The Best Hostels in Copenhagen, Denmark

Looking for luxury on a budget? This four-star boutique hotel has sleek stylish dorms with bunk beds to rest your head, designed in cool Scandinavian monochrome. Join your fellow travellers for the daily complimentary wine hour – or crack open a cold Danish beer on the rooftop terrace at sunset. Book a table at Tivolihallen, the hostel’s local eatery, a cosy establishment offering open-faced sandwiches (smørrebrød) – the dried cod is a must-try.

Steel House is well situated between Vesterport train station and the Lakes, giving you easy access to old city attractions such as Tivoli Gardens and City Hall. Set inside the reclaimed Danish Union of Metalworkers building, the rough industrial framework is balanced with lush, comfortable rooms and seating areas. Choose from six- or four-bed dorms (including all-female and mixed rooms) with New-Yorker inspired sleeping pods and private bathrooms. There’s an on-site café/bar/restaurant, as well as a gym, a pool (yes, really) and yoga classes.

Located just about as close as you can get to Copenhagen’s bustling Meatpacking District Kødbyen, this colourful hybrid hotel/hostel puts you right where the Vesterbro action is. Within walking distance of the central train station and Tivoli, the hostel has been run by the same family for three generations. Brightly coloured rooms, each with a flat-screen TV, are available in single, double, triple and quadruple formats – the latter particularly well suited to those with kids in tow. An optional organic breakfast buffet is offered every morning, with a huge spread of Danish pastries. Alternatively, you can keep travel costs down by cooking in the self-catering kitchen.

Five times awarded Most Popular Hostel in Copenhagen at Hostelworld’s Hoscars, the Copenhagen Downtown Hostel is hard to beat. Smack in the middle of the historic city centre, the location can’t be beaten. As a self-proclaimed party place, here you’ll find a younger international set, soaking up the vibrant scene set by the hostel with nightly parties in the bar and a thumping dance club downstairs. With 10 different room sizes, there is something for everyone, from solo travellers to two friends or a sizeable group. Premium doubles come with en-suite bathrooms, or you can take the budget route and grab a bunk in the mixed 10-bed dorm; all-female options are available in four-bed dormitories with a shared bathroom. The all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet will start your day right.

The Generator group is known for its urban design-forward facilities across Europe, and the Copenhagen hub is no exception. Set in between the King’s Garden and Kongens Nytorv, the hostel is minutes from all the iconic Copenhagen sights, including the colourful Nyhavn Canal. It’s set up to create social interactions with fellow travellers as well as locals. Grab a seat at the on-site restaurant and bar, where communal tables get people connecting while enjoying burgers and shakes. It also sports the largest shuffleboard centre in the city, so you can challenge your friends; alternatively, try a game of pétanque on the roof. Female-only and mixed dorms are available; bunks come with large under-bed lockers and extra-large mirrors. Singles, doubles and family rooms come with an en-suite bathroom.

Right behind Copenhagen’s Central Station in the vibrant Vesterbro neighbourhood is the Urban House hostel. It’s near enough to explore the city’s historic centre, as well as the dynamic gallery, restaurant and bar scene in this part of the Danish capital. A perfect spot for backpackers, friends and solo travellers looking for a party, the hostel has a bar with late-night DJs and a games room. Dorms range from four- to ten-beds, including female-only dormitories for over 18s, all with private bathrooms and showers. Accommodation is modern yet minimal, spread across several renovated older buildings. Communal areas use reclaimed wood decor and Danish design to offset the exposed industrial feel of the space.

With a goal to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025, Copenhagen affords many opportunities to explore sustainability. Woodah Hostel is designed around these ideals. With a focus on locally produced, eco-friendly products, the hostel offers mixed-sex dorms with six, 12 or 14 custom-made wooden bunk pods. You’ll find Scandi boho cosy spaces in the connected cafe, where you can sip fair trade coffee before exploring the city, or try a local craft beer on tap. Woodah is close to Tivoli Gardens, and also collaborates with local yoga studios to offer classes nearby.

Budget travellers should make a beeline to this uber-convenient hostel near Central Station for some of the lowest prices in the city. Socialise in the house bar that sells affordable pints, or enjoy a drink outside on the terrace. Bunk beds come with curtains for privacy in the mixed dormitories with four, six, eight or 18 beds. While there is no kitchen, a standard Danish breakfast buffet is offered every morning, including their well-known special house-baked bread.

Welcoming travellers to Copenhagen since 1999, the Sleep in Heaven hostel is a popular pick for those looking to stay off the beaten track. Nestled in the energetic Nørrebro neighbourhood, the surrounding area is full of restaurants, cafes and bars. Foodies will delight as they sip some of the city’s best coffee, try the local craft beer and sample sustainable fare nearby. Catering to the younger backpacking and student set, the multi-bunk dorms are for visitors aged 16 to 35, who will enjoy the laid-back vibe of this hostel’s bar and beer garden.