The 5 Best Hostels in Santander

I know you are looking forward to hitting the beaches of Santander as you backpack through Spain! But make sure you check out all the top hostels in Santander first. With each stay a little different from the last, you will be able to find that hostel that best suits how you like to travel.

1. Santander Central Hostel | Best for Train Station Access

• Price: $$
• Best for: Backpackers in transit who want a super-social, perfectly located crash pad where you can roll off a bus or train and straight into exploring the city.
• Highlights: Breakfast – 3 USD, Shared Kitchen, Lounge
• Dorms from: From $27
• Private rooms from: N/A
• Location: City Centre (near Plaza de las Estaciones / transport hub)

You will find several stays in Santander that offer weary guests a cheap dorm bed in Santander. Santander Central Backpackers is the hostel that has the most classic backpackers vibe! With its chill atmosphere and inviting lounge, this backpackers’ hostel is where you want to kick back, relax, and mix with the other guests.

Complete with its very own kitchen and breakfast served every morning, this stay will help budget travellers save a couple of extra Euros while on the road. To top it off, it’s in a central location, you could not ask for a better place to start your holiday!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Transport Hub: You’re literally steps from buses, trains, and the airport shuttle – this is the kind of place where your 6 am departure feels doable.
• Backpackers Built It Better: Designed by actual travellers, so everything just makes sense – from plug sockets exactly where you need them to social spaces that don’t feel forced.
• Cook, Chill, Repeat: A proper kitchen to save your budget (and maybe your stomach), plus cosy common areas that are perfect for swapping stories or zoning out after a long travel day.

Santander Central Hostel is everything you want in a hostel; it’s got hot showers to rinse off that Spanish heat. The staff are sensational, the epitome of hospitality, and if you’re walking the Camino, it’s a perfect stay in Spain. Comfy beds, a clean kitchen, and a simple but delicious breakfast are all included in the accommodation.

The decor is bright and homely, and it’s a place where everyone comes together for a full sleepover spec. There’s a big lounge to chill in and bunk beds in the dorm rooms, and public transport is accessible. The location is pretty elite too; you won’t need to access any public transport while you’re staying in Santander, everything is within walking distance.

2. Enjoy Santander | Best for the Beach

• Price: $$
• Best for: Beach lovers who still want city vibes, plus budget travellers who like a modern stay
• Highlights: Shared Kitchen, Three Euro Breakfast, Garden
• Dorms from: From $41
• Private rooms from: N/A
• Location: Puerto Chico / City Centre (near the harbour and beaches)

This bright and modern backpackers’ hostel will pamper those guests travelling on a shoestring with cosy beds complete with privacy curtains. A fully equipped shared kitchen and a lounge, which is great for relaxing and chatting with the other backpackers! Everyone knows the kitchen is a great place to make new friends, so if you’re keen to socialise, head here.

In the heart of downtown Santander, you will be just a few steps away from the downtown, harbour, and all the best beaches in the area. With some of the cheapest beds in Santander, you will be truly living in paradise!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• City Meets Beach Life: You’re perfectly placed to bounce between tapas bars, shopping streets, and sandy beaches without overthinking it.
• Sleek & Social: A modern, tech-forward hostel that still keeps things backpacker-friendly. Basically comfy without killing your budget!
• Options for Every Mood: Dorm it up and meet people, you never know, you might find a hiking buddy!

Get your socialising on and sleep in the dorms, which are spacious and have privacy curtains on each bunk bed. There is plenty of room to work here, too, epic if you’re living that digital nomad life.

There’s a lovely garden to hang out in, as well as a clean, minimalist common room with a tranquil vibe. If you’re keen to venture out and enjoy the local beach, it’s just. ahop, skip and a jump away! There’s easy access to public transport, too, since you’re in a great location in the middle of town.

3. Hostel de las Facultades | Best for a Quiet Stay

• Price: $
• Best for: Road trippers, digital nomads, and travellers who want a quieter, private stay
• Highlights: Shared Kitchen, Lounge, Breakfast Included
• Dorms from: N/A
• Private rooms from: From $70
• Location: University Area (outskirts of Santander, near S-20 motorway)

Europe is not the cheapest continent to travel through, so why not free up a few extra Euros by checking into Hostel de Las Facultades? With its budget dorm beds, clean rooms, and laid-back atmosphere, this is one backpacker’s hostel in Santander that you will find that checks all the boxes.

You will also find public bike rentals right in front of the hostel. Perfect for when you really want to take to the streets and explore Santander, every budget backpacker’s dream!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Private Rooms Only: No dorm chaos here. Every room is your own little sanctuary with a bathroom to match.
• Easy In, Easy Out: Close to the motorway with free parking, making it perfect if you’ve got a car or you’re just passing through.
• Calm Vibes: A chilled garden, local amenities nearby, and just enough distance from the centre to actually relax after a long day.

In terms of personality, you’d be forgiven for thinking this place may be lacking, but don’t let the decor fool you! The staff at this hostel in Santana more than make up for the lack of artistic flair here. They have extensive local knowledge and are very friendly, more than willing to do what they can to make your time the best possible.

Whether you’re travelling with a group of friends or travelling solo on a tight budget, you won’t miss anything staying here. You can walk wherever you want; the city centre is only 15 minutes away, or take the bus to the beach, fuelled up for the day.

4. Hostel Villa Miguela | Best with a Co-working Space

• Price: $$
• Best for: Beachgoers, digital nomads, and travellers who want social vibes without full chaos!
• Highlights: Housekeeping, Close to Beaches, Balcony
• Dorms from: From $33
• Private rooms from: From $62
• Location: Residential area near El Sardinero / Magdalena (close to beaches and restaurants)

Ok, all you party animals out there. You won’t be able to party till the crack of dawn at this backpacker’s hostel… But Hostel Villa Miguela is a great place to make some friends and drink a couple of beers before heading out to paint the town red.

Spacious and sunny, this youth hostel is one of the top hostels in Santander, with breathtaking views of both the sea and the city. Putting you right by some of the best sights in downtown, you couldn’t ask for a better place to base yourself. With a free breakfast served up every morning, Hostel Villa Miguela will have you wanting to extend your stay night after night!

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Hostel Meets Boutique Stay: Feels more like a stylish house with a garden than a typical hostel
• Great for Digital Nomads: Coworking spaces, terraces, and fast WiFi make it dangerously easy to “just check one email”… and stay all day
• Beach and Tapas Combo: You’re within easy reach of Santander’s best beaches and some of its top food spots.

The rooms here are light and airy with windows that are not conducive to lying in bed on a hangover, which is great! Perfect for making the most of your holiday and encouraging you to go get that beach time. Let the sun soak the sangria out of your skin and revitalise yourself by getting a cervesa in town for a red hot reset.

There’s a vending machine if you want to grab a snack, and there are lots of epic restaurants and bars around, too. The kitchen facilities are somewhat lacking, but who cares?! You’re here to partayyyyy! Or fiesta, as the Spanish say!

5. Hostel Allegro | Best for Solo Travellers

• Price: $$
• Best for: Pilgrims, budget travellers, and no-frills explorers passing through
• Highlights: Breakfast Included, Terrace, Shared Kitchen
• Dorms from: $35
• Private rooms from: N/A
• Location: Near Santander Port / city centre edge (on the Camino route)

All you digital nomads out there know… You have to take a break from the fun every once in a while to catch up on some much-needed editing and writing. Hostel Allegro will put you up in one of the cheapest dorm rooms in Santander.

This place is elite and even has a terrace and lounge perfect for spreading out to get some work done! Before you open up that laptop, be sure to grab a plate for breakfast. It’s free and a great way to start your day.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Camino Friendly: Right on the pilgrimage route, so it’s perfect if you’re walking the Camino and need a solid rest stop.
• Simple and Clean: Just a clean, affordable place to crash and recharge.
• Budget Friendly: Shared kitchen and chill setup make it easy to cook, reset, and get back on the road.

If you are looking to take a break from typing, Hostel Allegro will also have you staying by all the best sights in Santander. With the cathedral and town hall just a few minutes away, this hostel makes for one of the best places in Santander to base yourself. Being a digital nomad in Spain is a great time, in general, really.

500m from the city centre, you can get into town for an after-work drink, or treat yourself to a meal. You can easily get to the beach when you take a day off and access public transport too, for when you’re ready to leave town.

Getting Insured BEFORE Visiting Santander

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 medieval walls, elegant palaces and seaside hikes that will give you stunning views of the Spanish coast await you in Santander! No matter if you are a beach bum or a culture vulture, you will find that this historic city has a little something for everyone. Before you know it, you will be people-watching in the plazas and taking a dip in the warm waters in Santander.

What will really set the tone for your trip is the backpacker’s hostel you book into. Will you be drinking a cold one and partying at the hostel, or are you just looking for a place to crash? Regardless of what you are looking for in a youth hostel, you will find that depending on where you stay will define your entire trip!

If you’re on the fence, book yourself a night at Santander Central Hostel, it’s my overall favourite for a reason. The location is great, the amenities are great, and the people who hang out here are great. It’s a classic.

Have you ever travelled to Santander and stayed in a great backpacker’s hostel we may have missed? I would love to hear about it in the comments below.