{"id":257540,"date":"2023-03-10T08:38:43","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T13:38:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/?p=257540"},"modified":"2025-05-19T12:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T16:03:07","slug":"best-hostels-cape-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-blogs\/best-hostels-cape-town\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Best Hostels in Cape Town"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Cape Town<\/a> has been a popular backpacker hub for years. It\u2019s also fast becoming a favorite with digital nomads<\/a> too, thanks to the city\u2019s vibrant nightlife and rich, diverse culture. <\/p>\n There are plenty of budget-friendly hostels for backpackers and nomads here, but not all of them are created equal. Below you\u2019ll find my list of the best hostels in Cape Town to help you have fun, meet other travelers, and have a good sleep while you spend time in what is honestly one of the greatest cities in the world. <\/p>\n Below is my list of the best hostels in Cape Town. If you don\u2019t want to read the longer list, however, the following are the best in each category:<\/p>\n I really liked that the dorm beds have thick mattresses (they also have curtains so you can get a decent sleep). Beds have outlets and lights too. The highlight for me, though, was the pressurized rain shower. It was excellent! <\/p>\n Villa Viva at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n While the dorm beds don’t have curtains, I did appreciate that the mattresses were thick and that there were plenty of plugs and USB ports in the room. The modern bathrooms have really nice high-pressure showers too (a big plus in my book!).<\/p>\n Ashanti Lodge Gardens at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n But what the hostel lacks in comfort it more than makes up for with its super friendly staff and energetic atmosphere. They organize daily activities and events like trivia, braais<\/em>, and hikes, so it’s super easy to meet people. There’s also an active hostel WhatsApp group, daily happy hours at the bar, bike rentals, a pool, a large kitchen, and a few indoor workspaces if you work online.<\/p>\n Never at Home Green Point at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n The outdoor garden area is a quiet oasis away from the booming hostel bar, which hosts nightly events like karaoke, beer pong, and open mics. Like most party hostels, the dorms have cheap metal bunks with no curtains and basic mattresses, but if you’re staying here sleep probably isn’t your priority!<\/p>\n Long Street Backpackers at a glance<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Cape Town<\/a> is a large city with a lot to offer, so picking the right hostel based on what you want to see and do is important. Fortunately, there are a ton of amazing options here, ensuring that you\u2019ll have a fun and affordable visit to this postcard-perfect destination.<\/p>\n Book Your Flight<\/strong> Book Your Accommodation<\/strong> Don’t Forget Travel Insurance<\/strong> Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?<\/strong> Want More Information on South Africa?<\/strong> Cape Town has been a popular backpacker hub for years. It\u2019s also fast becoming a favorite with digital nomads too, thanks to the city\u2019s vibrant nightlife and rich, diverse culture. There are plenty of budget-friendly hostels for backpackers and nomads here, but not all of them are created equal. Below you\u2019ll find my list of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":257553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1136],"tags":[2585,745,1905],"class_list":["post-257540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","tag-cape-town","tag-hostels","tag-south-africa"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nWant the specifics of each hostel? Here\u2019s my breakdown of the best hostels in Cape Town and why I love them:<\/p>\n1. Villa Viva<\/a><\/h3>\n

\nLocated near the trendy Kloof Street and its popular bars and restaurants, Villa Viva is a fun, social hostel with a bar that hosts late-night parties and live music on the weekends. I especially like that the hostel organizes all kinds of events, like paint-and-sip nights and braais<\/em> (South African barbecues). There’s also a hostel WhatsApp group that makes it easy to meet people and make plans, as well as an outdoor pool for when you want to lounge around.<\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n2. Ashanti Lodge Gardens<\/a><\/h3>\n

\nLocated in the leafy suburb of Gardens, Ashanti Lodge is tucked away in a quiet area (though it\u2019s still just a 10-minute walk to Kloof Street). And while it has a pool and is social, it’s more of a quieter place. Though since it’s quite small it’s still easy to meet other travelers if you’re traveling solo. There’s a shared kitchen if you want to cook as well as a caf\u00e9 that opens for breakfast and reopens as a bar every night.<\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n3. Never at Home Green Point<\/a><\/h3>\n

\nThis is a fun party hostel located in the energetic Green Point neighborhood. It’s also one of the few hostels with air-conditioned rooms (if you\u2019re here during the peak summer heat, that\u2019s a huge plus). Like most party hostels, the rooms are very basic, with outlets, a shelf, and creaky metal bunks that have thin mattresses. <\/p>\n\n
\n <\/p>\n4. Long Street Backpackers<\/a><\/h3>\n

\nJust a 10-minute walk from the starting point of the historical walking tours and many other historical attractions, this is the place to be if you want to be at the center of all the action. A fun and social party hostel, it’s also one of the cheapest hostels in the city, making it an excellent choice for budget travelers. The real highlight, however, is that because the hostel is on the same power grid as the parliament building it never loses power (black and brown outs are common in Cape Town).<\/p>\n\n
Book Your Trip to Cape Town: Logistical Tips and Tricks<\/h4>\n
\nUse Skyscanner<\/a> to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. <\/p>\n
\nYou can book your hostel with Hostelworld<\/a> as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com<\/a> as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. <\/p>\n
\nTravel 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. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:<\/p>\n\n
\nCheck out my resource page<\/a> for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too. <\/p>\n
\nBe sure to visit my robust destination guide to South Africa<\/a> for even more planning tips!\n<\/div>\n