Phuket in Thailand is just one of those places that has been sucking backpackers in like a magnet for decades.
Though it is quite touristy now, there is still plenty of reason to go to Phuket Island: the beaches are stunning, the parties are non-stop, and there are many beautiful Buddhist temples to enjoy.
Now let’s be clear: There are LOTS of backpacker hostels in Phuket. Figuring out which hostels are worth a damn can be a challenge due to the sheer number.
That’s exactly why I wrote this guide to the best hostels in Phuket for 2024!
With the help of this guide, you can sort out all of your Phuket accommodation in no time, so you can get back to preparing for your trip.
Whether you are trying to party hard on Karon beach, find the best hostel for couples in Phuket, sleep cheap, you are a digital nomad, or just need to be close to Phuket international airport, this list of the best hostels in Phuket has something for every traveller.
The goal of this Phuket hostel guide is to present you with all of the best options so that you can book the best possible spot for your own needs. Let’s do it…
Quick Answer: The Best Hostels in Phuket
- Overall Best Hostel in Phuket – Lub d Phuket Patong
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Phuket – The Neighbors Hostel
- Best Cheap Hostel in Phuket – Pineapple Guesthouse
- Best Hostel for Couples in Phuket – The Memory at On On Hotel
- Best Cheap Hostel in Phuket for the Beach – BGW Phuket
What to expect from Hostels in Phuket
Booking a hostel instead of a hotel comes with loads of perks. One of them is obviously the way more affordable price but there’s even more waiting for you. The one thing that makes hostels really stand out is the incredible social vibe. You can meet travellers from all over the world by sharing common spaces and staying in dorms – it’s a great way to make new friends.
When backpacking Thailand, you’ll find all sorts of different hostels. From extreme-party to laid back yoga vibes hostels, there are endless options. The main types you’ll find in Phuket are party hostels, digital nomad hostels and trendy chic hostels.
Luckily, most hostels are focused on being very affordable while still offering a high value. The general rule is: the bigger the dorm, the cheaper the nightly rate. If you go for a private hostel room, you’ll end up paying a bit more, but it’s still more affordable than Phuket’s hotels. We did some research and listed the average price that you can expect for a hostel in Phuket.
- Private Rooms: $15-55
- Dorms (mixed or female only): $8-20
When looking for a hostel, you’ll find mostPhuket hostels on HOSTELWORLD. There you can check out photos, detailed information about the place and even reviews from previous guests. Just like other booking platforms, each hostel will have a rating, so you can easily pick out the hidden gems! In general, most hostels can be found near Patong Beach or Phuket Old Town. To find the best hostels in Phuket, check out these three neighbourhoods:
- Phuket Town – The capital of Phuket province and the largest city on the island.
- Karon – Karon beach lies on the west coast of the island of Phuket.
- Patong – Patong is the most popular tourist destination in Phuket.
- Kata – Kata Beach is one of the trendiest places to stay in Phuket.
- Kamala – Look no farther than Kamala as the best place to stay in Phuket for families.
You see that it’s important to find out where to stay in Phuket before you book your hostel. Do your research beforehand and have an even better trip because you’ll have such a different experience staying somewhere like Phuket Town compared to Patong beach or Kata beach!
The 5 Best Hostels in Phuket
With so many options, picking only 5 was difficult, so we took all the Phuket hostels with the highest reviews, and separated them to meet your personal travel needs. There’s a little something for everybody!
Lub d Phuket Patong – Overall Best Hostel in Phuket
This place is ultra-modern, super Instagrammable (they say that themselves but fair enough) and with a great location in Patong. For these reasons and more, this is our overall best hostel in Phuket. The ultra-modern part isn’t just about the decor – each bunk comes with various well thought out shelves and plug sockets, ideal for all your gizmos and notepads and earplugs and all that shiz we carry around!
Why you’ll love this place:
- Close to Patong beach
- outdoor Swimming Pool
- Central Location
The hostel is just a 3-minute walk to Patong beach, so it’s in a sick central location for having the best time in Phuket, because it’s all about the beach right! Not only that but Bangla road is within walking distance so heaps of places for a top night out. The dorm rooms are awesome here too and they also offer hotel standard privates with a private bathroom too. So you can see why it’s one of the best Phuket hostels!
I mean, there’s also a Muay Thai Boxing training area in the lobby too, so that’s great if you’re into punching and kicking other people for fun. There are some amazing social spaces including a huge bar and swimming pool. It’s clean, comfortable and has some super cool staff – best hostel in Phuket 2022, we reckon.
The Neighbors Hostel – Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Phuket
This hostel is a great choice for you when travelling solo. You’ll be close to all of the hot spots of Phuket old town – everything is within walking distance, even the main Bus Terminal. The hostel gives you the option to socialise all day long in the super comfy common area that also has a cafe (free coffee and cookies in the morning) or seek some privacy in your bed, which can be closed with curtains.
Why you’ll love this place:
- Phuket Old Town Location
- Herritage Building
- Washing Machine
The bedrooms are all air-conditioned and equipped with lockers to keep your valuable items safe. Plus, the busy streets with bars and restaurants are only a couple of minutes from your doorstep. The area offers a great balance between local vibes but with great facilities. Staying in Phuket Town rather than down on Patong beach is a completely different and quite a refreshing experience if you feel a bit jaded with the island.
If there’s one thing we love about Southeast Asia it’s the Chinese shophouses that spring up all over the place, and this top hostel in Phuket is IN one of them. The decor, the tiles, the way it’s been kept in its traditional style but with modern renovations, the sleek stylish furniture mixing with antique stuff, the general romantic air of it – DEFFO another contender for the coolest hostel in Phuket, but in a different way to the industrial-chic style places.
Pineapple Guesthouse – Best Cheap Hostel in Phuket
Somewhat basic, a little bit untidy in the reception area, not an amazing social atmosphere, but on the other hand it’s a pretty relaxing and hip hostel to chill during the day. So why is it included in our top Phuket hostels list? Well, if you don’t crave conversations with strangers 24/7 and you’re a bit of an introvert then this is probs a good one for you.
Why you’ll love this place:
- Super Cheap
- Private Rooms
- Beachside
Oh, and we probably shouldn’t neglect to mention that this place is super near the beach so – beach people, take heed: this is a beachside hostel. Ish, anyway. Pretty much. That’s probably why it’s so chill. Oh and besides the laid-back atmosphere, it’s also a MEGA CHEAP Phuket hostel.
In all fairness, it’s not for everyone! If you’re looking for somewhere that’s cheap and relatively cheerful then you can’t go wrong. We’ve all stayed in some pretty dingy guesthouses whilst backpacking, let’s be honest, and this place is at least clean and in a great location! Being a guesthouse it offers mostly private rooms as well as a large 10-bed dorm. Again, it’s all pretty basic but being on the cheap side mean you can easily get a private room for the price you’d pay for a fancy dorm bed in some of the more fancy Phuket hostels!
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View on Osprey View on REIThe Memory at On On Hotel – Best Hostel for Couples in Phuket
We didn’t want to make any terrible puns, so please don’t think we’re doing that when we say staying at The Memory would be a super memorable experience. We’d stop short of unforgettable because, well, you might forget it one day. But for now, if you’re travelling with your partner we’d deffo recommend stopping at The Memory at On On Hotel.
Why you’ll love this place:
- Heritage Building
- Stunning Private Rooms
- Female Only and Mixed Dorms
It’s located right in the heart of Phuket town and is ideal for those looking to experience local culture and history. The rooms are honestly the best on offer from any of the Phuket hostels, they are so well designed, spacious and honestly stunning! Even the dorm rooms have a luxurious feel and they’ve really done well to keep the heritage features with modern facilities.
We’re not sure if it’s called The Memory, or On On Hotel, but we do know that it’s the oldest Phuket hostel in town. It’s been recently renovated and the feel is more luxury hotel than a backpackers hostel, so we’d say this is the best hostel for couples in Phuket. For sure you’ll love the affordable luxury and central location.
BGW Phuket – Best Cheap Hostel in Phuket for the Beach
Wow, gosh, seriously, for the price and for just how flippin’ NICE this place is, we cannot say anything other than this is the best cheap hostel in Phuket. Sure, we know cheaper hostels do exist (marginally so) but as we said this place is just laid out so well, the tiles, the beds, the bunks, the private room – all of it! Unfortunately, they do skimp on free breakfast, but if you are trying to cut costs this is a great Phuket hostel to do so!
Why you’ll love this place:
- Curtains On Beds
- Close To Bangla Road
- private Rooms
One of the best things about this hostel is despite it being super cheap, it’s not actually super shit! You know what I mean, we’ve all ended up in some dump of a hostel where the beds look like they’ve come from a skip just to save a few dollars!
Ok, you’re not gunna get luxury at this price point, but you get curtains on the beds, mega lockers, great common spaces and nice clean bathrooms. What more could you want when you’re backpacking tbh!? You can also pay a bit more and opt for some really affordable private rooms and what they describe as “deluxe rooms” which has a balcony, which is nice!
Other Great Hostels In Phuket
Not found the right spot for you in Phuket, well never fear, because the island has an endless array of options and there’s something for everyone. We’ve not just finished the list at 5, nah, we’ve only gone and searched for a whole load more epic hostels to choose from too!
Borbaboom Poshtel – Best Hostel with a Private Room in Phuket
When you’re in a hostel that calls itself a poshtel, well, you know it’s gonna be posh. That’s pretty much guaranteed at this hip hostel. So, yeah, the private rooms here are pretty immense, super modern, super design-y, industrial-chic style but with more fun colour pops in the furniture and stuff. We like that a lot. It’s the best hostel with a private room, but you probs feel like that was always gonna be the case with a ‘poshtel’. Yep, there’s a rooftop terrace complete with a swimming pool, a kitchen to use, it’s all really clean, and the staff are really friendly – even though they’re not that well versed in English. But hey: you’re in Thailand.
Slumber Party Phuket (formerly Bodega) – Best Party Hostel in Phuket
Wooo, well you know it’s gonna be good for a laugh when the actual hostel itself is called Slumber Party Phuket (formerly Bodega). But yeah, as you may have guessed this is the best party hostel in Phuket. A lovely bit of irony is here is that even though you’re probs not gonna be here to sleep, the beds are way, way comfortable. I guess going to sleep drunk has become a more luxurious pursuit than it used to be! Maybe? Dunno. Other than that, expect pub crawls, nightly partying, and being close to the party scene on Bangla Road is a plus. Great selection for a fun-loving Phuket backpackers hostel.
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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 Phuket
Chillhub Hostel
Well, damn, they got the name right with this place. Chill is the right word here. It states itself that it isn’t a party hostel, and we can confirm that it’s true. It’s a 2 min walk to Bangtao Beach, making this – you guessed it – a beachside hostel. The beach itself is pretty chill, not exactly a buzzing location. Enough about chill: this hostel is beautiful. In a cool way, not an elegant way. Industrial cool. You know it – all brick columns and polished concrete and building-site-plywood sorta vibe going on. Contender for the coolest hostel in Phuket, but deffo not for the liveliest Phuket backpackers hostel going.
Southern Fried Rice
Look, any top hostel in Phuket that decides to name itself after a foodstuff is our friend. As you may expect, or as may be expected, this Phuket backpackers hostel does actually serve very tasty food – presumably, there’s a rice dish on the menu that is fried in some South Thailand style, but we didn’t check. Other than that, what about this place makes it a recommended hostel in Phuket? Well, being literally steps from Kata Beach, for one thing, having unlimited hot water (rejoice all ye cold shower haters), being clean, having good common areas, and being cheap. Done done and done.
The Luna Hostel Phuket Airport
You might think that a hostel that’s near an airport, let alone advertising that fact in its name, wouldn’t be a great place to stay. That’s where you’d be thinking incorrectly: this budget hostel in Phuket is actually amazing. The outdoors common area they have is an amazing place to chill and chat, they’ve got a really fun common room, the dorm rooms are clean and comfortable, the travel connections bus-wise are incredible – and, of course, you’re near Phuket airport, which is great if you’ve got an early/late flight. So there you go: don’t judge. Best hostel near an airport in Phuket. Maybe the only one, but hey it’s close to Nai Yang beach too!
Eco Hostel Phuket
We round up this list of how we started: with another effortlessly stylish and chic Phuket backpackers hostel. Seriously, how do they do it? Eco Hostel is just lovely. There’s a nice bit of space both inside and outside for a bit of work (or admin – you know how it goes on these backpacking adventures), meet fellow travellers, or just hang out doing nothing. It’s really, really clean and the showers are pretty amazing. This top hostel in Phuket also has an onsite cafe which is super cute and super tasty. It’s located in Phuket Town close to the bus station, so it’s easy to get to places like Karon beach and Kata beach. Not entirely sure what’s eco about it but it’s cheap and lovely, so it’s fine!
L’atelier Poshtel Phuket
It’s another poshtel! L’atelier must be French for super posh or something, we don’t know (we actually do – it means workshop) because every place that calls itself l’atelier is ultra-chic. So you combine poshtel and l’atelier and you got yourself a very decent posh stay in Phuket. Hardly a budget hostel in Phuket, but much closer to a luxury boutique sorta place, it’s not the cheapest but relatively still we’d say it’s quite a bargain in the grand scheme of things. The staff are amazing, it’s SO so clean, the style and architecture are V nice. Extremely acceptable (and recommended) hostel in Phuket.
Vitamin Sea Hostel Phuket
Wow well here’s a hostel set up for meeting, mingling and conversation. The communal areas win this place the best hostel for solo travellers in Phuket award. But! But, there’s always a but, it wouldn’t be possible for this place to get that accolade without its amazing owner, Pro. She is quite literally a pro. She is helpful, friendly, kind, and generally lights this place up like it’s the warmest welcome every time you step through the door. Like, 5-star friendliness. We’re down with that. It’s got some proper nice dorm rooms too with curtains and all! Oh, and a small word of warning: the name is funny, sure, but this Phuket hostel is NOT near the sea – it’s (very well situated) in town. NICE AND CHEAP TOO.
Loma Hostel @ Phuket Town
Cheap(ish), modern, clean, this is a solid choice for exploring Phuket town’s attractions. Well, it’s more than solid – it’s a top hostel in Phuket! The decor is warm but minimalist, and that’s just the sort of environment we love to chill in. More importantly, sleep in! Location-wise you’ll love this place too since it’s right next to a bus stop that goes to Patong beach, Kata beach and Karon beach so that all your beachy needs are catered for. There’s not a lot on the doorstep but a 10 min walk will take you to the delights of Thalang Road and the rest of the beautiful Phuket old town.
FAQ about Hostels in Phuket
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Phuket.
How much does a hostel cost in Phuket?
A dorm bed (mixed or female only) can cost anything between $8-$20. A private room will set you back a bit more, costing between $15-$55.
What are the best hostels in Phuket for couples?
Despite the party’s reputation, there are lots of cosy little places for couples to get away here! The Memory at on on Hotel is a beautiful little spot, that is suited for a couple looking for a getaway, while still staying social.
What are the best hostels in Phuket near the airport?
Aside from being the best hostel near the airport, The Luna Hostel Phuket Airport is also close to Nai Yang Beach!
Travel Safety Tips for Phuket
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.
If want to learn more about staying safe when visiting Phuket, check out our separate travel safety guide for tips and advice. To know more about security in Thailand as a whole, check out this in-depth travel safety report filled with tips and advice on having a safe trip there.
What to Pack for your Phuket Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from me, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straightforward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art I 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 my definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
More Epic Hostels in Thailand and Southeast Asia
Hopefully, by now, you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Phuket. In case you didn’t fancy any of our hostels, then why not consider a more authentic homestay in Phuket instead?
Planning an epic trip all across Thailand or even Southeast Asia itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Southeast Asia, check out:
Final Thoughts on the Best Hostels in Phuket
That’s all she wrote… or at least all I wrote on the subject of the best hostels in Phuket 2024.
It is no secret that Thailand and its islands are EXTREMELY popular with backpackers. There are now so many hostels in Phuket that it is a mind-boggling task sorting through all of them.
That is until now…
After reading this guide you are now fully equipped with all the insider knowledge you need to book the perfect spot for yourself in Phuket.
Don’t settle for the less-than-awesome hostels! The top hostels in Phuket are truly something special to experience.
My hostel guide is the key to all of the best hostels in Phuket! All you have to do is book your own personal favourite from the list and you’re all sorted.
Not sure which one to go with? Feeling conflicted about which hostel is the best hostel in Phuket?
If in doubt, I recommend that you just book my overall top pick for the best hostel in Phuket: Lub d Phuket Patong. Happy travels!
- Check out our extensive guide to backpacking in Thailand for a wealth of info!
- Not sure what to do once you arrive? We’ve got all the best places to visit in Phuket covered.
- Skip the dorm and find a super cool Airbnb in Phuket if you’re feeling fancy!
- Check out the best places to stay in Phuket before you arrive.
- Remember to grab yourself an international sim card for Thailand to avoid any issues.
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Get ready for your next destination with our ultimate Southeast Asia backpacking guide.
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!
