The 7 Best Hostels in Inverness (2024 Updated)

If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful place to stay in Inverness, you’re in luck. In this post, we share our picks for the top 7 hostels in Inverness, where you can enjoy a cosy and convenient stay without breaking the bank.

These hostels showcase the best of Inverness’s hospitality and culture, and offer a range of facilities and services to suit your needs.

✅ Before we get going, my #1 recommendation is Bazpackers Hostel it’s cozy and friendly, and it’s right in the center of the city. But we’ll get to all the juicy details soon.

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For outdoor adventures, Inverness is the best city-base in Scotland (and if you disagree with me, you’re wrong).

The most northern city in the UK, it sits close to some of the most remote hikes, hills and beaches you’ve ever seen…

… and it’s even closer to lots of super-famous attractions, like Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and the North Coast 500.

So, in this guide, I’ve helped you to access it all, by bringing you the 7 best hostels in Inverness. Pack some sandwiches and come join the party!

1. Bazpackers Hostel

Overall, this is the best hostel in Inverness.

Sitting just in front of the city’s castle, it offers both dorms and private rooms, and the staff are welcoming and friendly. Located in an old house, it features exposed brick, a great-views garden, lots of old-school touches, and decor that looks like it was plucked from a Harry Potter movie.

It’s like someone took the word ‘cozy,’ then turned it into a hostel. You’ll fall in love with the place, and you’ll want to hang around forever.

The well-equipped kitchen is great for saving money, the bathrooms are clean and modern, and the guests are always friendly.

Other perks include board games, free tea and coffee, a garden barbecue, a common-room fireplace, and loads of advice about the area. It’s a little pricier than some other hostel options, but it’s absolutely worth the money.

All common areas close at 11pm, and guests are hikers rather than partygoers. But that’s pretty much always the case in Inverness (as you probably know, this isn’t a nightlife destination).

Really loved this hostel. The bunks felt really spacious and the blackout curtains actually kept 100% of light out. Felt really safe, great location. Staff did my laundry for me!! That was an amazing perk. The common area is really warm and cozy, has books and games. Great vibes all around, would definitely stay here again.

— Jayden (Read more reviews)

Bazpackers Hostel
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Last Updated November, 2024

2. Inverness Student Hotel

Sitting only a 1-minute walk from Bazpackers Hostel, Inverness Student Hotel is the most well-known hostel in the city (and, no, I’m not really sure why its name features the word ‘hotel’).

Sitting inside a cute colorful house, it’s a little dated, and could use a little modernisation, but it’s still friendly and cozy. It’s clean and tidy, the exposed-brick common rooms are busy, and it has a very friendly atmosphere.

Other plus points include a fireplace (again!), free tea and coffee (again!), and a pretty good continental breakfast for only £3 (at the time of writing, anyway).

The staff can help you to rent bikes and book tours, and they’ll offer loads of advice about the area.

Overall, one of the best hostels in Inverness, and a good budget option. They only have dorm rooms, so staying here is best-suited to young backpackers.

Because it’s a low-budget place, it’s also the busiest hostel in Inverness, so it’s your best option for making friends.

A charming home-away-from-home vibe in this place makes you feel welcome as soon as you arrive. Comfortable beds, well-equipped kitchen, free tea and coffee, a lounge with lots of seating, books in multiple languages, blankets, and musical instruments. The staff are all very friendly. The view from the bay window of the lounge and from some of the rooms is stunning, you can see the River Ness and Cathedral. About 10-15 minutes’ walk to the train station and close to all of the main attractions.

— Delaney (Read more reviews)

Inverness Student Hotel
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Last Updated November, 2024

3. Inverness Youth Hostel

An official Hostelling Scotland accommodation, this place serves up exactly what you would normally expect from an official Hostelling Scotland accommodation.

These places are best-suited to families and bigger groups, who want a clean and tidy (if uninspiring) place that won’t cost much money.

It’s organized and welcoming, the facilities are good, the shared kitchen is massive, and the common areas are equally huge.

In short, it’s an old-school type of hostel rather than a new-school one. It’s a 15-minute walk from the castle, so it’s not right in the city center—and you won’t find anything to do (or eat or drink) in the immediate area.

For big groups, this is the best hostel in Inverness. For solo travelers who want to make friends, it’s reasonable though not ideal.

Never stayed at a hostel before, but this one in Inverness really was the best way to start my hostel journey. It was clean, comfortable and the kitchen was well equipped. The staff were friendly and helped with any questions we had. There was free Wi-Fi but the only downside was the lack of plug sockets for the amount of people sharing the room. One double socket for 6 people. Was challenging. Inspite of that, my stay was a great experience.

— Kirstin (Read more reviews)

Inverness Youth Hostel
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Last Updated November, 2024

4. Black Isle Hostel

Another clinical option, this place feels more like an office than a hostel. There’s no sociable atmosphere, it’s expensive for what you get, and the decor is a bit bland.

So not really one of the best hostels in Inverness, but it’s a reasonable choice since you don’t have many other options.

And, anyway, it’s not all bad: the staff are friendly and helpful, it’s very clean, the bathrooms are well-maintained, and it’s not as busy as some other options (perfect if you like a bit of privacy).

But the biggest perk of this place is its nearby pub: just around the corner, you’ll find the iconic Black Isle Bar, a famous brewery with loads of drinks and pizzas. It’s one of the best bars in the city.

Pro Tip: two more good hangouts right beside the hostel are Leakey’s Bookshop (an atmospheric second-hand place), and the Victorian Market (a charming old-school arcade with loads of retro shops and stalls).

I stayed here for one night with a friend. It is very close to the train station and easy to find! The lounge area is very comfortable and the staff are welcoming. Everything was very clean. I would recommend this hostel to a friend.

— Jordan (Read more reviews)

Black Isle Hostel
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Last Updated November, 2024

5. Black Isle Bar and Rooms

Remember in the last entry, when I mentioned a famous bar close to Black Isle Hostel?

Well, this is the bar. And above the bar, you’ll find some hotel rooms. So if you want to be even closer to all the drinks and pizza (and if you want to stay in a comfier, more modern place with nice private rooms), this is where you’ll want to be.

It’s not a hostel… so, in truth, it’s not actually one of the best hostels in Inverness (I didn’t mean to mislead you, I hope you can forgive me). But it’s one of the best accommodations in Inverness.

They have double rooms and family rooms, everything is very clean and tidy, and the beds are comfortable. The staff are welcoming and helpful, and you don’t get (much) noise from the bar below while you’re trying to snooze.

This is the perfect location in downtown Inverness city center and the restaurant/pub food on site was great! Loved their wood fired pizza! We loved that it was near other restaurants of all kinds, shopping, grocery store and pharmacy. A great option for secure parking was a mere 5 minute walk away out less, not to mention the bus station as well so if you aren’t renting a car it’s super easy to get around.

— Marisa (Read more reviews)

Black Isle Bar & Rooms
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Last Updated November, 2024

6. Loch Ness Bunk Inn

This place isn’t in Inverness…

…. so it’s not actually one of the best hostels in Inverness.

But it’s one of the best hostels in this part of Scotland, and it’s only a 30-minute drive (or a 35-minute bus ride) from the city anyway.

Let’s say you’re more interested in exploring the Loch Ness area, and you’re less interested in Inverness itself. Well, if that’s the case, this is exactly where you’ll want to stay. Sitting in Drumnadrochit, Loch Ness Bunk Inn is well-located for Urquhart Castle, some great Loch Ness views, and the famous Loch Ness Center.

The hostel itself is clean and comfortable. The bathrooms are modern and sleek, the bedrooms are big, the common areas are welcoming, and they have a great on-site restaurant.

For more on one of the world’s most famous lakes, here are 21 weird facts about Loch Ness (spoiler alert: if it was hollowed out, 77 billion people could fit in the space it left behind!).

And here’s my guide to the best lochs in Scotland.

Clean, modern, well equipped rooms. Excellent shared kitchen facilities that were kept clean and tidy by all residents. Excellent location, pub on-site and short walk to takeaways and supermarket. Will definitely stay here again.

— Andrew (Read more reviews)

Loch Ness Bunk Inn
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Last Updated November, 2024

7. Ratagan Youth Hostel

If you thought the last option was leftfield, you’ll probably find this one completely bewildering.

But bear with me here:

Most people who come to Inverness are here for outdoor adventures (and they’re not actually in Inverness to see Inverness). And some of the best outdoor adventures near Inverness sit west of the city.

… so if you want to explore all the stuff west of Inverness (like Plockton, Lochcarron, Torridon, Applecross, and the Isle of Skye), it’s best to stay in this area. And if you’re going to stay in this area, you should sleep in Ratagan Youth Hostel.

Yep, it’s a 90-minute drive from the city. But if you want to see the best of western Scotland (and the best natural stuff near Inverness), there’s literally no better place to stay.

The hostel itself is great: big, spacious and friendly, they offer a massive kitchen, a reasonable breakfast, comfy beds, and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s not the most sociable hostel in the world, but it’s clean and tidy, and you’ll get a good sleep.

For more on adventuring in this area, explore our guides to the best hikes on the Isle of Skye, the best beaches on the Isle of Skye, and the best places to see sunrise on the Isle of Skye.

Amazing staff helped us with everything we needed, location was better than most accommodations you will find. Amazing view at a lake and the highlands. The facilities were clean as well as the common rooms.

— Šimon (Read more reviews)

Ratagan Youth Hostel
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Last Updated November, 2024

Pro Tips for Staying at Hostels in Inverness

Before You Go

Alright you lovely backpackers, that’s us done here—they’re the 7 best hostels in Inverness!

As I’ve covered, my top recommendation is Bazpackers Hostel. It’s right in the center of the city, it’s both homely and sociable, and it’s one of the UK’s most loveable hostels.

If you want a bit more privacy, head to Black Isle Bar and Rooms instead. And if you’d rather stay on the banks of Loch Ness, get yourself to Loch Ness Bunk Inn.

For more on the UK’s most northern city, here are the most beautiful hikes around Inverness, the 11 best road trips from Inverness, and my selection of the best tours in Inverness.

Thanks for reading, thanks for visiting Travelness, and thanks (in advance) for coming back in the future. Enjoy Inverness!