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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.

Y
Yi-kuang
From
Norway
Super helpful staffs. Very happy that I followed their recommendation on the spot and visited Kinabatangan river. And the entire place is always very clean.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.9
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 1,253 reviews
Price from
US$17.68
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.

S
Shukri O
From
United Kingdom
We were very apprehensive of booking a stay with a shared bathroom whilst travelling with kids but I'm so glad our first time was here. The hotel is new, clean and everyone was so lovely. They provided breakfast (plus free water, coffee and tea throughout the day) which was a lovely addition and the location was PERFECT. You're right in the midst of the city and a lot of things are walking distance like the Jetty to the islands and Suria shopping mall. If you're looking for a good stay in KK, you've found your spot.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.8
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 101 reviews
Price from
US$19.65
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.

T
Timur
From
Kazakhstan
Very comfortable beds, comfortable room temperature, clean bed sheets, clean room, nice hosts, lockers.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.4
Very good - What previous guests thought, 359 reviews
Price from
US$17.46
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.

F
Francesca
From
Australia
The family rooms had pretty much their own level and own bathrooms. Despite the hostel having other rooms, they were all in other levels so it was quiet. We ended up staying again when we came back to KK at the end of our trip. It was too good! The location was very convenient being next to the shopping centre. Perfect for buying travelling essentials, eating or just strolling.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.6
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 432 reviews
Price from
US$25.05
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.

A
Adam
From
United Kingdom
Nancy was very helpful and the location was perfect
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.1
Very good - What previous guests thought, 225 reviews
Price from
US$18.68
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...

M
M
From
Poland
Nice and helpful host. Small room with private bathroom, for one person ok. Clean. Very good location. Night market at the gate. Restaurants and shops. Close to the ATM (banks). Close to the Rabbit scooter rental if you want go to the tip of Borneo. Comfortable bed. Shampoo and toilet paper, towel included in the price. I recommend.
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.2
Very good - What previous guests thought, 139 reviews
Price from
US$20.33
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$25.32
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$11.14
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.

B
Bou debs
From
Taiwan
Adorable staff, great atmosphere and amazing breakfast. Best dormitories I've ever been to ! Great value for the money
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.5
Good - What previous guests thought, 405 reviews
Price from
US$11.57
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.

I
ItsYu
From
Singapore
The place less than 5mins walk away from Imago mall
Scored out of 10, guest rating 7.2
Good - What previous guests thought, 151 reviews
Price from
US$28.38
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 7.2
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, 225 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 489 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.8
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 101 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.4
Very good - What previous guests thought, 359 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.6
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 432 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, 406 reviews

Popular with guests booking hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.9
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 1,253 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$25.15 per night
Scored out of 10, guest rating 6.8
Pleasant - What previous guests thought, 406 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$12.10 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, 489 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$20.62 per night

FAQ about hostels in Kota Kinabalu

Hostels that guests love in Kota Kinabalu

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Avg. price/night: US$20.62
Scored out of 10, guest rating 9.4
Superb - What previous guests thought, 489 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$25.47
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.4
Very good - What previous guests thought, 359 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$23.58
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.9
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 1,253 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$23.58
Scored out of 10, guest rating 8.9
Fabulous - What previous guests thought, 1,253 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
gogless