Planning a trip to Frankfurt, Germany? Nice one!
Like most major cities in Germany, Frankfurt saw its fair share of fighting during WW2. Much of the city was destroyed and later rebuilt.
Modern-day Frankfurt is the story of that recovery. The city is a European economic powerhouse, home to the World Bank, a world-famous Christmas market, a restored old town, beautiful parks, and an impressive cathedral.
As Frankfurt is a major city in Europe, a visit here is not without its costs. That said, traveling here need not be crazy expensive.
That is exactly why I wrote this guide to the best hostels in Frankfurt for 2021.
This hostel guide offers up practical information on the city’s best and cheapest backpacker accommodation. Choosing the right place to stay in Frankfurt is about as easy as enjoying a cold German beer.
Whether you are looking for the best hostel for solo travelers, the best hostel with a private room, or just the cheapest damn bed in town, this hostel guide will get you sorted.
Let’s get right to it…
Quick Answer: The Best Hostels in Frankfurt
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Frankfurt – Five Elements Hostel Frankfurt
- Best Hostel with a Private Room in Frankfurt – MEININGER Frankfurt/Main Airport
The 10 Best Hostels in Frankfurt
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Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Frankfurt – Five Elements Hostel
- $$
- Bar
- Lots Of Free Stuff
- Nightly Activities/Events
Five Elements is a PRIME place for socialising, meeting people, having fun, drinking, all those classic hostel shenanigans that lead to new friends, so we’ve earmarked it as the best hostel for solo travellers in Frankfurt. The vibe is just awesome, to put it bluntly, and the staff are super helpful and friendly – always a mega plus at a hostel. We’re literally astonished at the amount of free stuff going on here: dinners, tea and coffee, crepes for breakfast, towels, lockers, evening activities (beer-tasting, movie nights, etc.)… And the bar is open 24/7. P.S. The happy hour is immense.
We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that still stands the test of time: the backpacker-approved Osprey Aether.
Want more deetz on why it’s so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel with a Private Room in Frankfurt – MEININGER Frankfurt/Main Airport
- $$$
- Bar & Cafe
- Self Catering Facilities
- Air Conditioning
Another MEININGER hostel and another uninspiring name. But with a tried-and-tested hotel-hostel crossover type thing going on, this is easily the best hostel with a private room in Frankfurt. I mean, the private rooms are just spotless and stylish – not exactly the coolest hostel in Frankfurt, but it’s definitely a welcome break from sub-par private rooms. Also as the name suggests you’ll be P close to the airport staying here, so that’s nice and convenient – it’s actually so close that you could walk it if you wanted to. (But the hostel also runs its own shuttle service).
Overall Best Hostel in Frankfurt – MEININGER Frankfurt/Main Messe
- $$$
- Self Catering Facilities
- 24-Hour Reception
- Bar
Though it feels more like a hotel than a hostel, that’s possibly the reason that MEININGER Frankfurt/Main Messe is the overall best hostel in Frankfurt. It’s somewhat lacking in atmosphere (you know, cause it’s a bit hotel-y), but on the plus side it’s super clean, modern, nicely decorated, stylish. The best hostel in Frankfurt 2021 SHOULD be all that. The location is a little bit outta town but we can deal with that, right? It’s a short walk to the centre along the river which is actually really nice if you like walking. Alternatively, the nearest S-Bahn station is about a 10 min stroll away. Decent bar!
MEININGER Frankfurt/Main Messe is one of our favourites in Frankfurt but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Best Cheap Hostel in Frankfurt – Frankfurt Hostel
- $
- Free Breakfast
- Free Walking Tour
- Free Nightly Dinner Party
You wanna talk cheap? Then allow us to introduce Frankfurt Hostel: a hostel that’s not as simple as its name suggests AND is the best cheap hostel in Frankfurt. It’s not simple in that it’s actually pretty cool-looking. For one there’s a bar downstairs and it’s pretty fancy, has that old world ambience about it, y’know? The dorms actually ARE a bit simple and basic, but for a proper, proper bargain of a budget hostel in Frankfurt we reckon you’ll be able to forgive that. The vibe here is also pretty poppin’, so expect a few late nights. Best of all though? The free all-you-can-eat breakfasts and the FREE dinners every night!
Frankfurt Hostel is one of our favourites in Frankfurt but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
More Best Hostels in Frankfurt
Hold up – but what if you actually don’t wanna stay in a hostel in Frankfurt? Well, we got you covered, since we’ve also been checkin’ through the best hotels in Frankfurt too. Feast your eyes on our top picks…
Are you looking to stay in specific neighborhood? Check out our guide to Frankfurt’s best areas to stay.
Best Budget Hotel in Frankfurt – Pension Alpha Frankfurt City
- $
- TV in Room
- 24-Hour Reception
- Private Bathrooms
For a simple hotel with cosy rooms and very very decent location, you can’t really get much better than Pension Alpha Frankfurt City. It’s just a simple pick for a place to stay, a few mins walk from the old town, not far from the main train station; it’s clean, modern, but pretty simple. It’s our choice for the best budget hotel in Frankfurt. It’s got a friendly and helpful team working here, who’ll do stuff like check you in early – it’s the little things, right? Makes all the difference. It IS however quite basic. But what do you expect for a super budget hotel in Frankfurt?
Best Mid-Range Hotel in Frankfurt – Star Apart Hotel
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- FREE SNACKS
- Outdoor Terrace
This top hotel in Frankfurt got the star bit right: it’s a sick place to stay for the money you pay. The rooms are comfy, spacious and decorated in an inexplicable Hollywood theme – which is bit bizarre – and some of the have city skyline views. Dreamy stuff. Elsewhere and equally dreamy there’s a very good continental breakfast included in the room price – and a bunch of other free snacks besides. Location-wise? It’s close to buses, trams and trains, and is basically a top pick for getting around the city. Our best mid-range hotel in Frankfurt also features a chill outdoor terrace for post-city-exploration hanging-out.
Best Splurge Hotel in Frankfurt – Libertine Lindenberg
- $$$
- Literally So Cool
- Netflix
- Bar
The coolest hotel in Frankfurt, Libertine Lindenberg features ultra-chic design, modern furnishings, apartment-esque rooms that feel like home (only cooler – and with Netflix) and generally just drips with Instagram-worthiness at every step. I mean, for starters, there’s a huge beetle collection (really) in the lobby that feels so out of place that it MUST be cool, right? Right…? AND there’s a vegetarian buffet breakfast waiting for you in the morning… if you pay extra, that is (boo). But yeah, for the boutique style by itself – let alone the killer location – this is easily the best splurge hotel in Frankfurt. Those beetles tho.
Hotel Beethoven
- $$$
- Free Breakfast
- Free Parking
- Air Conditioning
Set in a beautiful old building, this top hotel in Frankfurt is charming from the outside, but not very cool on the inside. It’s ok-looking. But though it feels a bit old-school, this 4-star offering is still a decent slice of luxury – staff are service-minded and very friendly, the rooms are pretty decent and some suites have balconies; there’s a tasty free breakfast on offer here, too. The location is pretty sick as well: it’s a short walk to some top Frankurter attractions and generally set in a decent area itself. We’re not quite sure what the Beethoven connection is but maybe it just makes it sound nice.
Schöne Aussicht
- $$
- The View
- Room Service
- Restaurant & Bar
Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. It’s very cool here. The bar is like something from a design magazine. The little touches of furniture and general vibe of minimalism is something that we can really get on board with. This (relatively) budget hotel in Frankfurt also features a REAL nice rooftop terrace with its own Schöne Aussicht – or ‘beautiful view’ in the English tongue – of Frankfurt and the Main Valley. So that’s why this hotel is named that. Umm, but yeah! The staff are really friendly, the place LOOKS the part (it is honestly very cool), and it’s in a chill/quiet location not too far from Frankfurt’s centre and all of the best bars and restaurants.
NH Frankfurt Villa
- $$
- Room Service
- Air Conditioning
- Spacious Rooms
Wow, the rooms at NH Frankfurt Villa are really spacious and really chic. We like that. Room to run around in a hotel room is proper luxury cause you don’t need it! It’s totally unnecessary. But brilliant. Anyway. The onsite restaurant does some decent food, which you can either eat in a luxe-looking dining room, or outside in a charming terrace area. Like, actually charming. It’s really cute. And onto another plus of this recommended hotel in Frankfurt: all (or most) of the city’s main attractions are but a few mins away by tram. And if you don’t have trams in your country this is a fun novelty.
NH Frankfurt Villa is one of our favourites in Frankfurt but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
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What to Pack for your Frankfurt Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straight forward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art we have perfected over many years.
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Frankfurt
The time has come for me to leave you: we have come to the end of my best hostels in Frankfurt 2021 list…
Certainly you know by now that backpacking in Frankfurt can be a but pricey. After reading my hostel guide, you are now prepared to take the city by storm without your wallet feeling totally sacked as well.
I have covered all of the best hostels in Frankfurt and then some, so all of the top budget options are on the table.
With a little planning, you can experience the best of what Frankfurt has to offer without spending a fortune on accommodation.
Once you set your sites on a hostel from my list, I highly recommend that you book your spot in advance as Frankfurt does not have the same volume of hostels as other German cities, and the hostels do book out fast. Don’t wait until the last minute!
All of the best hostels in Frankfurt are now in your hands. The choice of where to book is now up to you!
Still undecided? Feeling conflicted about where to stay in Frankfurt?
If that is true, I advise you to just go with my top overall pick for best hostel in Frankfurt: MEININGER Frankfurt/Main Messe. Happy travels.
FAQ about Hostels in Frankfurt
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Frankfurt.
Travel Safety Tips for Frankfurt
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More Epic Hostels in Germany and Europe
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Cologne.
Planning an epic trip all across Germany or even Europe itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Europe, check out:
Over to you
By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Frankfurt has helped you choose the perfect hostel for your adventure!
If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
