Hostels in Christchurch
There are 12 hostels listed within about five miles of central Christchurch, 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 Christchurch's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Christchurch?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Christchurch'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 | Christchurch | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 12 | 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 794 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 6.7/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 8.8/10 | The same measure for Christchurch’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Christchurch score well below the city's hotels, which is worth knowing before you book on price alone — a gap of 2.1 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 Christchurch, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Christchurch. 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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Urbanz
273 Manchester Street, Christchurch
Modern Accommodation in Downtown Christchurch Convenient Amenities: Urbanz, renovated in 2015, offers a variety of rooms with shared or private bathrooms. Enjoy free parking, WiFi…
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Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel
70 Bealey Avenue, Christchurch
Garden Views and Amenities: Enjoy garden views and utilize amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access and a television in a common area. Barbecue grills and bike sto…
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Haka House Christchurch
36 Hereford St, Christchurch
Convenient Location and Surroundings Haka House Christchurch is ideally situated opposite the Arts Centre, offering easy access to the Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park. Additionall…
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Around The World Backpackers
314 Barbadoes Street, Christchurch
Convenient Location Situated just 1.6 km from Christchurch City Centre and a short walk from the Intercity bus depot, Around The World Backpackers offers easy access to the city's…
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85 on Bealey
Convenient Location Located just 1.2 km from Christchurch Art Gallery, 85 on Bealey provides easy access to top attractions like Canterbury Museum and Victoria Square. Comfortable…
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Chester St Backpackers
148 Chester Street East Central City, Christchurch
Vibrant Central Location Chester St Backpackers, nestled in the heart of Christchurch, offers a unique blend of convenience and comfort. Modern Amenities Guests can enjoy complime…
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Jailhouse Accommodation
338 Lincoln Road, Christchurch
Historic Charm and Modern Comforts Set in a refurbished 1874 building, Jailhouse Accommodation seamlessly blends historic charm with modern comforts. Guests can immerse themselves…
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Avon City Backpackers
563 Worcester Street, Christchurch
Central Location in Christchurch Located just 3.2 km from Christchurch Art Gallery, Avon City Backpackers offers a convenient stay with free bikes and private parking. Explore nea…
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The Blackhorse Hotel
Welcome to The Blackhorse Hotel, your perfect haven in Christchurch's Hillmorton neighborhood! Spacious Accommodations Choose from our seven well-appointed guestrooms, each featur…
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Racecourse Backpackers Hostel
130 Racecourse Road, Christchurch
Enjoy the Outdoors and Transportation Options Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as a picnic area. Guests can catch a ride to nearby destinations on th…
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Christchurch Backpackers and Cafe
Discover a charming retreat at Christchurch Backpackers and Cafe, where comfort meets convenience in the vibrant New Brighton area. Cozy Accommodations Make yourself at home in on…
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Point Break Backpackers
6 Union Street New Brighton, Christchurch
Amenities and Recreation Take advantage of bicycles to rent or enjoy wireless internet access. Unwind in the arcade/game room or watch TV in the common area. Embrace the outdoors …
Staying in a hostel for a Christchurch 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 Christchurch
- From about $107.00View 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.
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 Christchurch 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
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.
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 Christchurch any good?
Christchurch's hostels average 6.7/10 in guest scores against 8.8/10 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.
Are there hostels near the venues in Christchurch?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of Christchurch, 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 Christchurch?
Our accommodation partner lists 12 hostels within about five miles of central Christchurch, out of 794 places to stay in total — 1.5% 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.
