Hostels in Rotterdam
There are 9 hostels listed within about five miles of central Rotterdam, which is 3.6% of everything on offer in the city — unusually high - this is a genuine backpacker city. This page covers what that actually means for a trip: which hostels are here, how they rate against Rotterdam's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in Rotterdam?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of Rotterdam'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 | Rotterdam | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 9 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 3.6% | Unusually high - this is a genuine backpacker city. Measured against all 253 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.6/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 7.8/10 | The same measure for Rotterdam’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of Rotterdam. 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.
-
Hostel ROOM Rotterdam
Van Vollenhovenstraat 62, Rotterdam
Central Location & Nearby Attractions Located in the heart of the city, Hostel ROOM Rotterdam is just a short walk from Central station and the iconic Erasmus Bridge. Perfect for …
-
King Kong Hostel
Witte de Withstraat 72 74, Rotterdam
Luxurious Accommodation with Modern Amenities King Kong Hostel in the vibrant Cool district of Rotterdam offers non-smoking rooms with free Wi-Fi. The rooms feature stylish bathro…
-
Recharge Hostel
Witte de Withstraat 41, Rotterdam
Vibrant Stay in Rotterdam Convenient Location: Situated just a short distance from popular attractions like Diergaarde Blijdorp and Ahoy Rotterdam, Recharge Hostel offers easy acc…
-
Stayokay Hostel Rotterdam - fully renovated April 2026
Overblaak 85-87, Rotterdam
Unique Cube House Experience Stayokay Hostel Rotterdam offers a one-of-a-kind stay in the iconic cube houses of Rotterdam. Located in the city centre and just across from Blaak Me…
-
Pods by The Usual Rotterdam
14 Westblaak, Rotterdam
Central Location and Proximity to Key Attractions The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Rotterdam, close to Erasmus University, Diergaarde Blijdorp, and other popular …
-
CoolDocks
Welcome to CoolDocks, your ideal retreat in the heart of vibrant Rotterdam! Recreation Opportunities Immerse yourself in the dynamic atmosphere of the city with our readily availa…
-
Sparks Hostel
1A Westersingel, Rotterdam
Convenient Location Located just 350m from Rotterdam Central Station, Sparks Hostel offers easy access to various modes of transportation, making it a perfect choice for travelers…
-
Hostel Ani&Haakien
Coolsestraat 47, Rotterdam
Quirky Hostel Experience in Rotterdam At Hostel Ani&Haakien, immerse yourself in a unique backpacker-friendly accommodation just a short walk from Rotterdam Central Station. Enjoy…
-
Tourist Travel Inn
Boterstraat 68, Schiedam
Tourist Travel Inn is conveniently located near popular attractions and offers a comfortable stay for guests. Prime Location: Close proximity to TU Delft, BCN Rotterdam, and other…
Staying in a hostel for a Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam
- From about $222.00View Tickets
- From about $222.00View Tickets
- From about $264.00View Tickets
- From about $258.00View Tickets
- From about $222.00View Tickets
- From about $242.00View 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 Rotterdam 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 hostels in Rotterdam any good?
Rotterdam's hostels average 7.6/10 in guest scores against 7.8/10 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.
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.
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.
How many hostels are there in Rotterdam?
Our accommodation partner lists 9 hostels within about five miles of central Rotterdam, out of 253 places to stay in total — 3.6% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
