It’s time to dance on down to the Bay of Biscay and explore the best hostels in San Sebastian.
That is if you’re keen for beautiful beaches, boutique design and a cobblestoned old town. Hands up!
Wait until you see the luxurious bunks, bright spaces and relaxing courtyard at our hand-picked hostel selection.
Your shortcut:
- Koba Hostel – great for solo travellers
- A Room in the City – perfect for female solo travellers
- Koisi Hostel – one for couples
Psst! Older travellers are really going to love the private rooms at our #1 hostel. Keep scrolling to see what we mean.
In fact, all San Sebastian hostels have a huge range of rooms on offer that will impress every traveller type.
This guide is perfect for YOU, when …
- tired of bad and crappy hostels
- want to avoid the “young party kids”
- happy to spend 1-2€ for a better experience
Keen for more? Make sure you check out our ultimate guide to the best hostels in Spain. It includes all of the major cities such as Barcelona and Madrid.
What we cover in this article?
- Introduction
- 3 best hostels in detail
- #1 Koba Hostel
- #2 A Room in the City
- #3 Koisi Hostel
- #1 Koba Hostel
- cheapest hostels in San Sebastian
- best hostels in San Sebastian for solo travellers
- fun party hostels in San Sebastian (+ surf)
- discounts and promo codes
- How to book?
- all hostel and sights on a map
- Flights
- FAQ
You can find all 5 Star Hostels here with Hostelgeeks and all guides to “Best Hostels In” here.
Quick Introduction to San Sebastian
Average price for a bed: Hostels in San Sebastian cost 5€ – 25€ per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 29€ up to 60€ per night. This is a rough average just to give you an idea.
Prices always depend on season and holidays. Please always check exact rates on Hostelworld.com or Booking.com.
Check-In and Check Out: The average check-in time is from 15:00 (3pm), while the Check Out time is before 11:00 (11am). Hostels usually offer luggage storage in case you arrive earlier or leave later. Make sure you check if luggage storage is free or if there is an extra cost.
🎁 New to Hostels? Read my guide to staying in a Hostel for the First Time here. I especially recommend reading:
- How to book hostels?
- Understanding Hostels in Europe - and what makes them special
The 3 Best Hostels in San Sebastian
Let’s jump right into the boutique hostels in San Sebastian.
We put all three accommodation on the map, you will find the map at the end of the article.
Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type
| 🦸 Solo Traveler: | Koba Hostel |
| 🙎♀️ best for Female Solo Traveler: | A Room in the City |
| 🏄♂️ Surfing Hostel: | Surfing Etxea |
| 👩❤️👨Couple Hostel: | Koisi Hostel |
| 👨👩👦 Family Hostel: | Koba Hostel |
| 👩💻 For Digital Nomads: | Koisi Hostel |
| 🎒 For Backpackers: | A Room in the City |
1. Koba Hostel
As always, we want to “wow” our readers with our #1 recommendation.
That’s why we bring you Koba Hostel; something different, because you don’t want the same as always, right?
This old abandoned car workshop has been transformed into a modern hostel with seriously hip design.
It’s impossible not to feel alive when you’re immersed in big, bright and super clean spaces.
No matter whether you hang out on your bed, or in one of the social spaces, you’ll feel relaxed and at home.
What social spaces are there?
- Dining room & kitchen (huge)
- Outdoor terrace
- Cinema room
Don’t forget that you can also take your sociable vibes outside with you, too.
Rent a bike from the hostel and explore the 3 beaches connected by bike lanes. Cool! They also rent surfboards and wetsuits if you like playing in the waves.
When the time comes to revive your energy, let excitement arise.
Each room has been created with love and privacy in mind. From mixed and female-only dorms to double, twin and family privates – no-one is left out.
Other little perks include free breakfast and 24 hour reception.
Location: Just 200m from La Zurriola Beach in the cool Gros neighbourhood. The city centre is also a short walk from the hostel.
This is one of the best hostels in San Sebastian for
- Solo travellers
- Families
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
2. A Room in the City
Are you feeling super sociable and in need of a privacy pod to recharge your batteries?
In that case, look no further than A Room in the City!
As part of Convent Garden, this open and social space invites you to live and enjoy the local urban culture.
To help you with this, there is a restaurant, bar and terrace to take advantage of. There really is no need to go anywhere else.
It would be rude not to make space for the room selection on offer here. It’s seriously impressive:
- 6, 8 and 12-bed mixed dorms
- 6-bed female dorm
- Twin private (shared & private bathrooms)
- Quadruple rooms (shared & private bathrooms)
Again: the pod-style bunks in shared dorms are great for privacy!
Common facilities includes a living room, library/TV room and a dining room with basics such as a microwave and kettle.
During summer months (July to September) the staff go that extra mile and organise fun activities.
Join a Pintxo cooking class, the ‘ciderhouse experience’ or discover new spots in town during a morning jog.
Location: Situated in the historical part of the city, 10 minutes along the seaside to the Old Town. This is where great nightlife and food can be found. La Concha beach is just 3 minutes by foot.
This is one of the best hostels in San Sebastian for
- Female solo travellers
- Backpackers
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
3. Koisi Hostel
Flashpackers, Koisi Hostel is calling you!
Looking for high quality and value accommodation, good vibes and passionate travellers?
You’ve found the right place. Let us tell you why.
Ok well firstly, the rooms will have you on Instagram all day if you’re not careful, showing off the clever, modern design.
Once again there are options galore, from mixed dorms to deluxe family rooms.
Yet there are more commonalities than differences: ensuite bathroom, bright spaces, air-con and super comfy beds to name a few.
Secondly, this hostel has a cosy bar with homemade cakes and great coffee.
Enjoy the chef’s famous tortilla out on the terrace and sip on a cold local beer. Sounds like a good way to digest the day if you ask us.
If that’s not enough, there’s also:
- Bike rental
- Board games
- Movies
- Book exchange
Location: Koisi is in El Antiguo, in a peaceful and elegant area. Fun attractions such as Ondarreta Beach, Concha Bay and Palacio Miramar are all within easy reach of the hostel.
This is one of the best hostels in San Sebastian for
- Couples
- Older travellers
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
What about cheapest hostels in San Sebastian?
Of course, there are always cheap hostels.
We think, it’s not worth it to go with the cheapest hostel out there.
Why?
The difference is usually 1-2€ ($1-2) per night, and a lot of amenities are not included. This can be breakfast or linen.
However, if you are traveling on a shoe-string budget and you wanna save every penny, there are ways to find the cheapest places in San Sebastian.
- Open Hostelworld with full list of budget places to stay in San Sebastian
- Order the listing by price
Simple as that.
Read: 15 hacks for booking hostels
Make sure you use then the other filters and rank per price.
Also keep a close eye on the ratings, especially the “extreme ratings”. Meaning, the best and worst. These ratings can give great insight on what to expect.
Best Hostels in San Sebastian for Solo Travellers?
What is seriously the best hostel in San Sebastian for solo-travellers?
Luckily for you, all 3 of the hostels in this guide are great for solo travellers. Trust us!
Let’s put it simply for you so you can save precious time.
- Overall best hostel for solo travellers: Koba Hostel (social spaces)
- Best hostel for female solo travellers: A Room in the City (luxury female dorms, activities)
- Best hostel for older solo travellers: Koisi Hostel (modern & peaceful location)
Best Surf Hostel AND Party Hostel San Sebastian?
No doubt by now you understand that San Sebastian is a top destination for surfing.
For those of you that are heading there specifically for that, we’ve found a couple of great surf hostels you’ll love. AND! They both happen to offer a party vibe, too.
Surfing Extea
First up, let us introduce you to Surfing Etxea.
Located by La Zurriola beach, it’s a 2-minute walk to the surf, city centre and old town. You’ll be positively spoilt!
They offer:
- Surf lessons & rentals
- SUP + kayak tours
- Bikes/skates rental
- Bar Bistro
- Relaxing terrace
Beautiful shared dorms have sturdy bunks and huge windows – a perfect place to relax at the end of a long day.
Just bear in mind this isn’t technically a party hostel. We couldn’t really find one anywhere in the city!
It’s the onsite bar, cool location and fun activities that give Surfing Etxea big potential for a fun time.
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
San Sebastian Surf Camp
Whilst San Sebastian Surf Camp isn’t directly in San Sebastian, it is still an easy 20 minute ride and well worth including here.
This all-inclusive surf camp is located in the traditional town of Aia – an authentic Basque village.
Some of the highlights are:
- Organised party nights
- Daily surf lessons
- Panoramic views of Basque countryside
- Daily activites: pub crawls, winery tours, hiking…
This hostel offers a range of packages alongside your standard nightly booking.
For instance, the “Pro Package” includes free booze, surf lessons, 3 meals a day, daily yoga and of course, accommodation. We highly recommend it!
How to get there? Go to Zarautz train station and the team will pick you up from there.
Compare prices and read reviews at: Hostelworld
How to book?
We recommend using Booking.com or Hostelworld for your reservations.
Hostelworld is the most popular website when it comes to hostel bookings.
Read: step-by-step guide on how to book with Hostelworld
On both platforms your credit card is 100% protected and the booking 100% confirmed.
We included the handy links to each of the recommended hostel. Just click on the hostel name. The link will lead you to check prices and availability.
Here is the overview:
- Koba Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- A Room in the City: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Koisi Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Surfing Etxea: Booking.com | Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible!
All of San Sebastian best hostels are popular; especially in high-season. To make sure you end up in those stylish hostels, secure your room or bed as soon as you have your travel dates fix.
Any Discounts?
Currently, we have no special hostel discounts in San Sebastian. I know, it’s a pity. You can subscribe to our newsletter to receive our newest hostel discounts always to your inbox.
You can find all our hostel discounts worldwide here.
My Best Hostels in San Sebastian for Female Traveler on a Map + Sights
Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all three best San Sebastian hostels on a map.
Personally, we love to plan our trips with a map having all sights and potential hostels on it. We thought this map will help you with planning your trip too.
We also included the main tourist attractions you’ve to know in this list:
- Zurriola hondartza
- Miramar Palace
- Basílica de Santa María del Coro
- La Concha Beach
- Good Shepherd of San Sebastián Cathedral
- Plaza Gipuzkoa
FAQ
Alright, you should have found your accommodation already. Below we list all the frequently asked questions. Have a look.
More guides
Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in San Sebastian.
We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel guides to destinations:
- best hostels in Spain
- best hostels in Barcelona
- best hostels in Madrid
- best hostels in Malaga
- best hostels in Granada
- best hostels in Bilbao
- best hostels in Valencia
- best hostels in Seville
- best hostels in Cordoba
- best Hostels in Las Palmas
- best Hostels in Fuerteventura
- best hostels in Tarifa
- best hostels in Alicante
- best hostels in Palma de Mallorca
- best hostels in Mallorca
- best hostels in Ibiza
- best hostels in Gran Canaria
- best hostels in Tenerife Island
- best hostels in Costa Brava
And surf hostels:
You can find all our new and updates articles for Best Hostels in here.
We also created a huge guide to hostels. Here we cover how to build lifetime friendships in hostels, the perfect packing list and more.
Over to you
Was this useful? Do you have any questions, doubts?
Then please please leave us a comment. This list of awesome San Sebastian hostels should be as informative and useful as possible.
Your question will help me to understand what I have missed to mention.
Therefore, drop us a comment, we are keen to help you!
Last note: Our commitment
This is a genuine article to help you travel a bit smarter and find the best place on a budget! We ONLY recommend places we know you will enjoy, no matter what.
We will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. We only share with you places we also recommend to our best friends and family!
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