The best cheap hotels in Hamburg

Partygoers never fail to have a good time in Hamburg and there's no better place to anchor yourself for fun times than Pyjama Park. Even the name sounds fun, right? You'll find it on the Reeperbahn, catering for everyone from solo flyers to large groups (hen/stag parties, we're looking at you). Rooms on offer vary between six-bed dormitories and privates with en suites; all of which are brimming with colour. There's expressive art all over the walls and this varies from room to room. It also spills out into the common areas: the lobby, roof terrace (the chairs are multicoloured) and bar.

Time Out tip: Beeline for Bahnhof Pauli across the road. This is an underground station that doubles as a nightclub and is decked out like a scene in Tron.

This 3-star hotel is located close to the main railway station in the St. Georg district of Hamburg. It offers modern rooms, free Wi-Fi, and free coffee throughout the day.The Hotel Village's rooms include cable TV and free Wi-Fi. Some rooms have a bed canopy and a mirrored ceiling.Breakfast is served until late every day at the Hotel Village. It is available until 11:00 during the week, and until 12:00 at weekends.The hotel reception is open 24 hours a day.A number of car parks can be found close to the Hotel Village.

Time Out tip: For the ultimate in bordello kitsch, ask for the Honeymoon Suite.

A great choice for backpackers, the Hamburg branch of Generator Hostels is located near to the central station in a former recording studio where John, Paul, George and Ringo once famously played. As well as its music history credentials, it offers good twin, double, triple and quad rooms, mixed dormitories for up to eight, and a women-only dorm. Dorm beds start at 16 EUR per night. The design throughout Generator is hip and refreshing, with exposed brick walls, big floor-to-ceiling windows and works by local artists. There are plenty of additional comforts too, including a laundry service, rental bikes and the vibrant Helter Skelter bar that’s as popular with locals as it is with hostel guests.

Time Out tip: Dig the dose of Fab Four history? Check out one of Hamburg’s many Beatles tours.

An easy walk from the Sternschanze, Hadley’s is great for those looking for a low-cost, low-key home away from home. It offers single, double, triple, and family rooms, each individually and stylishly decorated. Six rooms have a mezzanine bed, allowing for a spacious living or working area below. The shared bathrooms are well-kitted and clean, but the showers can be noisy, so try to avoid the adjacent bedrooms if you’re a light or late morning sleeper. Breakfast is not included in the overnight price but is available from 10am at the adjoining Hadley’s Café Bar—a beautiful, luminous space with great window seats.

Time Out tip: Peckish before Hadley’s Café Bar opens? Karen’s Konditiorei bakery across the road opens at 7.30am Tuesday to Friday (8am and 9am on Sat/Sun).

Prices start at just EUR 65 at Superbude, a bold and bright newcomer to the St Pauli scene. Its 89 colourful rooms range from doubles to the six-person “Rock Star Suite”, each featuring a flat screen TV, private bathroom with rain shower, super-fast wifi, as well as plenty of playful, upcycled furniture. The Superbude prides itself on local connections and creative exchange and is a great source of intel on what to see, do, or hear during your Hamburg stay. With a run of cocktails at the bar and breakfast served until noon, it also caters particularly kindly to those in town to party.

Time Out tip: Check out the Superbude’s house packages, offering various add-ons including travel cards, welcome drinks, walking maps and bespoke playlists.

The Basement Rotherbaum offers single, double, triple and family rooms on a quiet side street in the Grindel district, just west of the Outer Alster lake. The rooms share common bathrooms on each floor as well as a common kitchen, where you’ll find basic breakfast options on an honesty system. Simply furnished, Basement Rotherbaum nevertheless offers some cosier touches, including wicker chairs, vintage wood cupboards in the dining area and a nice selection of books. Most bedrooms look out onto the leafy back terrace, sometimes with direct garden access, which makes for a peaceful retreat on warmer days. It’s a particularly convenient spot for visitors to the University or Hamburg Messe.

Time Out tip: See what’s on at the nearby Abaton, a classic art-house cinema and Hamburg cultural hotspot.

Neatly located for HafenCity, St Michael’s church and the Reeperbahn, this Hamburg branch of the Motel One chain is reliably fresh, modern and inexpensive. Expect cleanliness and comfort rather than character; rooms follow the chain’s regular dark wood, white and turquoise scheme with little further flourish, but with quality bed linens and heavy curtains, you can be confident of a good night’s sleep. Though the rooms have limited square metres and minimal wardrobe space, there’s plenty of room to stretch your legs in the spacious lobby and well-stocked bar downstairs. Amenities are basic, but service is friendly and efficient.

Time Out tip: Check out St Michael’s across the road, a fine example of Protestant Baroque architecture and the most famous church in Hamburg.

If you’d prefer to save your Euros and the planet, look no further than Green Haven, Hamburg’s best budget and eco-friendly B&B, located to the west of the Outer Alster lake. With just five rooms ranging from a single bedroom to apartment, it’s a cozy, convivial kind of place for like-minded travellers, with a communal dining/living room and kitchen, and shared bathrooms for the smaller rooms. In good Hamburg style, it’s got a loosely nautical theme to its décor, but the foremost concern is environmental; under the tender care of owner Christiane, almost all the Green Haven furnishings are upcycled, the linen is organic and fair-trade and the fridge is stocked with vegan breakfast options.

Time Out tip: If you want to make the most of the kitchen and cook for yourself, there’s an organic supermarket just five minutes’ walk away.

In an impressive white villa north of the Sternschanze, YoHo—short for the “Young Hotel”—delivers clean lines and modest prices. Though small, the rooms remain airy with well-proportioned windows, good fittings and a Scandinavian-inspired palette of grey, white and light wood. You’ll find more generous flushes of colour in the on-site restaurant, Mazza, serving up a (fairly limited) breakfast each morning as well as an evening menu of modern Syrian cuisine from 6pm. There’s free parking in the spacious hotel courtyard.

Time Out tip: True to its youthful branding, YoHo offers some special rates for travellers under 27.

Out in the north-western reaches of Hamburg, this small budget lodging is some distance from Hamburg’s main sights, but with prices starting at EUR 38 for a single room, it’s a good choice for low-budget travellers who don’t need to be super central, or don’t mind a train ride into town. Though a fairly un-prepossessing building, it’s well kept and clean, with a tidy outdoor area. As well as single, double and triple bedrooms, there are family suites for four, including a small pantry kitchen and lounge area. Staff is friendly and helpful, and there’s a supermarket and restaurant around the corner.

Time Out tip: For animal-loving travellers young or old, the Arcade Hostel is located just down the road from Hamburg’s Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo.