The 15 Best Hostels in Taipei (experienced traveler reviews!)

Staying in a hostel in Taipei is a great way to save money, as the city’s hotels tend to be rather expensive.

What’s more, Taipei hostels are generally clean, quiet, and respectful. At all the hostels I’ll recommend below, you’ll get your own private capsule/curtain bed + a locker for your personal items.

I’ve personally stayed at a few but not all the Taipei hostels I’ll recommend below (I live in the city after all – see my Taipei guide).

For ones I haven’t stayed in, I’ve read countless reviews (so you don’t have to!) and collected feedback from travelers in my Taiwan Travel Planning group in order to select the best hostels in Taipei for this article.

Also see my similar guide to the best luxury hotels in Taiwan!

Taipei Main Station Hostels

The area around Taipei Main Station is the most convenient (read how to get from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei Main Station), plus it has some of the best hostels in Taipei.

Keep in mind that Taipei Main Station is huge – the area to the north is closer to the Airport MRT and Taipei Bus Station, while the area to the south is closer to the MRT. The TRC (regular train) and HSR (High Speed Rail) station can be accessed easily from all sides.

Also see my guide to the best breakfast shops around Taipei Main Station.

Star Hostel Taipei Main Station (see on Booking / Agoda / Official Site) takes the prize as the top-rated hostel in Taipei City.  

The only downside is that this hostel has a minimum 2-night booking. You can try to score a single weekday night from 2 PM of the first day of each month (for that month and the following month). You can also try to get a single weekend night every Monday at 1 PM for Friday or Saturday night of that week.

The hostel is located just north of Taipei Main Station, so you have very quick access to the Airport MRT, TRA station, HSR station, and Taipei Bus Station.

As for the MRT, you may find it easier to walk to Beimen Station on the green line rather than find your way through the underground mazes of Taipei Main Station to Taipei Main MRT station. If you do go for the latter, Taipei Main Station Exit Y7 is only 3 minutes from the hostel.

There’s also Star Hostel Taipei East (see “Eastern Taipei hostels” section below), but its dorms are female-only.

Old Door Hostel & Bar (see on Booking / Agoda) is another excellent hostel in the same neighborhood as Star Hostel. This one is even closer to the Airport MRT Station and Beimei MRT station.

The capsule-style bunks here are very comfy and private, with large curtains to provide you with your own personal space.

Yes, it may be possible to hear a little noise from the bar downstairs, so don’t choose this hostel if that could be an issue for you. There’s also a common area on the top floor.

Take exit Y13 from Taipei Main Station to get there. Prices go up slightly on the weekend.

We Come Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda) If you’re willing to walk a little farther from Taipei Main Station (10-15 minutes), this is another great hostel option.

Despite the longer walk, We Come is close to a few attractions, including Ningxia Night Market (7 min), Dihua Street (1 min), and Dadaocheng Pier (10 min). It is a 6-minute walk from Beimen MRT Station.

The hostel is compact but clean, laid back but social, safe, and cozy. There’s laundry service, basic kitchen, and even a shoe warmer/dryer. Breakfast is not provided.

There are several other hostels around Taipei Main Station. Here’s a quick summary of the best-rated ones:

• OwlStay Flip Flop Hostel – Garden (see on Booking / Agoda): A long-standing classic hostel in Taipei with cool balconies facing an internal courtyard, bookstore, breakfast, and convenient location north of Taipei Main Station, but a bit of traffic noise.

• Miniinn (see on Booking / Agoda): About as close as you can get to Taipei Main MRT station, free drinks in the lobby.

• Taiwan Youth Hostel & Capsule Hotel (see on Booking / Agoda): Also super close to Taipei MRT station, just a short walk to the south of the station. Friendly and nicely designed. Located at basement level. Expect to meet teens and 20-somethings.

• Bouti City Capsule Inn (see on Booking / Agoda): Southwest of Taipei Main Station, so it’s a good choice for walking to Ximending. Large and very private capsule beds. More of a private than social hostel.

• SleepBox Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda): A little further walk from Taipei Main Station, and some guests complain about noise and cleanliness, but this hostel has space pod capsules!

If you have a very early flight, consider staying in this hostel near Taoyuan Airport. Read more about it in my guide to where to stay at Taoyuan Airport.

Ximending Hostels

Along with Taipei Main Station area, nearby Ximending is the most popular neighborhood in Taipei for budget travelers.

Ximending is known for the many cool shops and restaurants in its pedestrian shopping district. Getting from Taoyaun Airport to Ximending is also very easy.

Dan Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda) Also called 丹居青旅, Dan Hostel is the best-rated hostel in Ximending (but next hostel below is almost on par). It has an atmospheric design and accommodation staff, but luggage storage space and rooms are on the smaller side.

Dan Hostel has a super convenient location close to Ximen MRT exit 1, Red House Theater, and Taipei’s main LGBTQ+ bar district. The pedestrian shopping area is just a couple minutes away.

One downside of this hostel is that the room prices shoot up quite a bit on Friday & Saturday nights, with a dorm bed going for as high as TWD 1800, the most I’ve seen for a hostel bed in Taipei.

Meander Taipei Hostel Ximending (see on Booking / Agoda): Another great hostel choice in Ximending is Meander. The highlights here are the large social areas, including one on the rooftop with hanging lights. Come here if you’re looking to meet other travelers. It’s clean and they’ve got comfy beds.

The only downside is a slightly longer walk – the hostel is 8 minutes on foot from Exit 6 of Ximen MRT, so it’s a little beyond the pedestrian shopping district.

Wow Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda): This option scores points for its ideal location right in the popular Ximending Pedestrian Shopping District (yay, no traffic outside!) However, it has the lowest rating of any hostel I introduce in this article.

Some guests at this hostel complain that it isn’t the tidiest, it’s a little a cramped, and the WiFi doesn’t work super well. The pictures make it look nicer than it really is. But I still include it here for it’s ultra-convenient location.

Eastern Taipei Hostels

Eastern Taipei is the newer and ritzier district of Taipei. Choose the first option below for excellent shopping and restaurants or the second one if you want to be close to Taipei 101.

Star Hostel Taipei East (see on Booking / Agoda / Official Site): Along with its sister hostel near Taipei Main Station, Star Hostel Taipei East is the best rated hostel in Taipei.

The only reason I didn’t put this hostel in my top-3 is to be fair to others, and because the dorm beds at this hostel are female-only. Private rooms for couples or families are also available.

Star Hostel Taipei East features a sleek, picture-worthy design, super helpful staff, and female travelers will appreciate the dedicated women’s floor and dorm. There’s also an excellent buffet breakfast.

Just like the Main Station location, you’ll need to book a minimum two nights. You can try for a single weekday night at 2 PM on the first day of the month (for that month or the following month), or at 1 PM on Monday for a single Friday/Saturday stay that weekend.

The hostel is located just around the corner from Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Exit 7, one of the most fashionable and buzzing areas of the city, with restaurants and shopping galore.

Happiness Meworld (see on Booking / Agoda): If you want to stay in Eastern District but can’t get into Star Hostel Taipei East, try Happiness Meworld.

It’s not as well rated, and the amenities are a little more minimal. But the location of this hostel is fantastic, right at the intersection of two main roads Zhongxiao East Road and Zhongxiao Dunhua, at the heart of the shopping and dining district.

Besides the dorms, which are a bargain, they’ve got cheap private rooms.

Formosa 101 (see on Booking / Agoda): While its not one of the top-rated hostels in Taipei, I include Formosa 101 for its proximity to Taipei 101 (see my Taipei 101 guide). In fact, this is most likely the cheapest place you can stay in Taipei that has a view of Taipei 101.

Choose this hostel if you want to be within walking distance of Taipei 101 and all its adjacent department stores, several ritzy night clubs and bars, Elephant Mountain (best view in Taipei), and Linjiang Street Night Market. Simple breakfast is included.

Space in the hostel is limited, as are the showers. One of my group members also mentioned that the walls were thin and it wasn’t the cleanest hostel.

The hostel also has some budget-friendly but basic private rooms. It’s a 10-minute walk from Taipei 101 MRT Station or Xinyi Anhe MRT Station.

Central Taipei Hostels

Here are a couple hostels in Central Taipei worth considering. The first (one of my top-3!) is south of Taipei Main Station in lovely Da’an district, while the second is a little to the north in Datong district.

Dongmen 3 Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda): This is the 3^rd hostel to make my top-3 list and I have personally stayed at it.

This hostel checks all the boxes – spacious, helpful, welcoming, beautifully designed, and breakfast provided. The capsule beds are large and comfy, with lots of room for luggage storage below.

Foodies will love Dongmen 3 Hostel, as it is very close to Yongkang Street, famous for its many local restaurants. Da’an Park (the “Central Park of Taipei”), Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Nanmen Market, and Qingtian Street (one of the more off-the-beaten-track places to visit in Taipei) are also nearby.

Take Dongmen MRT Exit 3 to get here. It’s less than a minute from the exit.

Corner Hostel & Café (see on Booking / Agoda): One more noteworthy hostel in Central Taipei is Corner Hostel & Café (小角落青旅咖啡).

As the name suggests, there is a café on the ground floor, where you can get a coffee fix, or you can work in the more private room for guests only above.

The hostel is clean, friendly, and conveniently located near Yuanshan MRT Station. This means Taipei Confucius Temple, Bao’An Temple, Maji Square, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Dihua Street are all nearby.

Northern Taipei Hostels

I don’t recommend basing yourself in Northern Taipei due to the time it will take to get to most attractions in the city. However, you may want to spend a night in one of these hostels for visiting Beitou Hot Spring or Tamsui.

On My Way – Taipei Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda): On My Way is the only hostel in Beitou, where Taipei City’s main hot spring village is located. Facilities at this hostel are simple but clean.

If you’re staying here for access to Beitou Hot Spring, you’ll still need to walk 10-15 minutes (slightly uphill) to reach the hot spring park and resort area. Traditional Beitou Market is nearby, but besides those two things, there isn’t much else around there to see or do.

There are also On My Way hostel branches in Jiufen, Hualien, and Taitung.

Tourist Bunny Hostel (see on Booking / Agoda): This is the best hostel in Tamsui, a district of New Taipei City which is at the terminal station of the Taipei MRT Red Line.

Tamsui is known for its seaside promenade, historical forts, and sunset views from Fisherman’s Wharf. While most people do it as a half-day trip from Taipei, anyone who wants to spend the night can consider Tourist Bunny Hostel.

The hostel is a short walk from Tamsui MRT station. The owner is very friendly and helpful.