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The best hostels in San Diego

Some of the best backpacker spots in San Diego

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Wonderful: 9+ Very Good: 8+ Good: 7+ Pleasant: 6+
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Facing the beachfront, Samesun Ocean Beach offers 2-star accommodation in San Diego and features a shared lounge and terrace. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a 24-hour front desk, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodation provides an ATM, and luggage storage for guests.

Ocean Beach is 300 metres from the hostel, while Sunset Cliffs Beach is 2.5 km away. The nearest airport is San Diego International Airport, 6 km from Samesun Ocean Beach.

Best hostel ever. People are amazing, very clean hostel, well located and the place is beautiful, breakfast with fruits, they allow me to leave my bags until 10 hours after the checkout

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9
Wonderful
1,679 reviews
Price from
£27
per night

Stay Classy is well located in the centre of San Diego, and provides a shared lounge and free WiFi. The property is located 1.4 km from San Diego Convention Center, 2.8 km from San Diego - Santa Fe Depot Amtrak Station and 3.1 km from USS Midway Museum. The accommodation features a shared kitchen, and luggage storage for guests.

The shared bathroom is equipped with a shower, free toiletries and a hairdryer. At the hostel each room is fitted with bed linen and towels.

Location is not the best but inside the hostel is very clean and quiet.

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9
Wonderful
1,057 reviews
Price from
£41
per night

Ideally set in the Downtown San Diego, Gaslamp Hostel features air-conditioned rooms, a shared lounge and free WiFi. The property is around 3.3 km from Balboa Park, 5 km from San Diego Zoo and 7 km from Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The property is 10 km from University of San Diego and 11 km from SeaWorld San Diego.

I like the hospitality and diversity in the hostel. I love how authentic the building is! It was very nice meeting all the adventures people. The manager is great to solve problems related to visitors. Can't wait to come back to that place for my future travels to San Diego!

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8.6
Excellent
1,715 reviews
Price from
£36
per night

Set in a Victorian house in the heart of Central San Diego's Little Italy Neighbourhood of Downtown, this hostel offers dormitory rooms and private rooms with free Wi-Fi, breakfast and hosted social activities.

Friendly staff, great location, safe neighborhood.

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8.2
Very Good
1,052 reviews
Price from
£32
per night

Accommodation at HI San Diego Downtown Hostel includes heating and a fan. Private air-conditioned rooms are available with en suite bathrooms and hairdryers. Personal lockers are available for each dorm bed. Free high-speed WiFi is included in public areas.

I ask for the quiet room so I got zero noise problem. everything is clean and excellent

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8.1
Very Good
1,366 reviews
Price from
£26
per night

Set in San Diego, within 200 metres of Mission Beach and 1.4 km of Sail Bay Beach, ITH Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel provides accommodation with a shared lounge and free WiFi. The property is around 3.8 km from SeaWorld San Diego, 6.6 km from Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and 6.6 km from Sunset Cliffs. The accommodation offers evening entertainment and a shared kitchen.

Everything was chill and relax. Jessie was very welcoming and nice

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8.6
Excellent
198 reviews
Price from
£29
per night

Situated in San Diego, 2.7 km from Ocean Beach, California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach features accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a garden and a shared lounge. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and an ATM, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodation provides evening entertainment and a tour desk.

A like the events and very friendly atmosphere

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8.5
Very Good
695 reviews
Price from
£33
per night

Situated in San Diego, 100 metres from Pacific Beach, California Dreams Hostel - Pacific Beach features accommodation with a shared lounge, free private parking and a terrace. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and an ATM, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodation provides evening entertainment and a tour desk.

The position is perfect and everyone are so kind and helpful! For a solo traveller is amazing finding a place and people like that!

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8
Very Good
374 reviews
Price from
£29
per night

Located in the centre of San Diego, PodShare San Diego is set 1.1 km from San Diego - Santa Fe Depot Amtrak Station and 1.1 km from Maritime Museum of San Diego. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a shared lounge, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Private parking is available on site.

USS Midway Museum is 2 km from the hostel, while San Diego Convention Center is 3.2 km away. The nearest airport is San Diego International Airport, 2 km from PodShare San Diego.

The staff is very friendly and do their best to help. The beds and sofas are very comfortable. A quiet place to relax and work at the same time or to explore the wonderful place little italy and indulge in culinary delights.

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7.1
Good
186 reviews
Price from
£47
per night

Situated directly on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel San Diego offers oceanfront accommodation 3 km away from world famous Belmont Amusement Park. This eco-friendly hostel features BBQ facilities, a garden and a shared lounge.

Excellent location! This hostel faces the magnificent Pacific Ocean. It is the very best seaside hostel I have stayed. I wish I would have known this hostel earlier as I feel that the previous four nights were wasted on staying at various beachside hostels at San Diego and LA.

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7.9
Good
954 reviews
Price from
£34
per night

Looking for a hostel?

Budget travelers know there's no better way to make the most of their trip than by staying at a hostel: Save money for exploring during the day, and swap stories with fellow backpackers in the shared kitchen or bar in the evening. Dorm-style bedrooms with shared bathrooms are standard hostel fare, but private rooms are also available for those willing to pay a little more.
Search hostels in San Diego

Most booked hostels in San Diego this month

Great access to the city center! Check these hostels in San Diego

  • Stay Classy
    9.0
    Scored 9.0
    Wonderful
    Rated wonderful
     · 1,057 reviews

    Conveniently located in the center of San Diego, Stay Classy provides free WiFi and a shared lounge.

    The staff and the ambience at the hostel were superb!

  • Samesun Ocean Beach
    9.0
    Scored 9.0
    Wonderful
    Rated wonderful
     · 1,678 reviews

    Facing the beachfront, Samesun Ocean Beach offers 2-star accommodations in San Diego and features a shared lounge and terrace.

    One of the coolest places I've ever stayed in :)

  • ITH Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel
    8.6
    Scored 8.6
    Excellent
    Rated excellent
     · 198 reviews

    Providing free WiFi and a shared lounge, ITH Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel offers rooms in San Diego, a 2-minute walk from Mission Beach and 0.9 miles from Sail Bay Beach.

    Great staff, good community vibe of people, very clean

  • California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach
    8.5
    Scored 8.5
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 695 reviews

    Located in San Diego, 1.7 miles from Ocean Beach, California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach has accommodations with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a garden and a shared lounge.

    The setup was great and everybody was friendly and helpful

  • ITH San Diego Adventure Hostel
    8.2
    Scored 8.2
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 1,052 reviews

    Set in a Victorian house in the heart of Central San Diego's Little Italy Neighborhood of Downtown, this hostel offers dormitory rooms and private rooms with free Wi-Fi, breakfast and hosted social...

    Friendly staff, great location, safe neighborhood.

  • HI San Diego Downtown Hostel
    8.1
    Scored 8.1
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 1,366 reviews

    Located in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, this nonprofit hostel, has a fully-equipped kitchen and offers free coffee, tea, hot chocolate and filtered water 24-hours a day. Balboa Park is 3 mi away.

    the location and that it's clean and organized

  • California Dreams Hostel - Pacific Beach
    8.0
    Scored 8.0
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 374 reviews

    Located in San Diego, a few steps from Pacific Beach, California Dreams Hostel - Pacific Beach has accommodations with a shared lounge, free private parking and a terrace.

    Literally a beachfront property, only a 2 minute walk .

  • Lucky D's Youth and Traveler's Hostel
    7.4
    Scored 7.4
    Good
    Rated good
     · 741 reviews

    Located 5 minutes’ walk from the Gaslamp Quarter, this East Village San Diego hostel offers free Wi-Fi. A common room features a DVD player and XBOX system.

    it was super clean and the staff were always nice!

  • PodShare San Diego
    7.1
    Scored 7.1
    Good
    Rated good
     · 186 reviews

    Conveniently set in the center of San Diego, PodShare San Diego is within a 13-minute walk of San Diego – Santa Fe Depot Amtrak Station and 0.7 miles of Maritime Museum of San Diego.

    Friendly staff and everything was very comfortable.

FAQ about hostels in San Diego








Hostels that guests love in San Diego

  • 7.6
    Scored 7.6
    Good
    Rated good
     · 457 reviews
    The hotel is in a great location, close to the park. I felt very safe there. The hosts were very kind and allowed an early check-in. Everything was very clean, and the room was much better equipped than I expected.
    Stefan
    Group
  • Avg. price/night: £645.18
    7.7
    Scored 7.7
    Good
    Rated good
     · 1,163 reviews
    Hotel was in a great location with the bars and restaurants of Gaslamp district and trolley stop only a couple of mins walk away. The room was well equipped with a coffee machine, fridge, safe and large TV, even the windows opened which is a rarity in hotels these days. The beds were so comfy, you literally just melted into it which was bliss after a days sightseeing.
    Suzannah
    Group
  • Avg. price/night: £55.04
    9.0
    Scored 9.0
    Wonderful
    Rated wonderful
     · 1,057 reviews
    One of the best hostels ever: clean, safe, in a great location, providing both privacy and community spirit. Lives up to the name!
    Julia
    Solo traveler
  • Avg. price/night: £194.90
    9.0
    Scored 9.0
    Wonderful
    Rated wonderful
     · 1,678 reviews
    Friendly people both staff and hostel dwellers. Bars a bit cheaper than LA with proper pints and free entry. Good competitive yet friendly welcoming pool playing at bars just up from the beach.. Winstons club had a truly great band playing with large group of banging musicians and multiple happening vocalists, great after a skin full of Hazy IPA, makes you dance on the wind, you just don't want it to stop...
    Peter
    Solo traveler
  • Avg. price/night: £91.37
    8.5
    Scored 8.5
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 695 reviews
    I think one of the best Hostel I have ever stayed in. Very clean, good facilities, amazing breakfast that's included, super friendly and helpful staff. Great location, pretty close to the beach and to the Airport. I definitely recommend it and would come back.
    Tina
    Young couple
  • 8.6
    Scored 8.6
    Excellent
    Rated excellent
     · 1,715 reviews
    The hostel was nicely decorated and pretty chill. Some days there are events where you can get free drinks a meet new people. The restrooms and showers were newly renovated and clean. This establishment is perfect for lone or budget travelers.
    Maroš
    Solo traveler
  • 8.0
    Scored 8.0
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 374 reviews
    It was super close to the beach, the people was nice, and it’s in a safe area. The breakfas was good, they have baggel, fruits and cereals, coffe and teas. What I loved is they had a rental shop aswell, so you can rent bikes, surfboards, and lots of other outdoors stuff. they also have a schedule in the main room where it shows different (free or super cheap) activities. I went to a free yoga class infront of the ocean, and I also got fish tacos for $1.5 in the restaurant near the hostel
    Marta
    Solo traveler
  • Avg. price/night: £153.78
    8.1
    Scored 8.1
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 1,366 reviews
    Great location, nice free breakfast, helpful staff, communal areas were clean. Hostel was quiet and the staff were very good with keeping the place safe and secure, generally all round it was very good.
    Charlotte
    Young couple
  • Avg. price/night: £194.90
    9.0
    Scored 9.0
    Wonderful
    Rated wonderful
     · 1,678 reviews
    BEST hostel in the world. As a solo backpacker, 100% recommended. Comfortable beds, clean, amazing vibes, good breakfast included, amazing staff, great location... I only wish I could have stayed longer!!!
    Julia
    Solo traveler
  • Avg. price/night: £91.37
    8.5
    Scored 8.5
    Very Good
    Rated very good
     · 695 reviews
    California dreaming hostel in San Diego is the best hostel I have ever stayed in!! Everything was absolutely perfect from the first until the last moment. The area is absolutely safe and quiet. There are also some shops and restaurants near by.
    Bílek
    Solo traveler

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