Skip to main content

The 10 Best Hostels in Johannesburg, South Africa

Some of the best backpacker spots in Johannesburg

Filter by:


Review score

Superb: 9+ Very good: 8+ Good: 7+ Pleasant: 6+
Our top picks Lowest price first Star rating and price Top reviewed

See the latest prices and deals by choosing your dates.

Situated in Johannesburg, 2.3 km from Parkview Golf Club, Explorer Backpackers features accommodation with free bikes, private parking, a garden and a shared lounge. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a 24-hour front desk, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodation provides evening entertainment and a concierge service.

Sandton City Mall is 7.2 km from Explorer Backpackers, while Gautrain Sandton Station is 7.4 km from the property. The nearest airport is O.R. Tambo International Airport, 28 km from the hostel.

The staff is very welcoming and helpful. The place is exceptionally clean. It has a great home-feel. The kitchen is equipped for cooking if needed. It's in a safe location with bars and restaurants nearby. Uber/Bolt was always arriving within a few minutes. Great place overall. It has a little bar at the back, perfect for a drink and small conversation. Recommend staying.

Show more Show less
9.6
Exceptional
94 reviews
Price from
£13
per night

Set in Johannesburg, 3.1 km from Parkview Golf Club, Melville House offers accommodation with a garden, free private parking, a shared lounge and barbecue facilities. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a 24-hour front desk, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Guests can enjoy garden views.

At the hostel, the rooms are equipped with a patio with pool view. All guest rooms feature bed linen.

I stayed 7 days at the Melville House and felt like its a hostel that really understands community and sharing. Staff was great, talkative and helpful. Other guests staying there were mingling and cool. I met local students looking for long term accomodation, long term travellers stopping by in Johannesburg and I myself was on workation - which was great in my private room that had an amazing comfortable bed and i had my own bathroom. The shared spaces were a place to meet the others and the surrounding is relatively save for Joburg standards so that I could even go for walks and jogg in the morning. Loved it!

Show more Show less
6.9
Review score
228 reviews
Price from
£10
per night

Rosebank Hostel is situated in the Rosebank district in Johannesburg, 1 km from Rosebank Mall and 1.7 km from Hyde Park Shopping Centre.

Rosebank Hostel features free WiFi. Certain rooms have a private bathroom fitted with a shower, while others have access to a shared bathroom. Bed linen is provided.

Honestly, I don't understand the reviews here. I was expecting something horrible, but it's actually a nice hostel. I liked this: Room: clean, good bed Staff: everyone friendly Location: Fantastic, in a safe area (Rosebank), near Gautrain station (easy connection to Sandton, Airport, Pretoria, and so on). Less than 5 minutes walk to 24/7 grocery store. Near is a coffee shop and in a walkable distance is Rosebank mall (restaurants, shops). Shower: clean, hot water Laundry service: cheap, fast.

Show more Show less
4.4
Review score
139 reviews
Price from
£8
per night

Offering accommodation in Johannesburg, CURIOCITY Backpackers Johannesburg has a splash pool, BBQ facilities and a bar. The property offers bicycles for guests to rent. There is also a games room and free parking for guests.

The hostel is 9 km from Gold Reef City & Casino, and 5 km from Rhodes Park. Nelson Mandela Square is 16 km from CURIOCITY Backpackers Johannesburg, while OR Tambo Airport is 21 km away.

Staff is exceptionally friendly! Highlights to Cid, the superkind barman!

Show more Show less
7.9
Good
931 reviews
Price from
£12
per night

Apartheid Museum is 14 km from the hostel, while Gold Reef City is 14 km from the property. The nearest airport is O.R. Tambo International, 26 km from Hotel Amor Rosebank, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.

Honestly the room was fair, the bathroom was actually good. the water was hot but the towels smelled funny.

Show more Show less
5
Review score
17 reviews
Price from
£34
per night

Offering free WiFi throughout the property, a sun terrace with a swimming pool, garden and shared lounge, Johannesburg Youth Hostel is set in Johannesburg. Providing barbecue facilities, the property is located within 6.3 km of Sandton City Mall. The accommodation offers a shared kitchen, a 24-hour front desk and organising tours for guests.

This place is welcome the host Glendah was very friendly and accommodating all the time. Thank you so much for this. Made our stay better.

Show more Show less
6.2
Review score
33 reviews
Price from
£9
per night

Johannesburg Boarding Hostel has a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, garden, a shared lounge and terrace in Johannesburg. The property is situated 6.3 km from Sandton City Mall, 6.5 km from Gautrain Sandton Station and 8.2 km from Parkview Golf Club. Free WiFi and a shared kitchen are available.

This place is absolutely appalling, they even asked to buy electricity

Show more Show less
5
Review score
5 reviews
Price from
£9
per night

Located in Johannesburg, 6.4 km from Sandton City Mall, Sleek Hostel provides accommodation with a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a garden and a shared lounge. Featuring a shared kitchen, this property also provides guests with a terrace. Free WiFi is available and Gautrain Sandton Station is 6.6 km away.

Show more Show less
5.5
Review score
4 reviews
Price from
£11
per night

Situated in the suburb of Blairgowrie, Accoustix Backpackers Hostel offers accommodation centrally located between Randburg, Rosebank and Sandton. The backpackers offers a 24-hour front desk and an on-site bar.

I was felt welcome from the moment I entered the establishment. I was allowed a late departure which I appreciated. The staff are kind friendly and always wanting to help

Show more Show less
6
Review score
46 reviews
Price from
£8
per night

Set in Johannesburg, 7.3 km from Modderfontein Golf Club, BDN Backpackers offers accommodation with a garden, free private parking and a shared lounge. The property is situated 8.2 km from Gautrain Sandton Station, 8.8 km from Sandton City Mall and 10 km from Observatory Golf Club. The accommodation features a shared kitchen and room service for guests.

At the hostel, every room includes a wardrobe. The units at BDN Backpackers come with a shared bathroom and bed linen.

Show more Show less

Looking for a hostel?

Budget travellers know that there is no better way to make the most of their trip than by staying at a hostel: save money for exploring during the day, and swap stories with fellow backpackers in the shared kitchen or bar in the evening. Dorm-style bedrooms with shared bathrooms are standard hostel fare, but private rooms are also available for those willing to pay a bit more.
Search hostels in Johannesburg

Most booked hostels in Johannesburg this month

Hostels that guests love in Johannesburg

  • Avg. price/night: £25.20
    8.4
    Scored 8.4
    Very good
    Rated very good
     · 24 reviews
    Great location and safe parking
    kamogelo
    Group
  • Avg. price/night: £56.76
    8.3
    Scored 8.3
    Very good
    Rated very good
     · 1,197 reviews
    Safety, great location close to Sandton city mall, the staff were friendly even borrowed me a plug to charge my power bank, no load shedding, cooking utensils
    Letty
    Young couple
  • 8.6
    Scored 8.6
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 16 reviews
    Great location, safe clean apartment, all appliances available and working, good streaming TV and free from loadshedding.
    Anton
    Family with young children
  • Avg. price/night: £48.43
    7.5
    Scored 7.5
    Good
    Rated good
     · 1,546 reviews
    breakfast was really good, and i happened to book it at night because the place stayed nearby was just unbelievably disgusting beds were also really nice, and it felt pretty safe inside in general its an ok place ro stay, nothing spectacular (maybe the breakfast) but not too bad either i stayed in the cheapest room available (it was pretty big) the staff also gave me an adapter for my chargers and helped with paper priting it was comparatively quiet
    Alexander Ket
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £49.54
    8.6
    Scored 8.6
    Fabulous
    Rated fabulous
     · 1,838 reviews
    Great location. Comfortable flat. Felt safe
    Maylene
    Family with young children
  • Avg. price/night: £41.47
    7.9
    Scored 7.9
    Good
    Rated good
     · 931 reviews
    Very nice hostel with an amazing vibe in a safe neighborhood. Great bar, very friendly staff and international as well as local guests. They offer great sightseeing tours. It’s very clean, comfortable and cheap. Will come back.
    Stephanie
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £41.47
    7.9
    Scored 7.9
    Good
    Rated good
     · 931 reviews
    Cool little backpackers with a big team of staff who are always so friendly and up for a chat. It also serves at a bar so there is a good mix of locals and other travellers at evening time, the locals in Joburg are so friendly you will make friends even if the hostel is a little quiet. Also the staff do their best to look after you and make sure you are safe when you walk the streets, I was actually stopped in the middle of the street by a staff member to warn me I was going down a bad road. I would love to and plan to stay again.
    Harry
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £25.64
    4.4
    Scored 4.4
    Disappointing
    Rated disappointing
     · 139 reviews
    Honestly, I don't understand the reviews here. I was expecting something horrible, but it's actually a nice hostel. I liked this: Room: clean, good bed Staff: everyone friendly Location: Fantastic, in a safe area (Rosebank), near Gautrain station (easy connection to Sandton, Airport, Pretoria, and so on). Less than 5 minutes walk to 24/7 grocery store. Near is a coffee shop and in a walkable distance is Rosebank mall (restaurants, shops). Shower: clean, hot water Laundry service: cheap, fast.
    Matěj
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £41.47
    7.9
    Scored 7.9
    Good
    Rated good
     · 931 reviews
    the staff is super nice at curiosity and you will meet a lot of backpackers from different countries, what makes the amazing vibe. The hostel is pretty central and you can walk around in this safe neighborhood. They have good food there and good coffee. The hostel looks nice and is very modern. Very recommendable! I think the best place to stay in Joburg.
    Alexandra
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £41.28
    8.4
    Scored 8.4
    Very good
    Rated very good
     · 5,080 reviews
    Great location, cheap 'n cheerful rooms. Decor is different and fun. Doesn't feel like a "budget hotel".
    Steve Miller
    Solo traveller

Research, refine and make plans for your whole trip

gogless