The 5 Best Hostels in Rio de Janeiro: 2026 Edition

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If you’re backpacking Brazil, there is absolutely no way around stopping over in Rio. In order to be well-rested for your next adventure, you’ll need a good place to rest your head. Check out the best hostels in Rio below.

Rio isn’t necessarily a small city, so knowing where to stay here can be a big advantage when it comes to booking your accommodation. You don’t want to end up far away from the hotspots you want to explore!

1. Discovery Hostel – Best Hostel Overall

• Price: $$
• Best for: Everyone! Discovery Hostel is a great hostel that suits all needs
• Highlights: The delicious free breakfast, the on-site bar and cafe, and top parties
• Dorm (mixed): From $19
• Private Room: From $57
• Address: Rua Benjamin Constant 26, Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

No doubt about it, the best Rio Hostel overall has to be Discovery Hostel; this place is fun! Voted as the best hostel in Latin America by HostelWorld, Discovery has it all and is a foolproof place to stay. With an onsite bar and cafe with cheap food and drinks deals daily, Discovery is the kinda hostel that you could move into forever.

It is budget-friendly and offers free WiFi, plus a cracking free breakfast for all. The mattresses are thick and squishy – no pokey springs and bed bugs here! Discovery is a belter of a backpackers hostel and you’ll leave with a whole new group of travel buddies and travel tales.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Free breakfast: They laid on hams, cheeses, bread, fruits, and so much more for us every morning
• Air Conditioning: Why is air con a big deal? Just wait until you’ve spent a day sweating it out on Copacabana and you’ll soon find out
• Regular activities: Free walking tours, boat parties, BBQs, pub crawls, you name it

Created by travellers for travellers, Discovery Hostel is one of those hostels that will change your life. There are party vibes, dorm beds and comfy common areas and the whole place feels like a homestay crossed with a boutique hotel. The perfect place to base yourself, whatever your stay in Rio looks like.

The dorm rooms are set up for everything you need for a good sleep. There are thick mattresses on the bunk beds, big lockers to stash your stuff and air conditioning.

There are free city tours and free maps if you want to see more of Rio. I’m sure the 24/7 staff can point you in the direction of the nearest rooftop terrace if you want a birds-eye view of the city.

2. Hostel Sunrise – Best Hostel for Solo Travellers

• Price: $$
• Best for: Solo travellers, and those on a tight budget
• Highlights: A great location, 24/7 reception, and an on-site bar
• Dorm (mixed): From $13
• Private Room: From $110
• Address: R. Taylor, 116 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hostel Sunrise is a big vibe for you solo travellers. You’ll be in paradise in a great location up top of a hill overlooking this wonderful city. Nestled in the heart of Rio on a quiet street in Santa Teresa with that swimming pool, yeah, you’ll be in heaven.

I haven’t even got into the sociability of the place yet… Santa Teresa is a hilltop neighbourhood with an artsy, Bohemian vibe. Here, you’ll find some of the best Carnaval blocos (street parties), wonderful if you’re here for Carnaval party vibes. And, this sort of place attracts a certain sort of people to Rio hostels; fun people!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Great Location: It’s around Centro, which is the heart of Rio’s culture and architecture scene
• Large pool: There’s a decent pool in the garden, and I found it easy to make friends here
• Female Only Dorms: Ladies, if you don’t wanna share with dudes then you won’t have to here

There is a range of rooms to choose from, with dorm beds sleeping 4-12 people per room, they have epic views. Each room has air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi and some of them have a balcony plus there are wardrobes to stash your stuff and shared bathrooms. Now, the common rooms are stunning, offering a range of spaces and games and books to imbue, you can really soak up Rio.

The staff at reception are there 24/7 and there’s an onsite restaurant and bar to indulge in if you fancy. There are restaurants and a supermarket a short walk away but there aren’t any cooking facilities here. Good to keep in mind, but also a great excuse to make the most of the wonderful food on offer.

3. Hostel Cade Teresa – Best Cheap Hostel

• Price: $
• Best for: Solo travellers and social butterflies
• Highlights: Very affordable, well-located, and it has a great communal kitchen + a pool
• Dorm (mixed): From $14
• Private Room: From $19
• Address: Rua Almirante Alexandrino 501, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hostel Cade Teresa is the best place to stay for a social atmosphere and to be close to the action. It’s the kind of hostel that has everything you need, all for a tiny price! This is one hostel in Santa Teresa, a traditional neighbourhood on top of a hill with incredible harbour views.

Staying in Santa Teresa, you can still feel what the city used to be like in its golden days. This hostel is in a beautiful historic building that’s been newly renovated to have all the mod cons and amenities we’re used to these days. There’s a full kitchen set up which is my favourite way to save money on the road; make my own meals.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• The communal kitchen: I found this one to be clean, a big rarity amongst hostel kitchens
• Exercise area: I’d stop short of calling it a “gym”, but they have some hoops you can use for exercise
• Samba night: Come here on a Saturday, and you’ll be able to participate in Rio’s favourite dance

Lots of rooms at Hostel Cade Teresa have their own balconies for fresh hot air and street views. Epic if you’re here for Carnaval, the Bloccos are likely to pass right under you. The dorm beds sleep four to eight people, a nice intimate size – way better than going cheap and having to stay with 30 other bodies!

There’s the option of booking private rooms too. This can be a sweet respite and if you’re travelling with a crew they can sleep up to four so this can be another great way to cut costs. So kick back in the garden, splash out in the pool and enjoy living the budget-friendly dream in Rio.

4. Books Hostel – Best Party Hostel

• Price: $$
• Best for: Solo travellers, friend groups and party lovers
• Highlights: The parties!
• Dorm (mixed): From $23
• Private Room: From $79
• Address: Rua Francisco Muratori, 10, Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Books Hostel has it all and is without a doubt the best party hostel in Rio. Books has its own pumping bar, but is super close to Rio’s best bars and clubs, giving you the best of both worlds. Books Hostel is a phenomenal youth hostel, in part due to its amazing staff.

Attracting a party-focused crowd, Books gets pretty pumping, especially during the Carnaval, one of the most famous festivals in the world. They have great drinks deals throughout the week but guests are welcome to BYOB. Who doesn’t love saving money on booze?!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• The party scene: A great bar, great parties, and even more options on your doorstep. A party paradise
• Buffet breakfast: It’s rare these days to find a buffet breakfast with a cheap hostel, but they have a good one here
• Beer pong: What better way to bond with strangers than by kicking their arses and getting drunk?

It’s time to see why Rio is one of the best party cities in the world! I stand by the fact that it’s largely in part due to places like Books. Books is part community centre, part family home, part party hostel and full wrap-around services of all these things combined.

You can go on organised activities like hikes and football games during the day, fuelled by the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Get hammered during the happy hours at the onsite bar, and play beer pong and other fun games that get the people going. Go out to discover the wilderness of Rio nightlife with your new crew (that you feel like you’ve known forever) and rinse and repeat.

5. Castelo dos Teresa – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads

• Price: $$
• Best for: Digital nomads mostly
• Highlights: The large workspaces, upmarket vibes, a large pool, and a solid breakfast buffet
• Dorm (mixed): From $17
• Private Room: From $76
• Address: Rua Fonseca Guimaraes, 55 – Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Castelo dos Teresa is the type of hostel you want to live in. Epic garden, stunning pool, fabulous people around all the time in well-designed spaces. The best thing about being a digital nomad…? YOU CAN!

I mean, it’s literally in a heritage castle in Santa Teresa with private rooms so you can have your own space. Live your best life and make yourself at home or book a dorm room if you want to be in the mix. There’s a stunning lounge full of natural light where you can co-work or plugin at a table and get in your own zone.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• It’s in a castle: You can live like a literal king/queen, AND do it on a budget. How cool is that!?
• Weekly churrascos: Brazilian barbecue is the absolute best! And you can enjoy it here every Sunday
• Outdoor Swimming Pool: It’s a big one, and the castle towers over it. Cool vibes

One thing you should know about Santa Teresa is it’s on top of a hill and the most famous beaches aren’t super accessible. So the swimming pool comes in handy when you’re working away and need to beat the heat and have a quick refresh. The outdoor terrace area is mint, and there’s a churrasco area, to get the full South American grill experience with communal churrascos on a Sunday.

Not having to think about breakfast is such a bomb deal to get that good morning routine flowing into a great workday. Enjoy the free breakfast provided and there’s a fridge/freezer available if you want to stash snacks too.

Getting Insured BEFORE Visiting Rio De Janeiro

Stay safe homies, get good hostel travel insurance before your trip, always. Rio is a city where shit can hit the fan, so you’re gonna want good insurance just in case things do go wrong.

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.

The hostel scene is pretty crowded here. People love Rio, and with good reason. You certainly won’t be short of options, unless you go during New Year or Carnaval (February) when half the continent seems to want to party here.

You should be careful though, because Brazil doesn’t exactly have standards like you might be used to in the USA or Western Europe. There’s a lotta crap out there. I suggest thoroughly reading reviews before booking a place to stay.

Take into consideration whether you’re looking for a social/party place, or just somewhere to stay on the cheap.

There’s been a lot in here, I’ll admit, if you’re overwhelmed and still on the fence, I’ve still got you. Stay at Discovery Hostel – it’s the best for a reason. Plus, it’s close to the airport so it’s easy to get to. 

Wherever you stay in Rio, I’m sure it’ll be a treat and your now Brazilian bum will enjoy it! Whether you get tanned on the famous beaches or toned up the mountains, you’ll have fun.

If you think I’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit me up in the comments!