No trip to the United States is complete without visiting the world-famous La La Land. The shining star of Los Angeles has to be that iconically conspicuous Hollywood sign which greets visitors from around the world to Tinseltown.
The spotlights, street performers, and outlandish cinemas placed anywhere else other than Hollywood would come across as tacky, but with that pinch of movie magic, the buildings along the walk of fame attract both your luxury tourists and adventurous backpackers.
Other than New York, Hollywood has to be the most visited place in all of the United States. Therefore, you will find tons of hostels in the shadow to the Hollywood sign.
As you probably already know, America is not a budget country by any stretch of the imagination and Los Angeles is no exception.
We made this guide so YOU can find the best backpackers hostels as close to the Hollywood studios as possible!
Keep your fingers crossed and you may just be the next big thing when exploring the sights of famous Hollywood!
So peep our guide to the top hostels in Hollywood below!
Quick answer: The Best Hostels in Hollywood
- Best Party Hostel in Hollywood – Banana Bungalow Hollywood
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Hollywood – Walk of Fame Hostel
- Best Cheap Hostel in Hollywood – Libra Hotel
- Best Hostel for Couples in Hollywood – Orange Drive Hostel
- Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Hollywood – Podshare
The Best Hostels in Hollywood
Making the pilgrimage to Hollywood is on most people’s bucket list. This small neighborhood of Los Angeles is the birthplace of many of our favorite films that we grew up with which we still watch to this day.
Other than the obvious lot tours and climbing up to the Hollywood sign, this area is just brimming with movie magic in the form of its colorful cinemas and animated street performers.
It is important to know that Hollywood is just a small part of the larger city of Los Angeles. When looking at hostels you need to be careful you are not booking a bed on the other side of town when you want to be as close as possible to your favorite stars.
Dorm rooms and private beds are not cheap when staying in Los Angeles and Hollywood is no different. No matter what you are looking for, be it a lively hostel, private bunks, a cozy room, or merely just a place to sleep at night, this guide has you covered no matter how you like to travel!
Best Party Hostel in Hollywood – Banana Bungalow Hollywood
- $$
- Courtyard
- Free Breakfast
- Daily Activities
Banana Bungalow rolls out the red carpet for backpackers by offering so many activities, parties and games around their hostel that you may not even find time to go out and explore Hollywood.
Banana Bungalows has a youthful hip hostel that boasts a billiards room, live music, karaoke nights, barbeques, a movie theatre, tiki garden, and so much more.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does. Banana’s also organizes tours from limo rides to pub crawls. There truly is never a dull moment when staying at Banana Bungalow Hollywood!
Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Hollywood – Walk of Fame Hostel
- $$
- Great Location
- Free Breakfast
- Game Room
Walk of Fame has all of the hostels beat when it comes to its location. This hostel is so close to the action that if you time your trip just right you can watch the stars stepping out of their limos from the 2nd and 3rd story windows!
Other than being a stone’s throw away from all of the best cinemas in Hollywood, Walk of Fame also hosts daily events which are perfect for meeting other backpackers.
After hanging out all night, start the day off right with their delicious breakfast! With Walk of Fame’s location, chill vibe, and great staff, this hostel is one of the best places to stay in Hollywood!
Best Cheap Hostel in Hollywood – Libra Hotel
- $
- Lounge
- Vending Machines
For travelers looking to save a few bucks, be sure to check out the recently opened Libra Hotel. This hotel offers budget dorm beds just outside of Hollywood in vibrant Korea Town.
Being in Korea Town means that you can eat at some of the best restaurants for half the price of other places around Los Angeles. The hotel has spacious lounges and comfortable dorms, are with new tasteful furniture.
Top it all off with the hotel being located right next to the subway station, Libra Hotel is one of the best places to base yourself when backpacking in Los Angeles!
We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.
Want more deetz on why these packs are so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel for Couples in Hollywood – Orange Drive Hostel
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- Outdoor Terrace
- Lounge
Sometimes it is just not enough to go sightseeing. To get the true movie star experience you need to be staying in a piece of Hollywood history.
You can do just that by staying in this classy manor built in 1910 which was turned into a boarding house during the golden age of film, being home to no other that Marylin Monroe!
For couples, this romantic mansion is the perfect place to cozy up in one of the classicly styled private rooms or even just relax in the lounges surrounded by antique furniture! Your romantic Hollywood dream vacation starts here!
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Hollywood – Podshare
- $$$
- TV
- Shared Bikes
- Shared Kitchen
Podshare is by far one of the most innovative designs for a hostel, period. Each of the bunks strikes the perfect balance between privacy and being social. The concoction of guru interior designers, Podshare has been featured all over the web by such publications such as vice.
This hostel is particularly geared for digital nomads, the whole interior is made to increase productivity as well as comfort. An added bonus is that when booking into one pod share, guests have access to any of the branches located throughout Los Angeles!
Best Overall Hostel in Hollywood – USA Hostels Hollywood
- $$
- Gaming Room
- Tours
- Rooftop Terrace
USA hostel is about as close as you can get to a perfect hostel. USA offers a rooftop terrace, a delicious breakfast, barbeque nights, and shuttle buses. For solo travelers in the USA, this hostel has daily events which are the perfect way to get up and meet fellow travelers.
USA also provides guests with tours around the Hollywood area, ranging from simple walking tours to a more luxurious look at Tinseltown from a stretch limo! No matter how you look at it, USA Hostels is one of the best youth hostels in Los Angeles!
USA Hostels Hollywood is one of our favourites in Hollywood but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.
It looks exactly like a normal belt except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)
Hide Yo’ Money!More Best Hostels in Hollywood
Are you looking to stay in a specific neighborhood? Check out our guide to Hollywood’s best areas to stay.
Banana Bungalow West Hollywood
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- Shared Kitchen
- Terrace
Banana Bungalow West Hollywood (not to be confused with Banana Bungalow) is located on the edge of Hollywood right on the border with swanky Beverly Hills.
Much like their sister hostel, Banana’s West offers daily activities to keep the party going along with bar crawls, stand up comedy, movie nights, and karaoke! The hostel’s hip design includes a tiki lounge and kitchen.
Top it all off with cool helpful staff, you have the makings for the perfect Hollywood adventure!
Melrose Hostel
- $$
- Rooftop Balcony
- Free Breakfast
- Book Exchange
Melrose Hostel is a youthful budget hostel offering an open rooftop balcony, spacious lounges, and comfortable dorm beds. This hostel bills itself as being a budget-friendly “luxury hostel” with their relaxing atmosphere and top class service.
Melrose Hostel is nearby many of the best sights in all of Hollywood while still putting you in walking distance of Korea and Thai Town. The staff is also more than willing to help you have the perfect stay in Tinseltown and will go above and beyond to make sure you have the trip of a lifetime!
Time Zone Hostel
- $$
- Outdoor Terrace
- Movie Room
Time Zone Hostel offers a bit of everything from your typical metal framed bunk beds to your more private Japanese style pods. The hostel also offers a movie room as well as a very hip outdoor terrace.
Time Zone also boasts its daily tours doing anything from walking down the walk of fame to some hiking in the great outdoors. Time Zone is definitely suited for a younger crowd and will give you an experience you will never forget!
Time Zone Hostel is one of our favourites in Hollywood 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.
Republic Inn
- $$
- Breakfast
- Terrace
- Shared Kitchen
Republic Inn will have you staying in a townhouse with a very homey “suburban” feel. Tucked down a side street, Republic Inn still puts backpackers close to the action while still having the peace and quiet of a sleepy neighborhood.
This homey inn also offers an outdoor terrace, free breakfast, and staff that will make you feel right at home!
Republic Inn is one of our favourites in Hollywood 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.
What to Pack for your Hollywood 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 Hollywood
Hollywood is that magical place where fantasy comes to life, where dreams become reality. Standing on the very spot where some of your most celebrated stars have stepped is more than enough to make your trip into one to remember for a lifetime.
From the Hollywood sign to the iconic Capitol Records skyscraper, you will find yourself constantly finding things a snap a picture of!
Out of all the hostels in Hollywood Orange Drive Hostel won us over for being a hostel which lives and breathes classic Hollywood magic!
Ready…set… action! Your first step to stardom starts here! Get ready to walk the red carpet and start your Hollywood adventure!
FAQ about Hostels in Hollywood
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Hollywood.
Travel Safety Tips for Hollywood
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.
More Epic Hostels in USA and North America
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Hollywood.
Planning an epic trip all across USA or even North America itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around North America, check out:
- Best hostels in Los Angeles
- Best hostels in San Francisco
- Best hostels in San Diego
- Best hostels in Portland, Oregon
Over to you
By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Hollywood 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!
