Are you thinking about heading to the Dalmatian coast in Croatia? In that case, you’re sure to want to have a look at the best hostels in Zadar.
This Croatian city is well known for the Roman and Venetian ruins within the Old Town. Whilst it’s not as popular as Dubrovnik or Split, the advantage is that it’s less crowded and less expensive.
The Old Town is actually on a peninsular – It’s certainly a picturesque destination.
As for the hostels, well, we can’t wait to show you the boutique design on offer. Who knew you could experience such luxury at an affordable price!
Your shortcut:
- Downtown Boutique Hostel – for female solo travellers
- Boutique Hostel Forum – ideal for couples
- The Hostel – one for adults
Let’s be honest. Many Zadar hostels do not offer organised activities and are more focused on modern design and amenities.
On the plus side, these top 3 hostels in this guide are all centrally located close to a great nightlife scene in the town’s historic centre. That way you can meet cool people at the hostel and head into town to create your own fun.
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
It’s no secret that we love Croatia. We put together many guides for the country that make up all 24 best hostels in Croatia.
Not too far from Zadar you can check out the best hostels in Split. This is your gateway to island hopping to places like Hvar.
Psst! Here are the best hostels in Hvar in case you decide to go (you should…).
What we cover in this article?
- Introduction
- 3 best hostels in detail
- Comparison chart of 3 best hostels
- cheapest hostels in Zadar
- best hostels in Zadar for solo travellers
- fun party hostels in Zadar
- more hostels worth a mention
- discounts and promo codes
- How to book?
- all hostel and sights on a map
- Flights
- FAQs
You can find all 5 Star Hostels here with Hostelgeeks and all guides to “Best Hostels In” here.
Quick Introduction to Zadar
Average price for a bed: Hostels in Zadar cost 8€ – 17€ per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 20€ up to 68€ 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 Zadar Croatia
Let’s jump right into the boutique hostels in Zadar.
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: | The Hostel |
| 🙎♀️ best for Female Solo Traveler: | Downtown Boutique Hostel |
| 👫 For Socializing: | Tequila Bar Hostel |
| 👩❤️👨Couple Hostel: | Boutique Hostel Forum |
| 👨👩👦 Family Hostel: | Downtown Boutique Hostel |
| 👩💻 For Digital Nomads: | Downtown Boutique Hostel |
| 🧘 Cozy Hostel: | Windward Hostel Zadar |
1. Downtown Boutique Hostel
We can barely keep from jumping with excitement to introduce our absolute favourite hostel in Zadar!
Downtown Boutique Hostel is designed as a modern hostel and decorated like a 5-star hotel.
Yep, you seriously get the best of both worlds here. It’s luxury on a budget at its best.
All you have to do is take one look at the dorm rooms to get an idea of the smart design you can expect to enjoy here. Seriously, wow!
First of all, they are kept small with as few as 4-beds and a maximum of 8-beds. But honestly, even in the bigger dorm you won’t feel crowded because of the size of the room and big windows.
Instead of rickety awkward ladders, you’re spoilt with little staircases going up to the top bunks – how cool is that?
Everyone has their own privacy curtain, locker and there’s even a little desk for working. Oh and each room comes with a TV and A/C!
Have a look at the photos to spot even more awesome inclusions. Prepare to be WOWed.
When you’re not relaxing in your room, come out and enjoy…
- The playroom (games, TV, coffee shop etc)
- Cafe Bar & Restaurant
- Bicycle rental
- No curfew & 24/7 reception
To give you an idea of the scale, the Caffe Bar & Restaurant has a huge space both inside and out.
The indoor bistro pub has 50 seats, and the outdoor lounge & restaurant has 100. It’s an ideal setting for a delicious meal and a few drinks.
If you fancy going on an excursion, the helpful staff can organise these for you as well as transport for the airport and other local destinations.
Location: Right in the heart of the Old Town. Head to the terrace for awesome views! The bus station is around a 20 minute walk.
This is one of the best hostels in Zadar for
- Female solo travellers
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
2. Boutique Hostel Forum
If you thought we were done finding you great boutique hostels in Zadar, you were wrong – Boutique Hostel Forum is your second option.
Instead of luxurious hotel-hostel design, this hostel is more on the quirky and colourful side.
The absolute highlight is the view of the Roman Forum, Donata Cathedral and sunset from some of the rooms!
Again, the rooms here are impressive and unique. What stands out is the clever bunk bed design that incorporates private little windows and private nooks.
They’re so well designed that privacy curtains aren’t necessary because no two beds overlook each other.
Good to know: Those that stay in a twin private have an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast included.
Private rooms also include a mini bar, safe, telephone and TV set. So yeah, it might be difficult to choose which one you sleep in!
What else is there, we hear you ask?
- Free Wifi throughout the hostel
- Vending machines
- Shared kitchen & dining
- Outdoor seating
- TV / lounge space
There’s definitely more of a focus on rooms here, yet it is possible to gather with other travellers in the TV room.
Location: A perfect location in the historical centre of Zadar, so it’s easy to wander around on foot to see all of the top sights.
This is one of the best hostels in Zadar for
- Couples
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
3. The Hostel
Continuing with hip modern design, we bring you The Hostel (aka The Room) that’s located in a tranquil location amidst a noisy city.
This hostel is also a hybrid, offering hotel quality with hostel prices.
What’s certain is you’ll have a really comfortable stay here thanks to the top quality rooms on offer.
There’s a mix of shared and private rooms, though we really enjoy the mixed dorm rooms for their big spaces and sturdy bunk beds.
It’s actually a quaint hostel with a total of 5 rooms.
As a minimalist accommodation, you can expect no-frills in the compact shared spaces.
There is a kitchenette, but just be aware that it’s kept simple with a fridge, toaster and microwave for use.
Just so you know: There aren’t really any social spaces here, so it’s a good choice if you prefer to keep yourself to yourself and do your own thing, but enjoy hostel prices.
Some of the little details you’ll enjoy:
- Free Nescafe coffee
- Soft duvets and
- big comfy pillows
Location: Within a fully renovated historical building very close to the old town of Zadar. It’s just a 5 minute walk to Kolovare beach, popular clubs and cool bars.
This is one of the best hostels in Zadar for
- Adults
- Older travellers
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
What about cheapest hostels in Zadar?
Of course, there are always cheap hostels. Forget hotels!
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 Zadar.
- Open Hostelworld with full list of budget places to stay in Zadar
- 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.
A good example of a cheap hostel in Zadar is The Four Corners Hostel. It has low reviews because of the location and noisy area.
Best Hostels in Zadar for Solo Travellers?
What is seriously the best hostel in Zadar for solo-travellers?
Alright so we had to include a hostel that focuses more on a social vibe that’s ideal for solo travellers that want to meet plenty of people.
Let’s have a look at The Lazy Monkey Hostel & Apartments.
Update: Lazy Monkey is closed at the moment and plans to re-open in June 2021.
What’s important to know is that Lazy Monkey is located near the main bus station in a safe community neighbourhood. That is why this hostel includes many more facilities than the others.
The social spaces include a front patio, garden, pool table and a calendar of activities including movies, BBQ nights and quiz nights.
There’s an onsite bar, too!
Also: This hostel is well set up for digital nomads and remote workers that want a relaxed work environment. Work desks are provided.
Note: Some of you search for Drunken Monkey Hostel but we couldn’t find one so perhaps it closed. There is also Mellow Monkey Hostel which is a real homey place.
Compare prices and check availability at: Booking.com | Hostelworld
Party Hostels in Zadar
Sorry folks, there isn’t a party hostel we could recommend in Zadar.
You have two options if you’re really keen to get some party vibes flowing:
- Stay at Lazy Monkey Hostel & hang out at the bar
- Stay at one of the top 3 hostels in this guide and party in town
FYI: Lazy Monkey Hostel is not in the old town and is far away from local nightlife.
At least if you stay right in the old town you can enjoy local pubs and clubs and then head back to a quiet hostel for a good night’s sleep. We’d recommend Downtown Boutique Hostel for this option.
If you don’t mind a really noisy atmosphere with a ground floor bar, you might want to have a look at Tequila Bar Hostel.
More Hostels worth a Mention
Hold your horses! We’d just like to throw one more hostel into the ring of contenders.
Windward Hostel Zadar is definitely worth including because it offers a very cool sailing theme that’s unique in all of Zadar.
It’s obviously a mix of the owners two biggest passions: travelling and sailing.
So not only will you enjoy a comfortable stay, but the staff are eager to give you guidelines to sailing and how it’s done in this part of the world.
The dayroom is a great place to hangout. There’s a designer couch, big TV and coffee and snacks waiting for you.
Altogether there are 20 beds divided into 5 fully equipped rooms, so it’s pretty relaxed and cosy here.
Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | 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:
- Downtown Boutique Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- Boutique Hostel Forum: Booking.com | Hostelworld
- The Hostel: Booking.com | Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible!
All of Zadar 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 Zadar. 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 Zadar for Female Traveler on a Map + Sights
Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all three best Zadar 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:
- Sea Organ
- The Greeting to the Sun
- Crkva Sv. Donata
- Cathedral of St. Anastasia
- People’s Square
- Market Zadar
- The Land Gate
FAQs
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 Zadar.
Once again here are all of the 24 best hostels in Croatia.
We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel guides to destinations:
- best hostels in Zagreb + party hostels in Zagreb
- best hostels in Split + party hostels in Split
- best hostels in Dubrovnik + Party Hostels in Dubrovnik
- best hostels in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- best hostels in Skopje, Macedonia
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
There you have it; a collection of awesome accommodation in Zadar Croatia.
Was this useful? Do you have any questions, doubts?
Then please please leave us a comment. This list of awesome Zadar 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.
At Hostelgeeks we will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. Our promise is to only share with you places we also recommend to our best friends and family!
Enjoy this fine hostel selection and all 5 Star Hostels.
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