City Guides

The Backpacker’s Guide To The Best Hostels in Krakow | Our Favorite Krakow Hostels

A list of our top picks for the absolute best hostels in Krakow, Poland.

Krakow

Thanks to its cheap prices and old-world charm, Krakow has become a top destination for budget travelers looking to get a lot of value out of their travel budget. Furthermore, Krakow has some of the best hostels in Europe and they’re cheap. And we’re always looking for the cream of the crop so in this list we’ve compiled the best hostels in Krakow based on price, location, amenities, atmosphere, and overall quality.

Quick Facts About Krakow Hostels

Costs to Visit Krakow

Let’s take a quick look at some practical information about hostels in Krakow.

AVERAGE PRICE FOR A HOSTEL BED IN KRAKOW

Krakow has around 50 hostels and they seem to be adding new ones every year. A bed in a highly-rated hostel will cost anywhere from about $11-$16/night with an average of around $14/night. The cheapest hostel you’ll find will cost around $7/night but the quality most likely won’t be great.

NOTE: These are “high-season” prices for the cheapest bed option — off-season prices will be 20%-30% cheaper. Also, prices are often a little more expensive on Friday and Saturday nights than on weeknights. 

We recommend checking HostelWorld to get exact prices for your dates.

More Krakow Hostel Information

  • Cheap Beds & Good Hostels Go Early: Hostel prices are fairly standardized but there are a few standout hostels. These tend to get booked up first so you might want to book early during the summer to ensure you get first pick. 
  • Check Location: Most hostels in Krakow are centrally located (Krakow is fairly compact) but there are a few located outside the city. Just be sure to check the hostel’s location before booking.
  • Bed Configuration: Most hostels have multiple bed configurations and that affects the price. For example, a hostel could have one room with 8 beds and another with 4 beds. In general, rooms with more beds are cheaper but you also have to deal with more people in your room.
  • Private Rooms: Private rooms in hostels can be expensive but they can make sense for groups, families, and couples.
  • Weekend Rates: Expect to pay an extra on Friday and Saturday nights.
  • Check-In Times and Cleaning Times: Many hostels have late check-in times (around 2 pm-4 pm) but nearly all will let you store your bags if you arrive before check-in.
  • New To Hostels? Check out our Hostels 101 Guide to learn everything you need to know about finding the perfect hostel.

The Best Hostels in Krakow | Our Top Picks

We’ve stayed in so many hostels that we’ve lost count — so we know all the little things that separate good hostels from great hostels. Below you’ll see what kinds of things we look at when we rank hostels.

  • Overall Quality: We take a holistic look at the hostel to see the positives and negatives. Our goal is to find amazing hostels that are still affordable.
  • Location: Most hostels we list will be centrally located or at least close to public transportation.
  • Price: We try to filter out the super expensive hostels to help find the best price to quality ratio.
  • Vibe/Atmosphere: Every hostel has a personality. Some are party hostels and some are quiet. We try to note the atmosphere so you can find a place to stay that matches your travel style.
  • Past Guest Reviews: Every guest has a different experience so we look at the good and the bad. We suggest you take a few minutes to read prior reviews.

We encourage you to check out Hostelworld to do a bit of searching for yourself.

NOTE: All prices listed below are the cheapest option available during the busy (i.e. expensive) season. Prices will often be 20%+ cheaper during the slower seasons.

Greg & Tom Krakow Hostel

Greg & Tom Hostel is the most popular hostel in Krakow and its popularity has spawned several other excellent Greg & Tom hostels throughout Krakow.

So what makes Greg and Tom so good? Well, first they offer a free breakfast and dinner every day. They also offer nightly pub crawls. They also don’t have any bunk beds—which is a nice (and rare) touch. The staff is awesome. The location is great. The atmosphere is excellent. And they keep the hostel very clean. In short, put this hostel at the top of your list of places to stay in Krakow.   


Mosquito Hostel Krakow

Update: Temporarily Closed

Mosquito Hostel is another excellent award-winning hostel in Krakow that does just about everything super well. We’d describe the Mosquito as a hostel that’s very lively and welcoming without verging into the “party” hostel territory—so you’ll make friends and still be able to sleep at night. The staff is super friendly and they do a great job of keeping the place spotless. They offer nightly social activities as well as free breakfast and nightly dinners. 


The Little Havana Party Hostel Krakow

The Little Havana Party Hostel is where you want to stay when you want to party. And party you will but sleep well you likely won’t (there is a bar/club under the hostel as well). You’re guaranteed to meet people—especially on their pub crawls. That said, the hostel is clean, the staff is super friendly, and they serve up a free breakfast to help with your hangover. They also have female-only dorms if that’s something you’re looking for. 


Mundo Hostel Krakow

Mundo Hostel is located in the very center of Krakow—right between the Old Town and Kazimierz (the center of the bohemian nightlife). It gets great reviews for just about everything you’d want (and expect) in a great hostel. Mundo has a welcoming atmosphere but this isn’t a party hostel.

Mundo is very clean and relaxing, and the staff is extremely lovely—not to mention their tasty breakfast.


Greg & Tom Beer House Hostel Krakow

Greg & Tom Beer House Hostel is called the “beer hour” because they serve free beer every night in their pub — nice! Their restaurant has a free nightly buffet dinner, free breakfast, a club crawl, a free walking tour, and more nightly events. You’re just about guaranteed to have a good time at this hostel.

The Beer House is located in the Old Town so you’re in the heart of everything. And they only accept guests between the ages of 18 and 40 years old.


Greg & Tom Party Hostel Krakow

Greg & Tom Party Hostel is another excellent party hostel (there seems to be a theme here…) in Krakow that you might want to check out if you’re down to party. They have a free breakfast and dinner every day and a pub crawl every night. The atmosphere is great and friendly so it’s an excellent place to meet your fellow travelers. The staff is welcoming and they keep the place clean. Again, this is a party hostel so this isn’t the place to stay if you’re a light sleeper.


Let’s Rock Party Hostel

Let’s Rock Party Hostel is yet another party hostel and they have frequent vodka tastings and sangria nights as well as an on-site bar and beer garden. They also have nightly pub crawls and karaoke… so expect a few wild nights. The staff is friendly and the hostel is well-kept. They also offer a free breakfast and the location can’t be beaten so Let’s Rock is a great place to spend a few nights.


Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel

Dizzy Daisy Downtown Hostel is one of the oldest hostels in Krakow and it is housed in one of the city’s beautiful historical buildings. This is another non-party hostel but it still has a fun and welcoming atmosphere. The staff is friendly and the hostel is less than a 10-minute walk to the main square.

This hostel is mostly private rooms so it’s a good choice if you’re traveling with a group or for families, but they also have two dorm rooms as well. 


ARS Krakow Hostel

ARS Hostel is another great hostel that’s located near the Old Town, the old Jewish Quarters, and plenty of nightlife. The owner of ARS Hostel is a friendly guy and will answer any of your questions and suggest the best places to visit in Krakow.

ARS has a very cozy and friendly “old school backpacker” atmosphere that’s social but it’s not a party hostel.

Hostel photos from Havana Party Hostel, Mundo Hostel, Let’s Rock Party Hostel, Dizzy Daisy


Hostel Packing Advice

Staying in hostels poses a few unique packing challenges so I’m here to help by recommending a few of my must-have items. Check out my Hostel Packing List for the full list but below are the absolute necessities:


James Feess
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