Hostels in Helsinki
There are 13 hostels listed within about five miles of central Helsinki, which is 1.4% 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 Helsinki's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Helsinki?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Helsinki'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 | Helsinki | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 13 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 1.4% | A modest but real hostel scene. Measured against all 901 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.4/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 8.3/10 | The same measure for Helsinki’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Helsinki 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 Helsinki, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Helsinki. 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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CheapSleep Hostel Helsinki
Sturenkatu 27B, Helsinki
Central Location in Vallila District Located just 3 km from Helsinki Train Station, CheapSleep Hostel Helsinki offers convenience and accessibility to explore the city easily. Con…
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SweetDream Guesthouse
Hämeentie 21 G, Helsinki
City Views in Every Room Wake up to stunning city views in every room at SweetDream Guesthouse. Enjoy the sights of Helsinki right from the comfort of your bed. Convenient Ameniti…
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Forenom Hostel Helsinki Pitäjänmäki
Kornetintie 10, Helsinki
Modern Self-Catering Hostel Experience Located in Helsinki Pitäjänmäki, Forenom Hostel offers modern self-catering guest rooms with keyless entry and free WiFi. Convenient Ameniti…
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InnTourist Hostel
Haapaniemenkatu 7-9B, Helsinki
Convenient Amenities Embrace complimentary wireless internet, gift shops, and tour assistance. Express Check-in and Check-out Experience seamless arrival and departure processes a…
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Sky Hostel Helsinki
Haapaniemenkatu 7-9, Helsinki
Central Location Located centrally in Helsinki, Sky Hostel Helsinki is within a short drive of popular attractions like Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre and Hakaniemi Mar…
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Forenom Hostel Helsinki Kutomotie
Kutomotie 9, Helsinki
Convenient Amenities: Express check-in, express check-out, laundry facilities, and self parking available. Comfortable Accommodations: 192 air-conditioned rooms with refrigerators…
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AikaTalo Hostel
Discover the perfect blend of comfort and convenience at AikaTalo Hostel, nestled in the heart of Helsinki. Centrally Located: Enjoy the vibrant city life with major attractions l…
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The Yard Hostel
Kalevankatu 3 A 45, Helsinki
Centrally Located in Helsinki The Yard Hostel is conveniently situated just a 5-minute walk from Helsinki Central Station, making it the perfect base for exploring the city. Comfo…
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Hostel Diana Park
Uudenmaankatu 9, Helsinki
Convenient Location Located just a 10-minute walk from Helsinki Train Station, Hostel Diana Park offers easy access to transportation and nearby attractions like Esplanade Park, m…
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Eurohostel
Linnankatu 9, Helsinki
Scenic Island Location: Situated on Helsinki’s picturesque Katajanokka island, Eurohostel offers a serene escape surrounded by the sea. Just a stone's throw away from Vyökatu Tram…
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Forenom Hostel Espoo Otaniemi
Kivimiehentie 2, Espoo
Convenient Location and Budget-Friendly Accommodation Located just steps away from Aalto University and a short drive from Helsinki city centre, Forenom Hostel Espoo Otaniemi offe…
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Hostel Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna C 9, Helsinki
Historic Island Hostel Located in the Suomenlinna Fortress area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hostel Suomenlinna offers a unique stay in a former Russian elementary school from t…
Staying in a hostel for a Helsinki 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 Helsinki
- From about $435.00View Tickets
- From about $280.00View Tickets
- From about $480.00View Tickets
- From about $162.00View Tickets
- From about $179.00View Tickets
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 Helsinki 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.
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.
How many hostels are there in Helsinki?
Our accommodation partner lists 13 hostels within about five miles of central Helsinki, out of 901 places to stay in total — 1.4% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
Are hostels in Helsinki any good?
Helsinki's hostels average 7.4/10 in guest scores against 8.3/10 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.
