In my second year of college, my friends and I finally decided to make that quintessential Dil Chahta Hai trip to Goa, except it was 10 of us so planning things wasn’t going to be all that easy. With our (relatively) shoestring budgets, backpacking dreams, and an endless stream of unsolicited opinions and suggestions, settling on an accommodation proved to be a Herculean tasks of huge proportions. As students living away from our parents, we couldn’t exactly afford to spend on extravagant sea-facing hotel rooms with breakfast buffets—opting for a hostel instead seemed like befitting alternative. However, not everyone agreed on that decision; their worries ranged from safety and hygiene concerns to other ambiguous anxieties. In the end, we had to spike our budgets and settle on a somewhat economical hotel anyway.
In the past few years, the backpacking culture has found its way into the mainstream travelling scene. Young Indians today are willing to be more adventurous than their previous generations by making travel a priority. This obviously means tighter budgets and simpler, spontaneous itineraries to locations that are friendly, safe, and accommodating—just like Goa; a place that has successfully responded to this shift in trend. Goa’s creative vibrancy and entrepreneurial spirit is visible in the variety of hostels that have recently sprouted all across the state. Apart from being clean, safe, economical, and community-driven, these hostels come with their own unique quirks—making each one stand out for the kind of atmosphere and facilities it offers.
From a 150-year-old Portuguese villa to dorms made up of upcycled shipping containers to a ‘prison’ themed hostel, here at Homegrown we’ve rounded up a list of Goa’s most creative hostel accommodations that are not just affordable but also pretty Instagram-worthy.
I. Bunkker
Spend the night in a shipping container
Upcycled shipping containers straddled between a tiny forest on one side and the magnificent sea on the other, Bunkker resides in a relatively greener patch of Vagator. There’s colourful benches, a spacious common area and kitchen, and plenty of restaurants and bars in the vicinity to ensure you don’t have to venture too far in order to have a good time (we know Goa’s heat can be a little too much sometimes).
Accommodation, both AC and non-AC, come with pillows, bed sheets, plug points, and free WiFi. There’s also cable TV, laundry service and housekeeping. Although breakfast is not included, you can pay a little extra and feast on a platter of eggs, toast, and a hot beverage every morning. Solo female travellers can opt for the female-only dorms. Also, in case you’re travelling as a couple or simply wish to have company, there are three private rooms as well. The volunteers and travellers at Bunkker also participate in frequent greenery drives where people plant saplings in and around Little Vagator.
Address: 593, Small Vagator Beach Road, Vagator, Goa
Cost: With female dorms at just Rs. 250 and regular dorms at Rs. 300, we believe we’ve struck gold.
A slice of Tibet in Goa
Located in Vagator, Forest Monk Hostel, with its colourful Tibetan flags and whatnot, is your chance to experience a slice of Tibetan food and culture in Goa. From steamed and deep-fried momos to Tibetan rolls, the Tibetan Kitchen offers a wide variety of authentic regional dishes and is open from 9 am to 10.30 pm everyday. This place also boasts of a well-stocked bar all through the year —
after all, it is Goa we’re talking about!
From 6-bed dorms to private cottages for two, the accommodation options here are plenty and come with recreational activities like yoga to keep you occupied and invigorated so you can make the best of your time in Goa.
Address: 562/1, Coutinho Vaddo, Vagator, Goa.
Cost: Individual beds start at INR 600.
III. Prison Hostel
Prepare for a prison party
This prison themed hostel gives you the complete experience. Replete with bars on the windows and black and white décor, you are photographed in a mug-shot pose holding while a placard with your ‘prison’ number on it. The sense of incarceration ends here, thankfully. Maintained by thehostelcrowd, this is India’s first and only party hostel. Wi-Fi is complimentary and hangover breakfasts are free so don’t pass out after a night of partying. There are always beers stacked in the fridge to nurse that hangover, should you wish to do so.
Accommodation includes four to ten bed dormitories. Each bed has its own safety locker and bed-lights. The common room is equipped with a music system as well as a computer to help you stay connected. If you prefer your own dominion separate from fellow prisoners, private rooms are also available.
The Party Bus is what caught our attention. Jump into this party vehicle once the in-house bar shuts and you’ll be taken to some of the best parties in town.
Address: 940, Flea Market Road, Anjuna, Goa.
Cost: Dorm beds are a steal at Rs. 350 per night. At Rs. 1200 per night, we can hear the private rooms calling as well.
IV. Jungle Hostel
Feel the jungle vibe
This hostel is where you head if you want to forget time. Chill out in a hammock, walk on the beach or head over to the rooftop for some morning yoga. A traditional Portuguese house was redesigned and now features multiple terraces, a cozy common area with beautifully painted walls of life in the jungle, and a huge garden where you can mingle with like-minded travellers. The jungle that surrounds the hostel is a reminder of the eco-friendly nature of this establishment. All bunk beds have personal lockers. Private rooms are located in a separate building but free Wi-Fi is available to all guests. From sipping coconut water to relishing fish curry, this hostel will show you the easy going Goan way. The hostel is also located on a tiny strip filled with restaurants, and it’s right down the street from Katzen Suppe - this is where you need to be if you feel like a dance at 5 am in the morning.
Address: 486, Vagator Beach Road, Vagator, Goa.
Cost: Dorm beds at Rs. 450 per night will cater to your relaxing stay and private rooms are available at Rs. 1200 per night.
V. Pappi Chulo
With graffiti covered dorms, a Ping Pong table, and a bar overshadowed by a magnificent mango tree, Pappi Chulo is a great backpacking hostel for anyone who wants to leave Goa with nothing but warmth in their heart. This hostel is located right in the middle of Anjuna and Vagator, and offers a range of dorms including a female-only one as well. Pappi Chulo also has a ‘chill quarters’, which is located 30 seconds down the street – it offers some quiet respite from the touristy hustle and bustle of Goa, along with a detox juice bar! AC and non-AC dorms, both are available here; travellers can also choose to stay in a private room. Pappi Chulo is a pet-friendly hostel with free WiFi and parking facilities available. Look out for the motorbike rental place that’s just down the road from the hostel.
Address: Ozran Beach Rd, Vagator, Goa
Cost: Air-conditioned dorms start at Rs. 350. The cost of a private room is a little more steep at Rs. 1,500.
An authentic and eco-friendly Goa village experience
What started out as a backpackers hostel and an artist residency space has today also evolved into a Skill Exchange Centre, where travellers can come and offer a service (like painting a mural, offerring yoga classes etc.) in return for accommodation. Located in the tranquil village of Keri, the hostel’s entrance is made of recycled beer bottles and the husks of painted seeds – a manifestation of the hostel’s sustainable and environment-friendly philosophy. Suhail, the owner, also wishes to convert Dream Catchers into a volunteer-run organic farm in the future that can also support the local community and possibly create more employment for people.
The beautiful beach of Querim is just a 5-minute walk from the hostel, so you won’t ever miss those gorgeous sunsets that Goa is known for. The hostel also boasts of barbeque evenings, free WiFi, a cafe, a garden fire, and a bamboo hut for those who want to become one with nature.
Address: Opposite Rawalnath Temple, Near Corporation Bank, Querim-arambol-agarwada rd
Goa.
Cost: Book a double bed for Rs. 700 and a single one for Rs. 400. An additional Rs. 150 if you want breakfast.
VII. Woke Hostel
A boutique hostel for when you want a luxury experience with the backpacker one.
Set in a colonial Portuguese mansion, Woke Hostel is one of the very few boutique hostels in Goa and is nestled in the Goan village of Arpora with huge palm trees all around and a swimming pool for when the heat finally gets to you. With antique furniture, red oxide flooring, and attached bathrooms, each day at Woke Hostel begins with yoga classes for everyone. The hostel also holds frequent beach cleaning drives and movie nights, which are held in the hostel’s garden, under the canopy of a coconut tree. Bonding over culinary delights is something that happens often here, within the four walls of the community kitchen, where sharing does indeed become caring and new relations are formed.
Acommodation at Woke Hostel is a delight to choose from—private rooms to garden cottages to female dorms, there’s something for every kind of traveller. The private rooms also come with a double bed.
Address: Woke Arpora, 154 Diwan Bhati, Behind HDFC/Dena Bank near Arpora junction, Arpora, Baga Goa
Cost: Mixed dorms at Rs. 700, female dorms at Rs. 750 and at Rs. 2,500 we can hear the private rooms calling.
A home for artists of all kind.
Brainchild of Pareen and Mansi who decided to give up their city life in Mumbai and move to Goa, ImagiNation was set up with the sole purpose of providing artists, writers, musicians and other people pursuing fine arts with a reliable shelter tucked away in a quiet little corner of Arambol. In fact, the founders have previously even managed to connect their guests with relevant start ups and watched creative collaborations emerge out of the loving space they’ve fostered.
A not-for-profit hostel, ImagiNation is situated at an 18 minute walk from the beach. The mixed dorm, with eight beds, comes with a private bathroom, fridge, and free WiFi services. There’s also a terrace for you to soak in the morning sun. From a week to five months or even more, there is no limit for how long a guest can stay here, as the founder says, “we were just happy to be surrounded by happy, vibrant people”.
Address: House No.460, Madhlawada, Pernem Road, 403524 Arambol, Goa.
Cost: One bed for just Rs. 500 a night.
Weekly all-you-can-eat thalis in a Portuguese villa
From jam sessions under the moonlight to DJ nights reserved to tackle those Monday blues, Lazy Llama Hostel resides in a 150-year-old Portuguese villa which has been carefully redone and pieced together to create an eclectic mix of modern and vintage vibes. The wall art here is vibrant, enormous, and is tied together with bits of unexpected trivia. The front porch is where most travellers get together to spend an evening playing drinking games or simply conversing with each other. The hostelers, or ‘Llamas’, also have a weekly ritual of heading out for a dinner at Meena Aunty’s – a home chef who is known for her all-you-can-eat thalis offering the best of local cuisine. Lazy Llama is also only a 5-minute walk from Anjuna beach and the four-bed dorms come with a community kitchen, garden, personal lockers, and free WiFi. To get a peek into the merriment that goes on here, check out their Instagram page.
Address: 694/1,De Melto Vaddo, Anjuna, Goa 403509
Cost: Only Rs. 800 onwards for a bunk bed
Staying true to its name, the dorms at this hostel are made quite literally of simply bricks and bamboos, offering you a very rooted backpacker experience. The interiors of the hostel are inspired by the hippie culture that existed in Goa way back in the 70s; the bamboo huts too are inspired from the beach huts of that time. With a forest, rice field, and a beach in the vicinity of the hostel, Bricks And Bamboos is quite the explorer’s paradise, with an adventure awaiting you at every corner.
The hostel is a 5-minute walk from Anjuna beach and comes with free WiFi, a common area and kitchen, a garden, a bar, and occasional community barbeques. We suggest carrying odomos and other mosquito repellents just in case you need them. The dorms also come with a safety locker.
Address: 890 Monteiro Vaddo | near Football Field, behind Monty’s Restaurant, Anjuna, Bardez Goa
Cost: Believe it or not, the rates here start at Rs. 100!
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