The Best Hostels in Chicago

For location, few hostels come better situated than HI Chicago, just a few blocks from Grant Park, Lake Michigan and the Art Institute. With single-sex and mixed dorms, as well as private rooms for two, it’s a great option for solo travelers. This is thanks in part to its active social program, which includes complimentary breakfast, kitchen and common area access, welcome receptions and free daily activities where you can explore the city with fellow travelers.

A stylish boutique hostel-hotel hybrid in River North – close to the Loop, the Magnificent Mile and the trendy Fulton Market district – Found is a more refined option than your average hostel. With a mix of private, dorm-style, and female-only options, each room is kitted out to hotel standard but at hostel rates. It offers a communal kitchen and lounge along with daily events and a great concierge service to help you settle into your stay. And, if the mood takes you, its Blind Dragon speakeasy-style bar has its own karaoke suites so you can sip on classic cocktails and belt out your favorite tunes.

One of the cheapest hostels in Chicago, Urban Holiday Lofts more than makes up for in price what it lacks being farther from downtown. Guests can explore the hip neighborhood of Bucktown with its lively restaurants, bars, galleries and nightlife. The converted warehouse offers an industrial-style decor, partitioned into lofts available as private rooms or shared for up to eight guests, as well as unisex options. With a communal guest kitchen, on-site laundry and a lounge with a billiards table, Urban Holiday Lofts is a great crash pad that won’t break the bank. And, if it’s a downtown jaunt you’re after, it’s only a short train ride away from the Loop.