Hostels in Brisbane
There are 15 hostels listed within about five miles of central Brisbane, which is 1.5% of everything on offer in the city — a modest but real hostel scene. This page covers what that actually means for a trip: which hostels are here, how they rate against Brisbane's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Brisbane?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Brisbane's accommodation is hostels rather than hotels — a city can have plenty of hostels and still be a hotel city. The second is how those hostels score against the hotels sitting next to them, which is the only fair benchmark, because guest scores drift by city and a 7.8 in one place is not a 7.8 in another.
| Measure | Brisbane | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 15 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 1.5% | A modest but real hostel scene. Measured against all 976 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.1/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 8.0/10 | The same measure for Brisbane’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Brisbane score well below the city's hotels, which is worth knowing before you book on price alone — a gap of 0.9 points. That gap is normal and mostly measures the product, not the management: a shared room with six strangers in it will rarely be scored like a private one, however well the place is run. It is worth reading the individual scores below rather than the average.
Hostels in Brisbane, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Brisbane. Pick your dates to see what a bed actually costs — hostel pricing moves more than hotel pricing does, because a dorm can sell out one bed at a time.
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Palm Hamilton BackPackers
Convenient Location Unwind in one of the 11 cozy rooms at Palm Hamilton BackPackers, situated in Brisbane's vibrant Hamilton area. Just a short distance away from popular attracti…
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Palm Hamilton Backpacker
506 Kingsford Smith Drive, Brisbane
Central Location Experience the best of Brisbane with Palm Hamilton Backpacker's prime location near major attractions and transport hubs. Shared Kitchen and Free WiFi Enjoy the c…
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Bunk Brisbane
11 Gipps Street, Brisbane
Bunk Brisbane: A Unique Stay in Fortitude Valley Spacious and Renovated Rooms: Bunk Brisbane offers a variety of comfortable dorms, double, and twin private ensuite rooms in a cha…
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Brisbane Quarters
413 Upper Edward Street, Brisbane
Luxurious Outdoor Pool - Enjoy a refreshing dip in our outdoor swimming pool, perfect for relaxation and soaking up the sun during your stay at Brisbane Quarters. Modern Amenities…
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All Nations Brisbane - Hostel
308 Edward Street, Brisbane
Recreation Amenities and Rooftop Terrace Indulge in the entertainment at the nightclub or enjoy the stunning views from the rooftop terrace. Dining Options Savor a delicious meal …
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Banana Backpackers
118 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane
Vibrant Location in Brisbane Located in the heart of Brisbane, Banana Backpackers offers easy access to major attractions such as Suncorp Stadium, Roma Street Station, and Queen S…
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Summer House Brisbane
350 Upper Roma Street, Brisbane
Welcome to Summer House Backpackers Brisbane! Rooftop Terrace with Stunning Views: Enjoy breathtaking city and river views from our rooftop terrace, perfect for relaxing or social…
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City Backpackers HQ
380 Upper Roma Street, Brisbane
Panoramic Views and Rooftop Pool Experience breathtaking river and city views from our rooftop swimming pool, the perfect spot to relax and unwind after a day of exploring Brisban…
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YHA Brisbane City
392 Upper Roma Street, Brisbane
Rooftop Swimming Pool with City Views Enjoy a refreshing swim with a view at the stunning rooftop swimming pool overlooking the city and Brisbane River. Relax and unwind in this p…
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Breeze Lodge
635 Main Street, Brisbane
Ideal Location Breeze Lodge's prime location near The Gabba Stadium and free CityHopper ferry makes it convenient for exploring Brisbane's attractions and dining options. Comforta…
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Gonow Family Backpackers Hostel
147 Vulture Street, Brisbane
Free Wi-Fi and Parking Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi access and on-site parking during your stay at Go Now Family Backpackers Hostel. Stay connected and hassle-free while exploring Br…
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Somewhere To Stay Backpackers
47 Brighton Road, Brisbane
Resort Style Accommodation Experience the unique charm of Somewhere to Stay Backpackers, a stunning Queenslander house with lush gardens, a refreshing pool, and relaxing verandas.…
Staying in a hostel for a Brisbane event
A hostel makes most sense on exactly the kind of trip StubOrder sends people on: one or two nights, built around a fixed start time, where you are out of the building all evening. The bed is somewhere to sleep afterwards, not somewhere to spend the weekend, and the saving against a hotel on a sold-out event night is usually the largest saving available on the whole trip — event nights are when city hotel rates spike and hostel beds barely move.
The two things to check before you book are the ones that catch people out. First, front-desk hours: a support act running long can put you back at 23:45, which is no use if reception closes at 23:00 and there is no night code. Second, whether the rate is per bed or per room — a private twin at £70 and a dorm bed at £35 each are the same money for two people, and the private room is the better buy.
What is on in Brisbane
- From about $83.00View Tickets
Matinee
Cirque du Soleil - Kooza
From about $94.00View TicketsMatinee
Cirque du Soleil - Kooza
From about $83.00View Tickets- From about $83.00View Tickets
Matinee
Cirque du Soleil - Kooza
From about $83.00View Tickets- From about $83.00View Tickets
Distance from a specific venue
The hostels above are measured from the centre of town. If you want to know what is actually walkable from the doors of one building, each venue has its own accommodation page that sorts every nearby property by real distance.
- Stays near Suncorp Stadium
- Stays near Entertainment Centre - Brisbane
- Stays near Riverstage - Brisbane
- Stays near Under The Big Top - Brisbane
Dorm bed or private room?
This is the decision that actually determines what your stay is like, and it is not the same decision as hostel-or-hotel. Almost every hostel in Brisbane sells both, at prices that overlap with the cheaper end of the city's hotels.
| Dorm bed | Hostel private room | |
|---|---|---|
| Priced by | The bed. Two people pay twice. | The room, like a hotel. |
| Best for | Solo travel, and meeting people. | Two people, or anyone who wants a door that locks. |
| Bathroom | Usually shared down the hall. | Often private, but check — many are not. |
| Getting in late | Fine, but you will wake people. | No issue. |
| Luggage | A locker, usually needing your own padlock. | In the room. |
| Versus a cheap hotel | Much cheaper, especially on event nights. | Often similar money — compare properly. |
The rule of thumb that holds nearly everywhere: travelling alone, take the dorm; travelling as two, price the private room against a budget hotel before assuming the hostel wins. On an ordinary weeknight the hotel sometimes does. On the night of a sold-out event, the hostel almost always does.
What to check before booking a hostel
Hostels vary in ways hotels mostly do not, and the variation is in the policies rather than the rooms. None of the following is unusual, and all of it is easier to find out now than at 1am.
- Age limits. Some hostels are 18–35 only, some refuse under-18s without an adult, and a few are over-18 with no upper bound. This is a property-by-property rule, not a city rule.
- Reception hours and curfews. A genuine curfew is rare now, but limited front-desk hours are common. If your event finishes late, confirm there is a night entry code.
- Whether the rate includes linen. Mostly yes; occasionally a few pounds or dollars extra at check-in, which quietly changes the comparison against a hotel.
- Lockers and padlocks. Nearly every dorm has lockers. A good number expect you to bring your own padlock, and the ones sold at the desk cost more than one from home.
- Deposits. Some hostels take a key or damage deposit in cash at arrival and return it on checkout — worth knowing if you are travelling cardless.
- Cancellation terms. The cheapest hostel rates are frequently non-refundable, which matters more than usual when the trip depends on an event that could be postponed.
Two of these — cancellation terms and what the rate actually includes — are shown on the booking screen once you pick dates, so check them there rather than assuming.
Plan the rest of the trip
Frequently asked questions
Is a hostel a sensible place to stay for a concert or a game?
For a one- or two-night trip built around an event, often yes — you are out of the building most of the evening anyway. The things to check are the front-desk hours and whether there is a curfew, because a show that ends at 23:30 is no use if reception shut at 23:00.
Does StubOrder sell hostel beds and tickets together?
No. Tickets come from our resale marketplace and accommodation from our booking partner. They are two separate bookings with separate confirmations, and neither depends on the other.
Are there hostels near the venues in Brisbane?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of Brisbane, not from any one venue. For distance from a specific building, use that venue's own accommodation page — each one is linked above and sorts every nearby property by real distance from the doors.
How many hostels are there in Brisbane?
Our accommodation partner lists 15 hostels within about five miles of central Brisbane, out of 976 places to stay in total — 1.5% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
Are hostels in Brisbane any good?
Brisbane's hostels average 7.1/10 in guest scores against 8.0/10 for the city's hotels, so they score well below the city's hotels, which is worth knowing before you book on price alone. Those scores come from our accommodation partner, not from StubOrder.
Can I book a private room in a hostel?
Most hostels sell private rooms alongside dorm beds, and they are usually cheaper than a hotel room of the same size. Whether a given property has one is shown when you pick your dates — if only dorm beds come back, that hostel has no privates free for that stay.
