The 5 Best Hostels in Cape Town (Updated 2023)

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

Known for its stunning backdrops and gorgeous 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, numerous tradition.

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

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

Below you’ll discover my record of the very best hostels in Cape Town that will help you have enjoyable, meet different vacationers, and have an excellent sleep when you spend time in what’s actually one of many biggest cities on this planet.

But first, listed below are 4 issues it’s essential 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 fundamental areas, however to information your choice, chances are you’ll need to contemplate issues like security and which sights you’d choose 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 prepared and in a position to pay a bit extra, you will get lodging with perks like AC. However, the cheaper choices nonetheless present plenty of worth.
3. Amenities – All hostels provide free Wi-Fi and some embody free breakfast, however if you would like greater than that, do your analysis to search out one which finest meets your wants.
4. Staff – All the hostels listed right here have superb employees! They are tremendous pleasant and educated. Even in the event you don’t keep at one of many locations listed beneath, lookup opinions to make sure you find yourself someplace the place the employees is useful and pleasant. They could make or break a hostel!

Below is my record of the very best hostels in Cape Town. If you don’t need to learn the longer record, nevertheless, the next are the very best 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 very best hostels in Cape Town and why I like them:

Price legend (per evening)

• $ = 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 common bars and eating places, Villa Viva has almost the whole lot you may need in a hostel. It’s acquired a vigorous environment and a hostel bar that hosts events and infrequently 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 plenty of seating areas for working on-line, in addition to a stunning out of doors 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 cozy. Each bunk mattress may be very spacious, with thick curtains, shops, and a lamp. The loos have been very nice as nicely, with fashionable furnishings and a clear, pressurized rain bathe.

Villa Viva at a look:

• $$$
• Clean, snug rooms and loos
• Great out of doors 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 just isn’t as well-known as among the different hostels, because it’s tucked away in a quiet space, nevertheless it’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 evening.

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 the event you’re fortunate sufficient to get a backside bunk, privateness curtains as nicely. 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 would like quiet. While not a busy place, the smaller dimension makes it fairly simple to fulfill individuals.

Ashanti Lodge Gardens at a look:

• $$$
• Large out of doors 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 positioned within the energetic Green Point neighborhood, near the V&A Waterfront and seashores in Sea Point. This is without doubt one of the few hostels with air-conditioned rooms, so in the event you’re right here throughout 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 total, they’re respectable sufficient in the event you’re searching for an affordable place to fulfill 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 modifications. The extraordinarily pleasant employees actually go above and past to be sure to are having an excellent time, and with every day actions and occasions like trivia, braais, and hikes, it is extremely simple to fulfill individuals.

In addition, there may be an energetic hostel WhatsApp group, bike leases, a pleasant out of doors deck space with a pool, a big kitchen, and some indoor workspaces in the event 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 be a every day pleased 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 totally different instances 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 without doubt one of the most long-standing backpacker hostels on the town. Also positioned in Green Point, very near the V&A Waterfront, it has a homey, welcoming environment.

The bunks are wood, the beds are snug, 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 lavatory within the dorms have a separate bathroom space, in addition to two sinks and showers.

The employees may be very pleasant and welcoming, and there’s a small hostel bar with a every day pleased hour. There can be a relaxed, grassy out of doors space with a pool and some lounge chairs to sit back out on, in addition to an upstairs workstation. There can be free breakfast.

Atlantic Point at a look:

• $$
• Clean, snug rooms and loos
• Community environment
• Chill grassy out of doors 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 vigorous 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 out of doors 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 evening 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 the event you’re searching for a quiet evening’s sleep, this may not be the place for you.

This place can be very low cost, making it good for a funds traveler who needs to be proper within the metropolis middle. However, the realm just isn’t the most secure, so you need to 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 selecting the correct hostel primarily based on what you need to see and do is vital. Fortunately, there are a ton of wonderful choices right here, guaranteeing that you simply’ll have a enjoyable and reasonably priced go to to this postcard-perfect vacation spot.