Last Updated on 6th March 2021 by Michael McGuinness
Best Hostels in Berlin
This a guide to the Best Hostels in Berlin, Germany and some of them offer very good value starting from only €10 per night for a bed in a dorm room.
Berlin is one of the most amazing cities in Europe with its enormous history. Berlin is also renowned for it's buzzing nightlife scene and it's many amazing tourist sights.
Quick Overview of the best hostels in Berlin
Here’s an overview by category of the awesome hostels mentioned in this article. Scroll down to see a full description (and images) of each recommended hostel.
- EastSeven Berlin Hostel - Overall Best Hostel in Berlin
- The Circus Hostel - Best Party Hostel in Berlin
- Wombats City Hostel - Best Hostel in Berlin for Solo Travellers
- St Christopher's Berlin - Best Cheap Hostel in Berlin
- Pfefferbett Hostel - Best Hostel in Berlin for Digital Nomads
- MEININGER Berlin Alexanderplatz - Best Design Hostel in Berlin
General Info on Hostels in Berlin
As Berlin is one of the most popular backpacking destinations in Europe, there is a large selection of hostels. Berlin has 101 hostels, so choosing a hostel that meets all your needs can be difficult. Our list tries to help you with this. Obviously, hostels in the centre (Mitte) are going to be more expensive so my advice is to consider a hostel in a more local district such as Friedrichshain or Kreuzberg but with easy access to the centre via public transport.
1. Check out time
Check out time for most hostels in Berlin is 11 am, but at some hostels, the check out time is 10 am. Some hostels offer a late check but for an extra fee. You will have to consult with them while you are there though. Please note that nearly every hostel in Berlin offers Free Luggage storage before or after you check-in or out. But it's also worth double checking this if you require this service.
2. Free breakfast
Only some hostels in Berlin include breakfast in the price. If it is included in the price this saves you on the cost of breakfast.
3. Free WiFi
We all need WiFi when we travel. Every hostel will have wifi but some won't have it in the rooms, they just have it in common areas. My advice is to read some reviews on the WiFi.
4. Guest Kitchen
If the hostel you are staying at has a fully equipped kitchen, you can save money by cooking your own meals. Some hostels in Berlin only have partially equipped kitchens.
5. Costs
Berlin Hostels have some of the cheapest prices for a major city in Western Europe. In bed in a dorm room starts at €8 per night (normally large dorm rooms), but expect to pay €20 per night in a medium-sized dorm room (8 to 10 beds). Cheaper hostels generally have poor reviews, but this isn't always the case. Prices at the weekend tend to be 20% to 40% higher as there is greater demand.
The 10 Best Hostels in Berlin
1. EastSeven Berlin Hostel
EastSeven Berlin Hostel is conveniently located between the Mitte and charming Prenzlauer Berg districts, surrounded by cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs. If you stay here you will also be within walking distance of Alexander Platz and Museum Island.
All rooms include comfy beds with a reading light, locker and a power outlet. Free Wifi access is available throughout the hostel. Other features included late check-out, free luggage storage, walking tours, bike rentals, but their standout feature is their beautiful outdoor terrace.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €21.50, Privates from €41.00
- Female Only Dorms: No
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee
- Guest Kitchen: Yes
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: No
2. The Circus Hostel
Circus Hostel is one of the best hostels in Berlin for partying. It's the most popular hostels in Berlin and is situated in a very central location. The hostel has it's own Café and Microbrewery with special drink offers and home-brewed beer.
Circus Hotel offers 5 & 10 bed mixed dorm rooms and a wide variety of private rooms. The hostel's amenities/service include Free Wi-Fi, 24-7 reception, luggage storage, safe & personal lockers, bike rentals, secure keycard access and free walking tours.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €20.00, Privates from €57.00
- Female Only Dorms: No
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an fee extra (€5)
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: No
- Bar: Yes
3. Pfefferbett Hostel
Pfefferbett Hostel is located in the hip district, Prenzlauer Berg surrounded by galleries, cool bars and restaurants. The dorm rooms have awesome brick vaulted ceilings and each bed has its own locker, reading light and power outlet.
Pfefferbett Hostel offers 4 and 6-bed dorm rooms. Services/amenities include free Wifi throughout the building, free City Maps, free city tour, keycard access, common room, an outdoor terrace and an on-site Cafe/Bar & Restaurant.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €15.20, Privates from €59.00
- Female Only Dorms: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee (€7)
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: Yes
4. PLUS Berlin
PLUS Berlin is located in the hip Friedrichshain district, a neighbourhood filled with cool cafés and bars. They have a beautiful onsite Bar and Restaurant called Opera and an indoor swimming pool.
PLUS Berlin offers 4 and 6-bed dorms as well as a variety of private rooms. They also offer female only dorm rooms making it ideal for the solo female traveller. Amenities include free Wifi, free City Maps, laundry facilities, luggage storage and vending machines.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €12.00, Privates from €44.00
- Female Only Dorms: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: Yes
5. MEININGER Berlin Alexanderplatz
MEININGER Berlin Alexanderplatz is located in the central district, Prenzlauer Berg which makes it ideal for exploring all the tourist sights of Berlin. Their dorm rooms have state of the art designed pod style bunks with each bed having its own writing light and power outlet.
They offer 6 bed mixed dorms and a variety of private rooms. Services/facilities include free Wifi, free city maps, common room, security lockers, keycard access, luggage storage, 24-hour reception, Bar/Cafe and a vending machine.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €10.00, Privates from €75.00
- Female Only Dorms: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: No
- Bar: Yes
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6. Grand Hostel Berlin Classic
Grand Hostel Berlin is located very close to the centre of Berlin. It's within walking distance from the Jewish Museum, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gates. In 2016 it was voted the best hostel in Berlin and the best hostel in Germany.
Every morning you can tuck into a large all you can eat breakfast buffet (€ 6.60). All dorm rooms have single beds (no bunks) and there are hairdryers in all bathrooms. The rooms are spacious and are keycard access giving you extra security. They have their own Tour Guides and Bicycle rental is also available. In the evening you can relax in their cosy bar.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €12.00, Privates from €35.00
- Female Only Dorms: No
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: Yes
7. MEININGER Berlin Central Station
MEININGER Berlin Central Station as it says in the name is located right next to Berlin's Main Train Station (Berliner Hauptbahnhof) bang in the middle of Berlin. Its central location makes it perfect for exploring many of Berlin's Top Tourist Sights.
This hostel is more like a hotel that just happens to have dorm rooms. The rooms have a very modern and chic design. All beds have a separate night lamp and power point and all rooms have their own bathroom with a shower and toilet, and TV.
All their dorm rooms have only 4 beds and some of these are female only dorms making it a good option for the solo female traveller. You can also take advantage of their fully equipped guest kitchen and large common areas.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €17.30, Privates from €69.00
- Female Only Dorms: No
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee (€7.90)
- Guest Kitchen: Yes
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: Yes
8. The Cat’s Pajamas Hostel
If you want to stay in a more local district of Berlin, then The Cat's Pajamas Hostel is the perfect place for you. It's located in the hip Kreuzberg district and is surrounded by bars, restaurants, galleries and shops. It's easy to get to the centre via the U-Bahn (Underground).
All rooms include their own shower and ensuite bathroom, hairdryer and towels. Private rooms also have cable-TV. Lockers are available in the dorm rooms and at the reception area for each guest. All guests have the use of a modern fully equipped kitchen.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €16.00, Privates from €55.00
- Female Only Dorms: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee (€5,50)
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: No
9. St Christopher’s Berlin
St Christopher's Berlin is part of a very popular hostel chain in Europe. As with all their other hostels, St Christopher's Berlin offers a very high standard of accommodation that caters to any budget. They are located in the centre of Berlin close to all the major tourist attractions. The Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz U-Bahn station is just steps away from the hostel.
This is a super hostel that includes a bar (Belushi's) and a restaurant. All hostel guests get a 25% discount on food from their onsite restaurant. All bed linen is free and free Wifi is provided throughout the building. All beds (including dorm beds) have their own reading lamp, personal shelf and power point.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €8.90, Privates from €47.00
- Female Only Dorms: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No but available at an extra fee
- Guest Kitchen: No
- Laundry Facilities: No
- Bar: Yes
10. Wombats City Hostel Berlin
Wombats City Hostel Berlin is an award-winning hostel located in the heart of the Berlin close to Alexanderplatz, Museum Island and Prenzlauer Berg. Enjoy a drink at their awesome rooftop terrace and take in incredible panoramic views of the whole city.
They offer 4 & 6 bed mixed dorms, female only dorms perfect for the solo female traveller, private rooms and apartments. Services/facilities include free Wifi, free city maps, security lockers, secure keycard access, a fully equipped guest kitchen, laundry facilities, luggage storage, 24 Hour reception and vending machines.
- Room Types Offered: Dorms and Privates
- Costs: Dorms from €13.50, Privates from €72.00
- Female Only Dorms: Yes
- Breakfast Included: No
- Guest Kitchen: Yes
- Laundry Facilities: Yes
- Bar: Yes
Conclusion
I hope this list of the best hostels in Berlin helps you pick a hostel that best suits your needs during your stay in Berlin. In general, the overall standard of hostels in Berlin is excellent but there are still some bad and mediocre ones. Hopefully, this list will help you avoid bad and mediocre hostels to ensure you enjoy your stay in Berlin.
Book Your Trip to Berlin
Best Website to Book a Hostel
Hostelworld is by far the biggest and the best website for booking hostels because they have the best prices and availability. The website is designed to include many filters to help find a hostel that best suits your needs. For instance, you can filter hostels by price or by rating for a particular city.
Below are handy links to the best hostels in Berlin by category. Just click on any of the links to check prices and availability for your dates.
- EastSeven Berlin Hostel - Overall Best Hostel in Berlin
- The Circus Hostel - Best Party Hostel in Berlin
- Wombats City Hostel - Best Hostel in Berlin for Solo Travellers
- St Christopher's Berlin - Best Cheap Hostel in Berlin
- Pfefferbett Hostel - Best Hostel in Berlin for Digital Nomads
- MEININGER Berlin Alexanderplatz - Best Design Hostel in Berlin
Recommended Tours in Berlin
I recommend GetYourGuide for Tours. They offer highly unique tours with Local Guides. Below are a selection of some of the most popular tours in Berlin.
- Third Reich and Cold War Walking Tour - Discover Berlin’s unique story on a 2-hour walking tour. Enjoy a smaller group experience, starting from Brandenburg Gate and encompassing a long stretch of the Berlin Wall, still standing 30 years after the wall fell.
- TV Tower Fast View Ticket - Offering breathtaking views over the German capital, the TV Tower cuts a striking image against the Berlin skyline. Secure yourself a hassle-free entrance ticket to this famous city attraction and bypass the infamous queues of people lining up outside.
- Reichstag: Rooftop Coffee Break at Käfer - Visit the Reichstag and enjoy a beautiful view of Berlin from the famed glass dome. Have coffee and cake at the rooftop restaurant at a table reserved specially for you.
- Sachsenhausen Memorial Walking Tour - Step inside Sachsenhausen Memorial and learn of the site’s terrible history and see poignant memorials, such as the killing center and gallows.
- Skip the Line: Berlin DDR Museum Tickets - Skip the line at the DDR Museum (also known as the GDR Museum) in Berlin and dive right into history. Rummage through cupboards and drawers in originally furnished rooms and drive a Trabant.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, cancellations and much more. I recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, BHE earns a commission if you make a purchase. Your support is much appreciated and helps to keep the site going.
THANKS FOR READING
Hi, I'm Michael McGuinness and the guy behind the scenes of Best Hostels Europe. I'm a professional web developer, blogger, digital nomad and parent. I've been travelling the world with my wife and young son since 2012.