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Hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Find the hostels that appeal to you the most

The best hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Some of the best backpacker spots in Kota Kinabalu

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Homy Seafront Hostel

Kota Kinabalu

Homy Seafront Hostel is situated in Kota Kinabalu, within 3.6 km of Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village and 5.4 km of North Borneo Railway.

H
Hara
From
United States
This place EXCEEDED my expectations! Staff was so helpful with planning literally everything. Location was perfect - right on the water. Rooms were cozy and it felt like home.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 1,255 reviews
Price from
US$19.70
1 night, 2 adults

Concrete Jungle Cabin

Kota Kinabalu

Concrete Jungle Cabin is set in Kota Kinabalu, within 4.1 km of Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village and 5.2 km of Likas City Mosque.

L
LILY
From
Malaysia
This is my second day i staying at the cabin, and it's very good and comfortable.. I like the air conditioning ngehehhe.. Totally highly recommended BROTHER!! ALL TRAVELLERS IN THE WORLD MAKE YOUR BOOKING TODAY!! STAY IN THE CABIN BE SIMPLE ENJOY THE MOMENT.. 🌍🗺️🛫
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.8
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 102 reviews
Price from
US$21.89
1 night, 2 adults

Signel Hostel

Kota Kinabalu

Set in Kota Kinabalu and with Filipino Market Sabah reachable within 500 metres, Signel Hostel offers a shared lounge, non-smoking rooms, free WiFi throughout the property and a terrace.

S
Sofiane
From
France
thanks very much for this nice stay ! the decoration and the confort of the room are excellente, I really like the concept of the hotel with a mix option for a luxurious hostel or more high standing room ! we really appreciate our stay and want to thank Perez and Gii, the staff was really helpful and nice to us.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.4
Very good - What previous guests thought, 358 reviews
Price from
US$19.46
1 night, 2 adults

Vibrant Hostel

Kota Kinabalu

Located in Kota Kinabalu, 1.7 km from Filipino Market Sabah, Vibrant Hostel provides air-conditioned rooms and a shared lounge.

A
Alice
From
Malaysia
My favourite place to stay in kk!
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.6
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 431 reviews
Price from
US$25.12
1 night, 2 adults

Space Cap Hotel

Kota Kinabalu

Situated in Kota Kinabalu and within 400 metres of Filipino Market Sabah, Space Cap Hotel has a shared lounge, non-smoking rooms, and free WiFi.

E
Egan zhuang yong
From
Brunei Darussalam
Surrounding and how easy to get to places
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.1
Very good - What previous guests thought, 223 reviews
Price from
US$18.73
1 night, 2 adults

Borneo Gaya Lodge

Kota Kinabalu

Situated within less than 1 km of Filipino Market Sabah and 3.1 km of Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village, Borneo Gaya Lodge features rooms with air conditioning and a private bathroom in Kota...

R
Ricard Cristia
From
Spain
Great communication with the host! I made a mistake while booking the room, but he was really flexible and made my stay comfortable and made me feel welcome. Everything was spotless and had a pleasant smell. No noise outside.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.2
Very good - What previous guests thought, 139 reviews
Price from
US$22.66
1 night, 2 adults

Jiran Hostel Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu

Set in Kota Kinabalu and within 1.3 km of Filipino Market Sabah, Jiran Hostel Kota Kinabalu has a shared lounge, non-smoking rooms, and free WiFi.

E
Edmund
From
United Kingdom
Jiran was great - comfortable bed, quiet room. Privacy curtains on each bunk which I always appreciate.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.6
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 65 reviews
Price from
US$28.22
1 night, 2 adults

Capsule Inn

Kota Kinabalu

Capsule Inn is located in Kota Kinabalu, 3.6 km from Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village and 4.7 km from North Borneo Railway.

J
Jan
From
Germany
This is a great place! The staff is super friendly and the atmosphere is almost familiar. It is quite special to sleep in a capsule, but they are more spacious than one might think and super comfortable with an AC, mirror, sockets etc. The "living room" is also great and especially good for socializing.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.5
Good - What previous guests thought, 223 reviews
Price from
US$12.42
1 night, 2 adults

Escape Backpackers KK

Kota Kinabalu

Located in Kota Kinabalu, 400 metres from Filipino Market Sabah, Escape Backpackers KK provides air-conditioned rooms and a shared lounge.

T
Thomas
From
United Kingdom
Breakfast provided was really tasty. Staff were great and allowed us to stay there until our flight the following evening. Rooms comfy and private, WiFi was excellent.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.5
Good - What previous guests thought, 405 reviews
Price from
US$12.90
1 night, 2 adults

Oikos Poshtel

Kota Kinabalu

Located in Kota Kinabalu and with Filipino Market Sabah reachable within 1.6 km, Oikos Poshtel provides a tour desk, non-smoking rooms, a shared lounge, free WiFi and a restaurant.

M
M Redzuan
From
Malaysia
Room especially the bed are great and super comfy. Walking distance to Imago. There's also washer and dryer in the unit.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.1
Good - What previous guests thought, 151 reviews
Price from
US$31.62
1 night, 2 adults
All hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Looking for a hostel?

Budget travellers know that there is no better way to make the most of their trip than by staying at a hostel: save money for exploring during the day, and swap stories with fellow backpackers in the shared kitchen or bar in the evening. Dorm-style bedrooms with shared bathrooms are standard hostel fare, but private rooms are also available for those willing to pay a bit more.

Most booked hostels in Kota Kinabalu and surroundings in the past month

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Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.1
Good - What previous guests thought, 151 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 6.9
Pleasant - What previous guests thought, 195 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.1
Very good - What previous guests thought, 223 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 490 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.8
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 102 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.4
Very good - What previous guests thought, 358 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.6
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 431 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.5
Good - What previous guests thought, 405 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 6.8
Pleasant - What previous guests thought, 404 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 1,255 reviews

No credit card needed to book these hostels in Kota Kinabalu and nearby

Capsule Inn

Kota Kinabalu
No credit card needed
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.5
Good - What previous guests thought, 223 reviews

Capsule Inn is located in Kota Kinabalu, 3.6 km from Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village and 4.7 km from North Borneo Railway.

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.9
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 13 reviews

Akinabalu Youth Hostel provides air-conditioned accommodation in Kota Kinabalu. The accommodation features a shared kitchen, a shared lounge and organising tours for guests.

From US$25.22 per night
Scored out of 10, guest rating 6.8
Pleasant - What previous guests thought, 404 reviews

Nusantara Mattwaddien Hostel is situated in Kota Kinabalu, within 11 km of International Technology & Commercial Centre Penampang - ITCC and 2.9 km of Signal Hill Observatory.

From US$12.14 per night
Scored out of 10, guest rating 1.0
Bad - What previous guests thought, 1 review

Situated within 3.4 km of Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village and 5 km of Likas City Mosque, Capsule inn CI enterprise offers rooms in Kota Kinabalu.

Faloe Hostel

Kota Kinabalu
No credit card needed
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 490 reviews

Faloe Hostel is set in Kota Kinabalu, within 1.8 km of Filipino Market Sabah and 4.1 km of Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village.

From US$20.68 per night

FAQ about hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Hostels that guests love in Kota Kinabalu

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Avg. price/night: US$20.68
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 490 reviews
The full team is wonderful and they help you with everything they can. The hostel is pretty, clean and very well organized. The common areas are very cozy. This has been for me the best hostel in all Malaysia 🙂🙃🙂
Guest review by
Sonne_HD
Solo traveller
Avg. price/night: US$25.54
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.4
Very good - What previous guests thought, 358 reviews
Modern furnishing and each pod feels very private which is nice. The area immediately outside the hostel doesn’t feel like the most inviting but is perfectly safe, and probably quite insightful. Very central (although not sure that really makes a difference- not huge amounts to do in the city)
Guest review by
Christopher
Solo traveller
Avg. price/night: US$23.64
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 1,255 reviews
Amazing culture, stunning sunsets from the hostel panorama window and very clean! Definitely one of the very best hostels I’ve been in so far. Special thanks to Jenny of the hostel staff for integrating new people into the amazing social culture!
Guest review by
Ralf Johannes
Solo traveller
Avg. price/night: US$23.64
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.0
Superb - What previous guests thought, 1,255 reviews
This was without a doubt the best hostel I ever stayed in so far. It’s clean, safe, good facilities, nice rooms, nice kitchen and living room, super friendly people who work there,… I definitely go back!
Guest review by
Delphine
Solo traveller