History tells us that for centuries, every major civilization that existed in Europe wanted to get their hands on Belgrade. I can see why. The city is super cool (though I suspect that said conquerors wanted it for different reasons).
Serbia’s capital is located at the confluence of the Danube and the Sava rivers, giving it significant importance in the region. Modern-day Belgrade is an open book for backpackers to explore.
As with any capital city in Eastern Europe, the hostels are plentiful and the quality of each one ranges all across the board. Some hostels are awesome; others not so much.
That is exactly why I wrote this guide to the best hostels in Belgrade for 2021.
I have organized each of the best hostels in Belgrade into different categories so that booking the right hostel is easy and straightforward.
By the end of the hostel guide, you will have all of your Belgrade accommodation queries answered and sorted.
The goal is to put all of the best hostels in Belgrade in your hands so you can make the choice…
Let’s do it!
Quick Answer: The Best Hostels in Belgrade
- Overall Best Hostel in Belgrade – White Owl Hostel Belgrade
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Belgrade – El Diablo Hostel
- Best Cheap Hostel in Belgrade – Hostelche
- Best Party Hostel in Belgrade – Balkan Soul Hostel
- Best Hostel with a Private Room in Belgrade – Sun Hostel Belgrade
The 10 Best Hostels in Belgrade
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Overall Best Hostel in Belgrade – White Owl Hostel Belgrade
- $$
- Self Catering Facilities
- Towels Included
- That Location Tho
Verrrry tastefully decorated (someone’s got an eye for design, clearly) and set in a niiiice old building with period features and a retro-cool parquet floor, this is the overall best hostel in Belgrade. White Owl Hostel doesn’t hold this accolade for the modern design-y feel to the place alone – the fact it’s in an old building gives it this warm homely feeling too, which is something we can get on board with.
The location is also pretty dang amazing: countless (we mean it) places to eat and drink just on the doorstep in one of Belgrade’s best areas. Friendly staff, looks really cool, good facilities, can’t fault it. Best hostel in Belgrade 2021, hands down.
Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Belgrade – El Diablo Hostel
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- Self Catering Facilities
- 24-Hour Reception
We, like you, have no idea as to why they’ve named their hostel after the devil in Spanish – but we’ll go with it. Fine. It really doesn’t live up to its name since, because of its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, it’s the best hostel for solo travellers in Belgrade. Yep, the staff are amazing here: funny, knowledgeable, and always up for a chat or a more in-depth conversation about Serbia or something related. It all helps to make this a top hostel in Belgrade, easily. Inside it’s all bright, cute and cosy… if a teensy bit basic, but that’s ok.
Best Cheap Hostel in Belgrade #1 – Hostelche
- $
- Tour Desk
- Towels Included
- Location Location Location
Hostel… che. Huh? Is that Hostel Che as in Guevara? Or one word, hostelche, rhymes with squelch? Pfft, we dunno. What we do know is that, for your money, this already-cheap budget hostel in Belgrade gives you a lot: we’re talking free tea and coffee all day, free welcome drink (rakjia of course), free laundry (if you stay 3 or more nights), a great location with loads on the doorstep and Belgrade’s main street less than 1 min away, a not free but CHEAP breakfast… I mean, it’s easily the best cheap hostel in Belgrade, right? Somewhat lacking in interior design taste, however.
We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that still stands the test of time: the backpacker-approved Osprey Aether.
Want more deetz on why it’s so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIBest Party Hostel in Belgrade – Balkan Soul Hostel
- $
- Common Room
- Air Conditioning
- 24-Hour Reception
Chic decor in a period building (complete with retro staircase and other fittings and fixtures), amazing staff who want everyone to get together and have a good time, a great atmosphere, a very decent location: here’s the best party hostel in Belgrade. If you’re on your own, you’ll be sure to meet some new people and make some friends here – exploring one of the best party city in Europe together is way better than doing it alone!
There’s a lot of communal activities, sometimes a pub crawl, sometimes eating together, other times just sitting around chatting in the common room – but those can be the best nights, right?
Not too rowdy but deffo a lot of fun, it’s also nice and cheap: an ideal budget hostel in Belgrade.
Best Hostel with a Private Room in Belgrade – Sun Hostel Belgrade
- $$
- Outdoor Terrace
- Towels Included
- 24-Hour Reception
Oooo! Ahhh! The private rooms at Sun Hostel really are excellent. Yep, we said it: excellent. They’re like… well they’re tasteful, really nicely decorated, sort of like what you’d imagine your dream bedroom to be crossed with a design magazine. It’s very boutique but very homely at the same time. That’s why we’d say this is the best hostel with a private room in Belgrade. But wait, there’s more!
The vibe at this Belgrade backpackers hostel is also great, super social without being too much of a party-drinky-rowdy affair, so even with a private room, you can meet people in the communal areas.
Best Cheap Hostel in Belgrade #2 – Manga Hostel
- $
- Outdoor Terrace
- Bicycle Hire
- Free Tea & Coffee
What’s manga about Manga Hostel? Nothing, as far as we can gather. But at this recommended hostel in Belgrade, you do get air-conditioned rooms as standard, free walking tours of the city, free tea and coffee whenever you want it, and a few cosy places to hang out and chill. Whilst it may not be the coolest hostel in Belgrade, it might be the chillest. Sure, it might be down an alleyway – but the location in Belgrade is really good otherwise. Sure, the showers might not be the best – but the staff are super welcoming. Loads more pros than cons here, a decent choice.
Manga Hostel is one of our favourites in Belgrade 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.
Best Cheap Hostel in Belgrade #3 – Spirit Hostel
- $
- Outdoor Terrace
- 24-Hour Security
- Air Conditioning
Close to the city centre, clean, incredibly helpful staff – so far it’s ticking a lot of boxes for a top hostel in Belgrade, if not for the best hostel in Belgrade. Well, it came close (it’s certainly ONE of the best), but the decor’s a bit basic and in some places just looks a little bit dated. And the free breakfast is only available for private room guests (boo), though as far as private rooms go they’re not a bad price at all. But that location: right in the middle of Dorcol, one of the oldest parts of Belgrade. But yeah, ticks most boxes for a decent Belgrade backpackers hostel.
Spirit Hostel is one of our favourites in Belgrade 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.
Best Hostel for Couples in Belgrade – Hostel Home Sweet Home
- $$$
- Common Room
- 24-Hour Reception
- Air Conditioning
There is definitely a homely feel at Hostel Home Sweet Home, which is probably why they named it how they did. We like that – and we like the fact that this is a peaceful, quiet hostel. Combine that with tasteful, minimalist style decor and you have the best hostel for couples in Belgrade – the private rooms feel more like boutique hotel rooms really, which adds to it all for couples wanting a memorable place to have spent their travelling days. And for non-couples (or couples out for a bargain), the dorm beds are some of the cheapest around!
Hostel Home Sweet Home is one of our favourites in Belgrade 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.
More Best Hostels in Belgrade
Hostel Bongo
- $$
- Free Tea & Coffee
- No Curfew
- 24-Hour Reception
Mercifully, there ain’t a single bongo in sight at this top hostel in Belgrade. That would be… yeah. Let’s not think about it. Hostel Bongo is actually named after a character in a book by Erlend Loe – bring a book by him and get 10% off. Seriously. There’s a family vibe here, probably because it’s quite… cosy. Not small necessarily, but compact enough to make it feel close-quarters without being uncomfortable. It helps with the atmosphere, in fact, since no one’s rattling around in big cavernous common areas. The staff, you might expect, are great.
And the location is central so you’re close to all of the fun things to do in Belgrade, but the hostel is down a quiet side street. Win-win.
Hostel Skadarlija Sunrise
- $$$
- BBQ
- Tour Desk
- 24-Hour Reception
What is it with Belgrade and parquet floors? It’s not a problem for us (we love ’em) but, you know, just wondering, cause there’s a lot of them out there. Probably got something to do with buildings being old. Hostel Skadarlija is one of them, being named after a vintage district of the same name, so you can bet it’s a V pretty area to be in: leafy, cobbled streets and cafes with terraces.
Yep, sounds good to us. Added to the perf location close to the happening Belgrade nightlife, the vibe at this youth hostel in Belgrade is social and friendly, with a chill garden area and a bar to hang out in. Don’t let the $$$ scare you: it’s really only a tiny more pricey than other hostels – still a bargain.
Hostel Skadarlija Sunrise is one of our favourites in Belgrade 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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What to Pack for your Belgrade 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.
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Belgrade
All things must pass: we have arrived at the final act of my guide to the best hostels in Belgrade 2021.
After reading this guide you should feel confident knowing that you have all of the important facts regrading the best backpacker accommodation in Belgrade.
I know how important it is to find the right place to stay. Whilst traveling in Belgrade, that need remains high. With so many hostels of questionable quality in the city, you now know where to find the very best.
I hope that you have found the perfect place for yourself on my best hostels in Belgrade list. One thing is clear: Belgrade has a hostel for EVERY backpacker.
The best options are now right in front of you. Booking your hostel will never be easier! Deciding which hostel is the best hostel in Belgrade for YOU is now in your hands.
Still have trouble getting sorted? Not sure about which hostel to go with. I understand…
In the case of uncertainty, I recommend that you just book my top overall pick for best hostel in Belgrade:White Owl Hostel Belgrade.
FAQ about Hostels in Belgrade
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Belgrade.
Travel Safety Tips for Belgrade
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More Epic Hostels in Serbia and Europe
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Belgrade.
Planning an epic trip all across Serbia or even Europe itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Europe, check out:
Over to you
By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Belgrade has helped you choose the perfect hostel for your adventure!
If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!
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!
You’re missing Reveller’s from this list! Belgrade’s best new social/party hostel, located in the famous Skadarlija area.