The Best and Coolest Hostels in Florida

As if the name Bikini Hostel, Cafe and Beer Garden weren’t evocative enough, the free breakfasts and dinners will tempt you to stay in Miami for days. Live it up South Beach style – without the South Beach prices – by joining their pub crawls, getting exclusive VIP access to the hottest clubs, and taking free trolley rides throughout the area. If you require a post-party recuperation night, relax at their cafe and beer garden or ease into one of their nightly events with your dorm mates.

If beds and drinks in South Beach are what you need for a good time, look no further – the clue’s in the name. Beds n’ Drinks Hostel in Miami hosts parties and can get you VIP access at nearby nightclubs. If sightseeing is more your style, they’ll help you plan a route that takes in everything South Beach has to offer. Between the beach, Lincoln Road, and Collins Avenue, Beds n’ Drinks is right where you want to be.

Single and ready to mingle? The free-spirited Posh South Beach Hostel would love to have you – and introduce you to like-minded souls staying in their co-ed dorms. Check out the view of Collins Avenue from the rooftop pool or grab a bite with new-found friends at Taco Taco Express next door. The sole caveat? This hostel, with its luxurious five-star comforts, is exclusively for out-of-state and international guests. Sorry, Florida residents!

The South Beach, or SoBe, Hostel and Bar is the perfect place to start and end a night out in Miami. It’s the only hostel in town with a full bar and lounge and knows a thing or two about giving guests a good time. It’s also around the corner from some of the best South Beach nightclubs, including Big Pink and Story. But don’t rise too late the next day: evening entertainment is all well and good, but it’s the free breakfast that crowns any visit.

If you’re after a laid-back pace for your Florida vacation, check in at the Sheridan Hostel in Dania Beach – and relax. This self-catering hostel is surrounded by tropical gardens just made for long, serene days. You can even cook at home – use of a kitchenette and barbeque facilities is included; after all, if you’ve been playing golf, cycling or horseback riding all afternoon, an evening in may be all you need. That said, with dorms of between six and 15 beds, there’s every likelihood of partying late with new companions.

A mere 100ft (30m) from the sandy shores of the Atlantic, Generator Miami is the bargain base that thinks it’s a cool design hotel – which it is, with a dash of Cuban flair. Choose between private rooms and four- to six-bed dorms – either way, you’re assured comfort and convenience. This hostel can sort bike and skateboard rental, so you can whizz down to shop in the Design District or take in the pastel architecture of the Art Deco District. With female-only dorms and luxury suites for couples, Generator Miami is a winning choice, whatever your bag and budget.

It’s all about “me” time at Freehand Miami – in fact, the staff are at pains to remind you. You could idle away the days in the swimming pool or walk one block to the beach. You might drift off over a beer or two at their award-winning bar or pick up one of their bicycles (free) to visit a nearby cafe. They’re bound to invite you to social events, but they’re also happy giving you a rundown of the action around Miami Beach. Whatever you choose to do, Freehand Miami will always remind you that here, it’s all about you.

Have you come to SoFla for peace rather than partying? Selina Miami River gets it and is on-hand to look after you. It’s got a load of free events – for example, movie nights on the lawn, a complimentary welcome drink at its bar each night, and its unique “Thrift & Sip”: a blend of bar crawl and bargain-hunting for antiques. With cosy rooms, a wellness area, and a swimming pool for meditative lengths, Selina Miami River knows how to locate your off switch – and flick it.

Live your own episode of Miami Vice inside the Selina Gold Dust, a former ’50s motel. Embrace the retro vibes of mid-century Miami as you sip a juice by the pool before wandering the nearby historic MiMo district, with its angular, Jetsons-cartoon-style architecture. By night, back at the ranch, you might lounge in a vintage car seat watching a “drive-in” movie, or dance your heart out to live music on the rooftop terrace. Just make sure you stop by their tour desk each morning to get the 411 on what else is happening around town.

Here, in the southernmost stretch of the Continental USA, you’ll experience the authentic old Key West lifestyle, as lived by author-resident Ernest Hemingway, at prices that are just as retro. A private room will get you your own bathroom, while a shared dorm means the opportunity to share travel tales with your roommates. Seashell International is just three blocks from Duval Street’s wild bars, and only seven from the historic Hemingway House – so you and your new best friends can savour the best of Key West without wandering far from base.