Pros

  • Convenient location within walking distance of beach, old town, and bus/train stations
  • Inviting common spaces include homey living rooms with board games
  • Clean, minimalist private rooms and shared dorms, plus female-only dorms available
  • Many dorm rooms have bunk beds with privacy curtains, lights, power outlets, and usb ports
  • Kitchens available for guest use, plus free snacks like fruit, cookies, and tea/coffee
  • Lovely courtyard patio with seating and summer bar and large rooftop terrace
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
  • Daily activities include pintxo tours and cider house visits (for a fee)
See More Pros

Cons

  • Communal kitchen lacks stoves/ovens
  • No breakfast offered
  • Towels must be rented
  • Two entrances can be confusing
See More Cons

Bottom Line

This stylish budget hostel in a former convent occupies a prime location that's three blocks from La Concha Beach and a 10-minute walk from the bus and train stations. Inviting common areas include homey living rooms, a charming courtyard, and a rooftop terrace, while fun daily activities like pintxo tours encourage camaraderie among backpackers and other budget travelers. Kitchens are a downer, however, as they lack stoves/ovens, plus breakfast isn't available here, but a selection of free snacks and coffee/tea throughout the day is a convenient touch. Guest rooms, both private rooms and shared dorms, are clean and minimalist in style. Guests particularly rave about the bunkbeds with privacy curtains, usb ports, and power outlets. For an alternative in the old town, check out Kaixo Hostel.

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Internet

Oyster Hotel Review

A Room In The City

Scene

Inviting budget hostel with retro-modern interiors

Occupying a former convent, this inviting budget-friendly hostel is composed of a set of interconnected buildings with two separate entrances, attracting backpackers, groups, and tourists looking for a value stay in one of Spain's most expensive cities. Public spaces don an eclectic vintage style with a contemporary twist, with a current of Scandinavian minimalism running throughout. Homey living areas feel like a grandparents' den, furnished with mismatched sofas and armchairs, vintage furniture, and bookshelves filled with tomes that are mixed with a dose of modernity courtesy of colorful art on the walls, artsy magazines lining coffee tables, and bright beanbag chairs made for lounging around. Wooden wall panelling or atmospheric exposed stone walls add another layer of ambience. There are lovely outdoor spaces that are a hit in the summer, including a charming courtyard patio and spacious rooftop. Overall, the vibe is cool, cozy, and inviting, with good music piped into the public spaces that enhances the atmosphere. Note that one part of the hostel houses more of the shared dorms, attracting a youthful crowd that contribute to a livelier atmosphere, while the other wing has more private rooms that draw couples, families, and an older demographic.

See More Scene

Location

Convenient central location close to beach, bus/train stations, old town, and shopping

The hostel occupies a convenient location in the city center, about three blocks (a five-minute walk) from the famous La Concha Beach. Note that the hostel has two different entrances at separate addresses (situated in interconnected buildings), which can be confusing for some guests. The central location means that nearly everything is within walking distance, including the train and bus stations (10-minute walk away), the old town with its myriad of pintxo bars (10-minute walk), and the shopping district (five-minute walk away). The top of Mount Urgull, with lovely views over the city, is about a 30-minute hike from the hostel. Playa de Zurriola, a popular surfing beach, is around a 20-minute walk away. San Sebastian Airport is about a 25-minute drive or around an hour by public transit.

See More Location

Rooms

Private rooms and minimalist dorms with shared bathrooms; comfy bunkbeds with privacy curtains in most dorms

A variety of room types are available here, including shared dorms, female dorms, and private rooms. Decor is minimalist, but stylishly so, and the spaces are clean, bright, and inviting. Dorm rooms vary; one wing of the hostel features dorms with individual beds, while the other has wooden bunkbeds with privacy curtains as well as individual lights, power outlets, usb ports, and small shelves. Guests particularly rave about these curtained beds, noting their comfort, private feel, and lack of light disruption. Such thoughtful details are what set the hostel apart from competitors and show the level of care and attention put into the property. Another example are the electronic wristbands used for entrance and opening lockers, which consist of roomy drawers beneath the bottom bunks.

Both private en-suite and shared bathrooms are clean. Many have a colorful stained-glass effect on the windows, a lovely touch, while the eco-friendly showers offer several hooks on partitions that keep things dry. 

See More Rooms

Features

Homey common spaces, outdoor courtyard and rooftop terrace, free snacks, and daily activities, but kitchens are lacking 

The hotel has a good number of common areas in which to lounge, with a convivial atmosphere that encourages camaraderie. There are several large living room-like common spaces, with plenty of seating, magazines and books to peruse, games, and computers for guest use. A main highlight is the rooftop with seating and lovely views over the surroundings. One part of the hostel has a charming outdoor courtyard with seating and a bar that's open in the summer; the space also hosts events like art shows and live music.

Both wings of the property have kitchen facilities, but they lack stoves or ovens, a cause for complaint among many guests. They are equipped with fridges, microwaves, electric kettles, and toasters. A selection of free snacks, fruit, and coffee/tea is provided, but there is no breakfast service.

The hostel hosts daily activities (for a fee), which include pintxos tours, cider house visits, and pintxo cooking classes. Other amenities include free luggage storage and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. Towels must be rented for a fee, and there are no laundry facilities or services. The property rents out event spaces and is host to many kinds of functions, including concerts, performances, and parties.

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

A Room In The City

Scene

Inviting budget hostel with retro-modern interiors

Occupying a former convent, this inviting budget-friendly hostel is composed of a set of interconnected buildings with two separate entrances, attracting backpackers, groups, and tourists looking for a value stay in one of Spain's most expensive cities. Public spaces don an eclectic vintage style with a contemporary twist, with a current of Scandinavian minimalism running throughout. Homey living areas feel like a grandparents' den, furnished with mismatched sofas and armchairs, vintage furniture, and bookshelves filled with tomes that are mixed with a dose of modernity courtesy of colorful art on the walls, artsy magazines lining coffee tables, and bright beanbag chairs made for lounging around. Wooden wall panelling or atmospheric exposed stone walls add another layer of ambience. There are lovely outdoor spaces that are a hit in the summer, including a charming courtyard patio and spacious rooftop. Overall, the vibe is cool, cozy, and inviting, with good music piped into the public spaces that enhances the atmosphere. Note that one part of the hostel houses more of the shared dorms, attracting a youthful crowd that contribute to a livelier atmosphere, while the other wing has more private rooms that draw couples, families, and an older demographic.

See More Scene

Location

Convenient central location close to beach, bus/train stations, old town, and shopping

The hostel occupies a convenient location in the city center, about three blocks (a five-minute walk) from the famous La Concha Beach. Note that the hostel has two different entrances at separate addresses (situated in interconnected buildings), which can be confusing for some guests. The central location means that nearly everything is within walking distance, including the train and bus stations (10-minute walk away), the old town with its myriad of pintxo bars (10-minute walk), and the shopping district (five-minute walk away). The top of Mount Urgull, with lovely views over the city, is about a 30-minute hike from the hostel. Playa de Zurriola, a popular surfing beach, is around a 20-minute walk away. San Sebastian Airport is about a 25-minute drive or around an hour by public transit.

See More Location

Rooms

Private rooms and minimalist dorms with shared bathrooms; comfy bunkbeds with privacy curtains in most dorms

A variety of room types are available here, including shared dorms, female dorms, and private rooms. Decor is minimalist, but stylishly so, and the spaces are clean, bright, and inviting. Dorm rooms vary; one wing of the hostel features dorms with individual beds, while the other has wooden bunkbeds with privacy curtains as well as individual lights, power outlets, usb ports, and small shelves. Guests particularly rave about these curtained beds, noting their comfort, private feel, and lack of light disruption. Such thoughtful details are what set the hostel apart from competitors and show the level of care and attention put into the property. Another example are the electronic wristbands used for entrance and opening lockers, which consist of roomy drawers beneath the bottom bunks.

Both private en-suite and shared bathrooms are clean. Many have a colorful stained-glass effect on the windows, a lovely touch, while the eco-friendly showers offer several hooks on partitions that keep things dry. 

See More Rooms

Features

Homey common spaces, outdoor courtyard and rooftop terrace, free snacks, and daily activities, but kitchens are lacking 

The hotel has a good number of common areas in which to lounge, with a convivial atmosphere that encourages camaraderie. There are several large living room-like common spaces, with plenty of seating, magazines and books to peruse, games, and computers for guest use. A main highlight is the rooftop with seating and lovely views over the surroundings. One part of the hostel has a charming outdoor courtyard with seating and a bar that's open in the summer; the space also hosts events like art shows and live music.

Both wings of the property have kitchen facilities, but they lack stoves or ovens, a cause for complaint among many guests. They are equipped with fridges, microwaves, electric kettles, and toasters. A selection of free snacks, fruit, and coffee/tea is provided, but there is no breakfast service.

The hostel hosts daily activities (for a fee), which include pintxos tours, cider house visits, and pintxo cooking classes. Other amenities include free luggage storage and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. Towels must be rented for a fee, and there are no laundry facilities or services. The property rents out event spaces and is host to many kinds of functions, including concerts, performances, and parties.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Cribs

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Swim-Up Bar

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.