Hostels in Chicago
There are 7 hostels listed within about five miles of central Chicago, which is 0.7% of everything on offer in the city — a thin hostel market - nearly every bed here is in a hotel. This page covers what that actually means for a trip: which hostels are here, how they rate against Chicago's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Chicago?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Chicago'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 | Chicago | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 7 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 0.7% | A thin hostel market - nearly every bed here is in a hotel. Measured against all 959 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.5/10 | 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 Chicago’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Chicago score a little below the city's hotels — a gap of 0.5 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 Chicago, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Chicago. 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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HI Chicago Hostel
24 E Ida B Wells Drive, Chicago
Historic Charm and Modern Comfort Discover the best of both worlds at HI - Chicago Hostel, where historic charm meets modern comfort. Our beautiful property offers comfortable and…
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Chicago Parthenon Hostel
310 S. Halsted Street, Chicago
Convenient Amenities Enjoy complimentary wireless internet access and concierge services. Take advantage of the communal living room for relaxation. Dining Experience Savor a deli…
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Stay Chicago
1415 Ashland Ave, Chicago
Chic Adults-Only Accommodation in Chicago Shared Lounge, Terrace, and Restaurant Studio 424 offers a vibrant atmosphere with a shared lounge for socializing, a relaxing terrace to…
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Chicago Getaway Hostel
616 W Arlington Pl, Chicago
Convenient Location in Lincoln Park Located just a few blocks from the Fullerton subway station, the Chicago Getaway Hostel in Lincoln Park offers easy access to the city's attrac…
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Chicago Avenue Inn
3305 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago
Convenient Location: Located within close proximity to popular attractions such as Water Tower Chicago and Union Station. Comfortable Accommodation: Enjoy air-conditioned rooms wi…
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Wrigley Hostel - Chicago
3514 N. Sheffield, Chicago
Convenient Location Wrigley Hostel is perfectly situated steps away from Wrigley Field and a short walk to the beach. Public transportation is easily accessible, making exploring …
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Belmont Hostel - O'Hare Blueline
3129 N Christiana Ave, Chicago
Convenient Location Explore nearby attractions like Wrigley Field and Michigan Avenue within a 10-minute drive. Free Breakfast & Wi-Fi Start your day with a complimentary buffet b…
Staying in a hostel for a Chicago 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 Chicago
- From about $221.00View Tickets
- From about $38.00View Tickets
- From about $50.00View Tickets
- From about $59.00View Tickets
- From about $47.00View 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 Wrigley Field
- Stays near United Center
- Stays near Cadillac Palace
- Stays near Vic Theatre
- Stays near Credit Union 1 Arena
- Stays near Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
- Stays near Arie Crown Theater
- Stays near The Chicago Theatre
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 Chicago 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
Are there hostels near the venues in Chicago?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of Chicago, 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.
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.
Are hostels in Chicago any good?
Chicago's hostels average 7.5/10 in guest scores against 8.0/10 for the city's hotels, so they score a little below the city's hotels. Those scores come from our accommodation partner, not from StubOrder.
How many hostels are there in Chicago?
Our accommodation partner lists 7 hostels within about five miles of central Chicago, out of 959 places to stay in total — 0.7% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
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.
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.
