15 Best Hostels in Melbourne for Solo Travelers

If you’re traveling on a budget and you’re looking for the best hostels in Melbourne CBD or surrounding, you’re in the right place. In this article, I will give you information about the best hostel in Melbourne for solo travelers, students, or long-term backpackers.

Melbourne is great destination for backpackers with so many working holiday visa travellers work here and explore a new city. Let’s take a look at some of the best hostels in Melbourne here:

đź’– Best cheap hostel in Melbourne:Flinders Backpackers
đź’° Best for the budget traveler:Selina Central Melbourne 
🏨 Best hostel near Yarra River:Melbourne Central YHA Hostel
đź’° Best hostel near Melbourne Central Station:Space Hotel Melbourne 

15 Best Hostels in Melbourne for Solo Travelers

1. Flinders Backpackers – Overall best hostel in Melbourne

Budget hostels can be hard to find in the center of Melbourne’s CBD, but Flinders Backpackers is an excellent choice. This hostel lies smack bang in the middle of town, so all the shopping, dining, and things to see and do are right on your doorstep.

The hostel is within walking distance from Block Arcade Melbourne, St Paul’s Cathedral, National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Southbank Promenade, Federation Square, Melbourne City Conference Centre, and Eureka Tower.

This hostel offers double rooms with shared and private bathrooms or bunk beds in dormitories that are either mixed or female only.

Facilities include a shared lounge, a bar with a billiard table, free wifi. There is also a shared kitchen, so you can cook meals as a great way to help you stay centrally on a budget.

Flinders Backpackers is a great place for solo and group travelers to meet and explore Melbourne.

Pros of Staying Here Perfect location in the heart of Melbourne, Fantastic kitchen, Friendly staff, good atmosphere, Nice cafe on the rooftop and a good bar in the hostel;

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  • Address: 35 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000

2. Selina Central Melbourne – best hostel in Melbourne for budget travelers

Selina Central Melbourne, formerly United Backpackers, is a good budget accommodation with a central location on the south side of Melbourne CBD, right opposite Flinders Street Station.

It’s a very convenient location close to famous Degraves Street laneway, St Paul’s Cathedral, Federation Square, Rod Laver Arena, Crown Casino is both a 5-minute, free tram ride away.

The hostel has accommodation to suit all kinds of guests, ranging from twin rooms with shared or private bathrooms to four or twelve-bed, sleeping mixed groups or females only.

These dorm rooms are remarkably well priced, and travelers rate this place very highly, many commenting that it is the city’s best hostel. The shared dormitory rooms has individual lockers and bedside light.

As is usually the case with hostels, there is a shared kitchen and communal lounge area. Netflix is a nice additional feature, and there is also a bar on the premises.

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  • Address: 6 Degraves St, Melbourne VIC 3000

You can also check out Best areas to Stay in Melbourne to know more about best neighborhoods to stay in Melbourne.

3. Melbourne Central YHA Hostel – best hostel in Melbourne close to the Yarra River

Melvin central YHA is a youth hostel accommodation close to the Yarra River on the south side of Melbourne’s CBD. You can easily reach Southern Cross Station, the Skybus Terminal, Federation Square, MCG, the Shrine of Remembrance, Rod Laver Arena, and Melbourne’s famous laneways.

This place is in a convenient central location and has good facilities like the large ground floor communal area and shared kitchen, cafe bar, and TV area.

The hostel has both dorm rooms and private rooms. The dormitory rooms have bunk beds, reading lights, electronic door locks, shared bathroom facilities, and secure luggage lockers.

Visitors rate the hostel as very good and single out the friendly staff for particular praise. They comment that this hostel is spotless and mention how convenient it is for the sky bus, tram, and train station.

This hostel is a great choice both for groups and for solo travelers.

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  • Address: 562 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000

4. Space Hotel Melbourne – one of the best hostels in Melbourne with a rooftop terrace

Space Hotel is a budget hotel/hostel in the northern part of Melbourne’s central business district. This place has a wealth of facilities, including a rooftop terrace, a fully-equipped fitness center, a bar, and a private cinema.

All kinds of independent travelers will find a room that suits them here, whether it be a double or a four or six-bedroom mixed or female-only dorm. There are some family rooms as well, so there’s something for everyone.

All rooms have air conditioning, heating, linen, towels, and a socket near the bed. There are also a guest laundry, free tea, and coffee.

Space Hotel is a fun and friendly place to stay, and guest reviews mention the helpful staff and well-thought-out facilities like good luggage storage, large shared kitchen, and sizable lockers.

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  • Address: 380 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000

5. City Square Motel – best budget hotel in Melbourne

City Square Motel is all about location, location, location. This budget hotel is located right in the middle of the CBD and has good double, queen, and family rooms in an upper budget/lower mid-range price bracket.

Room facilities are extremely good for the price, featuring a fridge, microwave, couch, flatscreen TV, free wifi, air conditioning, and heating facilities. The en suite bathroom has toiletries and a hairdryer.

All the shopping, restaurants, and bars of the central CBD are right on the hotel’s doorstep. It’s in a central location close to Bourke Street Mall, Federation Square, and Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

If you’re looking for a good value boutique hotel with excellent room facilities and a central location, the City Square Motel is an excellent choice.

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  • Address: 67 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000

6. City Centre Budget Hotel – best budget hotel in Melbourne

The City Center Budget Hotel lives up to its name, offering excellent value rooms to single travelers, couples, and families. The hotel is situated on the eastern side of Melbourne’s central business district, close to Fitzroy Gardens.

Princess Theater is a nearby attraction, and Chinatown and Confederation Square are just a few minutes walks.

There is a rooftop terrace, and the guest laundry, shared kitchen, tea, coffee, and free luggage storage are all handy features.

Guests rate this hotel as a very good budget option and comment that nothing can beat the location, close to many restaurants, bars, and cafes.

The tour desk can help to organize the trips to the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island.

The hotel’s comfortable beds come in for particular praise, and this place is rated as excellent value for money.

  • Address: 22 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000

That is my top list of best backpackers hostel in Melbourne. Below are some more hostels in Melbourne, you can have look at.

7. Hotel Claremont Guest House – best hostel in Melbourne near Chapel Street

This 19th Century, 1886 to be precise, the guesthouse is one of the best hostels in Melbourne. One incentive for making a booking directly is free breakfast. If you are looking for private rooms, they are available here.

It goes without saying that this Victorian building has needed restoration and revision to be able to provide comfortable accommodation for today’s travelers. 

That revision involves adapting the house to offer dorms and private rooms. You will find single rooms, twins and doubles and dormitories that can hold up to four guests. Finally, there is a family room which is suitable for a family of up to six. Each room has a desk, TV, towels, and linen.

Facilities in this guest house include a shared lounge, a library, and free Wi-Fi as well as an internet cafe. If you need help with tour bookings, use the phone in the lobby. The reception is open 24 hours while guests have use of a laundry on site.

Hotel Claremont Guest House on Toorak Road is just a short walk from South Yarra Train Station and Chapel Street. You are a 5-minute drive from the MCG, Melbourne Cricket Ground with a capacity of around 100,000. This sporting venue hosts a range of different sports.

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8. The Village Melbourne – best party hostel in Melbourne

If you are looking for hostels in Melbourne, it is worth considering The Village in Franklin Street. Its city centre location near the Central Business District means you will be close to the busiest part of the City. It is part of a group of hostels across the Country. 

Its recent refurbishment guarantees you will have a great time using The Village as your Melbourne base. The refurbishment includes a new security system, a kitchen, and an area to chill out on each floor. Segregated entrances are an additional feature.

There is a TV lounge, laundry, free Wi-Fi, lockers, and luggage storage. The choice of rooms and dorms ranges from a double with en-suite to mixed dorms with an en-suite for anything from four to eighteen guests.

If you are looking for party hostels in Melbourne this may be the place for you. It has a downstairs bar and an underground nightclub. There are several bars within walking distance as well as Queen Victoria Market. 

Melbourne Central Station is just 5-minutes away on foot, so it is easy to get around the City using this hostel in Melbourne as your base. The tour desk is there for your convenience.

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9. Melbourne City Backpackers – best hostel for solo travelers in Melbourne

Melbourne City Backpackers hostel is located in King Street close to Southern Cross Station is an ideal base in Melbourne. The popular Queen Victoria Market is just a 10-minute walk away and public transport facilities mean that nowhere in Melbourne is too far away.

It provides good budget accommodation in a Melbourne hostel that includes free breakfast, free tea and coffee, free Wi-Fi, and help with tour bookings. Melbourne City Backpackers has a communal kitchen and shared bathrooms. Guests can meet up in the lounge and there is a phone for guest use.

The dorm rooms are mixed or female only. You can choose from 4-bed dorms, 6-bed, 8-bed or 16-bed dorms. Each has linen and towels, an individual storage locker, air-conditioning and reading lights. In addition, there are private rooms, with a double and single bed for up to 3 guests.

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10. Europa Melbourne – best hostel in Melbourne near Queen Victoria Market

If you are looking to stay in Melbourne, plenty of budget travellers pick this backpacker hostel. Europa is among the best hostels in Melbourne. It seeks to balance comfort with affordability. It is located on Queen Street, south of Queen Victoria Market.

There is a wide range of accommodation. The twin private room for example has a flat-screen TV, air-conditioning, wardrobe, towel, and linen and of course heating. You can start the day with free breakfast while on Wednesdays, dinner is free. The weekly wine and cheese night is a chance to meet other guests.

The 24-hour front desk is there to help guests at all times and free Wi-Fi is also a feature of Europa Melbourne. There are individual lockers, a kitchen and stored luggage facilities. Enjoy the rooftop lounge, communal TV lounge inside and billiards table. 

The dormitory rooms start at 4-person, female or mixed, going up to 12 and 16 where the beds are bunk beds. Each bunk bed has its own power socket, 2 USB sockets and a reading lamp.

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11. Base St Kilda – best hostel in Melbourne for digital nomads

This Melbourne hostel is an excellent choice for those wanting to be close to the beach, and that includes families. Base St. Kilda is a 5-minute walk from the beach with bars and restaurants even closer. 

There is a wide choice of accommodation types including family rooms. Private double rooms have a balcony while you will also find standard doubles and twins. Mixed dormitories with private bathrooms hold 4, 6, 8, or 10. Bast St Kilda can easily cater for a group of children with one or two adults.

Base St. Kilda offers free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, heating and private en-suite bathrooms. The Red Eye Bar is open 7 days a week. The front desk is similarly available, 24/7 while the hostel is non-smoking, disabled-friendly, and has its own laundry and ATM.

St Kilda is a busy suburb of Melbourne and it seems to be active for long hours. If you want to sleep and are struggling, ask for earplugs. Otherwise, enjoy the action.

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12. Nomads St Kilda Beach – best hostel in St. Kilda Melbourne

Another candidate for the best hostel in Melbourne is Nomads in the suburb of St. Kilda. If you decide against the city centre of Melbourne, St. Kilda may just be the place for you. It is a lively suburb and close to the beach.

You will enjoy the shops, the night markets and of course the beach. You are only a tram ride away from the city centre if you stay at Nomads St. Kilda Beach. This hotel has a long history and used to be called the Coffee Palace when it became an institution among the hotels in Melbourne. 

There is a 24-hour front desk at Nomads where you can arrange luggage storage and discuss travel around Victoria and the whole of Australia. If you are looking for temporary work, there is help with that too.

You will find a communal area and a kitchen where you can cook your meals. The rooftop is a great place for meeting other guests while there is also a games room and TV room. Other facilities include free Wi-Fi, bar, laundry, BBQ, and cafe.

Reading lights, powerpoint and USB points are beside every bed. There are dormitories from 6-bed to 14-bed with private or shared bathrooms or doubles with a shared bathroom.

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13. CarricHouse

CarricHouse is a hostel in the free tram zone. It is located close to several good restaurants and plenty of supermarkets if you wish to self-cater. Just north of Queen Victoria Market in Carrick Street, CarricHouse is an ideal base for students with the university so close by.

You will find a range of accommodation here; singles, twins, and 4-bed dorms. Each room has a desk, chair, and storage units. You can meet new friends in the communal lounge and dining areas. The lounge has digital TV, free Wi-Fi, found throughout the building, and a library of books.

The kitchen is fully equipped for all types of catering and there is a laundry on site. Every guest has the use of a locker and that includes a locker to store food. There is suitable parking for cars and bike storage. 

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14. The Nunnery Accommodation – best hostel in central Melbourne

This historic location is in central Melbourne. It was formerly home to the Daughters of Charity with the guesthouse originating in 1860 and the main building 1888. It is now thoroughly modern accommodation and among the best hostels in Melbourne.

There are dorms as well as private rooms as well as a kitchen and lounge. The main building is on three storeys and the guesthouse two. You will find pleasant, clean accommodation wherever you are in this Accommodation.

The lovely feel here comes from the ornate design, the marble and wood as well as the bannister. The Guesthouse and Main Building have 13 bedrooms in all, with additional seating areas, bathrooms and kitchens.

Breakfast is free and Tuesday is movie night. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, and facilities include storage space, towels and linen, DVDs, board games, and hairdryers. You can get tour advice; indeed, all the help you need.

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15. Landing Pads Brunswick

This hostel in Melbourne inner suburbs, Brunswick, specialises in hosting guests who are on a working holiday. The minimum stay is 7 nights, and many people stay for much longer. It really becomes home for weeks on end. 

If you want help in finding temporary work, Landing Pads Brunswick will help. If you are in Melbourne during the orange harvest, why not get a job picking those oranges? It will pay the bills.

There are 40 beds in this Melbourne hostel in dormitories. Everyone has his or her own lockers and food storage facilities from both dry and fridge food. Landing Pads Brunswick has 4 bathrooms and toilets and full-equipped cooking facilities. There are 2 gas ovens, 8 hobs as well as kettle, toaster and other modern kitchen utensils.

This is a spacious hostel with dining space, lounge with TV, a sun porch and BBQ, and laundry facilities. Its aim from the start was to create a home from home for its guests and it seems to have succeeded.

Brunswick is a lively suburb of Melbourne so there is never a shortage of things to do. Tram Line 19 is two minutes away, so it is easy to reach other parts of Melbourne as well. This hostel in Melbourne opened in 2012 and has already established itself as one of the most popular in the City.

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FAQ on Best Hostels in Melbourne

Are hostels safe in Australia?

Backpackers in Melbourne will find its hostels somewhat different from a couple of decades ago. Hostels in Melbourne Australia are very clean, friendly, and perfectly safe. They are places where you will make new friends of like mind. You should still take basic precautions with your valuables. 

You will need a lock to secure your valuables in a locker and not discuss the valuables and cash you are carrying. Make sure you know the details of your hostel such as opening and closing hours and times you can access its facilities.

What is the best area to stay in Melbourne Australia?

It makes sense to stay in Melbourne City Centre because there is a good transport infrastructure that will get you anywhere you want to go. Hostels in Melbourne provide the best budget accommodation available in what can be an expensive city. 

Alternatively, look at making the suburb of St. Kilda as a base, close to Melbourne’s beaches. You can find a private room in a hostel if you wish and various possible benefits like free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, tea, and coffee.

Can you live in a hostel for a year?

Hostels are ideal accommodation for anyone travelling, backpacking, or those on a budget. If you want to see the world, pick hostels. It may be a working holiday whereby you get a job to help fund your next move. If you take a short-term job, a hostel can be a great and cheap base. 

However, if travelling is your priority, it is unlikely that you would want to stay in a Melbourne hostel for more than a few weeks. You can if you wish, but why would you?  

Where should I stay in Melbourne for nightlife?

The suburb of St Kilda is very popular because that is where you will find some top music venues. The Palais Theatre, the Hotel Esplanade, and The Prince (Prince of Wales) Hotel are located close to each other and during the summer, there will always be something happening at one of them. Add the many bars, and St. Kilda might just be the place for you to enjoy the best nightlife in Melbourne.

🎬 Check out my virtual tour about Melbourne or continue reading:

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So now you know all about the best hostels in Melbourne. Now you just need to make a reservation and plan your visit to this vibrant and exciting destination. Have a great trip!

About Author: Linda Smith

I'm Linda Smith, the Hotel Expert, an experienced travel blogger who passionate about traveling. I'm here to share with you all my travel experiences and tips. I cover a wide range of travel topics, specializing in sharing information about the best areas, neighborhoods, and hotels in each city. I hope all these things will make your travel easier.

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