San Sebastián
Spain.
Spain · 8 districts · 4 vibes
8 handpicked hostels in San Sebastián, sorted by traveler rating.
San Sebastián, or Donostia in Basque, is a Bay-of-Biscay coastal city of 190,000 famous for two crescent beaches (La Concha and surf-side Zurriola), a Basque pintxos scene with three Michelin-3-star restaurants in the metro area, and a backpacker mix that swings between surfers, food travellers and Erasmus students. The city is walkable end to end in 25 minutes, the Old Town is the pintxos engine, Gros is the surfers' neighbourhood, and the Mt Ulia coastal path delivers the postcard view of the bay.
What to do in San Sebastián.
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Best Hostels in San Sebastián
8 handpicked hostels in San Sebastián, sorted by traveler rating.
Colo Colo Hostel - Single Private Beds
Colo Colo is the Donostia outpost of the casita brand — every bunk is an enclosed wooden cabin with a sliding door, mirror, charger, light and privacy screen, not just a curtain. 8.9 across 1,735 reviews and the highest-rated dedicated pod hostel in San Sebastián. Five-minute walk into Parte Vieja, eight-minute walk to La Concha.
Koba Hostel
Koba Hostel is the design-pod choice in Gros — modern interiors, contemporary art on the walls, polished wood and concrete bunks, and a downstairs bar that locals and travellers actually mix in. 8.7 across 2,052 reviews. Two-block walk to the Kursaal bridge for Old Town pintxos, four blocks to Zurriola surf beach, ten minutes' walk to Donostia-Amara Renfe.
Surfing Etxea - Surf Hostel
Surfing Etxea is the small, surf-themed hostel of Gros — three blocks from Zurriola surf beach, ten minutes' walk over the Kursaal bridge to Parte Vieja, and pairing every booking with surf-school discounts at Pukas next door. 8.6 rating across 481 reviews, half the size of A Room In The City, twice the personality.
A Room In The City Hostel
A Room In The City is the flagship pod hostel of San Sebastián — capsule-style beds with curtains, private lockers and reading lights, all run with hotel-grade keycard security on a single bracelet. 8.5 across 3,956 reviews, the biggest hostel in town and the easiest first-night choice if you're arriving from Bilbao or Biarritz airport.
Albergue Ulia Youth Hostel
Albergue Ulia is the official Donostia youth hostel — modern, council-run, perched on Mount Ulia above Gros with full sea views over Zurriola. 8.3 across 978 reviews, breakfast included in the price, family rooms available, and a price point €5-10 below the central pod hostels. The catch: 25 minutes' walk or a Dbus 27 ride back into the city.
Cats Hostel San Sebastián
Cats Hostel San Sebastián is the Donostia outpost of the Cats Hostels chain (Madrid, Lisbon, Porto), set in the residential Antiguo district four blocks behind Ondarreta beach. 8.2 across 3,037 reviews — the most-reviewed hostel in town. Quieter side of the city, real-Donostia vibe, lower price than Centro pod hostels.
Downtown River Hostel
Downtown River Hostel is the newest small-format hostel in Donostia — opened 2024, around 30 beds total, tucked on Calle San Martín three blocks from the Urumea river. 8.2 across 89 early reviews and rising. Eight-minute walk to Old Town pintxos, ten minutes to La Concha, six minutes to Donostia-Amara Renfe.
UBA Hostel
UBA Hostel is the Amara budget choice — €25 a night beds, free parking, panoramic terrace looking south over the Urumea valley, and the lowest price-per-bed of any hostel in Donostia. 7.5 across 1,833 reviews. The catch: 25 minutes' walk to Old Town pintxos or a Dbus 28 ride that runs until 22:30.
Hand-picked guides.
Donostia is a sociable city with a structured nightlife — pintxos crawls in Old Town, sidrería evenings in winter, and surf socials in summe…
San Sebastián is a paradox for budget cooks: it is one of Europe's great food cities and one of its most expensive sit-down dinners. Pintxos…
Donostia is two beaches and a river separating them: La Concha, the postcard crescent on the south side, and Zurriola, the surf beach in Gro…
Donostia is a pintxos-bars town, not a cocktail-bars town, and the four hostels with a real downstairs bar serve as warm-up rooms for the ni…