As Zagreb is becoming increasingly popular with travellers, it is no surprise that there are many hostels providing accommodation at budget-friendly prices.

Zagreb was my first destination on my first ever visit to Croatia. I hadn’t stayed in a hostel since Budapest so I was looking forward to somewhere a bit more social. I soon discovered there are no shortage of hostels in Zagreb. I originally planned to stay in Zagreb for 4 nights but I extended my stay so I could experience the advent festival.

Where To Stay In Zagreb

These are some of the best budget hostels in Zagreb, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Main Square Hostel
• Hostel Bureau
• Boutique Hostel Shappy
• Hostel IN Club
• The Dots Hostel
• Hostel Moving
• Swanky Mint Hostel

Hostel Bureau

After a journey from Pecs, Hungary that was much more hassle than I hoped it would be, I arrived in Zagreb around 10 pm. Hostel Bureau (map) is about 15 minutes walk from the train station, just to the east of the old town.

The hostel is located in a courtyard and was easy to find. Check-in was straightforward and I was in my room in minutes.

The room was a 4-bed dorm with one bunk bed and two single beds. The bed was comfy and had its own nightlight and power socket (essential dorm features). The lockers came with their own key. The WiFi was good (another essential dorm feature). It is quite a big hostel and has many amenities such as a good-sized kitchen, a games room and a chill-out area.

There is a great coffee shop (Meet Mia) nearby and a couple of Spar supermarkets. The hostel was quiet when I visited but it was still a good place to spend 4 nights.

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I paid £27 for a four night stay in a 4-bed dorm with shared bathroom.

Click here to book a stay at Hostel Bureau.

Whole Wide World Hostel

As I decided to stay another 3 nights in Zagreb, I fancied a change of scenery. I tried to book at Hostel Swanky Mint as it looked a cool place when I visited for a beer. Unfortunately, it was fully booked. Instead, I opted for  ‘Whole Wide World Hostel’ (map). I wanted something a bit livelier and this hostel advertised itself as a party hostel.

Straight away, I knew this was going to be a fun three days. I was given the tour of the hostel by a volunteer from Essex before being shown to my room. Once again, I was in a 4-bed dorm but there were people in this dorm and I immediately got chatting.

The hostel is covered in art (some of it a little questionable). There is a small kitchen which I took advantage of and they offer free breakfast.

The common room is also a bar and this is where the beer pong takes place.

The hostel is almost entirely run by volunteers and they provide different activities each night. Most of the activities revolve around drinking lots of alcohol. Well, they did say it was a party hostel!

The hostel is located a little out of the old town (about 7 minutes walk) but there are cafes, bars, shops and grocery stores right on the doorstep so you never feel like you are out of the centre.

I had a great time here. Though they do like to party, the noise stopped in the rooms and I never had any trouble sleeping. I didn’t really partake in the beer pong and I skipped the silent disco pub crawl but I had many drinks in the bar and chatted with fellow travellers, exchanging stories and tips. The WiFi is strong and the showers were fine.

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I paid £36 for a four night stay in a 4-bed dorm with shared bathroom.

Click here to book a stay at Whole Wide World Hostel.

Things To Do In Zagreb | Food And Drink In Zagreb

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