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There are tons of hostels in Kuala Lumpur even though few of them are actually called hostels. In Malaysia most of the places with cheap dorm beds call themselves lodges, inns, or guesthouses, but they work the same way. In fact, all Kuala Lumpur hostels also have private rooms in addition to the dorm rooms, and in this city accommodation is so affordable that nearly everyone should consider a private room instead.

The cheapest part of the city is Chinatown and there are a few Kuala Lumpur hostels located in this neighborhood. The quality tends to be lower and the rooms tend to be smaller if you stay in Chinatown, so considering how affordable all the hostels in Kuala Lumpur really are, it’s wise to stay elsewhere.

The Golden Triangle area is an excellent neighborhood filled with hotels, shopping, and nightlife, and there are quite a few Kuala Lumpur hostels in or near this area as well. Once you get into newer properties, the standards of lodging in this city are quite high. This city is known for having the cheapest 5-star hotels in the world, and even in the lower ranges it tends to be a buyer’s market.

This means visitors to the city can afford a lot more luxury than they are often used to, and still sleep cheap. It’s often blazing hot and super humid in the capital, and the traffic and density of the city make it feel worse. Pick a modern place with good air conditioning if you want to be comfortable, especially at night when you are trying to sleep.

It might be tempting to book yourself into the cheapest bed partly out of novelty value, but you should really consider paying a few dollars more on a mini splurge. In Singapore you have to spend US$100 per night for a really nice room, but they can be had for far less here. This means that if you find yourself a popular Kuala Lumpur hostel or hotel that offers private rooms you can stay in style for under US$10 per person.

There are hotels and hostels all over the city and since there aren’t too many obvious tourist attractions you might think that all areas are equal, but they really are not. The Golden Triangle area is ideal for nearly all first-time visitors so it should be a first choice unless you have something else specific in mind.

And the days of hostels having age limits and curfews are pretty much over. These days backpackers might be staying alongside older couples in their Kuala Lumpur hostel, although the hostels themselves know enough to divide people up the best way so they don’t disturb or annoy each other much.

The Equator Hostel is the highest rated in Kuala Lumpur by previous guests. They have a central location and the usual hostel facilities. Beds in their 4-bunk dorms start around US$7 per night, but their private twin and double rooms are only a bit higher so they are ideal if you are traveling in a pair.

Hostels in Kuala Lumpur