The 5 Best Hostels in Cape Town (Updated 2023)

Posted: 3/10/2023 | March tenth, 2023

Known for its stunning backdrops and beautiful seashores, Cape Town has been a well-liked backpacker hub for years. It’s additionally quick changing into a favourite for digital nomads too, because of the town’s vibrant nightlife and wealthy, various tradition.

Once a super-cheap vacation spot, as Cape Town’s recognition has elevated, so too has the price of dwelling.

Thankfully, it’s nonetheless very reasonably priced, and there are many budget-friendly hostels for backpackers and nomads.

Below you’ll discover my listing of the perfect hostels in Cape Town that will help you have enjoyable, meet different vacationers, and have a superb sleep whilst you spend time in what’s actually one of many biggest cities on the earth.

But first, listed below are 4 issues you should keep in mind earlier than choosing a hostel in Cape Town:

1. Location – Cape Town isn’t tremendous unfold out, and it’s fast and simple to get round to many of the essential areas, however to information your choice, chances are you’ll need to think about issues like security and which sights you’d favor to be closest to. Pick a hostel that’s close to the websites you need to see and/or the nightlife you need to expertise, so that you gained’t waste time (and cash) in transit.
2. Price – Most of the hostels in Cape Town are pretty cheap, however there are some which might be cheaper than others. If you’re keen and capable of pay a bit extra, you may get lodging with perks like AC. However, the cheaper choices nonetheless present a number of worth.
3. Amenities – All hostels supply free Wi-Fi and some embody free breakfast, however if you’d like greater than that, do your analysis to seek out one which finest meets your wants.
4. Staff – All the hostels listed right here have superb workers! They are tremendous pleasant and educated. Even in case you don’t keep at one of many locations listed under, search for evaluations to make sure you find yourself someplace the place the workers is useful and pleasant. They could make or break a hostel!

Below is my listing of the perfect hostels in Cape Town. If you don’t need to learn the longer listing, nevertheless, the next are the perfect in every class:

Best Hostel for Budget Travelers: Long Street Backpackers
Best Hostel for Partying: Long Street Backpackers
Best Hostel for Solo Female Travelers: Never at Home Green Point
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads: Villa Viva
Best Hostel for History Lovers: Long Street Backpackers
Best Hostel for Couples: Ashanti Lodge
Best Overall Hostel: Villa Viva

Want the specifics of every hostel? Here’s my breakdown of the perfect hostels in Cape Town and why I really like them:

Price legend (per night time)

• $ = Under 250 ZAR
• $$ = 250-300 ZAR
• $$$ = Over 300 EUR

1. Villa Viva

Located within the Tamboerskloof space, only a stone’s throw from the stylish Kloof Street and its many well-liked bars and eating places, Villa Viva has almost all the things you may need in a hostel. It’s bought a energetic environment and a hostel bar that hosts events and sometimes reside music on the weekends.

In addition, there are numerous different social perks, like weekly paint-and-sip nights, braais (South African barbecues), and a hostel WhatsApp group. There are many locations to hang around and many seating areas for working on-line, in addition to a stunning outside space with a pleasant pool, a hammock, colourful loungers, and a vegetable backyard.

Even on an evening with a reside DJ, the rooms are nonetheless quiet, impeccably clear, and comfy. Each bunk mattress may be very spacious, with thick curtains, shops, and a lamp. The loos had been very nice as effectively, with fashionable furnishings and a clear, pressurized rain bathe.

Villa Viva at a look:

• $$$
• Clean, comfy rooms and loos
• Great outside space with a pool and backyard
• Lively bar with weekend actions

Beds from 340 ZAR, personal rooms from 935 ZAR.

2. Ashanti Lodge Gardens

Located within the leafy suburb of Gardens, Ashanti Lodge will not be as well-known as a few of the different hostels, because it’s tucked away in a quiet space, but it surely’s nonetheless only a 10-minute stroll to Kloof Street. The hostel has many facilities, together with a big swimming pool with loads of solar loungers and a pleasant kitchen. It additionally has a café that opens for breakfast and reopens as a bar at 5pm each night time.

Although there have been no lamps or shops beside the dorm beds, there have been loads of plugs and USB ports within the room, and, in case you’re fortunate sufficient to get a backside bunk, privateness curtains as effectively. The fashionable loos have very nice high-pressured showers too.

Like Villa Viva, this place has extra of an upscale vibe and is a spot to go if you’d like quiet. While not a busy place, the smaller measurement makes it fairly straightforward to satisfy individuals.

Ashanti Lodge Gardens at a look:

• $$$
• Large outside pool space
• Modern loos and showers
• Café/bar with pool desk

Beds from 322 ZAR, personal rooms from 776 ZAR.

3. Never at Home Green Point

Never at Home Green Point is a well-liked hostel situated within the energetic Green Point neighborhood, near the V&A Waterfront and seashores in Sea Point. This is among the few hostels with air-conditioned rooms, so in case you’re right here in the course of the peak summer season warmth, that’s an enormous plus.

AC apart, the rooms are very primary, with shops, a shelf, and creaky steel bunks. The rooms and loos might bea bit cleaner, however general, they’re respectable sufficient in case you’re on the lookout for an affordable place to satisfy different vacationers.

Because, what this hostel lacks in luxurious, nevertheless, it greater than makes up for in social environment. It may be very huge, with 48 rooms, so at first, it may be intimidating to attempt to meet individuals, however that shortly adjustments. The extraordinarily pleasant workers actually go above and past to ensure you are having a superb time, and with each day actions and occasions like trivia, braais, and hikes, it is vitally straightforward to satisfy individuals.

In addition, there’s an energetic hostel WhatsApp group, bike leases, a pleasant outside deck space with a pool, a big kitchen, and some indoor workspaces in case you work on-line.

The hostel bar/restaurant, the Randy Warthog, is open to the general public and hosts common beer pong and pool tournaments. There can also be a each day comfortable hour from 6pm to 7pm, in addition to throughout load-shedding — the not-so-fun a part of South Africa when the ability goes off for a number of hours at completely different occasions of the day.

If you need to occasion, that is the hostel to remain at!

Never at Home Green Point at a look:

• $$
• Fun bar and pool for hanging out
• Daily occasions and actions
• Great place for assembly individuals

Beds from 295 ZAR, personal rooms from 1,150 ZAR.

4. Atlantic Point

Atlantic Point is among the most long-standing backpacker hostels on the town. Also situated in Green Point, very near the V&A Waterfront, it has a homey, welcoming environment.

The bunks are wood, the beds are comfy, and there are shops close by (however not for each single bunk). The beds do, nevertheless, all have cabinets and lamps, and the rooms and toilet are extraordinarily clear. The en suite rest room within the dorms have a separate bathroom space, in addition to two sinks and showers.

The workers may be very pleasant and welcoming, and there’s a small hostel bar with a each day comfortable hour. There can also be a relaxed, grassy outside space with a pool and some lounge chairs to relax out on, in addition to an upstairs workstation. There can also be free breakfast.

Atlantic Point at a look:

• $$
• Clean, comfy rooms and loos
• Community environment
• Chill grassy outside space with a pool

Beds from 265 ZAR, personal rooms from 925 ZAR.

5. Long Street Backpackers

Long Street Backpackers is located within the coronary heart of Cape Town’s vibrant Long Street, identified for its energetic nightlife and cultural sights. Just a 10-minute stroll from the start line of the historic strolling excursions and plenty of different historic sights, that is the place to be if you wish to be on the middle of all of the motion.

The outside backyard space is a quiet oasis away from the booming hostel bar, which has nightly occasions like karaoke, beer pong, and open mics. It is sort of noisy at night time since a) it’s proper on a bustling avenue stuffed with divey bars and eating places, and b) that is one other occasion hostel. So, in case you’re on the lookout for a quiet night time’s sleep, this won’t be the place for you.

This place can also be very low cost, making it good for a funds traveler who needs to be proper within the metropolis middle. However, the realm will not be the most secure, so you must take precautions and be extra conscious of widespread scams.

(Also, one of many greatest perks is that as a result of the hostel is on the identical energy grid because the parliament constructing it by no means loses energy.)

Long Street Backpackers at a look:

• $
• Lively events and nightlife
• Central location with no load-shedding
• Inexpensive, no-frills rooms

Beds from 221 ZAR, personal rooms from 1,190 ZAR.

Cape Town is a big metropolis with lots to supply, so choosing the right hostel primarily based on what you need to see and do is essential. Fortunately, there are a ton of fantastic choices right here, guaranteeing that you just’ll have a enjoyable and reasonably priced go to to this postcard-perfect vacation spot.