Chicago Hostels Near Grant Park

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Chicago may play second fiddle to a city like New York when it comes to tourism, but all you have to do is spend a little time in downtown Chicago on a bright summer day to understand why locals love their city and why people who do visit want to return.

Unfortunately for budget travelers, this isn’t a city that’s crawling with hostels – but there are a few right in the city center, near one of the places you’ll likely want to spend time (especially on that aforementioned bright summer day). So when you’re hunting for a place to stay that won’t break the bank, consider these Chicago hostels near Grant Park.

And if you’d like to expand your search, potentially including some budget hotels or just looking at hostels in other parts of the city, our more comprehensive listings of hostels in Chicago are a great place to start.

Hostels in Chicago Near Grant Park

H.I. Chicago

Since it’s part of the Hostelling International network, you can count on H.I. Chicago to rise to a certain standard of service – and it does. It’s named in several budget travel guidebooks, so if this is the place you want to stay you might want to book it sooner rather than later. Still, even if you’re a last-minute arrival it doesn’t hurt to stop by and find out if they have a bed – they’ve got 500 of them in the building.

The H.I. Chicago is on the southern end of the Loop, and close to Grant Park. Also within walking distance are Sears Tower (nevermind what they’re calling it now), Navy Pier, and Michigan Avenue. Linens, pillows, and towels are all provided for free, as are guided tours of the city. WiFi will cost extra.

AAE Chicago Parthenon Hostel

No, you haven’t stumbled from Chicago to Greece – the AAE Chicago Parthenon Hostel is actually in The Windy City. It’s close to Grant Park, and also walking distance to the train and bus stations. The hostel features an on-site bar and restaurant for convenience, but it’s also right in the heart of some of the city’s best dining and drinking opportunities.

AAE Chicago Parthenon Hostel offers several freebies, including breakfast, internet, and WiFi, but it’s only with the private rooms that you’ll get linens included. You can bring your own towels or rent them at the front desk.

Arlington House International Hostel

The last hostel on this list is actually closer to another park in Chicago rather than Grant Park, but since it’s only 10 minutes from downtown Chicago and still in a cool neighborhood we thought we’d include it anyway. (Also, there just aren’t many hostels right next to Grant Park!) Arlington House International Hostel is in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, which is a vibrant area in its own right with shops, clubs, and lots of interesting places to eat.

Arlington House International Hostel offers free continental breakfast and free linens. You can rent bikes from the hostel to explore the area with your own wheels, and if you fancy hanging out with new friends at the hostel you can borrow a guitar and have a sing-a-long. And it’s easy to get into the city, because the hostel is close to a stop on the L train.

photo by David Paul Ohmer