“Travellers describe the Mostar rooftop pattern the same way: dinner at Tima-Irma at 19:30, the diver show at the bridge at 20:00, then back to the hostel rooftop for the rakija round and the eventual booking-onto-the-day-tour. The hostels with proper bars (David, FM in summer, Mirror's tiered garden) extend that evening into proper drinking; the ones with lighter setups (Hercegovina, Backpackers, Musala) keep it at one-and-done. Pick by which version of the evening you're planning.”
Hostel FM is the highest-rated hostel in Mostar at 9.5/10 across 399 reviews. Owner Martina runs four rooms out of the family house on Muje Bjelavca in Cernica, twelve minutes uphill from Stari Most. Free homemade breakfast, a small rooftop terrace looking south over the orange tiles, and a kitchen guests actually use.
Hostel Backpackers is a 9.2/10 family-run hostel on Braće Fejića, the pedestrian spine of Mostar's Stari Grad. Owners Alen and Leila run the front desk, the breakfast and the rooftop, four minutes east of Stari Most along the bazaar route. The cheapest 9+/10 hostel in Mostar at 15 EUR a dorm bed.
Hostel Mirror is a 9.2/10 family-run guesthouse on Brace Krpo, eight minutes uphill from Stari Most, with a tiered garden looking down toward the Neretva and the Old Bridge in the distance. Owner Tiffany — the name comes up in 80% of the 605 reviews — runs the front desk, the breakfast, the rakija round at 9pm and the booking concierge for buses south.
Hostel David is a 9.2/10 owner-run hostel on Pere Lažetića (the same Carina street as Hostel Miran, three doors up), six minutes uphill from Stari Most. Owner David runs a rooftop terrace with a 2-for-1 happy hour starting 19:00, an owner-led 30 EUR Herzegovina day tour, and the loudest social scene in the Mostar 9+/10 bracket.
Hostel Hercegovina is a 9.0/10 hostel right on Trg 1 Maj, the small square at the eastern edge of Kujundžiluk bazaar. Three minutes on foot to Stari Most, four to Karadjozbeg Mosque, six to the bus station — the most central 9+/10 hostel in town. Owner Ranko runs the front desk, the daily Herzegovina tour and the upper terrace.
Hostel Musala is the highest-volume guesthouse in Mostar with 691 reviews at 8.8/10, six minutes on foot east of Stari Most. The hook is owner Bata — free pickup from Autobuska Stanica, a homemade breakfast, a welcome rakija shot, and the Herzegovina day-tour to Blagaj, Kravice and Pocitelj that takes the booking-confusion out of your single Mostar day.
David's happy hour starts 19:00 sharp — the four-euro beer drops to two; aim to be on the roof by 19:15 for the sunset
If you book FM, ask Martina at breakfast whether the grill is on tonight — she fires it up two or three times a week, never advertised
Mirror's tiered garden is the same energy as a rooftop but is downhill, so plan your Stari Most return for before midnight to avoid the uphill walk after rakija
Cash for the rakija round wherever you stay — every hostel has a cash-only honesty box or 2 EUR price, card minimums kick in over 10 EUR everywhere
