Best Hostels for Backpackers Over 30: My Favourite Stays From A Year Of Backpacking

One of the things that seems to hold people over 30 back from travelling long term is the fear of staying in hostels. I get it, travelling in your 30s is different to travelling in your 20s (and it should be!) You are way past the age of sleeping in a room with snoring strangers, dealing with gross shared bathrooms and being kept up all night by a couple of 20 year olds hooking up in the bed above you.

Having recently completed a year’s career break, I can promise you not all hostels are like that now – you don’t need to live that way! You can stay in great hostels over 30 you just need to learn how to choose the right one.

Over my year of travel I’ve stayed in some seriously impressive hostels, ones that not only meet my criteria for a comfortable stay as an older traveller, but ones that felt genuinely luxurious (for a backpacker!). These are tried and tested recommendations for the best hostels for backpackers over 30, collated over a year of travel by someone firmly in her 30s.

Why I Only Recommend Hostels I’ve Actually Stayed In

I want the recommendations I give you to be trusted, and therefore they need to be tried and tested! There are a lot of hostels cited as amongst the best in the world that I could have included here, but until I’ve experienced them myself I can’t in good conscience add them to the list. I aim to build on this list of what I deem to be the best hostels for backpackers over 30 in the future as and when a hostel impresses me enough.

The reasons these hostels stood out for me vary: it could be their stylish design, the way they made me feel at home, the facilities or the way they’ve thought of all the practical little things that only become obvious to you once you’ve been on the road for awhile. There isn’t necessarily a set criteria each place has to meet to make this list, though I do naturally gravitate to places that have things like privacy curtains, personal light sockets and plugs as standard, and I avoid party hostels even though I’m social out of fear they’re a bit crazy and full of 18 year olds!

The following hostel recommendations are based off of my genuine, honest opinion as a solo backpacker in her 30s who has actually stayed in them, and I’ll talk about what I loved about each hostel below.

Best Hostels in South America for Solo Backpackers Over 30

As a general rule, the further south you travel in South America, the more basic the accommodation. In Argentina and Chile you’re hard pushed to find the comforts of a privacy curtain, personal light and plug socket. Yet by the time you get up to Peru and especially Colombia, you’ve got some seriously boujie hostels with swimming pools and rooftop bars to choose from. And yes, the price does change accordingly! You can find my full budget breakdown for Latin America here, including the costs of accommodation.

Best Hostels in Argentina

America del Sur, El Calafate

Arriving to see the snow capped mountains of Patagonia through the floor to ceiling windows of America Del Sur hostel was a real ‘okay THIS is why I’m backpacking’ moment for me.

I travelled to Patagonia at the start of the season when it’s still very cold, yet America del Sur was so welcoming and cosy, with a fire and well heated rooms to stave off the chill. Breakfast is included and there is a restaurant and bar on site as well as a decent kitchen to make your own food. 

The views are something else; you can watch the sunset through the huge windows if it’s chilly but at warmer times of year there is seating outside on the lawn, making the perfect spot for a Patagonian beer to wind down the day. 

Best Hostels in Chile

Last Hope Hostel, Puerto Natales

Best Hostels in Peru

Viajero, Arequipa

Best Hostels in Colombia

Glamping Jardín, Jardin

Overlooking the rainforest and just a 15 mins tuktuk ride into town, sits Glamping Jardin: a smattering of glamping tents on a hillside, and one of them is a dedicated ‘dorm’ tent. The tents are brilliant: the beds are cosy and comfortable with blankets, USB sockets, personal lights and privacy curtains.  Views upon opening the tent in the morning are unreal, and you can watch the hummingbirds feed in the quiet from the deck. 

Run by a lovely and well travelled Dutch couple who have fully immersed themselves in the local community, Glamping Jardin continues to add touches from people who know exactly what makes a great stay. 

Homemade breakfast and coffee is included, there’s an honesty bar for a well timed sunset beer and the latest addition to the space is a gym area. The common area has a very well equipped kitchen along with desk space for anyone needing to do work (with strong wifi!), sofas, a TV and a huge deck with adirondack chairs from which you can enjoy the view and watch the tropical birds swing by.

After months on end of busy, loud spaces, this gem of a place that doesn’t feel like a hostel was a welcome retreat. I think about running back there for peace and quiet often!

Masaya, Cartagena

Cartagena has a lot of great hostels to choose from, but I liked the Masaya so much I stayed there twice. The whole hostel is beautifully designed, especially the big pool central to the courtyard where there is comfy seating and striped deckchairs to catch the midday sun from.

Both pool and bath towels are included, and the beds are well designed with privacy blinds, shelf space, plugs and lights, as well as a large locker for each guest. Add lovely staff, the rooftop bar with great cocktails, air conditioning and you get one of my favourite hostels. 

Masaya Casas Viejas, Minca

Viajero Hostel and Ecohabs, Tayrona

I stayed at the Viajero near Tayrona National Park over Christmas and it was the best decision I could have made. A hostel that truly feels like a resort, this Viajero has a huge pool that leads onto a huge expanse of private beach. The site is spacious, with fancier private rooms set back in beautifully manicured gardens whilst dorms have the closest access to the beach.

Dorms have an awesome design with stairs built into the space between the beds, avoiding any clambering up ladders, and come with individual fans as well as lights, plug sockets and curtains.

Best Hostels in Central America for Solo Backpackers Over 30  

Best Hostels in Panama

Bambuda, Santa Catalina

There are four Barbuda’s across Panama, and the Santa Catalina one was the place I happened to get stuck for 10 days whilst I got better after falling quite unwell. More of a hotel vibe, there are a few dorm rooms at the new and well designed Bambuda in the surf town of Santa Catalina. It truly feels like they’ve thought of everything: dorms are stylish with big lockers; beds are big with a spacious shelf, curtains, plugs and lights, and the showers are hot and powerful. 

The real star of the show is the stunning infinity pool that overlooks the gardens and ocean, perfectly positioned to watch the sun go down over the Pacific with one of Bambuda’s excellent happy hour cocktails. Food on site is fantastic; there’s a huge air conditioned coworking space with comfortable seating, a pool table and the staff were so kind to me when I was unwell. 

Best Hostels in Costa Rica

La Tribu Hostel For Women, Puerto Viejo

A female only hostel! There are a few hostels popping up now catering to women only and I’m here for it. La Tribu had fairly basic rooms but the common area, relaxed vibe and women focused activities made it one of the stays that stood out during my career break, plus there was freshly brewed coffee for free every morning.

I enjoyed a movie night with popcorn and pampering goodies during my stay and a great cooking class in their fantastically equipped kitchen. Honestly, if all hostel kitchens were this good and clean I would definitely cook more!

Best Hostels in El Salvador

Lagarza Hostel, Shalpa Beach

Just up the El Salvadorean coast from El Tunco and El Zonte, set back up a private road sits Lagarza Hostel. With access to a private beach, a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the ocean and chill out spaces surrounded by palm trees, it’s hard to believe Lagarza is a hostel at times.

Not only is the pool the cleanest of all the hostel pools I encountered, the dorms all have double beds! I won the dorm bed lottery with a spacious bottom bunk complete not only with privacy curtain, spacious shelf, socket and lights, but a window with a sea view.

There’s a daily happy hour and breakfast is included, but you must order the poke bowl with prawns for lunch or dinner – so fresh and so big that it’s tricky to finish! Lagarza is a perfect retreat and place to relax after one of the volcano hikes in El Salvador.

Best Hostels in Guatemala

Caracola Boutique Hostel, El Paredon

Caracola has to be the ultimate boutique hostel. I cannot rave about it enough; super stylish design, a beautiful and well equipped kitchen, good coffee and freshly baked banana bread for free every morning and the option for a double bed? That’s before you get to the comfy bedding, two pillows, plugs, sockets, curtains and the fact the dorms are well soundproofed as the individual bed pods are built from concrete. 

There’s a refreshing plunge pool in the middle of the dorm rooms, a spacious and comfortable co-working space, air con, hot showers and a rooftop terrace, and in addition to all this, you have full use of the 25m long pool at the sister property next to it, Cocori.

It was the most I’ve ever spent on a dorm bed, but I did opt for one of the double bed pods in the 4-bed dorm, and honestly, it was worth every penny. Everything a hostel should be for backpackers over 30 and digital nomads.

Barbara’s Boutique Hostel, Antigua

I feel like I could have lived at Barbara’s or at least easily got stuck there for a few weeks: eating my way around the beautiful town of Antigua, drinking coffee all day and then lounging on the most insanely comfortable sofas in the open courtyard living room. 

Barbara’s is a stylish yet homely space; it feels more like a boutique bed and breakfast than a hostel. The property has a rooftop terrace with seating and some gym weights and mats to use, includes a generous free buffet breakfast and complimentary coffee and cake in the afternoon.

The kitchen is one of the best I’ve seen in a hostel and there is hot water in the showers; vital after you’ve completed the Acatenango hike and night of camping! Dorms are comfortable, with personal lights, fans, sockets (as well as USB), privacy curtains and a true rarity that makes all the difference: TWO pillows! 

Zephyr Lodge, Lanquin

Zephyr Lodge had been on my list of boujie hostels to stay in for a while and I was not disappointed. The pool overlooking the rolling hills and valleys of Lanquin comes with Zephyr rubber rings to laze in and come 3pm the swim up pool bar opens with a three hour happy hour – what’s not to love?

Whilst the food isn’t the greatest, it’s cheap for a hostel that doesn’t have another option to dine at near by, and the portions are substantial. The drinks are cheap, with a happy hour cocktail coming in at under £2. There are plenty of activities to meet others in the evening, from flip cup tournaments to quizzes. 

I would recommend booking into the deluxe dorm; the basic dorm doesn’t have any of the usual privacy curtains, plugs etc, whereas the deluxe dorm is much more comfortable, with AC and a hot water ensuite bathroom. Note that none of the dorms have curtains blocking the beautiful views, but in the deluxe dorm you have your own privacy curtain which helps. You will need a good eye mask if you’re in the basic dorm, or a top bunk in the deluxe as the beds open upwards – I swear by this one.

Best Hostels in Asia for Solo Travellers Over 30 

Hostel Mantra: Udaipur, India

There was a big part of me that didn’t want to leave Hostel Mantra. Not only is Udaipur my favourite place in India, but the staff at Mantra made me feel so at home for the week I was there, and when I left I knew I was saying goodbye to friends.

The rooftop at Mantra is unreal, beautifully designed with comfortable seating, a big air conditioned area for when the heat really hits and stunning views of Pichola Lake and Udaipur. 

Good dorm rooms with all the usual necessities of privacy curtain, plug, light and some of the most spacious lockers I’ve come across in a hostel.

Wild Bee: Ella, Sri Lanka

Wild Bee was my first true boujie hostel experience and I loved it. Sitting up on a hill with views overlooking the mountains of Ella, Wild Bee is made up of stylish A frame buildings with netted areas to laze in.

I booked the female dorm with the double bed for each person and it was so worth it. Fantastic dorms but the common space was great too; super easy to meet people with the hikes and pub quiz the team put on. There’s yoga for a small charge every morning, and the best breakfast I’ve ever had in a hostel is included in the rate. I honestly still think about Wild Bee’s French toast. 

Roy’s Villa: Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Set in a rice paddy field in the middle of nowhere around Sigiriya, Roy’s Villa has to be one of the most stylishly designed hostels going. Rustic vibes but make it luxe, with a beautiful pool at the centre of the hostel, perfect to cool off in between local hikes and the plentiful activities the hostel put on – coconut bowl making and cooking classes, to name a few. 

The dorms are stylish and thoughtfully designed, with large beds and plenty of hooks and space for your stuff as well as a shelf, plug and light. 

Roy’s is often named as one of the best hostels in the world, and whilst it didn’t tick every single box for me, it’s undeniably one of the best I’ve stayed in and well worth booking in advance for.

How To Book Hostels

Book Direct

Booking direct through the hostel’s own website can often get you the best rate. However, there are advantages to using the following two options.

Book via Hostelworld

When you book via Hostelworld you have the benefit of being able to see who else is booked in at the same time as you. You can get chatting with people to see if anyone wants to go for a drink or grab some food.

Booking via the app will usually get you a better price than on the website, and Hostelworld have offers and sales from time to time – especially around Black Friday. 

Book Via Booking.com

I like to check Booking.com when it comes to securing my accommodation too; they often have deals and if you have a Genius discount on your account, you can often get a better price than direct or Hostelworld.

Best Hostels for Backpackers Over 30: Final Thoughts

Knowing what it is that you value in accommodation is key when backpacking in your 30s; especially when staying in a shared space. Hostels have evolved, and whilst you still get plenty of hostels with huge rooms full of loads of rickety dorm beds and running parties every night, there are lots of hostels that cater to those who want a calmer atmosphere, especially with the rise of the digital nomad lifestyle.

Learning what to look out for in a hostel and taking personal recommendations from people in the same demographic and who travel in the same style as you are great ways to find the right accommodation for you.

FAQs: Staying in Hostels Over 30