Mumbai is modern and mad, the centre for fashion, film and finance in India. This is the birthplace of Bollywood, home to a load of historical monument and sights (e.g. the Victorian train station, the Gateway to India), and is famed even in India for its delicious stand-up street food.
And, of course, Mumbai is infamous for its divide between rich and poor – here is India’s most expensive property owned by its wealthiest citizens… and here are its biggest slums, too.
So being such a huge city, and being quite a daunting prospect (especially if you’ve never been to India before), where on earth in Mumbai do you choose to stay? And… is it safe?!
Don’t worry! There are plenty of secure places to stay in the city. And to make things easier for you we’ve sorted through the best hostels in Mumbai (by category, as well!) so that you can find the hostel that suits you most.
Brace yourself for one of the world’s maddest cities – and let’s see what hostels it has in store for you!
Quick answer: The Best Hostels in Mumbai
- Best Overall Hostel in Mumbai – The Social Space Hostel Mumbai
- Best Party Hostel in Mumbai – Horn Ok Please
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Mumbai – The Dorm Factory
- Best Cheap Hostel in Mumbai – Arma Hostel
- Best Hostel for Couples in Mumbai – Backpackers Panda Colabra
- Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Mumbai – Zostel Mumbai
- Best Hostel with a Private Room in Mumbai – Backpacker Panda
Best Hostels in Mumbai
Some ofIndia’s best hostels are located in Mumbai. Mumbai is a big city, but no matter where in Mumbai you stay you should find something comfortable and affordable nearby.
Best Overall Hostel in Mumbai – The Social Space Hostel Mumbai
– $$
– Cafe
– Laundry Facilities
– 24 Hour Security
Without a doubt the definitive best overall hostel in Mumbai, this place really is a cut above the rest. The kinda place that’ll help you make some pretty sick memories of your trip, it’s got a top-notch atmosphere, kind staff – it’s also close to the metro and is professionally managed.
They arrange nights out at this Mumbai backpackers hostel, which helps to get you into Mumbai’s nightlife without you getting lost by yourselves in this megacity. And another major plus of this newly made hostel is that it’s super clean. Located in the suburbs of Mumbai, it’s a safe area where you can find some very tasty local food.
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Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Mumbai – The Dorm Factory
– $$
– 24 Hour Security
– Air Con
– Cafe
Despite the industrial and impersonal sounding name, this Mumbai backpackers hostel really is a great package. It features clean sheets, clean bathrooms and a warm atmosphere, plus it feels safe and the staff work hard to make sure everyone has a good time.
Yep, you can see why this is the best hostel for solo travellers in India. There are great places to eat surrounding this place, so you can head out with new friends to check ’em out. The staff also arrange activities – and they might even take you out to some bars and clubs if you’re up for it!
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Best Party Hostel in Mumbai – Horn Ok Please
– $$$
– Free Breakfast
– Common Room
– Board Games
As you might be able to tell from the name, this top hostel in Mumbai is ok with noise. So you kinda have to be too if you wanna stay here! It’s definitely not about luxury, either – they say they’re for travellers, not tourists.
There’s literally a great atmosphere at this place, everyone’s in it to explore Mumbai which is pretty cool; the metro’s so close, making that even more possible. The best party hostel in Mumbai, the staff want everyone to make friends, hang out together, get on and explore Mumbai together. Sound like you? Then go for it!
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Best Hostel Cheap Hostel in Mumbai – Arma Hostel
– $
– Air Con
– Cafe
– Outdoor Terrace
This place has a nice atmosphere and the people who stay here are friendly. It’s basic, but chill, and a great option if you’re looking for a budget hostel in Mumbai to stay in for a few days. There are 60 beds too, so you’re more likely to find a free space here.
It’s not the easiest to reach location, but it is close to museums and loads of great street food so you can continue to keep your prices low. Though it ain’t the cheapest place in town, it is the best cheap hostel in Mumbai. All ’bout that atmosphere. A nice oasis in a hectic city.
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Best Hostel for Couples in Mumbai – Backpackers Panda Colabra
– $$$
– Roof Terrace
– Air Con
– 24 Hour Security
Nice and new, it’s not just the hotel quality private rooms on offer here that make it the best hostel for couples in Mumbai. There’s 2 common rooms (plenty o’ space just to, y’know, hang out). It’s located in a popular tourist area close to the Gateway of India, too.
The staff at this recommended hostel in Mumbai can tell you all about where to go to eat and stuff so you can find somewhere cool for you and your partner to get some good grub. They also run tours of the city, for example, the infamous slum tours – if that’s your thing.
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Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Mumbai – Zostel Mumbai
– $$
– Roof Terrace
– Bar
– Laundry Facilities
Part of the Zostel chain of hostels, this place is a vibrant, happy place to spend some time relaxing away from this whirlwind of a city. You can chill in their nice lil’ cafe or the bright common room, complete with bean bags and scatter pillows – OR their roof terrace.
Our best hostel for digital nomads is modern, stylish and has ample room for you to pull up a stool, get your laptop out and get working. It’s generally quite a cool Mumbai hostel, which is a welcome break if you’ve been staying in more… ‘typical’ backpackers accommodation till now.
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Best Hostel with a Private Room in Mumbai – Backpacker Panda
– $$
– Roof Terrace
– Games Room
– Luggage Storage
If you have had one too many nights in a dorm room and need some space… or if you just love private rooms anyway, or if you call yourself flashpacker, this is definitely the coolest Mumbai hostel for you.
The rooms are like boutique quality. Very cool. Minimalist. Clean. Yep, we like ’em. So the rooms definitely help make this the best hostel with a private room in Mumbai, but also there’s a rooftop terrace, yoga classes, big lockers for your backpack, and some really powerful showers – ideal for washing that city dirt off ya.
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Psst! Heading to a hostel? Don’t forget to pack a padlock! It’s well worth having one so you can secure your locker and protect your stuff!More Best Hostels In Mumbai
Mumbai Staytion
– $$
– Free Breakfast
– 24 Hour Security
– Late Check-out
We love a hostel with a pun name. Here’s one. And yep, you guessed it, this hostel is near the station AND you can STAY there. Ha. Ha. Other than being hilarious, they pride themselves on positive vibes and creating a happy environment for guests.
It’s secure and safe for female backpackers, too. The staff are also really polite and helpful at this recommended hostel in Mumbai, they help to create an atmosphere that’s friendly. The kinda place you actually WANT to come back to after the madness of Mumbai.
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Basti
– $
– Free Breakfast
– Free City Tour
– Book Exchange
Sure, Basti might be a little far out from the centre of Mumbai – meaning you gotta travel far to see the tourist sights of the city; but at least you can escape from central out to this calmer area of town and this nice lil’ Mumbai backpackers hostel.
The staff have created a homely environment here, which is always a plus. And, yeah, the rooms might be basic, but it’s really good value for money AND you get a free breakfast too. The guests at this budget Mumbai hostel tend to be from all over the world, making it an interesting place to get talking to people and learning about other cultures.
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Abza Dormitory
– $
– Air Con
– Security Lockers
– 24 Hour Security
Located between two metro stations, it’s pretty easy to hit up Mumbai’s top sights from here. This place is a good place to stay short term if you wanna see some tourist sights and the big city of Mumbai – or to break up the epic train journey from Delhi to Goa (or vice-versa).
The dorms are a… little bit tight, but they do come with privacy curtains and are new and solid, so it’s not all overly cosy. Basically, this Mumbai backpackers is more like a place to sleep rather than hang out on rooftops and stuff like that. That’s why that close-to-metro location is good: you can get out and actually SEE the city.
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Anjali Home Mumbai
– $
– Near The Airport
– 24 Hour Security
– Luggage Storage
Clean, comfortable, and reasonably priced, this budget hostel in Mumbai is close to the airport which is just great if you need to catch an early flight – or need to get to or from the airport quickly for whatever reason.
There are Western style chains close by if you’re hankering after some of that after a lot of Indian food (think Domino’s, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut -if that’s your thing). Staff are friendly and will help you out with pretty much anything, including taxis to the airport. They have dorms and private rooms, too.
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Airport Hostel By Bombay Backpackers
– $$
– Also Near The Airport
– Female-only Dorm
– ATM
It’s another Mumbai backpackers hostel located near the airport, which again is great for convenience fans. This one, however, goes a step further, serving a nice hot breakfast in the mornings, which is definitely something we appreciate! Oh, and it’s also near the western train station.
Each bed comes with a locker AND a wardrobe (unusual but great), plus there’s a kitchen and common area you can use even after you’ve checked out if you’re waiting around for a flight. There’s also a female-only dorm making this a great hostel for female travellers in Mumbai.
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Wowstel in Mumbai
– $$
– Roof Terrace
– Common Room
– Bicycle Hire
Wow…stel. This place is calm and relaxing, making it a nice lil’ oasis (like many Mumbai backpackers hostels) in the middle of the very busy city. Rooms and bathrooms are kept super clean, just adding to that sense of seclusion away from the city.
There’s a rooftop terrace, should you want to chill out looking down on stuff, as well as a lounge. The kind staff arrange events, hostel parties and games, making it a good hostel for solo travellers in Mumbai. They like to promote the exchange of culture, too, which we think is a great idea.
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Hostel Mantra
– $
– Air Con
– Lockers
– Laundry Facilities
Situated in Andheri, a suburb of Mumbai, close to bars, pubs and restaurants, this hostel features a load of nice space to chill out in; this includes a lounge complete with a projector where you can watch sports and stuff, plus a rooftop terrace – always good.
This Mumbai backpackers hostel is a great place for more seasoned travellers: there’s quite a few local people who stay here, so you get to chat to ’em and learn all about Indian culture. The people who run this hostel want to make Mumbai more of a cool, backpacking destination and are keen to learn more about you!
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Travellers Inn
– $$
– Roof Terrace
– Book Exchange
– Cable TV
It’s basic and small, but this top hostel in Mumbai is good because you can get to loads of top attractions from here, which is great if you wanna see all the sights and eat all the street food you can.
In what CAN be an expensive city, this is a great choice for a budget hostel in Mumbai. Plus you can meet some nice people here, backpackers like yourselves for instance. Of course, this is not exactly the sorta place you’ll stay for ages, but a couple of nights here is just fine.
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What to Pack for your Mumbai Hostel
Here’s some gear our editors take hostelling.
1. Active Roots Microfiber Towel: Quick-drying, lightweight, super soft and compact – the Active Roots Microfiber Towel is essential for every backpacker. No need to use the scabby towels your hostel may or may not provide! Use it for drying off, as a yoga towel or even as a picnic blanket – the options don’t stop here. Made of antibacterial material, you don’t have to worry about your towel starting to smell unpleasant either after lots of use.
2. Active Roots Toiletry Bag: The Active Roots Toiletry bag keeps all of your bathroom essential items organized instead of flowing around your backpack. Having everything handy and accessible in one water-resistant bag is a bathroom lifesaver. This toiletry bag also helps from being that embarrassed person walking back to the dorm room, in a towel, to grab forgotten shampoo.
3. Power Bank: Showing up to a new city, after a 14-hour bus ride, with a dead phone and no directions to your hostel is a half-awake, messy nightmare. Putting a good power bank in your pack is the best and easiest way to keep your important electronics charged up for those long travel and sightseeing days.
4. Universal Travel Adapter: Not every country has the same electrical plug style, so carry along a universal travel adapter. You’ll want one that covers varying voltage levels, has protection from power surges, a fried laptop is not fun, and enough ports so you don’t have to spend all day individually charging your devices.
5. Headphone Splitter: You’re the one with the Netflix account and your friend wants to watch too? But you don’t want to share headphones? And you’re good people who wouldn’t disturb your dorm mates? That’s not going to be a problem with this Headphone Splitter! Plug in two pairs of headphones at the same time, so both of you are able to listen to music or watch shows simultaneously. It comes in handy and won’t weigh you down.
6. Padlock: Keep your stuff safe, guys. Unfortunately not all dorm lockers share the same security standard. You’ll want a lightweight lock that can fit all the various dorm lockers you’ll clip it to. Having a padlock that is flexible and can fit a variety of locker styles is the best way to make sure none of your belongings wander away while you are out.
Why you should travel to Mumbai
There you have it. The best hostels in Mumbai, arranged by category, so hopefully, you can easily find a hostel for you.
So many of them have a focus on making sure that people have fun together. Think activities, tours, games, and generally a selection of staff who really want you to see the best that Mumbai has to offer.
It isn’t all slums and traffic, y’know!
But if, after going through our handy list, you still can’t find a top Mumbai hostel for you – don’t worry.
We’d say definitely go for The Social Space Hostel Mumbai, our top pick for the best overall hostel Mumbai. This place easily wins as the best hostel that this city has to offer. Have fun!
Travel Safety Tips for Mumbai
And don’t forget to sort your travel insurance before heading to Mumbai! We’ve put together a roundup of the best travel insurance for backpackers – check it out here, or if you’re low on time, get a quote from World Nomads, our favorite travel insurance provider.
Getting an estimate from World Nomads is simple – just click the button or image below, fill out the necessary info, and you’re on your way!
WORLD NOMADS
More Epic Hostels in India and Asia
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Mumbai.
Planning an epic trip all across India or even Asia itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Asia, check out:
- Best hostels in Delhi
- Best Hostels in Rishikesh
- Best hostels in Goa
Over to you
By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Mumbai has helped you choose the perfect hostel for your adventure!
If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!
Yay for transparency! Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you book your accommodation through the site, The Broke Backpacker will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps keep the site going.
Need More Inspiration?
- Best Airbnbs in Mumbai
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