Hostels in San Francisco
There are 15 hostels listed within about five miles of central San Francisco, which is 3.8% 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 San Francisco's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in San Francisco?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of San Francisco'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 | San Francisco | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 15 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 3.8% | Unusually high - this is a genuine backpacker city. Measured against all 391 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.9/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 7.9/10 | The same measure for San Francisco’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in San Francisco score about the same as the city's hotels. 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 San Francisco, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of San Francisco. 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 San Francisco Downtown Hostel
312 Mason Street, San Francisco
Convenient Location Located in the heart of San Francisco, just a short stroll from Union Square, HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel offers a prime spot for shopping and dining enth…
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Adelaide Hostel
5 Isadora Duncan Lane, San Francisco
Central Location near Union Square This San Francisco hostel is just a 5-minute walk from Union Square, making it a perfect base for exploring the city. Comfortable Accommodation …
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Orange Village Hostel
411 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco
Central Location in San Francisco Orange Village Hostel, conveniently situated near Union Square, offers a comfortable stay in the heart of San Francisco. With private rooms, dorm…
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Amsterdam Hostel
749 Taylor Street, San Francisco
Central Location Conveniently situated just 8 minutes' walk from Union Square, Amsterdam Hostel offers easy access to San Francisco's top attractions. Explore Chinatown and The Ma…
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Ansonia Hotel - Hostel
711 Post St, San Francisco
Convenient Amenities Enjoy complimentary wireless internet access, TV in common area, and a convenient vending machine. Featured Amenities Benefit from a 24-hour front desk, lugga…
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Luz Hotel
725 Geary Street, San Francisco
Historic Charm and Modern Comfort in the Heart of San Francisco Convenient Location: Situated just a 10-minute walk from Union Square, Luz Hotel offers easy access to popular attr…
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Music City Hotel - The San Francisco Music Experience
1353 Bush Street, San Francisco
Music-Themed Boutique Hotel & Hostel Experience the vibrant music culture of San Francisco at our unique boutique lifestyle hotel & hostel. Sleep in comfort in private rooms or ou…
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Green Tortoise Hostel
494 Broadway Street, San Francisco
Vibrant Hostel in North Beach Little Italy Social Atmosphere in the Grand Ballroom Experience the heart of our hostel in the Grand Ballroom, where music, games, and friendships fl…
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European Hostel
761 Minna Street, San Francisco
Central Location and Great Views Located just 3 blocks from the iconic cable cars and Civic Center, San Francisco European Hostel offers a convenient and picturesque stay. Enjoy s…
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Samesun San Francisco
1475 Lombard Street, San Francisco
Vibrant Marina District Location Located in the heart of San Francisco's Marina District, Samesun San Francisco offers air-conditioned rooms with modern amenities. Comfortable Acc…
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HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel
240 Fort Mason, San Francisco
Breathtaking Views of San Francisco Bay Located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf, HI San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel offers stunning views of the iconic San Francisco Bay.…
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Perramont Hotel
2162 Market Street, San Francisco
Central Location in Castro District Located just a short stroll from Duboce Park, Perramont Hotel offers easy access to the vibrant Castro District. Explore the nearby Castro Thea…
Staying in a hostel for a San Francisco 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 San Francisco
- From about $73.00View Tickets
- From about $65.00View Tickets
- From about $70.00View Tickets
- From about $37.00View Tickets
See all San Francisco events →
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 Warfield
- Stays near Orpheum Theatre - San Francisco
- Stays near Oracle Park
- Stays near The Fillmore - San Francisco
- Stays near The Masonic - San Francisco
- Stays near Curran Theatre
- Stays near Golden Gate Theatre
- Stays near Toni Rembe Theater
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 San Francisco 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
How many hostels are there in San Francisco?
Our accommodation partner lists 15 hostels within about five miles of central San Francisco, out of 391 places to stay in total — 3.8% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
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 San Francisco any good?
San Francisco's hostels average 7.9/10 in guest scores against 7.9/10 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.
Are there hostels near the venues in San Francisco?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of San Francisco, 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.
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.
