Search Cheap Cornwall Hostels

From the salt-sprayed sands of surf-mad Bude to the stone-built fishing quays of Padstow to the haunting castle keeps of Tintagel, Cornwall's north coast is tailored to impress. But then come the southern bays of the Roseland Heritage Coast, looking positively Med-like during summer. And there are the rolling downs and quaint towns inland, laced with cream-tea kitchens and heritage mines. If all that's tickled your fancy, a hostel in Cornwall could be just what you're after. These are the stays that promise real bang for your buck, not to mention a lively pad that's shared with like-minded travellers keen on meeting, mingling and clinking the odd glass of craft Cornish beer, come evening. Other hostels in Cornwall are for the adventurers, facing surf-splashed coves or windblown hiking paths, somewhere off the beaten track.

Hostels in Cornwall for all sorts

Cornwall is a big cut-out of England, ranging from the salt-spattered cliffs of Land's End to the rolling moors, near Devon. The upshot is that hostels in Cornwall cover a whole range of sorts of stay. You can find them touting YHA affiliation in the wild countryside of the national parks, with bunks near the misty greenhouses of the Eden Project and the beginnings of primeval Bodmin Moor. You'll catch them huddling between cider-sloshing pubs in lively nightlife hubs, like Newquay, fielding big dorms aimed at travelling parties and young ones. But, most of all, they are by the coast. Calling surfers, romantic couples keen on leaving footprints in the sand, and families – they have doubles, dorms and multi-bed ensuites that could just fit the bill.

There's oodles of unique character to go around in hostels in Cornwall, too. Whitewashed stone boltholes and cottages have been converted in the countryside, spilling out to decks where West Country cream teas are served to chattering backpackers. In the towns, Victorian homes are now brimming with bunks and beer taps, coming alive in the evenings as the surfers return to guzzle drinks and share tales of the Newquay and Polzeath swells. On top of that, the basics are all in place – think laundry facilities, clean and contemporary bathrooms and WiFi connections throughout.

Exploring the county from hostels in Cornwall

Close to the haunting ruins of Tintagel Castle – the fabled home of Merlin the wizard – and the curious Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, the YHA Boscastle could be the perfect place to start those adventures along the wild and windy north shores of Cornwall. It's a real charmer to behold, with crooked slate roofs and centuries-old cottage design. The tried-and-tested St Christopher's Inn surely tops the bill for those keen on riding the Cornish waves by day and sipping country ciders come evening – it's nestled in the heart of Newquay, which is perhaps the county's liveliest surf town. On the sunnier south coast, budding botanists can hit YHA Eden Project. It's a whisker away from the biomes and botanical gardens of St Austell's iconic greenhouse complex, home to a menagerie of palms and ferns and flowers.