Malaga is the beaming heart of Spain’s famous Costa Del Sol and has become a tourist favourite with it offering over 300 days of sunny skies. However, the city isn’t just known for its sunny weather, it is also packed full of incredible culture, history and great food as well! Usually a stop-off destination en route to popular hotspots such as Marbella and Torremolinos, a trip to Malaga should be so much more than just a visit to the airport. You can expect to spend your days exploring stunning gothic cathedrals, indulging in some tasty treats at a traditional tapas restaurants and drinking sangria at small local bars.
Malaga is also home to a variety of amazing hostels in and around the city, all of which offer something a little unique for its guests. However, we all know hostels can be hit or miss and you’re gonna want to make sure you stay in one of the good ones. That’s exactly why we decided to create this guide to the 5 coolest hostels in Malaga to help you out a little…
Quick Answers – The Coolest Hostels in Malaga
#1 – The Overall Best Hostel in Malaga – The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel
#2 – The Best Cheap Hostel in Malaga – Malaga Stop Hostel
#3 – The Best Luxury Hostel in Malaga – TOC Hostel Málaga
#4 – The Best Party Hostel in Malaga – The Lights Hostel
#5 – The Best Hostel in Malaga for Solo Travellers – Barbatuke Bed & Bike
#1 – The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel
The Overall Best Hostel in Malaga
- Cost – $$
- Location – C. Niño de Guevara, 8, 29008 Málaga
- Reviews → Check on Hostelworld
Why we like The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel…
We love the selection of activities available at The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel including its famous Mojito happy hours which happen every night at the beautiful on-site rooftop terrace. Here you can enjoy some drinks with immaculate views overlooking the city whilst meeting some meet new people. Along with this, you will also find other regularly organized activities such as Latin and tapas nights and you can also sign up for gastronomic tours and yoga classes.
The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel is perfect for…
With a city centre location, unique on-site facilities and an incredible social atmosphere, The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel is a pretty epic hostel perfect for all types of backpackers. Firstly, location! The hostel is just a two minutes walk from some of the city’s top sites including the Picasso Museum or the Alcazaba. Along with this, you are just a stone’s throw away from cute cafes and tasty restaurants. Next up, you have its amazing facilities, its epic rooftop space that we already discussed and beautiful facilities that also span to the bedrooms! All the rooms are beautifully designed with an urban flair, and each dorm bed commons with a privacy curtain for those who don’t fancy forking out for a private room.
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#2 – Malaga Stop Hostel
The Best Cheap Hostel in Malaga
- Cost – $
- Location – C. Don Juan de Austria, 2, 29009 Málaga,
- Reviews → Check on Hostelworld
Why we like Malaga Stop Hostel…
A small and cosy hostel near Malaga’s city centre, we love the warming atmosphere provided at Malaga Stop Hostel. Its intimate vibe and friendly staff will be sure to make sure feel welcome which is always a great feeling when you’re off to a new location, especially if you’re travelling solo. Speaking of the hostel staff, they are around 24 hours a day and are more than happy to help you navigate your way through Malaga! Whether that be booking you some epic tours, giving you some advice on what restaurants and bars are good nearby, or just having a general chit-chat about life in the city.
Malaga Stop Hostel is perfect for…
If you want a super budget-friendly place to stay in Malaga without compromising on clean and modern facilities, then this might be the perfect hostel for you. Malaga Stop Hostel provides unbeatable hostel prices in a pretty good location slotted in between the beautiful La Malagueta Beach and some of the city’s top sites including the Picasso Museum, the Málaga Cathedral and La Alcazaba.
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#3 – TOC Hostel Málaga
The Best Luxury Hostel in Malaga
- Cost – $$$
- Location – C. Comedias, 18, 29008 Málaga
- Reviews → Check on Hostelworld
Why we like TOC Hostel Malaga…
TOC has fantastic facilities all of which are perfectly designed for backpackers with a luxurious spin. On site at the hostel you will find a relaxation area equipped with a pool table, a chic bar area serving up a storm of backpacker-budget-friendly drinks deals along with a cosy cafe area where you can grab yourself a tasty breakfast to fuel yourself for a day of exploring Malaga!
TOC Hostel Malaga is perfect for…
TOC Hostel Malaga is definitely the perfect hostel choice for our flash-packer readers! It’s a beautifully designed hostel with lavish and grand fittings throughout, along with stunningly modern rooms and bedrooms. In fact, you’ll be stunned that TOC Hostel Malaga is a hostel and not a luxurious hotel!
This makes it a great place to stay for those who still want all the luxurious amenities you would find in a hotel, but want the social atmosphere and backpacker-friendly prices you would find in a hostel. It really is the best of both worlds!
#4 – The Lights Hostel
The Best Party Hostel in Malaga
- Cost – $$
- Location – C. Torregorda, 3, 29005 Málaga
- Reviews → Check on Hostelworld
Why we like The Lights Hostel…
We love the on-site amenities provided at The Lights Hostel, including its roof terrace which is the ultimate place to have a few drinks or two whilst watching the gorgeous Malagan sun sink into the beautiful colonial architecture. You will also find top-notch facilities in the rooms, including nice, big dormitory beds with real deep-sprung mattresses – perfect for having a good night’s sleep. Along with this, you will find modern shower and bathroom facilities which are perfect for unwinding after a day of exploring the city.
The Lights Hostel is perfect for…
Partygoers, are you looking to let your hair down on a trip to Malaga and explore some of the city’s top party spots? Then you need to get yourself on one of The Lights Hostel’s famous pub crawls! Here, you will be taken to some of the city’s top drinking holes, from cute tapas bars to lively pubs, before finishing off in one of the city’s hottest nightclubs. Sounds pretty epic, right? Oh, and you will also get exclusive discounts on drinks at each place if you’re staying at The Lights Hostel, making it perfect for our penny-pinching backpackers.
#5 – Barbatuke Bed & Bike
The Best Hostel in Malaga for Solo Travellers
- Cost – $$
- Location – C. Octavio Picón, 33, 29017 Málaga
- Reviews → Check on Hostelworld
Why we like Barbatuke Bed & Bike Hostel…
The final hostel on our list is Barbatuke Bed & Bike Hostel, and it is a true hidden gem in Malaga’s hostel scene – a converted manor house tucked away in a quieter neighbourhood but just a 10-minute walk from the city centre. It’s the perfect place to stay if you want the best of both worlds – a good night’s sleep but close proximity to all the action. You will also find the beautiful Limonar beach just 15 minutes walk away which is the perfect place to take a dip and cool down from the beaming Spanish heat.
Barbatuke Bed & Bike Hostel is perfect for…
If you’re heading to Malaga as a solo traveller, or just want to meet other like-minded people, this is a great place to stay! There is a real community vibe at the hostel, with a super friendly team of staff along and a plethora of common spaces to hang out and share life stories. This includes its outdoor garden space which has a sense of tranquillity with lots of greenery surrounding the hostel. Here, you can choose to read a book whilst soaking up sun rays, or perhaps, have a few beers with some new pals before heading out to explore Malaga’s roaring nightlife scene.
Conclusion to the Best Hostels in Malaga
So that was our guide to the best hostels in the fantastic city of Malaga. As you can probably tell, there are some epic ones out there, all of which offer something a little unique! From rooftop bars and luxurious lobbies to city centre locations, there is a little slice of hostel heaven for everyone.
In this article, we whittled down the list to just five hostels, which we have to admit was a difficult task in itself, since there are so many amazing options available. However, if we were to take it one step further and pick one hostel you should stay at in Malaga it would have to be The Urban Jungle Rooftop Hostel. Not only does it have a 9.3-star rating with over 1,500 reviews on Hostelworld, but its vibrant social atmosphere is unmatched and it also offers some pretty epic facilities.
So, now all there is left for us to say is get booking! A sunny trip to the beaming heart of Costa Del Solo is just around the corner.
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