Accommodation is one of the most important expenses during a trip and while backpacking in South America, you will quickly understand that a cheap and good place to stay is what you need to keep your mind healthy and your mood up.
In fact, there is nothing worse than ending up in a hostel with no atmosphere, no hot shower or nowhere to store and secure your bags. We have all been there, and it sucks.
To help you focus on what’s really important, such as activities and what to do during the day, we have created a list of the best hostels in Bolivia. This way, you are sure to end up somewhere nice for the night without breaking your wallet.
Planning a trip to Bolivia? You may also like these articles:
- 17 Most Incredible Things To Do While Backpacking in Bolivia
- Surviving the Death Road
- Isla Del Sol, A Day Walking In The South Part
- What to do in La Paz
- Rurrenabaque, 3 Days In The Bolivian Amazon
- Salar de Uyuni – A Day At The Salt Flats, What To Expect
Budget accommodation in Bolivia, what to expect
Looking for the best services
A great hostel is about creating a space where you will feel at home. In the list below we have tried to share the best places to stay in Bolivia with the type of services we like:
- A nice lamp and desk, with enough plugs beside the bed.
- A secured locker to put your backpack or your most sensitive valuables.
- A hot shower of course, as well as a well-equipped kitchen.
- We love hostels that have large communal tables and a chill out area with hammocks.
- Book exchanges
- Spanish lessons
- Yoga & Pilates classes
Movie , barbecue and quiz nights- A pool (but that’s rare in high altitude!)
- Bars and social areas with games
Most places don’t have a kitchen
South America has its way when it comes to accommodation. Each country has its specificities and it is sometimes hard to follow the different terms used in Spanish from one place to another. Bolivia isn’t an exception. One of the main differences between Bolivia and most South American backpacking destinations, is that you will rarely find a kitchen.
It is, in fact, quite affordable to eat out, and Bolivian owners don’t often see why backpackers want to use a fully-equipped, self-catering service. Well, we kind of understand. Breakfast is mostly included in the nightly fee and markets have “
So if like us, you are sick of ham and cheese sandwiches and want to cook comfort food for dinner (pasta carbonara?), this guide is definitely going to help you find the best hostel with a kitchen in Bolivia. Because for us, it is just so frustrating to not have one.
Double bedrooms are called matrimonial
Most hostels or budget accommodations offer “matrimonial” rooms, ie. a double bedroom with a shared or private bathroom. These rooms are not really budget-friendly in good
Hostels know that many young travellers in South America are couples and while a single bunk bed costs as little as €7, a matrimonial room quickly ends up being €20-€25 a night. Our recommendation is to alternate between shared dorms and matrimonials. We always find it easier to meet people and socialise when we stay in dorms but of course, they are a no-go zone when comes to intimacy.
QUICK ANSWER – The best hostels in Bolivia
La Paz
LLAMA’S HOUSE – THE QUIETEST – from €5
The Wild Rover – best bar – from €6.50
loki backpacker- best wifi/Parties – from €7
Copacabana
ECO HOSTAL Joshua – best kitchen – from €10
LA CUPULA – BEST VIEWS – from €28
Sucre
THE BEEHIVE HOSTEL – BEST BREAKFAST – from €7
KULTURBERLIN HOSTEL – BEST PARTIES – from €7
THE CELTIC CROSS – BEST BARBECUE – from €5
Potosi
CASA BLANCA HOSTAL – BEST DECOR – from €8
Samaipata
NOMADA HOSTEL – BEST OWNERS – from €10
Cochabamba
RUNNING CHASKI HOSTEL – BEST STAFF – from €9
Rurrenabaque
EL CURICHAL – BEST ATMOSPHERE – from €6
The Long answer – reviewS of the best 16 hostels in Bolivia
Best HostelS in La Paz
LLAMA’S HOUSE – THE quietEST
Dorm from €5 – Doubles from €22
Llama’s house (formerly Pirwa hostel ) is located in Sopacachi, a quiet residential area with great local restaurants and bars, right a the foot of the yellow cable car line. It is a great spot if you are looking for a noise-free hostel where you can sleep and relax. They have a nice terrace overlooking the
It is also the perfect location to visit La Paz other than its city
Note: The place can be cold at night and we can’t vouch for super hot showers… however, it is one of the only places offering a kitchen in La Paz. The breakfast is well served with Bolivian cereals, fruits, ham, cheese and coca leaf!
The Wild Rover – best bar
Dorm from €6.50 – Doubles from €28
If you are not staying for the party, stay at least for the hot showers! The Wild Rover is notoriously famous for its great bar at night, which also serves Irish food during the day. If you are missing baked beans, pudding and hash browns for brekkie, it is the place to go… but you will have to pay extra.
The free breakfast buffet only includes bread, butter and jam, coffee and tea.
Just be careful to not stay in the hostel all day, you can quickly get stuck socialising and drinking on a tab without noticing it. No kitchen.
Our recommendation: take earplugs and sleeping masks if you plan on sleeping but enjoy taking a burning hot shower, it is rare in Bolivia.
photo credit – Wild Rover Hostels
loki backpacker- best wifi/Parties
Dorm from €7 – Doubles from €25
Loki backpacker is also a party hostel. Probably the best one in town. Their all-glass Skybar on the 5th floor is absolutely incredible and offers one of the best views over La Paz.
The hostel is overall very nice with really comfortable beds, exceptionally good wifi (for Bolivia) and super hot showers. No kitchen.
Photo credit – Loki backpacker hostel
Best HOSTELS in Copacabana
ECO Joshua HOSTAL – best kitchen
Dorm from €10 – Doubles from €20
The Eco Joshua Hostal is one of the budget backpackers’ favourites for its comfort, perfect location by lake Titicaca and the ferry to Isla del Sol, great staff and of course the access to a kitchen. There is a really nice garden, perfect to chill out away from the hustle and bustle of La Paz and some people can also pitch their tent in a dedicated area.
The hostel is focused on eco-friendly solutions with dry toilets and decorations made of second-hand products. They grow their own vegetables and their indoor restaurant is the only one in Copacabana offering vegetarian and vegan food.
Best Hostels in Cochabamba
Running chaski hostel – BEST STAFF
Dorm from €9 – Doubles from €33
This friendly hostel is the perfect base to explore the town of Cochabamba and relax after a couple of treks in the region. The Running Chaski hostel is highly regarded in Cochabamba. But for once, it isn’t for its large and well-equipped kitchen, nor its many secure lockers or the great laid back atmosphere…
It is in fact the staff that most people will remember. Each team member and the volunteer will go above and beyond to help you out and share their knowledge about the area, the Oruro carnival or the best hikes to see dinosaur footprints!
Best hostels in Rurrenabaque
el curichal – best atmosphere
Dorm from €6 – Doubles from €19
At El Curichal the atmosphere is one of the best we have seen in Bolivia. The owner is a genuinely funny guy who loves entertaining and organising Quiz Nights and BBQ Ribs! The second best part is the huge swimming pool and the few shaded hammocks where you can just relax after a few days in the Amazon pampa or jungle. The rooms are cosy and the showers clean.
Note: They have a couple of cats who like to hang out in the rooms, so if you are allergic it is best to find somewhere else, but if like us you are fond of cats, it is a must go to cuddle! No kitchen.
Best hostels in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
360 grados – best doubles
Dorm from €6 – Doubles from €23
The 360 Grados is a great surprise for couples looking for an affordable double bedroom in Santa Cruz with access to a kitchen. The hostel is clean, there is plenty of space and a big rooftop terrace. The breakfast is basic but good, with ham, cheese, bread, yoghurt and fruits and you can cook your eggs the way you like them.
It is a family-run hostel and the owners who used to live in London speak excellent English. They will give you the best advice to visit Santa Cruz and the rest of the region. 360 Grados is perfectly situated near the market Los Pozos and only 15 minutes walk to the main square and the Cathedral.
Jodanga Backpacker Hostel – best swimming pool
Dorm from €10 – Doubles from €30
Jodanga backpacker hostel is located right in the centre of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is one of the only hostels offering both a kitchen and a huge swimming pool. Despite being the backpackers’ favourite hostel, it isn’t a party place. You can relax by the pool and enjoy the warm weather of Santa Cruz de la Sierra any time of the year.
The breakfast is well served and included in the price. It is the best place to stay in Santa Cruz for solo travellers.
Best hostels in Samaipata
NOMADA HOSTEL – BEST OWNERS
Dorm from €10 – Doubles from €26
The Nomada hostel is also a restaurant and café in the centre of Samaipata. We like its large garden, the view over the mountain, the comfortable bedrooms and the delicious breakfast included in the price of the night. But what we love the most is how genuinely nice the owners are. You will feel at home and well taken care of at the Nomada hostel.
There is no kitchen, but there are plenty of nice and cheap restaurants in Samaipata to not need one.
EL JARDIN – most hippyish
Dorms from €4.5 – Doubles from €10 – Camping from €3
El Jardin is probably the most unusual hostel in Samaipata. You can’t book it online but we thought you might like it. Most of the premises are made of traditional adobe, glass bottles and a lot of creativity. It is the perfect place to meet travellers, relax and read a book in the garden.
It is also the most budget-friendly place to stay in Samaipata but the services are limited. They have a kitchen though but don’t expect much from it.
Best HOSTELS in Sucre
THE BEEHIVE HOSTEL – BEST BREAKFAST
Dorm from €7 – Doubles €21
The Beehive hostel is also a community centre to empower Bolivian women. Nice and quiet, the Spanish classes which take place on-site are very good and tailored depending on your level. There is a kitchen, yoga classes and a great patio to chill in the sun.
The best part of this hostel is the breakfast. On weekdays you can choose between eggs and toast, or a giant bowl with 7 different fruits, porridge and homemade granola, while on the weekend you will be served French toast on Saturdays and pancakes on Sundays.
Photo credit – The Beehive hostel
KULTURBERLIN HOSTEL – BEST PARTIES
Dorm from €7 – Doubles from €26
This is the place to be for the parties in Sucre. Even the locals come at night to party with the backpackers. This means that KulturBerlin is a noisy place at night and a very chilled out place during the day. We like their large patio and their incredible breakfast buffet in the morning (if you manage to wake up on time).
If you prefer a quieter place, choose another hostel and come to KulturBerlin for the party at night. They don’t have a kitchen.
Photo credit – KulturBerlin hostel
THE CELTIC CROSS – BEST BARBECUE
Dorm from €5 – Doubles from €20
This is one of the greatest
They have a kitchen and organise barbecue nights once a week.
Best HOSTELs in Potosi
CASA BLANCA HOSTAL – BEST DECOR
Dorm from €8 – Doubles from €24
Casa Blanca is probably the only hostel in Potosi with a bit of atmosphere. This is why it tends to get booked out well in advance, so make sure to check out the availability prior to visiting.
The hostel is right in the centre of Potosi, 2 minutes from the main square and all the main attractions in town. There
Ready to start planning your activities in Bolivia?
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About the Author
Jen is the Funder, Author & Photographer behind Talesfromthelens.comJen has lived for the past 15 years across Oceania and Ireland while also travelling in Latin America, North America, and Europe. She has visited more than 65 countries and set foot on every continent in the world! She is a coffee nerd, passionate about photography, wildlife, and outdoor activities.
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