The Best Hostels in Jerusalem

On Jaffa Street, between Zion Square and the Old City, the Post is a dynamic hostel located on the top floor of the city’s imposing 1930s-built Central Post Office. Accommodation ranges from doubles and triples to 12-bed dorms. It’s modern and thoughtfully run with an outdoor roof terrace, a communal kitchen and lounge, plus a “chillout” room with a pool table. The atmosphere is convivial, with weekly yoga and jam sessions, hummus- and beer-making workshops and movie nights.

Once the Orion Cinema, this handsome 1940s building was saved from dereliction in 2018 by its clever conversion into a hostel. Much of the building’s original fabric and architecture have been preserved, and some of its private rooms and (mostly) bunk-bed dorms reference movies with pictures and posters. From hanging basket-chairs to decorative film spools and tripod-mounted movie cameras, the decor is fun and quirky. Expect movie nights, yoga, cookery, Hebrew classes and weekly live music.

The Stay’s snazzy interiors, with geometric bathroom tiling and neon signage on bedroom walls, are a playful take on the hostel concept. There’s a vast array of rooms, from straightforward doubles to eight-bed “jumbo” family rooms – and with gigantic, 80s-style room numbers on the doors, you won’t forget which one you’re in. There’s also an in-house bar and restaurant, along with a roof terrace. But with the restaurants of lively King George St at your door, you may want to step out in the evening.

Biblical Abraham was arguably the region’s first traveller; the Abraham Hostel takes inspiration from this, urging guests to “stop working, start travelling” with its colourful wall decals. Straightforward yet snazzy private rooms and dorms come with a communal beanbag-strewn lounge and kitchen, plus laundry facilities. There’s a late-night bar, along with an atmospheric roof terrace lit with fairy lights. Expect an eclectic mix of activities, from yoga sessions and hummus workshops to organised pub crawls and shabbat dinners.

Lording over a side street just off Paris Square, the Agron’s imposing facade and 60 rooms give it a hotel feel. Choose from dorms, family rooms or double rooms, each with an old-school hostelling vibe. Generous (and kosher) breakfasts are included in the tariff. If you’re after a more youthful party scene, this probably isn’t the place, but it’s ideal for a quieter, more leisurely stay in a peerless location.