Here Are Some Hostels in Germany That We Recommend!
Whether you’re travelling to Germany for the first time or as a returning explorer, staying in hostels is a great idea for many reasons: they are an excellent way to keep costs down, meet new people, and get a ton of great information about the city you are staying in, should you need it.
We’ve stayed at quite a few hostels in Germany (both together or just Eric on his own). There are a few facts about youth hostels in Germany – the first of which is the fact that the term “youth hostels” is pretty much dead at this point.
Hostels have transformed over the last decade to the point where many hostels allow for a mix of ages to stay there. Some hostels are even “elderly specific”!
That said, many of the hostels in Germany are for all types of travellers – from those exploring Europe solo, travelling as a couple, travelling for business, or even visiting family.
So, to get you started looking for hostels in Germany, here are the details about what it’s like to stay at seven of them! Luckily for you, we’ve covered many of the major German cities – from hostels in Berlin to hostels in Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt. Let’s dive in!
Just so you know, we’ve stayed at all of these on our own dollar. None of these were sponsored stays. We don’t accept free nights in exchange for reviews.
Table of Contents
MEININGER Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Check Now
Also known as Meininger Berlin Central Station, Meininger Berlin Hauptbahnhof is one of those hotel/hostel mix accommodations. Depending on who you ask, it’s a nice hostel with private rooms OR it’s a cheap hotel. The opinion is in the eye of the traveller, we guess!
Either way, we loved our stay at Meininger Berlin. We had a private room that was small but clean with an ensuite bathroom.
We also stayed at this place on our first ever trip together – but the accommodation was genuinely nice as well! Meininger is a brand that you’ll see again on this list so you know what to expect – cheap and clean accommodation.
The location – right by Berlin Central Station – makes it great for catching the train in or out of the city and getting to other parts of the city since pretty much all the S-Trains pass through Berlin Central.
The ground floor has a bar/common area by reception that was lively but not too crazy. Overall, we’d recommend it. Check out Meininger Berlin Central Station here.
Address: Ella-Trebe-Straße 9, 10557 Berlin, Germany
Read Next – Beautiful Places in Germany Recommended by German Bloggers
Plus Berlin – Check Now
If you want a very popular hostel located in a very popular area, then PLUS Berlin is for you. This massive hostel has hundreds of beds – meaning that you lose the cozy hostel atmosphere since it feels more like a hotel or an airport terminal at check-in.
That said, the place is great. The staff were super nice and on their game, which they kind of have to be with so many people coming and going.
Eric stayed here when he was travelling through with his buddy on a classic Europe trip itinerary – and a few of the hostels on this list are from that trip, as well.
We ate at the onsite restaurant/bar area which was good and even made friends there. There’s always a pub crawl leaving each night so that’s handy if you want to tag along.
The location of PLUS Berlin is great. It’s located close to public transportation so getting to and from other parts of the city is easy.
Some of the top clubs, like Watergate, are close by, as is the East Side Gallery – a long portion of the Berlin wall covered in graffiti artwork. We actually wrote about it in our guide on top attractions in Berlin!
Eric stayed in a dorm style room which was pretty large for 6 people. The place was generally really clean, very secure, and the inner courtyard was nice to relax in. Apparently, there is a pool which we definitely missed! Check out PLUS Berlin for a great stay.
Address: Warschauer Pl. 6, 10245 Berlin, Germany
Frankfurt Hostel – Check Now
We actually stayed at Frankfurt Hostel on a recent overnight trip (from the time of writing this) to explore parts of Germany – including Aschaffenburg, Wiesbaden, and Mainz!
As for the hostel, we liked staying there. The hostel is located right across the street from Frankfurt Central Station on the main pedestrian walkway. It wasn’t too loud and was very convenient.
We stayed in a mixed dorm with 6 beds although only four were full. The common area/bar/reception for check in/kitchen area was a hub of activity and we got a bit of work done in the evening.
There were travellers from all over and for all purposes – backpackers, business people, we even think we saw a school trip with students and teachers.
Overall, the place wasn’t the cleanest (especially the bathrooms) but we aren’t too picky. There was a free pasta dinner (which we didn’t eat but basically the whole hostel did) and the breakfast buffet was out of this world (for a hostel breakfast).
We ate until we were stuffed and had coffee to go along with it (see the photo). We’d stay again just for the breakfast, honestly. Check out Frankfurt Hostel for the food and prime location.
Address: Kaiserstraße 74, 60329 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
MEININGER Hotel München City Center – Check Now
This Meininger hostel also makes it onto the list because of Eric’s Europe trip. This one is located very close to München Hackerbrücke station.
That’s only one stop away from Munich Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) and so you CAN walk into the centre of the city from the hostel.
Overall, it was a pretty simple stay. We slept in a dorm room for six and made a few friends, but actually had friends in the city already so we didn’t spend time socializing at the hostel. They have a great first floor with food tables, games tables, etc.
The rooms were clean and there are also private rooms if you don’t want a dorm-style. The area isn’t too interesting but there is a great German beer hall/restaurant across the street that does great meat platters and beer.
Check out Augustiner for a true Bavarian meal – and check out Meininger München City Center for a simple and affordable stay in Munich.
Address: Landsberger Str. 20, 80339 München, Germany
a&o Hostel/Hotel Aachen – Check Now
If you find yourself exploring the city of Aachen in western Germany, there aren’t too many hostels to choose from. That’s why when we were passing through, we stayed near the train station at a&o.
a&o is another brand of hostels/cheap hotels you might recognize in other cities. As with Meininger, you can come to know what to expect.
The location was great and not at all unsecured even though it’s right beside Aachen Hauptbahnhof. That said, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the city centre/old town.
We had a private room up on a higher floor with an ensuite bathroom and a nice view of the city, actually.
The reception area is also a large common area with a bar behind the counter and loads of seating. Again, we didn’t socialize as we were travelling for business, but the staff were nice enough.
It’s bigger and made up of cheaper private rooms so it’s a cheap hotel – we even met an elderly couple in the elevator! Check out a&o Aachen for a simple stay.
Address: Hackländerstraße 5, 52064 Aachen, Germany
Babelfish Hostel- Würzburg – Check Now
If you find yourself exploring Bavaria and following the River Main, you might end up in Würzburg. We did and we loved exploring what Würzburg has to offer.
If you do, too, and need a hostel, you will be limited to few options like we were. That said, we stayed at Babelfish Hostel (yes, they have a crazy looking fish as their logo/mascot) and it was a nice stay.
The location is right across from the train station which makes coming and going easy. You’d think that the area near the train station isn’t the greatest/safest but we had no problem. The place is up some stairs/elevator and rooms are through secure sets of doors.
The reception is a classic hostel reception with beer and snacks behind it – right beside the city maps, luggage storage, and cash register.
The smaller common area had a few people hanging out but we didn’t really socialize as we were in the city to meet one of Lisa’s friends.
As for rooms, we actually had a private room – which turned out to be a small apartment. We even had a tiny kitchenette, private bathroom, and a balcony.
It was spring though so we didn’t get to enjoy it. Overall, the staff were friendly and the place was clean and cozy so you can’t ask for much more. Check out Babelfish Hostel if you are exploring Würzburg!
Address: Haugerring 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Cologne Downtown Hostel – Check Now
And last, but certainly not least, we have a hostel in Cologne. This is the final one that Eric stayed at with his buddy on their trip.
Cologne Downtown Hostel was definitely in the city centre – just a 10-minute walk south of the Central train station/Cathedral area. The hostel is actually up top in a building overlooking a busy street with a grocery store below – which was convenient.
The place also has a nice outdoor patio area for relaxing in the sunshine. The staff were pretty nice and offered city maps on check-in. We stayed in a dorm room which was super clean.
In fact, the hostel was awfully quiet – even though there is a massive common room connected to the reception area where people had drinks/played music.
We actually used the kitchen to make dinner one night and the kitchen/dining room is huge, well-stocked with kitchen tools, and loads of tables to eat at. We’d recommend a stay for the location and the patio. Check out Cologne Downtown Hostel here.
Address: Hohe Str. 30A, 50667 Köln, Germany
And there you have it – some of the hostels in Germany that we enjoyed staying at. In the end, there are so many in each city (except for Würzburg) that you’ll find a place that works well for you and your travel style.
Just read the reviews, know your budget and what is important to you and you will be just fine. Let us know which places you like – we will add to this list as we stay at more hostels in Germany!
As always, Happy Germany Hostel Waddlin’,
-L+E
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