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Australia’s third largest city is also its fastest growing. With a population of almost 2 million, Brisbane is big and bursting at the seams. The city spreads out forever in every direction, but the city center is fairly compact. Most of the hostels in Brisbane are clumped together in the Central Business District and in the nearby area of Fortitude Valley. Hotels in the city tend to be expensive by Australian standards, but the Brisbane hostels usually offer great value.

Most of the interesting sights are near the center of the city and many of the hostels in Brisbane are located right in the center as well. But there are a few that are in more suburban areas. Unless you are really worried about parking a car, it’s probably best to stick with the central locations. You can save a few dollars per night by staying in a remote Brisbane hostel, but all that time going back and forth makes the savings rarely worthwhile.

The city center area is home to most of the upscale shopping and also home to lots of great nightlife, but the area is not idea for everybody. The Fortitude Valley area is where you’ll find most of the edgy bars and rock clubs, and some of the more unusual nightlife. This area is popular with younger backpackers so if nightlife is a high priority for you it’s a good idea to choose your location carefully.

By the way, if you aren’t from this part of the world, hostels in Australia are almost always called “backpackers,” but they are the exact same thing. And just as with most of the rest of the hostelling world, the scene here is changing as well. Most of the hostels in Brisbane also have private rooms so they are a great place for budget travelers who want a bit or privacy, but also want to take advantage of the community vibe and the popular services hostels have to offer. And Australians do loads of traveling around their own country as well, so you are likely to meet quite a few of them no matter where you stay. And the name backpackers makes it sound like these places are only suited to college kids who’ve never owned a proper suitcase, but the reality is that all ages are usually welcome and more and more older people are using the hostel network as a way to travel on the cheap.

The Bunk Backpackers is right in the Fortitude Valley area and also has some of the cheapest beds in town. Their 8-bed dorms start at around $AUD13 per person in low season, with less-crowded rooms being only a little higher. They’ve also get private double and twin rooms starting around $AUD44 per person. Some of their cheapest beds are located directly over the bar, which is crowded until 5 a.m. on weekends so choose your room carefully here. They’ve also got a restaurant, a lounge area, a bar, and free internet.

Hostels in Brisbane