History? Check. Beautiful buildings and huge castles? Check. Excellent, cheap beer everywhere? Check. Hip, youthful neighbourhoods packed with art and culture? Check. Prague, as you might have worked out by now, is a backpacker’s dream destination.
Prague Castle (Photo: Paul Stafford courtesy of TravelMag.com)
Prague has much to offer the budget traveller, not least of all, a high number of clean, good-value hostels. The city centre is fairly compact and it is possible to get around easily under your own steam, especially because most of these hostels are also located downtown. While other neighbourhoods, like Prague 7, are becoming more popular with visitors, it still pays to base yourself in the heart of the action and take daytrips outside of the centre.
There are roughly one hundred hostels in Prague, which means choosing the right one for you can involve a lot of time spent researching. That is why we have compiled this list to narrow the selection down to the best budget accommodation Prague can offer. The average price per dorm bed per night, location, cleanliness and the reviews of previous guests have all been taken into account in putting this selection of hostels in Prague together. Free wifi is available in all of the following hostels.
DREAM Hostel Prague
Dorms from €24 per person per night
By far one of Prague’s most comfortable hostels is DREAM, where the beds in particular have received high plaudits. But DREAM is well-appointed throughout, with generous common spaces for guests, decorated with elegant wood and earth tones, plenty of plant life, natural light and work spaces for those needing to set up their laptop and connect electronically. There’s a communal kitchen with plenty of utensils and an on-site coffee shop so you don’t have to go far for that morning caffeine hit. The National Museum is just a couple of streets away from this hostel.
Ve Smečkách 23, 110 00 Nové Město
Little Quarter Hostel
Dorms from €17 per person per night
If it’s historic charm and a great location that you’re looking for during your time in Prague, you’ll struggle to do better than Little Quarter Hostel. Situated on a pretty street of Baroque buildings below Prague Castle known as the Royal Route, you’re just a few minutes’ walk from Charles Bridge as well. This is also the locale and side of the river containing the Franz Kafka Museum and as such, it is very popular with tourists. The rooms are surprisingly spacious and offer decent levels of security, such as rooms and lockers that are opened by key card. Little Quarter Hostel also enjoys its own terrace and bar.
Nerudova 21/246, 180 00 Malá Strana
Sophie’s Hostel
Dorms from €9 per person per night. Private rooms from €35
Luckily Sophie’s Hostel doesn’t present you with a Sophie’s Choice type decision when it comes to finding an excellent hostel bed for a bargain price. This is one of the most consistently great value-high quality stays in Prague. With the National Museum only a few minutes away, the hostel enjoys a decent location in the New Town, but only a short distance from the Old Town. If you’d prefer to splurge on a private room, the doubles are competitively priced and you can take advantage of the hostel’s facilities, like a shared kitchen and the on-site coffee house and bar.
Melounova 2, 120 00 Nové Město
Hostel One Míru
Dorms from €16 per person per night
For those seeking a quieter hostel, the family-run Hostel One Míru is generally more laid back than other spots on this list. It is located a little deeper into New Town, although the sights of Old Town and Mala Strana on the other side of the river are still easily accessible, as is the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Zizkov, with its very recognisable TV tower. Dorms at Hostel One Míru are quite small, sleeping eight or ten people, although the room sizes vary, so if you value that little extra bit of space, be sure to book the single bed in the mixed dormitory room option.
Slezská 1, 120 00 Vinohrady
Old Prague House
Dorms from €25 per person per night. Private rooms from €52
Very much in the thick of the Old Town action, with Charles Bridge just around the corner and many of Prague’s top sights only minutes away, Old Prague House is a good, no-frills central choice. Common areas are at a minimum, although there’s a small kitchen with some seating and an outdoor terrace when the weather allows. The dormitory rooms hold no more than five people, all in single beds, so idea for those who aren’t fans of the bunk bed standard when staying in hostels. There are also private and family rooms available at this hostel.
Náprstkova 214/7, 110 00 Staré Město
By Paul Stafford