4 BEST Hostels in Nice, France (2026 • Insider Guide!)

I’ve done the digging, so you don’t have to.

To make life easier, I’ve grouped the best hostels in Nice into useful categories, so you can quickly figure out which one actually suits your travel style.

1. SLO Nice – Best Overall Hostel

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• Price: $$
• Best for: Travellers who want a comfortable base in a central location.
• Highlights: Modern design, excellent breakfast, and a calm atmosphere.
• Dorms from: $49
• Private rooms from: $153
• Location: In the Notre-Dame district, around 10 minutes from Nice-Ville Station and 15–20 minutes on foot to the beach and Old Town (Vieux Nice).

SLO Nice feels effortlessly easy. It’s stylish, spotless, and has all the little touches that make a stay more comfortable, from secure and thoughtfully designed bunks to a breakfast that guests rave about. You’re close to the train station, the tram, and all the best bits of Nice, which makes exploring the city extremely straightforward.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Super Handy Location: The beach, old town, and Promenade des Anglais are all an easy walk away.
• Clean and Comfortable: We can’t get enough of how quiet, safe, and well-kept the hostel feels.
• Breakfast Worth Paying For: Not included, but by all accounts, it’s a very good way to start the day.

The vibe here is more chilled than wildly social, so don’t expect nightly pub crawls and drinking games. What you do get is a hostel that guests consistently describe as spotless, safe, and surprisingly peaceful, especially considering how central it is. With the beach, Promenade des Anglais, and Old Town (Vieux Nice) all within easy walking distance, SLO Nice is a brilliant choice for a relaxed weekend in Nice and a very easy place to settle into on your first trip to the French Riviera.

2. Hostel Meyerbeer Beach – Best Hostel by the Beach

• Price: $$
• Best for: Travellers who want to be just steps from the sea
• Highlights: Award-winning hostel, free beach towels, and a great social vibe
• Dorms from: $49
• Location: Central Nice, just two minutes from the Promenade des Anglais

Hostel Meyerbeer Beach has been picking up awards for years, and once you see where it is, it all makes sense. You’re just a couple of minutes from the beach, and the train station, Old Town, and tram are all an easy walk away. If your idea of a great trip involves morning swims in the Mediterranean and spontaneous day trips along the French Riviera, this place makes it all easy.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• You’re basically at the Beach: The hostel even provides free beach towels and mats, which is a surprisingly handy little perk.
• Friendly, Social Atmosphere: Guests often mention how easy it is to meet people without the place feeling overly rowdy.
• Great Value for Nice: Private bathrooms, comfy beds with curtains, and a central location make it a very solid deal.

The common areas are on the cosy side, and the kitchen is fairly small, so it’s not the most spacious hostel in town. But when you can be on the beach in less time than it takes to finish your croissant, with excellent transport links and all of Nice’s best bits within easy reach, those are pretty easy things to forgive. If you’re planning to mix beach days with a bit of sightseeing, it’s a great shout.

3. Antares Hostel – Best Budget Hostel

• Price: $
• Best for: Budget travellers who want a central and sociable base.
• Highlights: Opposite the train station, private bathrooms in every dorm, and excellent value.
• Dorms from: $34
• Private rooms from: $122
• Location: Right across from Nice-Ville Station, around 10 minutes on foot to the beach.

Antares Hostel is a really solid budget option if you’d rather spend your money on rosé by the sea than on a fancy room. It’s right opposite the train station, which makes arriving ridiculously easy and puts Monaco, Cannes, and Antibes within easy reach. With air-conditioned dorms, private bathrooms, and a sociable courtyard, you get a lot for your money.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Excellent Value: Towels, lockers, air conditioning, and private bathrooms are all included.
• Perfect for Day Trips: The station is literally across the road, so hopping along the Riviera couldn’t be easier.
• Friendly Atmosphere: Social enough to meet people, but not so lively that you’ll regret your life choices the next morning.

The bathrooms are on the smaller side, and during the summer, the hostel can get pretty lively, so if you’re hoping for early nights and lie-ins, you may need to pack some earplugs. But when you’re staying right in the centre of Nice with more cash left over for rosé and pain au chocolat, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve done pretty well, especially if you’re backpacking your way around France and every euro counts.

4. Villa Saint Exupery Beach – Best Party Hostel

• Price: $$
• Best for: Travellers who want a big social hostel right in the heart of the action
• Highlights: Huge bar, free gym, and daily activities
• Dorms from: $45
• Private rooms from: $130
• Location: In central Nice, just a few minutes from Place Masséna, Old Town (Vieux Nice), and the Promenade des Anglais

Villa Saint Exupéry Beach is the hostel you book when you have absolutely no intention of going to bed early. There’s a huge bar, daily happy hour, pub crawls, and a constant buzz of travellers swapping beach plans and stories from the night before. If you arrive solo, there’s a very good chance you’ll have a group to head out with before you’ve even finished checking in.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Proper Social Hub: The bar and common areas make it easy to find new beach buddies or drinking partners.
• Amazing Freebies: You get access to a gym, walking tours, luggage storage, lockers, and a fully equipped kitchen.
• Location That’s Hard to Beat: The beach, Old Town, airport tram, and train station are all within easy walking distance.

Because it’s a large hostel, reception can get busy, and the atmosphere can feel a little full-on at times. The bathrooms and kitchen can also get a little crowded. But if you’re after a lively base in the heart of Nice, where there’s always someone up for a drink, a pub crawl, or a spontaneous beach trip, Villa Saint Exupéry Beach is very hard to beat.

Sort your travel insurance before you go, because “c’est la vie” sounds far less charming when you’re paying for a missed flight or a trip to the French pharmacy.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Nice may not have a huge number of standout hostels, but the good news is that the few excellent ones are genuinely very good.

Whether you’re looking for a lively party hostel, a relaxed base near the beach, or somewhere that won’t completely obliterate your budget, there’s a solid option here for every kind of traveller.

If you’re still undecided, my top overall pick is Villa Saint Exupéry Beach. It has a brilliant central location, a huge social atmosphere, and more facilities than most hostels could only dream of.

If you’re trying to keep costs down, Antares Hostel is a fantastic budget choice. You get a superb location right by Nice-Ville Station, comfortable rooms, and more money left over for rosé and pain au chocolat.

Now all that’s left to do is sort your travel insurance, perfect your “bonjour,” and get ready to fall in love with the French Riviera.