Best Hostels In Phnom Penh: 6 Hostels Worth Booking

Planning to head to Phnom Penh while you are traveling Cambodia? Looking for the best hostels in Phnom Penh so you have somewhere budget-friendly and sociable to spend a couple of nights?

Well, I have compared the price, facilities, amenities, and location- so come find out the top backpackers for all types of travelers in this ultimate guide and have the perfect stay!

Phnom Penh is a huge city and honestly, it can be a bit overwhelming when you first arrive. This is nothing like the quaint streets of Siem Reap. Instead, it is busy, loud, and a little bit dusty.

Nevertheless, it is well worth spending a couple of days in Phnom Penh during your adventures around Cambodia. In my personal opinion, it is actually a must to do this to check out some of the historic sights around the city.

If you are not aware, Cambodia has quite an unfortunate past that happened not so long ago in the 1970s. I think it is important to gather an understanding of what happened here so you can appreciate the hardship its citizens have been through and how many lives were changed because of it.

Nevertheless, you can find some pretty awesome hostels in Phnom Penh. Whether you are looking for something in the best location, one which has the best social atmosphere, or simply just need a comfortable night’s sleep.

There are a lot of different things to consider when deciding what are the best hostels in Phnom Penh.

One thing to be aware of is due to COVID many hostels here actually shut down, and therefore your options nowadays are actually quite limited. Hopefully, as things begin to reopen and life gets back to normal we will start seeing new places open up, which I can add to this list.

Though until then this best hostels in Phnom Penh round-up is quite small, don’t worry these are still pretty damn decent options!

With the help of this list, you’ll be able to see what to look for when booking a hostel in Phnom Penh! Ensuring you can book a bed confidently, in a decent location, and for a good price.

List Of The Best Hostels In Phnom Penh

Overall Best Hostel in Phnom Penh – Onederz Hostel Phnom Penh
Best Hostel in Phnom Penh for Solo Travelers – Mad Monkey Hostel Phnom Penh
The Best Cheap Hostel in Phnom Penh – Pool Top Guesthouse
Best Cheap Private Room in Phnom Penh – Prantara Heritage Suites

How I Book Cheap Transport In Cambodia: 12Go Asia

How To Choose The Best Hostels In Phnom Penh

As I said before there is a rather short list of hostels available to book in Phnom Penh. Though there are still some decent ones and some bad ones, I am here to divide the two options so you don’t need to book somewhere horrible!

Honestly, the quality of hostels in Phnom Penh has improved a lot since I first traveled there. I remember walking straight to my dorm room, which is still the worst dorm I have ever seen, and walking back out.

Luckily there happened to be quite a few options on the street that were not available online and at cheaper prices. Therefore if you don’t see anything you are in love with online, you can always wait until you arrive.

However you do also run the risk of not being able to find somewhere to stay, or they are all sold out.

The older, and perhaps wiser, I get the more of a glampacker travel style I begin to develop and there are plenty of bougie hostels in Phnom Penh that cater to this.

Sure, you can’t go wrong with the old-school wooden-style bunk beds. Though there are plenty of affordable and modern hostels here so there is honestly no reason to stay somewhere substandard.

So when choosing the best hostels in Phnom Penh, some things I took into account are:

Price

You will find prices of hostels in Phnom Penh are super affordable, basically just like the rest of Southeast Asia. For the more basic hostels at the cheaper end of the list prices are generally $5.00 or $6.00.

Though if you were to increase your budget slightly you would be able to find a comfortable bed in a hostel with a great social atmosphere and amenities.

Personally, I recommended budgeting around $7.00 for a hostel dorm room in Phnom Penh per night. This will also you to stay somewhere comfortable, with a great atmosphere, and perhaps even a pool.

However, if you are planning to stay in a private room you will need to up your budget to around $20.00 per night. Hopefully, you are traveling with a friend or as a couple so you have someone to split the price with.

Location

Luckily most of the best hostels in Phnom Penh, as well as hotels are located in the city center. Though the most popular areas to stay in are called Daun Penh and Chamkar Mon. In these two areas of the city, you will find the majority of iconic landmarks and must-see attractions such as the markets.

This is also where many tourist bus offices are located and where these buses arrive and depart from. You will also find the Mekong River here where you can go for a lovely sunset walk, as well as some excellent restaurants and cafes.

For the sake of this article, I will judge a property’s location by its proximity to the Independence Monument. This is essentially located smack bang in the middle of the city and is a popular landmark to check out during your stay.

However be aware that accommodation in Phnom Penh is super duper spread out, as there is no real “tourist center”, well apart from the city center.

Amenities

Now there may not be a super wide variety of hostels in Phnom Penh available at the moment. Though luckily they are all pretty decent in terms of the amenities they offer. Many of the poor hostels didn’t survive COVID, though I am sure plenty more will start popping up again.

If you want value for money then booking a hostel with free breakfast and water will help save a little bit extra each day. Some hostels even include free coffee and tea!

Quite a few of the hostels on this list organize events such as pub crawls and have an excellent social scene. Perfect if you want to meet other travelers! One thing to be aware of is often cheaper hostel dorm rooms won’t have air conditioning.

Rather they will have a fan, I have stayed in both during my travels in Southeast Asia. Though for sleeping in a room with randoms I highly recommend booking air conditioning.

The last thing I think is important to note is quite a few hostels turn off the air conditioning during the day. I guess this forces you to go out and explore, though I will leave it up to you whether you book one of these hostels.

Overall Best Hostel In Phnom Penh – Onederz Hostel Phnom Penh

An excellent hostel and the place for the best hostel in Phnom Penh is Onederz Hostel. This is a traveler’s favorite and a popular chain throughout Cambodia. Though the one in Phnom Penh is fantastic and is highly recommended for all types of travelers in this bustling city!

Here you will find common areas on the ground floor where you can meet plenty of other travelers. There is also a rooftop where you can enjoy an awesome view over the river, cool off in the incredible pool after a busy day of exploring, or grab a delicious meal and cold drink from the bar/restaurant.

This is certainly the place to be for sunset to watch night take over and the city’s lights turn on.

They have a choice of 4-bed mixed dorms, 4-bed female dorms, 6-bed mixed dorms, 6-bed female dorms, as well as private rooms. As you can see you won’t be sharing with a crazy amount of people, and it also, statically, lessens the chance you will get stuck with a snorer in your room.

Each bed here has a personal electrical socket, and reading light. The rooms also have air-con, which is a lifesaver in the Cambodian heat.

- $$
- Rooftop Swimming Pool
- Tour Desk
- Max 6 Per Dorm Room
- 2400 meters from Independence Monument

CHECK BEST PRICES

the impressive rooftop pool at night at onederz hostel phnom penh

Honorable Mention Best Hostel In Phnom Penh – The Big Easy Phnom Penh

Runner-up for the best hostel in Phnom Penh goes to The Big Easy. This is another popular hostel chain in Cambodia, and also a favorite among travelers.

There may not be a pool here, but you will find plenty of other social areas you can hang out and meet other backpackers. How about a game of pool, or perhaps a cold beer from the onsite bar? This is a super social hostel so be prepared to make some new friends.

They have an assortment of private and dorm rooms. Their dorm rooms are a large pod style, and even though I am not a fan of the triple-decker scenario, it is much better than the triple-decker bunk beds you commonly find in Europe.

There are also curtains on the beds to provide privacy, as well as individual reading lights and electrical sockets.

- $
- Onsite Restaurant & Bar
- Pod Style Dorms
- Social Atmosphere
- 1600 meters from Independence Monument

CHECK BEST PRICES

the triple decker bunk beds at the big easy phnom penh

Best Hostel in Phnom Penh for Solo Travelers – Mad Monkey Phnom Penh

My top choice for solo travelers in Phnom Penh is the Mad Monkey Hostel. Once again this is another popular hostel chain in Cambodia, and is known for its social scene and is essentially the place to be when you are here.

You will find plenty of cool places to hang out including the Beer Garden, bar & restaurant, and swimming pool. You may arrive here at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh alone, but you will leave with so many memories and new friends. They also have an assortment of tours on offer, as well as special event nights.

Be aware this is a party hostel, so you may not get the most sleep here. Though in saying that, the dorm rooms are still pretty decent, with rooms available including 4 beds, 6 beds, 8 beds, and 10 beds. they all do have a personal reading light, electrical socket, and decent mattress.

Unfortunately, there are no curtains so you will no doubt be woken in the night by people getting ready for bed after hitting the town. Therefore if you want to get a decent night’s sleep here at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh I do recommend staying in the smaller dorm rooms or booking yourself a private room.

$$$
Swimming Pool
Pub Crawl
600 meters from the Independence Monument

CHECK BEST PRICES

a pool party at mad monkey, one of the best social hostels in phnom penh

Best Cheap Hostel in Phnom Penh– Pool Top Guesthouse

Welcome to the cheapest hostel in Phnom Penh, Pool Top Guesthouse. This one is definitely less of a party/social hostel. so if you are looking for somewhere lowkey, and are a budget-conscious traveler, then I highly recommend checking out Pool Top Guesthouse.

As the name suggests this is more of a guesthouse, so you can expect a family atmosphere while staying here. They also have a super luxe rooftop swimming pool which is a perfect way to cool off from the Cambodian heat.

Here you have the choice of either a 4-bed, 8-bed, or 10-bed dorm room. Though I will say the dorms here are a bit basic for my liking, at the same time I am a bit more of an older traveler these days and will happily pay a little bit extra for more comfort.

Nevertheless, it is a great choice for budget travelers, and you will still have air conditioning, as well as a personal reading light and electrical sockets.

$
Tour Desk
Swimming Pool
2800 meters from Independence Monument

CHECK BEST PRICES

an awesome view at pool top guesthouse in phnom penh

How I Book Cheap Transport In Cambodia: 12Go Asia

Best Cheap Private Room in Phnom Penh – Prantara Heritage Suites

Perhaps you aren’t keen on a dorm but you still want somewhere affordable to stay in Phnom Penh. Well, luckily there is the perfect option for you over at Prantara Heritage Suites. This is an excellent option for travelers on a budget, or perhaps who are not comfortable staying in a hostel just yet but still want to save some money.

Sleep well in one of the modern and clean rooms. Luckily all of the rooms, even the cheapest ones, have air conditioning, so you can stay nice and cool and get a good night’s sleep.

$
Super Affordable
Clean Rooms
800 meters from the Independence Monument

CHECK BEST PRICES

air conditioned and clean rooms at prantara heritage suites

Pacific Hotel

Another excellent choice for travelers on a budget looking for an affordable private room is the Pacific Hotel. Here you will be able to find a private room that is a little more luxurious, but not pay hundreds.

You will find a delicious restaurant on site serving both Western and Khmer cuisine. There is also a gym as well where you can work off all that delicious food.

All rooms here feature air conditioning and they have a very modern and sleek design. You will have plenty of space to spread out in these huge bedrooms that also contain a desk and mini fridge as well. Just be aware of what room you are booking as some of the cheaper rooms do not have a window.

$$
Pool
Luxe On A Budget
2000 Meters from the Independence Monument

CHECK BEST PRICES

modern and clean rooms at pacific hotel in phnom penh

More Best Hostels In Phnom Penh

Poolside Villa

Another choice for a great hostel in Phnom Penh is Poolside Villa. This is a relatively new hostel in the city, but it is proving quite popular. It is an excellent budget option and you can make use of the fantastic pool to cool off in the Cambodian heat. They also have a restaurant and bar onsite with reasonably priced food and drinks. Though unfortunately, their dorm rooms are a little basic for my liking, I understand this is also completely fine with a lot of other travelers. Here you will find standard metal bunk beds, each with an electrical socket and personal reading light. These days I prefer to spend slightly more for a bit more privacy in terms of a pod style or curtain. Though if you are on a tight budget this could make the perfect option!

$
Swimming Pool
Tour Desk
600 meters from the Independence Monument.

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social area at poolside villa in phnom penh

So Where To Stay in Phnom Penh?

For sure Phnom Penh is well worth visiting while you are in Cambodia. Whether you are passing through on your way to or from Cambodia, or perhaps flying in or out of the airport, it is a well-connected city with plenty of international hubs.

Though I will say in my opinion, the best thing to do here is experience the country’s history and learn about its past. The city isn’t particularly very pretty, nor is it one of my favorites in Cambodia. However it is still well worth visiting and spending a couple of nights exploring.

There is a little bit of everything here, whether you are looking to party or relax. So, with the help of the best hostels in Phnom Penh guide, I hope you have found the perfect place to stay in this bustling city.

Do you own or work for a hostel and want to be featured? Let us know over at [email protected]

How I Book Cheap Transport In Cambodia: 12Go Asia

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