I visited Tulum to see the nearby cenotes and Mayan ruins which dominate much of the Yucatan Peninsula, although I must admit the ruins I went to were kinda unimpressive compared to Chichen Itza and Palenque.
It’s famous for a big wellness/hippie culture. I saw a ton of yoga classes and wellness retreats going on here.
The hostel scene reflects that vibe. Expect many hostels here to offer yoga classes and have swimming pools. That’s Tulum for you.
After starting with a night in a totally unacceptable hostel, I decided to seek out the very best. That is exactly why I wrote this guide to the best hostels in Tulum.
This guide is designed to fill you with the knowledge and confidence you need to crush your travels. I have organised each hostel into different categories so that you can be sure to find the perfect spot for yourself.
Let’s get to it… Vamos!
A Brief Summary of Tulum’s Best Hostels if You Don’t Have Time to Read Further
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In Depth: Why We’ve Picked These as Tulum’s Top Hostels
Deciding where to stay in Tulum can be a real struggle. But we’re here to help! Instead of just blindly booking your accommodation, do some research and find out what you want to see and choose your hostel according to the location. You don’t want to end up miles away from the cool hotspots you wanted to explore. Trust us, your feet will thank you!
And as a side note: If you want to find even more epic hostels, have a look at HOSTELWORLD. You can also filter all of your personal travel needs and find the perfect place for you. It’s our go-to when looking for a cheap place to stay.
1. Mimosa Tulum Boutique Hotel & Hostel – Overall Best Hostel
- Price: $$
- Best For: Bougie backpackers
- Highlights: The teepee accommodation and the pool
- Dorm (Mixed): From $18 per night
- Private Room: From $36 per night
- Address: alle Polar Pte. Mza. 17, Entr calle Escorpion Norte y Guerra De Castas, Tulum
One of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at. If there’s one place that fully encapsulates the Tulum vibe, it’s this!
I won’t lie, this isn’t really a social hostel. But it’s so tranquil that you won’t worry about making new friends, you can just sit back and enjoy the buzz.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Scooter rental: Wanna sort accom to whizz around Tulum and further afield? No problem, you can do that here
- The staff: They bent over backwards for us during our stay, and were happy to help arrange our transport to Bacalar
- Breakfast: It’s not included, but they’ll whip up a healthy fruity breakie for 150 pesos
The location is super convenient, not far from the main bus station. It took us just 15 minutes to walk here, going straight down the main road. You don’t even need to cross the road, so don’t worry about the crazy scooter drivers whizzing through.
The bartender Ricardo is a talented guy, any cocktail you can think of, and he’ll have it knocked up and ready to go in minutes. And the prices aren’t bad either.
2. Mayan Monkey Tulum – Best Hostel for Solo Travellers
- Price: $
- Best For: Budget backpackers
- Highlights: The swimming pool, party vibe, and hotel-like amenities
- Dorm (Mixed): From $12 per night
- Private Room: From $90 per night
- Address: alle Polar Pte. Mza. 17, Entr calle Escorpion Norte y Guerra De Castas, Tulum
Mayan Monkey Tulum is a sleek and stylish hostel that combines hotel-like facilities with a lively social atmosphere. It’s got the best of both worlds – a buzzing party vibe with DJs every night, social games, and a packed events schedule to keep the energy high. If you’re all about that party life, this place has you covered.
Despite the party scene, dorms offer excellent privacy, complete with included toiletries and solid air con. The hostel also boasts a fantastic pool, loads of chill-out spaces, and a breakfast spread that’ll hit the spot. Staff are super friendly and always ready with tips on the local area. Plus, the location is spot-on – smack bang between the bus station and the beaches/ruins, so you’re sorted for exploring.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Daily parties: Mayan Monkey successfully manages to host awesome parties, whilst not ruining your sleep
- The workspaces: Digital nomads will have a great time here, as they’ve got solid desks with sockets where you can work
- The pool: A fantastic rooftop spot to swim and soak up the sun
With 7/11 just around the corner, and a big supermarket 10 minutes away, it’s in a super convenient location too.
If you wanna stretch those cobwebs out in the mornings, they host yoga classes to start your day the right way.
3. Oryx Hostel Tulum – Best Cheap Hostel
- Price: $
- Best For: Budget backpackers
- Highlights: Free breakfast, and free fruit from the garden
- Dorm (Mixed): From $10 per night
- Private Room: From $20 per night
- Address: Mza 2 Lte 10, entre Saturno Nte. y Luna nte. Centro, Tulum
Oryx Hostel Tulum is where the magic of the Mexican Caribbean meets the serenity of the jungle. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and soak up the good vibes. Set in a freshly renovated building surrounded by 1500 square metres of lush Caribbean jungle, yet just a hop from downtown, this hostel promises an unforgettable Tulum experience.
Choose from shared or private rooms, all equipped with lockers, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning, with most boasting private bathrooms. The atmosphere is relaxed and charming, especially around the pool and in the hammocks nestled among the trees. The friendly staff and volunteers are always on hand to help with anything you need.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- Free fruit: During harvest season, you’re allowed to pick fruit for yourself
- Yoga: You can get the mats out and have a good stretch if that’s your kinda vibe
- The prices: A dorm bed for under a tenner in one of Mexico’s most premium holiday spots
I spent 3 days here and it was always very clean, which definitely isn’t the case in Tulum. The staff were lovely and gave me a ton of advice about the local area.
My one criticism would be the small breakfasts. I was just given an egg sandwich and nada mas. But lying in the hammocks listening to the birds tweeting quickly made me forget about this minor indiscretion.
4. Hostel Che Tulum – Best Party Hostel
- Price: $
- Best For: Social backpackers looking for parties and activities
- Highlights: The jacuzzi and regular activities
- Dorm (Mixed): From $12 per night
- Private Room: From $38 per night
- Address: Calle Polar e/ Geminis Norte y Libra Norte, Tulum
Very much so the best party hostel in Tulum, Hostel Che is ALL BOUT that party vibe. The music doesn’t stop till 1am, so if you’re not prepared for partying then we wouldn’t recommend coming here. However, if you are also all about that party vibe, then you’ll probably love it here.
There’s a pool and swish little outdoorsy garden area which is great to chill in after a heavy night of drinking and dancing. They also put on live music, BBQ nights, pizza nights, as well as free tours, yoga and salsa classes. Deffo a top hostel here from my experiences.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- The jacuzzi: The only hostel with a jacuzzi in Tulum, now that’s a big selling point for me
- Privacy curtains: Party hard and make new friends, or hide away and sleep in peace – both are options here
- Coworking area: They even have free coffee and AC to make a comfortable environment for you
The staff were super polite and helpful. I could tell straight away this was a professional hostel, as they clearly have experience providing the best opportunities for backpackers.
5. Freelance Hostel – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads
- Price: $
- Best For: Remote workers looking for a quiet spot to work
- Highlights: Strong Wi-Fi and bikes for rent
- Dorm (Mixed): From $12 per night
- Private Room: From $51 per night
- Address: Calle beta sur 361-315, Tulum
This neat and modern hostel is a solid pick for digital nomads travelling to bo-ho Tulum. Smack bang in the center of town this hostel has the most you’ll need for an awesome stay.
Along with the great location there’s a kitchen, security lockers and common areas in and outside. There’s also decent amount of table space and Wi-Fi to set up your laptop.
Why you’ll love this hostel:
- The work environment: This place had the best Wi-Fi of all 8 places I stayed in Tulum, and they strictly enforced quiet hours at night
- Air conditioning: A nice touch to deal with Tulum’s humidity, which left me sweating often
- Filtered drinking water: Drinking the tap water is a bad idea in Tulum, but thankfully they have free filtered water here
These guys have a sweet cubby hole dorms set up and ladders with a bit of an angel to them, always welcome when the receptionist tells you, “sorry, only upper avaliable”.
If the case you want to explore by bike, the hostel has them for hire! Freelance is haven for those looking to relax and get work done in Tulum.
Travel Safety Tips for Tulum
Tulum is one of Mexico’s safest spots, but you can still fall ill or have an accident. I never come here without insurance.
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.
Still Not Sure Where to Stay in Tulum?
Tulum’s hostel scene is hip and bougie. Bars and pools are the order of the day in this swanky epicentre of Mexico’s wellness industry. You can expect to find some pretty aesthetically pleasing places here.
A lot depends on your travel style, but there’s a good mix of calm, social and wild hostels to choose from.
We recommend Mimosa Tulum Boutique Hotel & Hostel, which isn’t ultra social, but the setting, the pool, the bar, and the scooter rentals make this place unbeatable in my opinion.
If you’re looking for somewhere a little more loud and lively, then Hostel Che Tulum cannot be topped.
Whatever you choose will surely be a memorable stop on your journey. Our team has travelled everywhere in this list between us, and that’s how we know which spots are the very best for you!
More Epic Hostels in Mexico and Central America
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Tulum.
Planning an epic trip all across Mexico or even Central America itself?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Central America, check out:
Over to you
By now I hope our epic Tulum hostel guide has helped you choose the perfect budget stay for your adventure!
If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!
- Check out our extensive guide to backpacking in Mexico for a wealth of info!
- Skip the dorm and find a super cool Airbnb in Tulum if you’re feeling fancy!
- Check out the best places to stay in Tulum before you arrive.
- Remember to grab yourself an international sim card for Mexico to avoid any issues.
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Get ready for your next destination with our ultimate Central America backpacking guide.
