayed at the Euro Youth Hostel (also referred to as the Euro Youth Hotel Munich), which was conveniently within a roughly 10-minute walking distance of the city’s Central Station. Why the Euro Youth Hostel Munich Earned Best Hostel for Remote Workers Working remotely while staying in a hostel can present a unique set of challenges. I ideally want somewhere with good Wi-Fi and a communal space with tables to plug in my laptop as needed. I’ve certainly found this at other hostels (and if I had to give a runner-up in this category, the ECO Hostel Granada would get that title). However, I picked this one because they have a larger community dining and hangout area next to the lobby with plenty of tables where I could easily get work done and order food and beverages. On the flip side, I understand that some folks may want something quieter, and the good news here is that the Euro Youth Hostel in Munich also provided a table and chairs in the dorm room, so if I had to take a meeting, I was able to do it there with my headphones on. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Learn more about my experience in Munich here St. Christopher’s Inn - Best Hostel in Barcelona Barcelona sits on Spain’s eastern coast along the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a lot to offer travelers, from the visually stunning Gothic Quarter and famous La Sagrada Familia cathedral to the beautiful beaches and food; I’d recommend it in a heartbeat. Why St. Christopher’s Inn Earned Best Hostel in Barcelona The St. Christopher’s Inn Hostel is centrally located near Barcelona’s Las Ramblas neighborhood, so you have lots of access to shopping and food. The hostel's location also made it easy for me to walk to all the sites I wanted to check out, including La Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, and Barceloneta Beach. Another location perk was how close this hostel is to the Barcelona Airport shuttle. I remember having to leave for the airport around 3 in the morning. I’ll admit I was pretty nervous since it was the middle of the night, but to my surprise, there were many people out and about (likely coming back from nightclubs), and people were already waiting for the shuttle. As far as the hostel itself, they have a great bar area where people can socialize and watch games. I actually had the best three-hour conversation with a fellow female traveler from Denmark. They also have privacy curtains on the beds in the rooms. What I Love About This Hostel
The Drawbacks
Learn more in my St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona review Also visiting Madrid? Read my Ok Hostel Madrid review Frequently Asked Questions 1.) Is 30 too old to stay in hostels? Absolutely not! I first stayed in a hostel at 30 years old and have had great experiences in them. The older you get, you may prefer the comfort of your own hotel room, but I've seen people of all ages in hostels. There are some that have age limits, usually just for certain rooms to keep younger people together, but in general, you can book them at any age. 2.) Where are the most hostels in the world? I would say most hostels are in Europe because they're so popular there. 3.) Can you pay in full on Hostelworld? Yes, from my experience, I've been able to pay in full when booking on Hostelworld. 4.) Which institute has best hostel? I really like the HI Hostel chain, especially if you're in the U.S. I've stayed at both the HI New Orleans and HI Boston, and both were really nice, even providing a free breakfast for guests every morning. Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site.
Are you planning an upcoming trip to Savannah, Georgia? If it’s your first time visiting Savannah, you might feel lost on where to stay – I know I was in that boat.
The good news is that I did the leg work for you. I recently visited Savannah over Labor Day Weekend and stayed at the Quality Inn Savannah Historic District. If this hotel has come up in your searches, and you’re wondering if it’s a good choice, I’ve got you covered with my honest take on this Savannah hotel. Quality Inn Savannah Historic District | Location This Quality Inn’s location is arguably its best feature. It’s located on Bay Street, right in Savannah’s Historic District. This means you can easily walk to River Street, shops on Broughton Street, Savannah’s historic homes and buildings, and even Forsyth Park. Granted, you’ll still need a car to get to popular spots like Bonaventure Cemetery and Tybee Island, but this is a fantastic location to be if you want to be central and limit your use of a car. While this location was central and felt safe (as a female solo traveler), it can get loud. The people staying at the hotel weren’t loud, but the traffic on Bay Street can get nuts, especially with cars blasting their music. The good news is that if you’re tired enough from a day of exploring, you should be able to still fall asleep easily, but if you struggle with sleeplessness, then I’d try for a quieter neighborhood outside of the Historic District. Want to know what to expect in Savannah? Check out my in-depth guide on what to see and do as a first-time visitor. Quality Inn Savannah Historic District | Prices While this was the cheapest of all the hotels in Savannah's Historic District, it was considerably more than what you’d expect from most Quality Inns. For two nights on Labor Day weekend (Saturday through Monday), I spent a total of $350 (including all the ridiculous extra taxes and fees these hotels stack on). Without those fees, it was $295. Yeah, that’s pretty for a Quality Inn, but the silver lining is that by not staying further away in Midtown, for example, I did save on not needing to rent a car or take Uber rides to get to the Historic District. While this was a holiday weekend, it seems Savannah has some pretty steady high prices. I had flexibility in when I could go, so I looked at other dates and really didn’t find better deals. Quality Inn Savannah Historic District | Parking This hotel has a parking lot right out front off Bay Street. Unfortunately, while the parking here is free, you have to pay an extra $25 a day to park. It’s not terribly high; I’ve heard of some places charging $50 or more for daily/nightly parking rates. It’s also worth noting that the area felt generally safe, so I don’t think car break-ins should be a big worry, though it’s always good practice (where you are) to not leave valuable belongings in your vehicle. Quality Inn Savannah Historic District | Breakfast The Quality Inn Savannah Historic District provides a complimentary breakfast each morning, which can help you save money and, at least in my case, feel better about the hotel’s price. Breakfast items I saw when I was there included:
Frequently Asked Questions 1.) Is the Savannah Historic District safe to walk at night? As a female solo traveler, I actually felt very safe walking around the Savannah Historic District at night. The latest I was out was until 11 when I got back from the ghost tour I took. There were lots of people walking around too, which helped. 2.) Is it better to stay by the river or the Historic District in Savannah? The Historic District is actually river by the river and River Street, so it’s all the same area. If you want to be in a central part of town where most of the sites and action is, then I recommend staying in the Historic District. 3.) What is the nicest part of Savannah to stay in? Honestly, the Historic District. It's nice and in walking distance to most of the top sites and experiences, including River Street, shopping on Broughton Street, historic homes, ghost tours, and Forsyth Park. 4.) What is considered the Historic District in Savannah? The Historic District in Savannah is generally considered anywhere within the Savannah River, East Broad Street, Forsyth Park, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. This part of town has some of Savannah’s oldest history and architecture, which is also why it’s a prime spot for tourism. Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site.
Savannah, Georgia had been on my travel bucket list for a while, and since moving to Atlanta at the end of July, it was easier than ever to get there. I picked Labor Day Weekend as it was the first long weekend I had available. I was fully aware that going on a holiday weekend at the tail end of summer might present some challenges, but I came away from my first Savannah trip with a lot of helpful knowledge.
How to Get to Savannah from Atlanta Savannah’s only about a 4-hour drive from Atlanta, so it’s easy to get there by car. However, another way to get there is via bus. You can purchase a Flixbus or Greyhound roundtrip ticket. You’ll start at the Atlanta Bus Station, which is right near a MARTA station, and you’ll arrive at Savannah Bus Station. There are different bus schedules (at different price points), so you can base your trip around what’s most convenient for your schedule and budget. Some routes are quicker than others, which is something to keep in mind. If you want to get there as quickly as possible, avoid booking a bus that has multiple stops along the way. For example, going to Savannah, my trip was only 4 hours nonstop, but coming back, we stopped like 3 times and it took over 5 hours. How Far is Savannah from Atlanta? Savannah is about a 4-hour drive from Atlanta. If you take a direct bus route, it should also be around 4 hours. However, bus routes with multiple stops can take upwards of 5 hours to get there. Savannah Bus Station: What You Need to Know
Savannah Hotels My recommendation for where to stay on a budget is the Quality Inn in Savannah’s Historic District. This hotel is right in the heart of Savannah’s top sightseeing area. While it’s not as cheap as hotels further out, you won’t have to worry about driving into the historic district since you’re right there. Learn all about the Quality Inn Savannah Historic District in my full-length hotel review Savannah Hotels in the Historic District Pros:
Savannah Hotels in Midtown Pros:
Savannah Weather Savannah's weather will depend on when you go. During my Labor Day Weekend trip, there was rain and cloudy skies the first day, and then it was hot and sunny the next few days. Summer can be extremely hot, humid, and unpredictable with rain. You'll find cooler, more mild weather in winter and early spring. What to Do in Savannah
Frequently Asked Questions About Savannah, GA 1. What is the best month to go to Savannah? The best month to go to Savannah will depend on what you’re looking for. If you want warmer weather, consider going from March to June or July. For cooler temps and smaller crowds, January and February are considered slower months. Personally, I think a really great month to go is October since Savannah is known for its spooky history, complete with lots of available ghost tours! 2. Does Savannah, Georgia have a beach? Yes, you can access the beach at Tybee Island from Savannah. Tybee Island is roughly a 20-minute drive from the city. 3. What is Savannah GA best known for? There’s a lot Savannah, GA is known for! Spooky history, historic homes and buildings, and coastal southern charm are a few examples. From what I saw during my time there, Savannah is a prime spot for friend trips, with lots of girl groups there for bachelorette parties. 4. What county is Savannah, GA? Savannah is located in Chatham County, Georgia. 5. Is Savannah a city in the USA? Yes, Savannah is actually one of the oldest cities in the United States, as it was founded in 1733. Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site. |
About the author
Jill Zwarensteyn is a writer and comedian who has been featured on Islands.com, Amazon, truTV, The New York Times, Matador Network, BUST Magazine, Sleep Advisor, Tiplr, ARTRPRNR Magazine, YourTango, Thought Catalog, GoMad Nomad, Mashable, The Daily Mail UK, the Cannes Film Festival, LaughFest, Women's Lifestyle Magazine, and the Funny Women Festival LA. Archives
September 2025
|
RSS Feed