South Africa
Every hostel-dense city in South Africa. Sorted by the vibes we think you'll actually care about.
The cities.
The ranked list.
THE BIG - Luxury Backpackers
A newly renovated hostel in Green Point, five minutes' walk from the V&A Waterfront and Sea Point Promenade, combining hotel-level styling and daily housekeeping with hostel-style social spaces, a pool, braai area and free breakfast.
Surfhostel Cape Town
A beachfront hostel four minutes from Blouberg Beach with direct beach access, a year-round outdoor pool, sun terrace and garden, offering bicycle parking and free private parking, 23 kilometres from Cape Town International Airport.
Never at Home Green Point
A Green Point hostel a short walk from the V&A Waterfront and FIFA Cape Town Stadium, with air-conditioned rooms including a female-only option, key-card access, in-room lockers and beaches under a ten-minute drive.
Explorer Backpackers
A hostel on 7th Street in Parkhurst, tagged with a garden, a bar, a shared kitchen and free bicycle rental. Rated 8.8 by 525 reviewers with a 9.3 solo-traveler location score, and includes a free American breakfast on top of self-catering options.
SweetStay - Kloof Street
An adults-only hostel on Kloof Street with soundproofed rooms and hypoallergenic bedding, a modern restaurant serving Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern and international cuisine, plus a hot tub, sun terrace and karaoke.
A Sunflower Stop Backpackers
A Green Point hostel next to Green Point Common between Table Mountain and Three Anchor Bay, with an outdoor pool, a traditional South African braai and a communal kitchen, 20 minutes' walk from the V&A Waterfront.
Never at Home Kloof Street
A Kloof Street hostel with rooms facing Table Mountain or Lion's Head, offering guided hostel hikes to summit both, a rooftop bar, key-card access and a female-only dorm, restaurants and bars within walking distance.
Villa Viva Cape Town
A guesthouse spread across four Victorian houses in the City Bowl with high ceilings, a colourful garden, a pool and a Table Mountain view, built around a bar, courtyards and a community-events focus rather than standard dorm life.
House on the Hill
An eco-conscious, owner-managed guesthouse in Green Point one kilometre from the V&A Waterfront, self-catering with a fully fitted basement kitchen, a flowered terrace and free parking, arranging skydiving and shark cage diving.
Zebra Crossing Backpacker
A City Centre hostel with a garden, bar and on-site coffee shop, serving a full English or Irish breakfast daily, 3.1 kilometres from Robben Island Ferry and 4.4 from the V&A Waterfront, with private check-in.