Category: mexico

My 5 Favorite Hostels in Mexico City

One of the many beautiful historic buildings in Mexico City Over the past several years, Mexico City has become a hot spot for travelers as cheap flights and a burgeoning food scene have made this an ideal destination for travelers who wish to discover its temples, museums, and restaurants while sticking to a budget. As such, the choices of hostels have exploded — there are now over 40. They’ve become a lot more luxurious and offer better accommodations than before. But they are still cheap! Beds generally cost 229-379 MXN ($12-20 USD) per night. Plus, you’ll find that many hostels offer tours, free breakfast, and common areas for meeting other travelers. To help you plan your trip, here is my list of the hostels in Mexico City that I like the most. If you don’t want to read the longer list below, here’s the quick highlights. Based on lots of night stays and years of experience, the following hostels are the best in each category: Best Hostel for Budget Travelers: Massiosare El Hostel Best Hostel for Solo Female Travelers: Casa Pepe Best Hostel for Digital Nomads: Hostel Home Best Hostel for Families: Massiosare El Hostel Best Hostel for Partying: Hostel Amigo Suites Downtown Best Overall Hostel: Casa Pepe Want the specifics of each hostel? Here’s my comprehensive list of the best hostels in Mexico City: Price Legend (per night)
  • $ = Under $20 USD
  • $$ = $20-30 USD
  • $$$ = Over $30 USD

1. Casa Pepe

One of the beautiful dorm rooms at the Casa Pepe hostel in Mexico City Hands-down the best hostel in the city, Casa Pepe is equal parts cultural hub and boutique hostel. It offers a plethora of activities for travelers like in-house concerts, wrestling trips, tequila tastings, traditional dishes for breakfast, and free daily walking tours in different areas of town too. The rooms are clean and spacious and come with private lockers. The dorm beds are cubby-like and covered by a curtain, so you can have your own private space, which makes sleeping a lot easier. They also come with their own light and USB charger port. You can enjoy yoga in the morning and relax on the rooftop terrace in the evening (there’s a rooftop swimming pool too!). If you’re looking for a social hostel that makes it easy to meet people, this is it! It’s also located in a great part of the historic center of the city, near the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Zócalo. Casa Pepe at a Glance:
  • $$
  • Organizes tons of activities and events
  • Female-only dorms for extra privacy and security
  • Great place to meet other travelers
Beds from 379 MXN ($20 USD), privates from 1,619 MXN ($86 USD). —> Book your stay at Casa Pepe!

2. Massiosare El Hostel

Bunk beds in the Massiosare El Hostel in Mexico City Towering over Mexico City, Massiosare El Hostel is located in the penthouse of a beautiful historic building. There’s no elevator up to the hostel (which is on the 4th floor), though, which can be tiring, but it more than compensates with cozy dorm rooms and a super chill rooftop. The views from the roof are incredible, and it’s a fun place to relax at night and listen to music with other travelers. There are two kitchens (one for vegetarians and one for meat eaters) as well as a free breakfast every morning as well. It’s another great social hostel, and it’s super easy to meet people here. Just make sure to bring earplugs since it’s an old building and sounds tend to carry. Massiosare El Hostel at a Glance:
  • $
  • Laid-back rooftop for hanging out and mingling
  • Free breakfast
  • Social atmosphere so its easy to meet people
Beds from 240 MXN ($12 USD), privates from 600 MXN ($31 USD). —> Book your stay at Massiosare El Hostel!

3. Hostel Home

one of the dorm rooms in Hostel Home, Mexico City Hostel Home is Mexico City’s first hostel. Located in the Roma district, this place feels is super homey. It’s small, with colorful paintings on the walls and tons of potted plants, and offers comfortable beds, free drinking water, and good Wi-Fi. The rooms are a little cramped, but each dorm bed has its own locker and power socket, and there’s a large common area in which to socialize in. There’s a kitchen to cook and fresh fruit and eggs are provided at breakfast. The staff are also super helpful and can provide information about the surrounding area and things to do nearby. If you want a more “old school” hostel feel, this place is it. Hostel Home at a Glance:
  • $
  • Laid-back, homey vibe
  • Great location near lots of bars and restaurants
  • Free breakfast
Beds from 300 MXN ($15 USD), privates from 747 MXN ($39 USD). —> Book your stay at Hostel Home!

4. Suites DF Hostel

the dorm room of the Suites DF Hostel in Mexico City Suites DF Hostel is located in the hustle and bustle of downtown near tons of bars, restaurants, and cafés — although it’s still a bit quieter than other hostels so if you want to avoid a party hostel, stay here. Overall, the rooms are clean and simple, and the bedsheets have bright, funky designs that brighten up the place. All the dorms have en suite bathrooms, and there is a personal light and power socket for each bed. There are multiple common rooms to hang out in, a cool terrace for relaxing, and free breakfast every morning. The hostel also offers a lot of awesome tours to see the sights and meet other people. They also arrange trips to the Teotihuacán Pyramids, the Xochimilco Canals, and lucha libre wrestling matches. Suites DF Hostel at a Glance:
  • $
  • Central downtown location near lots of bars and restaurants
  • Lots of common areas so it’s easy to meet people
  • Organizes lots of events and activities
Beds from 324 MXN ($17 USD), privates from 857 MXN ($45 USD). —> Book your stay at Suites DF Hostel!

5. Hostel Amigo Suites Downtown

the terrace of the Amigo Suites Inn in Mexico City This hostel is the place to party. The rooftop terrace and bar go until 5:00 in the morning! After spending your night partying, you can soak in the sunshine in the solarium or swing on one of the hammocks. Dorm rooms are small (only 3 or 4 beds per room). You’ll get towels, a personal locker, and an en suite bathroom. The private rooms are pretty spacious, though, with either a double bed or two single beds. There’s also a delicious free vegetarian buffet breakfast and dinner. Hostel Amigo Suites Downtown at a Glance:
  • $
  • Party atmosphere so it’s easy to meet people
  • Bar on-site makes it easy to mingle
  • Free breakfast and dinner
Beds from 229 MXN ($12 USD), privates from 650 MXN ($35 USD). —> Book your stay at Hostel Amigo Suites Downtown!
***
Mexico City and the hostel scene here is fast becoming one of the best in the region. Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to stay or want to party the nights away, Mexico City will have a hostel for you. The prices are incredibly reasonable too, making it an affordable destination for backpackers and budget travelers alike. P.S. – Want to meet other travelers in real life? This year we launched The Nomadic Network, a platform created to help travelers connect, learn, and get inspired in real life! Here are our upcoming events if you want to take part: Seattle (2/17), Austin (2/18), Fort Lauderdale (2/19), Portland (2/19), San Francisco (2/20), Los Angeles (2/23), Detroit (2/24), Boston (2/24), Dublin (2/24), San Diego (2/24), London (2/25), Chicago (2/25), and NYC (3/10).

Book Your Trip to Mexico City: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are: Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too! Looking for more travel tips for Mexico City? Check out my in-depth Mexico City travel guide for more ways to save money, costs, tips on what to see and do, suggested itineraries, reading, packing lists, and much, much more!
Photo credits: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6