Every country has one place where people come from all over the globe to throw down and party like it was the end of the world. For Costa Rica, their clubbing capital is located in the beach town of Tamarindo! Get ready for endless drinks and to party like a true Latino!
You might come for the dancing, but you will want to call Tamarindo home for the beaches. The turquoise waters and endless stretches of golden sand will have you wanting to never leave the coast of Costa Rica!
Regardless if you are in Tamarindo for a raging party or a relaxing vacation under a sun umbrella, you will need to find the perfect hostel to suit how you travel!
Spend more time picking out your bathing suit and less picking hostels! We made finding the perfect backpackers hostel easy with this stress-free guide!
Get ready to sink your toes in the sand, you Tamarindo adventure starts here!
Quick answer: The Best Hostels in Tamarindo
- Best Party Hostel in Tamarindo – Pura Vida Mini Hostel
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Tamarindo – Selina Tamarindo
- Best Hostel for Couples in Tamarindo – La Botella de Leche
- Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Tamarindo – Casa Aura Beachfront Premium Hostel
Best Hostels in Tamarindo
If you’re backpacking Costa Rica and you’re not quite sure if you should spend a de days here, let me answer that question for you: hell yes! For all of the night owls and part enthusiasts, Tamarindo is the perfect location.
But once the party is over, you’ll need to have a comfy bed to cure your hangover. Check out the best hostels in Tamarindo!
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Best Party Hostel in Tamarindo – Pura Vida Mini Hostel
- $
- Free Breakfast
- Drinking Games
- VIP Club Access
It is impossible to summarize all the things included in Pura Vida Mini Hostel in such a small space, but we will give it a shot. (Takes breath) Pura Vida Mini Hostel is all about hanging out and meeting other backpackers, with spacious lounges and outdoor patios, you will always be able to find a place to sprawl out and relax.
With a pool table, beer pong, a billiards table, BBQ dinners, salsa lessons, and even beach bonfires, there are tons of ways to feel a part of the community. The party isn’t just at the hostel, Pura Vidi Mimi will hook you up with discounted prices to the hottest clubs and the most relaxing pools!
Tamarindo has plenty of other bars too when the time comes to venture out into town.
Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Tamarindo – Selina Tamarindo
- $
- Live Music
- Swimming Pool
- Bar
Selina Backpackers Hostel is a close second when it comes to partying, and first if you are looking to have the time of your life with fellow travelers! With its very own music venue, inviting local musicians and DJs to play, you won’t have to go far looking for a place to get down and boogie.
Other than the bar and in house nightclub, you will find loads of places to unwind and relax as well. Start your day off right with morning yoga, then hit the seas with a surfing lesson, take a dip in the pool, and finish it all off with salsa lessons at night! If you’re solo traveling in Costa Rica, head to Selina Backpackers in Tamarindo. You will find something new to do, every hour of the day!
Best Hostel for Couples in Tamarindo – La Botella de Leche
- $$
- Cafe
- Swimming Pool
- Terrace
On a backpacker’s budget but still trying to reignite the passion during your travels through Central America?
At La Botella de Leche you will be able to rekindle that romance while still traveling on a shoestring! This youth hostel it, first of all, gorgeous. The second you walk onto the terrace you would think the hostel is a resort, not a place for rugged backpackers!
La Botella de Leche continues to up the ante with their own swimming pool, cafe, hammocks, and cozy lounges. For all you lovers out there, this is a hostel you won’t want to overlook!
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Tamarindo – Casa Aura Beachfront Premium Hostel
- $$
- Beachfront
- Lounges
- Hammocks
For those needing a place to call home base for a few days (or more) while editing photos or uploading videos, Casa Aura will have you relaxing in style in their spacious lounges with breathtaking views of the beach! The outdoor, covered patios will have you enjoying that sea breeze while you are surfing the web.
Need to take a short break from that next blog post? The beach is just a few steps away! This means you can take a quick deep, feel refreshed, and dive back into that article you have been working on!
Best Overall Hostel in Tamarindo – Blue Trailz Hostel & Surf Camp
- $
- Surf Lessons
- Surfboard Rentals
- Lounges
The real heart and soul of Tamarindo is not found on the dancefloor, but on the waves. Blue Trailz Hostel truly embraces Tamarindo’s beach culture with its very own surf shop, board rentals, and even surf lessons for those new to the surfing culture!
When you aren’t spending town laying out on the beach or shredding it up in the water, Blue Trailz Hostel can show you a different side of Costa Rica with their very own tailored tours! From ATVs to ziplines, you will always find something to do at this Tamarindo hostel!
Blue Trailz Hostel & Surf Camp is one of our favourites in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo – Pura Vida Hostel
- $
- 2 Outdoor Kitchens
- Garden
- Lounge
Pure Vida is not only one of the cheapest backpackers hostels in Tamarindo, but you will find yourself chilling in spacious lounges and enjoying the wildlife just seconds after checking in! The pride and joy of this youth hostel is their very own tropical garden which is often visited by monkeys and iguanas.
While waiting to catch a glimpse of the wildlife, rock back and forth in the hostel’s own rocking chairs or maybe just drift off in one of the hammocks. With a chill atmosphere second to one, you will be extending your stay night after night before you know it!
Pura Vida Hostel is one of our favourites in Tamarindo 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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View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel with a Private Room in Tamarindo – Tamarindo Hostel Resort
- $$
- Bar
- Lounges
- Shared Kitchen
After weeks of sleeping elbow to elbow with other travel-worn backpackers, give yourself a break with a private room to recharge your batteries. At Tamarindo Hostel Resort, you will be given backpacker prices for one of the most comfortable single rooms on the beach!
It’s not just the added privacy which will have you sold on Tamarindo Hostel Resort, but you also will have access to their very own onsite bar! Grab a drink, kick back and relax, this is what tropical living is all about!
Tamarindo Hostel Resort is one of our favourites in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo
Tamarindo Hostel
- $
- Swimming Pool
- National Park
- Surfing Lessons
Sit back and relax in a hammock as you watch the monkeys swing from tree to tree. At Tamarindo Hostel you will have huge lounges and terraces to just chill and enjoy the wildlife visiting from the national park next door! From trekking through the jungle to taking surfing lessons with the hostel’s in house instructor, you will find so many ways to explore Tamarindo!
But wait… there’s more! Tamarindo Backpackers also has it’s very own shared kitchen and swimming pool, meaning relaxation and a bite to eat is never too far away!
Coral Reef Surf Hostel
- $
- Skate Ramp
- Surf Lessons
- Restaurant
We don’t think any other hostel on this list can compete with Coral Reef Surf Hostel when it comes down to chill vibes. With their very own surf instructors and even a skate ramp, you can spend half the day breaking waves and the other half shredding it up at the hostel.
Can’t skate or surf? No problem! Just kick back, relax and grab a drink from the bar or even a bite to eat at the onsite BBQ restaurant. With the ocean just a few steps away, you won’t have to waste any time getting to the beach!
La Oveja Negra Hostel
- $
- Surf Camp
- Mexican Bar
- Swimming Pool
La Oveja Negra Hostel is probably one of the only backpacker’s hostels in Tamarindo which goes down the list and checks every single box! You will get a splash of local surf culture with their surf camp and lessons, a Mexican bar where you can drink and chow down, and even a swimming pool where you can cool off from that scorching Costa Rican heat!
The fun doesn’t stop there, at La Oveja Negra Hostel you will also be blown away with live music, nightly games, and events which will have you out partying with other backpackers! From laidback surf culture to tearing up the dance floor, La Oveja Negra Hostel has it all!
La Oveja Negra Hostel is one of our favourites in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, 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 we have perfected over many years.
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
FAQ about Hostels in Tamarindo
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Tamarindo.
Travel Safety Tips for Tamarindo
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.
Conclusion
Let your hair hang down and hang loose, the surf culture in Tamarindo is the stuff of legends. Regardless if you are looking to take a board and hit the waves or nurse a beer all day long, Tamarindo is a place where chill vibes meet insane parties!
We can understand if you are still undecided on where to stay in Tamarindo. Do I want to party? Surf? Or just soak up the sun on the beach?
Cover all your bases, and check yourself into Blue Trailz Hostel & Surf Camp. This is the one hostel that will give you the best Tamarindo experience possible and our pick for the best hostel in town!
Go hang ten or show off your dance moves, your adventure in Tamarindo awaits!
Do you own or run a kick ass hostel? Want to be featured in this list? Get in touch at [email protected]
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!
