We Stayed in a Hostel in Dubai – Our Review

Are you wondering: Dubai and hostels – does that go together?

The short answer is yes!

Maybe you’re like us and you’ve looked at the hostels in Dubai on booking.com and hostelworld.com – which means you’ve probably stumbled across some of the horrible reviews containing everything from bed bugs over theft to prostitution.

You might have turned to the blog posts to find backpackers who have actually stayed in a hostel in Dubai – just to find that the majority of people who write about hostels in Dubai have not actually stayed at one.

So without further ado: Here’s our personal review of our hostel stay in Dubai.

Backpacker Hostel Dubai – Our Review

We stayed at Papaya backpacker's which was – surprise – a normal hostel.

The Vibe

We were pleasantly surprised by the backpacker vibe in this hostel. We met people from all over the world and had many interesting conversations – as well as some nice shared food.

The Dorm

Papaya backpacker's has one female only and two mixed dorms. The beds are extremely sturdy - in fact they were custom built for the hostel. Every bed has a power outlet (we even got a socket adapter), a light, and a curtain.

Additionally, there was a locker for every person.

The Facilities

In our opinion, the main downside of this hostel is that there are only two shared bathrooms and one shared toilet for the whole place so prepare for some standing in line in the morning.

The kitchen is well equipped and free drinking water is provided.

You can also access the shared gym and pool of the building.

The Location

Personally, we liked the location. Papaya backpacker's is super close to the

• Marina Towers Tram Station. The tram brings you to the Sobha Realty Metro Station in one stop. You can buy your tickets in the tram station.
• The Dubai Marina Walk.
• Observatory Bar & Grill – rooftop bar with an affordable happy hour and great views of The Palm.
• Barasti Beach Club with great vibes and free entrance.
• A Carrefour supermarket around the corner.
• Cheap and nice food at Marina Kitchen Restaurant and even cheaper food at the hole in the wall on the corner of Princess Tower (see picture).

Other Hostels in Dubai for Backpackers

We’ve asked some of our travel friends that we met in Dubai for their recommendations for the best hostels in Dubai and this is what they said:

Urban Heaven

A roommate of ours that had stayed at Urban Heaven Hostel before, recommended it because of it’s location close to JBR Beach – which is amazing by the way.

It comes with sea views, a pool, and a cosy common area.

There are female and mixed dorms and all the beds have curtains, power outlets, and lights.

Hello Hostel Dubai

Hello Hostel is located in the central part of Dubai close to where the red and green metro lines meet and within walking distance to the historical part of town.

Our friend let us have a sneak peek. It is quite basic but the price is hard to beat.

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