Hostels in Köln
There are 10 hostels listed within about five miles of central Köln, 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 Köln's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Köln?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Köln'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 | Köln | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 10 | 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 711 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.8/10 | 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 Köln’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Köln score about the same as the city's hotels — a gap of 0.2 points. Scoring level with the hotels is a good result for hostels, which normally sit below them — a dorm bed is a harder thing to rate well.
Hostels in Köln, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Köln. 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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Pathpoint Cologne Backpacker Hostel
Allerheiligenstrasse 15, Cologne
Amenities and Features Enjoy complimentary wireless internet access Relax in the garden with beautiful views Snack bar/deli, bar/lounge, and buffet breakfasts available Additional…
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Station - Hostel for Backpackers
Marzellenstr. 44 - 56, Cologne
Convenient Location near Cologne Central Station Located just 150 metres from Cologne Central Station, Station – Hostel for Backpackers offers a comfortable stay with easy access …
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Jugendherberge Köln-Deutz
Siegesstr. 5, Cologne
Modern City Hostel near Cologne Exhibition Centre Located just 900 meters from the Cologne Exhibition Centre, Jugendherberge Köln-Deutz offers a convenient and modern stay for vis…
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Hostel MaRu Living C9
Cranachstraße 9, Cologne
Central Location Conveniently situated near major attractions such as Cologne Cathedral and Museum Ludwig, MaRu Living C9 offers a prime location for exploring the city. Comfortab…
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FeWo Hostel
1 Graeffstraße, Cologne
Convenient Location Located in the vibrant Neuehrenfeld district of Cologne, FeWo Hostel offers easy access to popular attractions such as Saint Gereon's Basilica and Cologne Cent…
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Hostel die Wohngemeinschaft
Richard-Wagner-Straße 39, Cologne
Unique Design Interiors Experience individually decorated rooms on unique themes with parquet floors and stunning views of Cologne. Vibrant Café and Bar Enjoy a cozy café serving …
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Weltempfänger Backpacker Hostel
Venloer Straße ,196, Cologne
Central Location in Ehrenfeld District Located just a short underground ride from Cologne Cathedral, the Weltempfänger Backpacker Hostel offers a convenient and vibrant stay in th…
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Black Sheep
Barbarossaplatz 1, Cologne
Centrally Located Hostel in Cologne Convenient Amenities: Enjoy free WiFi, lockers, and lift access in our colourful rooms with shared bathrooms. Luggage storage, rental bikes, an…
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404-Hostel
404 Neusser Straße, Cologne
Unique Adults-Only Accommodation: 404-Hostel in Cologne offers a distinctive adults-only experience with a shared lounge and terrace, perfect for socializing and unwinding after a…
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DJH City-Hostel Köln-Riehl
An Der Schanz 14, Cologne
Welcome to DJH City-Hostel Köln-Riehl, your perfect hub for adventure and leisure in the heart of Cologne! Recreational Opportunities Embrace the vibrant atmosphere with our excit…
Staying in a hostel for a Köln 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 Köln
- From about $583.00View Tickets
- From about $157.00View Tickets
- From about $154.00View Tickets
- From about $173.00View Tickets
- From about $439.00View Tickets
- From about $146.00View 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 Köln 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
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.
How many hostels are there in Köln?
Our accommodation partner lists 10 hostels within about five miles of central Köln, out of 711 places to stay in total — 1.4% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
Are hostels in Köln any good?
Köln's hostels average 7.8/10 in guest scores against 8.0/10 for the city's hotels, so they score about the same as the city's hotels. 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.
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 there hostels near the venues in Köln?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of Köln, 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.
