The Best Budget-Friendly Hostels in Liverpool, UK

It’s less than 10 minutes’ walk from Lime Street station to this popular hostel, housed in a Grade II-listed Victorian building. The communal areas are large and high-ceilinged with lots of original features, and sleeping options include private doubles with quirky retro-meets-tropical decor and dorms that sleep four to 10. There’s lots going on here, with co-working facilities, a tour desk, coffee shop, bar and beer garden, as well as free events including live music, movie nights and yoga lessons.

Dorm rooms at this Hatton Garden hostel are basic, with bunks made from plywood and scaffolding, but there’s a softer feel in the public areas, where the functional furnishings are accessorised with pastel paints and potted plants. You can hang out in the games room, with its beanbags, darts, table tennis and billiards, or head out to explore the free-entry cultural highlights of the World Museum and Walker Art Gallery, both a few minutes’ walk away.

This family-run hostel is in Walton, close to Everton’s football ground and a 20-minute ride from the city centre, with buses stopping just yards from the door. In the dorms, each pod bed is topped with a brightly patterned duvet and comes with its own night light, power socket and privacy curtain. Most dorms have a kitchen area; if not, you can prepare food in the common room, where you’ll also find a free breakfast each morning.

This modern hostel prides itself on being particularly family-friendly, but works just as well for those without kids. It’s handily close to Albert Dock and the Baltic Triangle and facilities include a games room, lounge and bar, plus a nightly supper club serving a two-course meal at a bargain price. Honourable mention goes to the bedroom doors, each painted with a different image so that it looks as if you’re entering a phone box, barn, Tardis or 10 Downing Street.

The livelier of Liverpool’s two YHAs (it’s happy to host hen and stag parties) offers simply furnished ensuite rooms, a Cavern Quarter location and a cool loft-style lounge area with exposed brick walls, iron columns painted a startling fuchsia pink and mismatched upcycled furniture. There’s no kitchen for self-catering but the fully licensed cafe-bar serves a good-value all-day menu of burgers, pizzas and the like, and rustles up bargain breakfast baps in the mornings.

Shared dorms, private rooms and self-catering apartments – you get a choice of all three in this large Victorian warehouse conversion, along with communal facilities such as a laundry room, large dining kitchen, 24-hour information desk and a TV lounge/games room with a pool table and selection of DVDs. The Georgian Quarter location puts you within easy reach of plenty of budget places to eat and drink, but there’s also free tea, coffee and toast in the kitchen round the clock.