How to choose a hostel in Byron Bay...

Updated On 15th January, 2017

If you are currently choosing a hostel in Byron Bay and don’t know which one to choose, look no further.

Let me guide you…

During my adventures in Byron Bay this time around (Dec 2016) I stayed at the Byron Beach Resort which is just out of the centre and one beach down (a 15 minute beach walk) in Belongil. Before though, I have stayed and experienced both Holiday Village and Aquarius Backpackers.

There are so many hostels in Byron Bay, but if you’re backpacking you will want to be in one of the main ones and there are about 6 of them.

If you’re looking to stay in Byron Bay long-term, it’s probably worth renting your own room in a shared house or flat, to save you some money. Or, check in with one of the below hostels to see if they have any ‘work for accommodation’ availability.

Tip: Working for accommodation seems like an absolute breeze. It may not be the most thrilling work in the world {reception, cleaning, changing sheets} but you only have to do a couple of hours a day and you can say goodbye to accommodation fees. This is also a great way to make friends.

For many of you though, you’ll be making a flying visit to Byron Bay as you continue on to adventure through the East Coast.

Here’s the hostels I recommend you choose from in Byron Bay…

Choose ‘Arts Factory’ if…

– you want to hang out with the wilder ones

– you want to see where The Inbetweeners was filmed

– you fancy a self contained resort-like experience {there’s so much going on}

– you fancy the likes of tee-pees, island bungalows, dorms, doubles or even jungle camping

– you want to enter the jungle (full time festival vibe: people have literally landed and never left the site. Expect tents, substances and lazy days)

– you don’t mind being a walk / shuttle from the beach and town

book your stay here

Choose ‘Byron Beach Resort’ if…

– you want a more chilled backpacker vibe

– you’d like to stay in a quieter part of Byron

– you’d enjoy a gorgeous BBQ area

– you want to be steps away from a stunning beach

– you’d like a real family feel

– you like surfing {Belongil Beach has great surf and is opposite the hostel}

{I absolutely LOVED my time here, seriously. Byron can get pretty touristy in peak times and this is a little haven from which you can still access the madness as and when you please}

book your stay here

Choose ‘Aquarius Backpackers’ if…

– you’d like a party hostel {there are activities in the bar every night}

– you’d like the ‘free dinner’ they offer every night

– you’d like the best central location (between the tallows, the main beach, the high street and the lighthouse)

book your stay here

Choose ‘Holiday Village’ if…

– you want closest access to the supermarket ‘Woolworths’

– you want to be able to roll home from the retuned backpacker bar Cheeky Monkeys

– your friends are staying here

book your stay here

Choose ‘Nomads’ if…

– you want a 12 seater jacuzzi included in your hostel!

– you don’t want a party hostel but want to be in the centre of the action

– you’ve stayed with Nomads before and like the style / feel comfortable in these hostels

– you want cleanliness

book your stay here

Choose YHA if…

– you don’t want a party hostel but want to be in the centre of the action

book your stay here

Which hostel has the best location?

All of the hostels are pretty central and all of the hostels have a shuttle bus which runs to and from town every day to prevent any walking, if that is your vibe. But really, all of the above are within walking distance of everything you’ll want to access in Byron Bay so they are all in a pretty good location.

Byron Beach Resort, where I’ve just stayed, is probably the furthest away from the centre, but that in itself has its perks and it was still only a 15-minute beach walk or 5-minute bike ride into town.

You can see the locations on the map below…

Which hostel is the cheapest?

The prices hardly differ for the above hostels. I would simply think about what experience you’d like or what experience you definitely wouldn’t like, and then base your decision on that.

But we all love to know prices so here are…