Located on the banks of the Rhine River in Switzerland, you can’t get much closer to stepping into the pages of a fairy tale than by traveling to Basel! This Swiss wonderland will have you living in a dream as you explore the colorful dollhouse style architecture, large city squares, and towering gothic cathedrals. The only thing more famous than the history in Basel is the art. Home to many of Europe’s most famous galleries and festivals, there is no better place to dive into the world of modern art than Basel!
Being a little bit off of the beaten path in Europe, you will find expensive guest houses and just a handful of backpackers hostels that will have you spending an arm and a leg. With the lack of cheap options in Basel does that mean the city is no place for backpackers traveling on a shoestring?
That is exactly why we made this one-stop guide! Now you can find all of the best hostels in Basel in one place, saving you both time and energy!
Slip-on your walking shoes, you are about to embark on a journey through the art galleries and history of Basel!
Quick Answer: The Best Hostels in Basel
- Overall Best Hostel in Basel – Silo Soulfood Hostel
- Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Basel – Hyve Hostel Basel
- Best Cheap Hostel in Basel – Basel Backpack
- Best Party Hostel in Basel – Youth Hostel Basel
- Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Basel – Hotel Alfa
The Best Hostels in Basel
All the museums and cobbled streets await you at the bottom of our list! Before you can begin exploring Basel, you will first have to find that perfect hostel to call home. With each stay a bit different from the next, keep your eyes peeled for the one that fits how you like to travel!
Image: Nic Hilditch-Short
Best Overall Hostel in Basel – Silo Soulfood Hostel
- $$$
- Breakfast – 16 USD
- Cafe
- Lounge
There is not one hostel in all of Basel that better embodies the city’s artsy style than Silo Soulfood Hostel! With its minimalist style and one of a kind design, the mere architecture of this hostel makes it into a work of art itself! The circular windows, wide-open corridors, and the quirky atmosphere is all something you have to see to believe! Silo Soulfood Hostel offers so much more than just a one of a kind experience, they will also keep you full and happy with their onsite cafe serving up a delicious breakfast every morning!
Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Basel – Hyve Hostel Basel
- $$$
- Coffee Shop
- Lounge
- Shared Kitchen
Get ready to melt into the cushion and kick back and relax in one of the most charming stays in all of Basel! Hyve Hostel has a homey design that will be giving you ideas to take to your own house after your trip is over! With its inviting lounges and outdoor terrace, there is no better place to just hang out and chat with the other backpackers. If you are feeling a bit hungry or are just wanting a nice cup of coffee to wake up in the morning, Hyve Hostel also has its very own coffee shop and even a shared kitchen!
Best Cheap Hostel in Basel – Basel Backpack
- $$
- Lounge
- Cafe
- Bar
As you may have already guessed, Basel is not a cheap city to travel to. So if you are wanting to explore all the history and museums of this hub of modern art, you will want to be sure to stay at Basel Backpack! This backpackers hostel, situated in an old renovated factory, will have you staying in the cheapest dorm beds in all of Basel! With its sunny rooms, lounge, and even an outdoor terrace, this hostel will take your list and check all of the boxes! If you are feeling a bit hungry or are wanting to grab something to drink, Basel Backpack will also hook you up with their onsite bar and cafe!
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View on Osprey View on REIBest Party Hostel in Basel – Youth Hostel Basel
- $$$
- Bar
- Terrace
- Cafe
Much like the rest of the city, Youth Hostel Basel’s building alone reflects the artistic nature of this unique city! From the floor to ceiling windows to the curved walls of the dining room, this backpacker’s hostel will give you a truly one of a kind experience! When you aren’t awing at the architecture, Youth Hostel Basel Will hook you up with everything from a cafe to order a meal and a bar to grab a beer to end the night in style. You will also find that you have plenty of space to kick back and relax in at this hostel with their spacious lounges and outdoor terrace. Set right in Dalbedych, you could not ask for a better location in the city!
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Basel – Hotel Alfa
- $$$
- Cafe
- Bar
- Breakfast – 16 USD
For around the same price as a dorm room at one of the hostels in Basel, you can upgrade yourself to some of the cheapest and nicest hotel rooms in town without paying all that much more. Perfect for all you digital nomads out there, Hotel Alfa will give you a 4-star experience for the very same price as a backpacker’s hostel. With its spacious homey private rooms, you will find that there is no better place to catch up on some much-needed writing or editing. What will really win you over is the onsite bar and cafe, bringing all the best food and drinks in Basel straight to your door.
Best Hostel for Couples in Basel – Aaron’s Sleep-Well B&B
- $$$
- Garden
- Cafe
- Lounge
After you and your squeeze have been on the road for a while, you will probably want to leave the hostels behind for a few days and check into a guesthouse where couples can get some much needed alone time. Aaron’s Sleep-Well B&B will have you staying in some of the cheapest private rooms in Basel, far enough away from the city to get some peace and quiet but still close enough to explore all of the sights! Complete with its very own outdoor patio and even a lounge, when you decide you have had enough time cuddling in your room, you will have tons of room to spread out in and relax!
Aaron’s Sleep-Well B&B is one of our favourites in Basel but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
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Hide Yo’ Money!More of the Best Hostels in Basel
Hansruedi’s BnB
- $$
- BnB
- Bar
- Shared Kitchen
One of the best places to stay in Basel if you are looking to walk in the shoes of a local and save some extra money is to actually stay in a BnB. At this homey stay located just minutes away from the old town, you will find your long lost home away from home in Basel. With its tastefully decorated rooms, a relaxing living room, a lush garden, and even a shared kitchen, this stay is perfect for travelers looking to pretend they are moving right into Basel. Complete with wine and juices available at the house, you will get all the best of both a BnB and a hotel!
What to Pack for your Basel Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straight forward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art we have perfected over many years.
Ear Plugs
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Basel
The modern art galleries, romantic city streets, and life teeming in every corner of the city, if you were to die Basel could be easily confused with heaven. Unfortunately, the pearly gates come with a price. With a lack of budget hostels and guesthouses in Basel, you may be left feeling like you have nowhere to turn. Lucky for you, we made this list of all the top hostels in Basel!
Are you feeling a bit torn between two or three great places to stay in Basel? We can totally understand! If you are wanting a one of a kind, unique stay in Basel, there is no better place to call home than Silo Soulfood Hostel, our pick for the best hostel in Basel!
FAQ about Hostels in Basel
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Basel.
Travel Safety Tips for Basel
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.
Over to you
If you are even moderately interested in art, Basel will turn you into a full-blown fanatic! With its many art galleries, museums, and events that turn all eyes on this small Swiss city, Basel is a city that will raise the bar when it comes to exploring the world of modern art. The fun doesn’t stop there. With the city’s rich history, awe-inspiring architecture, and quaint winding lanes, Basel is a city where merely walking down the street is an adventure in itself!
It won’t take too much to get you sold on traveling to this trendy city, but once you start searching for cheap backpacker’s hostels in Basel, you may feel your heart start to break. Little do many know, you can still travel on a budget in one of the many hostels and guesthouses we found in the heart of this Swiss city!
If you have ever traveled to Basel, we would love to hear about any great backpackers hostels we may have missed. Tell us more in the comments below!
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
