Young Backpackers Homestay
The 9.6-rated hillside homestay where Raymond personally walks every guest through Lucerne
A small, owner-run homestay on the Kriens hillside with a panoramic glass-walled lounge that frames Mt. Pilatus on one side and Lucerne's lake basin on the other. Closer to a Swiss Alpine B&B than a hostel — eight beds, a bar, a sun terrace, a garden — but priced like a hostel and run with the kind of personal care that pulls 9.6 from 488 reviewers.
Young Backpackers Homestay sits on Obere Dattenbergstrasse, fifteen minutes by bus 1 from Lucerne train station, perched on the lower slope of the Sonnenberg above Kriens. The view is the headline: a wall of glass in the common room shows Mt. Pilatus straight ahead, the lake basin to the right, and the Old Town's Hofkirche steeples in the middle distance. On clear evenings it's the kind of view that makes guests cancel their next-day plans and stay one more night.
The building is a converted family chalet — wooden floors, low ceilings, exactly eight beds spread across two dorms and one private. Owner Raymond (Ray to most reviewers) lives on site and runs every aspect personally. Check-in is a tour: he walks you through the house, the kitchen rules, the bus stop times, and where to eat in town based on what kind of trip you're doing.
For a hostel, the amenities are unusual. There's a proper bar serving guests at evening (the only Lucerne hostel where this is true), a barbecue and sun terrace in the back garden, and a small spa-style relaxation corner with a sauna. Reviewers regularly mention organized bar crawls and walking tours that Ray puts together when there's a critical mass of guests.
The rating (9.6 on 488 reviews) is the highest of any hostel-priced bed in Lucerne. It earns it through personality more than amenity — this is what the 'homestay' label actually means in practice.
- 01Raymond knows every Pilatus trail, every cogwheel timing trick, every Old Town free walking tour
- 02The Pilatus view from the common room is unmatched — no other hostel in Lucerne has it
- 03Eight beds total means it never feels like a hostel — guests cook together, eat together, hike together
- 04Sun terrace gets full afternoon light from April to October — the BBQ runs most evenings
- 05Spa corner with sauna is rare at this price point in Switzerland
- Highest-rated hostel-priced bed in Lucerne (9.6 on 488 reviews)
- Panoramic glass-walled common room frames Mt. Pilatus and the lake basin
- Owner Raymond personally runs check-in, bar nights, and guest tours
- Only Lucerne hostel with an on-site bar, garden barbecue, and small sauna corner
“The hostel has a nice view of Mt. Pilatus. The common area has a large glass window that you can see the whole city. Raymond made the stay feel like home.”
“Amazing place. Everything clear from the beginning, it makes you feel safe and like at your own place. You meet other travelers immediately.”
“The people are really kind and helpful, they answered all our questions. They gave us tips on the city and the activities.”
- Mattenhof bus stop (line 1)350 m
- Pilatus cogwheel base station1.6 km
- Sonnenberg hillside trail100 m
- Lucerne train station (bus 1)4.7 km
- Old Town & Chapel Bridge5.2 km
- Lake Lucerne lakeshore5.0 km
