BEST HOSTELS IN BUDAPEST: The Top 11 Places to Stay in September 2019

Updated: 1/9/2019 | January 9th, 2019

Budapest has become one of the premier backpacker destinations in Europe. Over the last five years, Budapest has gone from popular to uber-popular spot with hundreds of accommodations popping up and ever increasing crowds. Over 3 million people visited the city last year!

For backpackers, the combination of a party scene, ruin bars (which are awesome), lots of sights, and cheap prices makes it irresistible to visit.

For a small city, all the crowds (don’t go in the summer, it’s too much) means that there are also lots and lots of hostels spread throughout the city. (128 to be exact!)

To make choosing all the hostels you see on Hostelworld easier, I’ve selected the best hostels in Budapest that I’ve stayed in from all my years visiting the city:

11 Best Hostels in Budapest

1. Vitae Hostel

This small hostel is designed to get everyone out and socializing. The rooms are basic with metal framed beds and decent enough beds and pillows. But where this place shines is with the activities. The staff is very welcoming and tries to get everyone involved in all the nightly activities. There are nightly drinking games, three common rooms, a TV, and a pool table. You will definitely make friends here! Don’t miss the Thursday night boat party – it’s a tremendous time.

Beds from 1,800 HUF/6 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Vitae Hostel!

2. Retox Party Hostel

Retox is the best party hostel in Budapest. This place is for serious partiers. Don’t come here if you want a lot of sleep and quiet. The staff is are gonna make sure you go out and get nuts. They will make it their mission to make sure you’re socializing! The hostel has an awesome inner courtyard with lots of tables and bar. The rooms are super basic and the beds worn and thin – but no one comes here to sleep!

Beds from 1,900 HUF/7 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Retox Party Hostel!

3. Grandio Party Hostel

This is another hostel that lives up to its name. Grandio organizes a lot of events from the expected (pub crawls) to the unexpected (costume parties). If you want to chill outside, the courtyard has an awesome fire pit. The hostel is located in an old building and street artists have painted the walls of the entire place so every room is covered in art. It’s associated with the ruin bar of the same name. Note: the rooms themselves are tiny and cramped. They squeeze a lot of beds in there. But, again, if you’re not looking to rage, don’t come here!

Beds from 2,400 HUF/8 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Grandio Party Hostel!

4. Carpe Noctum Original

This is the original party hostel in Budapest. It’s a really small hostel, and it almost feels like you’re staying at a friend’s place. There are organized trips out on the town every night. Unlike the other party hostels in Budapest, the rooms here are a lot nicer and more spacious. They are kept cleaner, the beds are comfier, and there’s just more space! The couch in the common room is super cozy too.

Beds from 2,600 HUF/9 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Carpe Noctum Original!

5. Big Fish

This is a small, newer hostel is a one of the best overall hostels in Budapest. The hostel has cozy, comfortable beds, soft pillows, lots of space, clean showers, and a cool common room! It is a wonderful place for solo travelers. The kitchen is huge and has lots of spices and cooking supplies. It’s not as party focused as other hostels in Budapest. There’s a three-night minimum during the busy season.

Beds from 3,220 HUF/11 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Carpe Noctum Original!

6. Wombats

Wombats is like a backpacker hotel with hundreds of beds and a lot of modern ammenities. The rooms are spacious with new beds, reading lights and power outlets, and ensuite bathrooms that are kept very clean. The hostel organizes events, including pub crawls and walking tours, and offers breakfast. The only downside is that the wifi can be spotty. This is one of the bigger hostels in the city. If you’re looking for a more modern hostel, stay here!

Beds from 3,485 HUF/12 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Wombats!

7. Maverick City Lodge

This is a cool option in the Jewish Quarter. There are amazing large curtains around the huge bunks (perfect for privacy) and the beds and sheets are super soft. The rooms are huge and colorful and well lit too! I really enjoyed the wine tasting they offered here. They also have other special events throughout the week to get people to socialize. It’s cash only, and there’s a key deposit you’ll get back at check out. It’s one of the best looking hostels in Budapest!

Beds from 3,600 HUF/13 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Maverick City Lodge!

8. Hostel One

Hostel One is a cool hostel with beautifully decorated walls and nice common areas. Guests get free homemade dinners each night and can join in on organized activities throughout the day. They are very social (read party) hostels. Most people leave for the bars after the “pre-game warm up” (drinking games). They have a bunch of common rooms and Netflix if you’re in need of more tame activities. They have two locations in the city:

• Budapest – Beds from 3,654 HUF.
• Basilica – Beds from 3,237 HUF.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Hostel One Budapest!

—-> Click here to book your stay at Hostel One Basilica!

9. Activity Hostel

I love this hostel. Rooms are filled with plants, flowers, and bright artwork on the walls. The lockers are bit small and there’s not a lot of outlets but those are small issues. There’s a well stocked kitchen and outdoor commong area (great to sit in on a nice day). This hostel is located an old, quaint building and is small and homey! It’s the best hostel in the city if you’re not looking to party. Reception is open only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Beds from 3,940 HUF/14 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Activity Hostel!

10. Fifth Hostel

This is a small, clean hostel in a residential building and it’s like you’re staying in someone’s home (because you kind of are). Peter and Cecilia are over-the-top friendly! They’ll do all they can to help you. All the beds come with reading lights and most rooms have a table in them (try to get a room away from the window as the curtains aren’t super thick). If you’re looking for a small, quiet, homey hostel, stay here. Book in advance as it fills out quickly.

Beds from 4,200 HUF/15 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Fifth Hostel!

11. Pal’s Hostel

This is a pretty cool place near St. Stephen’s Basilica, with easy access to all three of the city’s metro lines. All the rooms are all a bit different – some have chandeliers, some have views of the Basilica, and others are bit plain and boring. There are activities each night of the week, including goulash tasting on Thursdays and movie night on Sundays. That said, this is not a party hostel so don’t worry about being kept up late into the night!

Beds from 4,245 HUF/15 USD.

—-> Click here to book your stay at Pal’s Hostel!

***

Budapest is a budget traveler’s paradise, and these hostels are the best hostels in Budapest! They will help improve your experience in one of the coolest, hippest, and beautiful cities in Europe. Whether you’re looking for the wildest party hostel you’ve ever seen or a quiet, relaxing haven, you’re sure to find what you want with one of these hostels on my list!

If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments!

Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

My detailed, 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guidebooks and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money while backpacking around Europe. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more! Click here to learn more and get started!
 

Book Your Trip to Budapest: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Photo credits: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

I Despise Sunny Beach

Posted: 08/02/2011 | August 2nd, 2011

There aren’t many places in the world I despise or fill me with disgust. One of those places is Ko Phi Phi, Thailand. I’ve never understood the hype about it or why people like it so much. Other than being a place to buy expensive drinks, it really has no redeeming qualities. Just like Sunny Beach, Bulgaria.

For some reason, Ko Phi Phi has remained “the” place to go in Thailand, much like Sunny Beach is the hot spot to visit in Bulgaria, especially if you’re Russian, English (northern English, specifically), or Scandinavian.

Ten years ago, Sunny Beach was a quiet seaside town with beautiful beaches and good clubs. But as with so many other destinations in the world, as word got out about how nice it was, it got more and more popular and more and more built for tourists. It went the way of Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, and Cancun and turned into a gawdy resort town.

Everyone told me Sunny Beach was a good party, but that didn’t really sell the place to me. Another beach party town? Great. I had just spent three weeks in Ios working on my tan and ouzo-drinking skills. But the people I was traveling with were heading there, so I figured I’d join them. We were all going the same route back to Sofia anyway.

While the nightlife is amazing (if you like to party until 6am with drunk 18-year-olds, that is), there’s really nothing else special about this place. Absolutely nothing. I stayed three nights (two nights too long) because I ran into friends from Ios.

You’re probably thinking, Come on, Matt, is it really that bad? There must be something nice about it. You’re right, there is something nice about it — it has a pretty amazing water park nearby. It’s huge, with some great water slides. I love water parks, and this is a really good one. But you can go to the water park as a day trip from Varna or Burgas and avoid Sunny Beach entirely.

So why do I hate Sunny Beach so much?
Well, first, the beach itself. It’s covered in beach chairs. So many beach chairs that you can barely put down a towel. I’m not exaggerating. Here’s a photo:

Look at all those chairs! This photo is from the end of the beach where there’s some sand, but if you look in the distance, you see chairs spreading out like a virus. In fact, it’s not really a beach so much as a parking lot full of chairs placed over some sand. They should rename this place Sunny Chair.

Next, there’s the water. A few hours north in Varna, the water, despite being near a port, is crystal clear, beautiful, and inviting. It was just as wonderful as the water I played in in Greece. But in Sunny Beach? The water is polluted and filled with an algae bloom so large that the shoreline turned green. If you go in, you walk out looking like a swamp thing.

My Bulgarian friends say this only happens “sometimes” and that the water is “usually” nice. But when I pressed them a bit more, they got vague on just how little “sometimes” was. I got the impression that sometimes might be a bit more frequent than they let on.

Lastly, Sunny Beach is tacky tourism central. It’s full of glowing neon lights, bars, people on the street trying to get you into their restaurants or clubs, fast food chains, cheesy t-shirt vendors, and everything else a built-for-tourists destination has. If you’d blindfolded me, drugged me, and woken me up in Sunny Beach, I could have easily said I was in Kuta Beach, Phuket, Cancun, a bad Florida beach town, or any number of cookie-cutter beachy places in the world. There’s no culture or uniqueness to this place, except that some signs are in Bulgarian.

Finally, Sunny Beach is filled with people who just want to overpay for a week of drinking. It’s always happy hour, there are always free shots, and huge night clubs go until dawn. I felt like I was on spring break. But if you really want to go on a binge on the cheap, there are tons of better destinations in Europe: Barcelona, Lagos, Ios, Dubrovnik, Varna, and Constanj, just to name six. Those places at least have some history, culture, and charm to them.

In sum, Sunny Beach is a giant tourist trap of a destination with a bad beach, overpriced food, tacky bars and souvenir shops, and a bunch of drunks. If that sounds like fun to you, I highly recommend it. But there are better places to party than Sunny Beach. (I know, I’ve partied in them). While I love great nightlife, I’d rather party in a place that also actually has a nice beach.

If I never see Sunny Beach again, I’ll be the world’s happiest man.

Book Your Trip to Bulgaria: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Bulgaria by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel in Bulgaria with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Bulgaria?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Bulgaria for even more planning tips!

 

Photo credits: 1, 2

The Swedish Birthday Party

As I sat in my tuxedo, taking another sip of Swedish schnapps, I turned to the girl next to me and whispered:

“Why are there so many speeches?”

“At birthday parties like this, it’s common in Swedish culture for people to get up and say nice things,” she said. She paused, looking as the speaker regaled us with stories about the birthday boy, and then leaned into my ear again: “It happens so much that when my parents threw a 65th birthday party, they specifically said ‘no speeches’ because they were tired of hearing the same thing and just wanted to drink.”

Annika, sporting de rigueur Swedish features –  blonde hair, blue eyes, and eyebrows that would make Cara Delevingne jealous – was giving me an intro to Swedish birthday celebrations. Just when the night’s speeches seemed to draw to a conclusion, another person stood up to talk about Erik, the night’s honored guest.

Like me, Erik loves any excuse to throw a swanky party, and, as 30 is a big deal in his family, used it to throw a black tie affair that could compete with a museum gala. Though his birthday is in January, he planned the celebration for July, because, as he so accurately put it, “Who wants to be outside in Sweden in January?!”

The event was held in Stockholm’s Djurgården. Djurgården is one of the largest islands in the city, home to Gröna Lund amusement park, the Vasa Museum, the ABBA Museum, and Skansen (an open-air museum of pre-industrial Swedish life). But, more than its museums, this island is famed for its plethora of running trails and gardens. When the weather is warm and the sun shines, Swedes can be found swarming all over this green oasis.

As I stepped out of my Uber on the far end of Djurgården and followed a tiny stone path, I came to Rosendals Trädgård, a greenhouse-like restaurant where dinner would be held. The city seemed a world away in this farm-like setting with rustic buildings and an orchard. Jaunting down another path, I turned into the orchard, where I saw dozens of other people in tuxedos, ball gowns, and suits. It felt more like a wedding than a birthday party. There, with the sun bright overhead and the wind carrying the smell of flowers, we drank, introduced ourselves to each other, and swapped stories about Erik.

Following the Swedish tradition of sitting single guests next to members of the opposite sex, I found myself paired with the afore mentioned Annika, my Swedish cultural liaison for the evening.

In the U.S., birthday parties don’t frequently feature multiple speeches. There’s a toast, and maybe someone says something nice, but a parade of speeches is often reserved for bigger events — weddings, retirements, engagements, and anniversaries. A 30th birthday typically doesn’t fall into the endless speech category.

As the night progressed, there were drinking songs sung, toasts proffered, bottles of wine consumed, language tips given, and dances danced. The horrible schnapps got easier to drink with each toast, and the meal – made of all local ingredients — became a blur of dishes designed to keep us somewhat sober.

In the Swedish summer, when the sun has barely set a midnight, the constant light beckoned us to stay out longer. So when it started to rise again at 2am and the staff shooed us out the door, we moved the party to a friend’s house before finally stumbling to our respective homes around 6am.

Swedes are often thought of as a cold people — and there is some truth to that. An outwardly stoic culture, Swedes often joke about how they will go out of their way to avoid talking to their neighbors. Striking up conversations with strangers is seen as equally odd.

But underneath that hard exterior, you’ll find a people that are deeply loyal and loving of their friends and family.

Attending Erik’s party reminded me how a simple thing like a birthday party can be a window into a culture. When you witness first-hand how people come together to celebrate, you often see how that culture values relationships.

For example, years ago, I attended a birthday party in Cambodia. It was a free-flowing event that focused so much on the food and the shared meal that it made me really appreciate just how central food was to that culture and how meals were used as a way to strengthen bonds between people.

This night, though, as I watched Erik’s brother recite a poem and his friends sing his favorite drinking songs, I discovered the unreserved side of Swedes. Here, everyone talked about how wonderful my friend was — not to grow his ego but to show their love and appreciation for him and for having him in their lives.

And, as I saw the smile on everyone’s faces and the joy in Erik’s eyes, I thought maybe this was a birthday tradition worth spreading around the world.

P.S. – If you’re going to Stockholm, I just updated my budget guidebook to the city based off my last month stay there! You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, bars, and much more!! Click here to learn more.

All photos by Erik’s brother Karl!

15 Must-Pack Items for a New Year’s Trip

No matter what your New Year's resolutions may be, start 2017 off on the right note by taking an adventure. Close or far, just being away from home can feel like a detox during the holidays.

For the first trip of the calendar year, you are going to want to pack a wardrobe that is as stylish as it is functional. Find a color palette you like and only pack items that match those hues: It will be easy and effortless to mix and match your wardrobe.

Of course, you can’t forget to bring festive attire for an evening of celebration. But even your party outfit can be versatile. For instance, wear the same skirt you wore to a New Year's Eve party the next day at brunch by toning it down with a cozy sweater and casual-cool sneakers. Or dress up your every-day tank top by adding fun, eye-catching earrings and sleek black heels.

Before you head out for your last trip of 2016, check out our full list of must-pack items for your New Year getaway.