The Balkans is a fantastic region to visit if you’re traveling on a budget. North Macedonia is no exception! Cutting costs on accommodation is one of the best ways to stay on budget for a trip, which is why I generally stay in hostels. For my two nights in Skopje, I stayed at Shanti Hostel. Here is my full review!

Location

Shanti Hostel has an excellent location. It is just about a 5-minute walk away from the main bus (and train) station. To get to the city center, it’s about a 15-minute walk, most of which is along the river. It’s on a quiet residential street, with little to no noise at all. This was the perfect base for exploring Skopje. It was also really convenient for leaving Skopje by bus when we went to Pristina!

Room

I stayed in a private double room for my two nights in Skopje. It was basic but perfect for us—I have no complaints at all! The air conditioning worked great (a must in summer!), and it was so nice having some privacy. Note that this private room is located at the top of the stairs accessed from the outdoor area—we could vaguely hear when some noisy people came in late at night, but nothing too bad.

Price

The price for our private room at Shanti Hostel was excellent. We paid €28 per night (~£25.10 // $31), or €14 per person (~£12.55 // $15), to have our own room and our own space. This is fantastic value for money!! While I’m sure you could find private rooms or Airbnbs cheaper in Skopje, this one was such a great location and also had a great atmosphere. They do have dorm rooms as well, if you’re looking to stay in a dorm.

Bathrooms

There are several bathrooms at Shanti Hostel. Again, I have no complaints about them at all. They were all cleaned regularly and I never had to wait to use one—if one bathroom was occupied, one of the others was always free! Staying in the private room meant we had to go down the stairs outside when we needed the bathroom, but it really wasn’t a big issue.

Staff

The staff at Shanti Hostel were really fantastic. To put it simply, they knew literally everything about the area. They were really helpful in giving us ideas on places to visit in Skopje, helping us arrange our trip to Matka Canyon, and for getting buses to Kosovo. They were so knowledgeable and friendly and really made our stay at Shanti Hostel so great.

Common Areas

Shanti Hostel has a cozy common room, as well as a kitchen inside the hostel. But one of my favorite parts about this hostel was the huge outdoor area. They have a tables set up with umbrellas, so you can sit in the shade. They also have a large area with couches, that’s covered by the hostel, but still outside so you can enjoy the weather if it’s nice. It’s all very comfy and welcoming. I can tell this would be a good place to meet people if you’re traveling solo—it was really easy to chat with people outside over breakfast and in the evenings. There’s a really nice atmosphere and lots of other backpackers to meet.

Amenities

The hostel has wifi which worked well everywhere throughout the hostel. They also have a basic free breakfast. I really appreciated the fact that they had Skopje public transportation cards, which they gave to us to use free of charge! We just had to put the money on it—we left ours at the hostel, so it works well for travelers to use them and then return them when they leave Skopje.

Security

I felt that security at Shanti Hostel was good. There is a main gate with a keypad entry for the hostel. Our private room had its own lock, although I’m not sure about the dorm rooms (or lockers in the dorm rooms for that matter). There were generally staff around all the time though, so if there were any issues they could help. I felt safe here and definitely loved the privacy of a private room.

Verdict: Would I Return?

Absolutely. Shanti Hostel was a fantastic place to stay in Skopje. The location was perfect as it was so close to the bus station, and the staff were so helpful in assisting us with our plans. There was a really good atmosphere here too! Having a private room was excellent value for money, and a real bargain for how much extra you get in the hostel with the room. I wish I had stayed longer, and I would definitely stay at Shanti Hostel in Skopje again! You can visit their official website here.

Want to book on Hostelworld? Search on Hostelworld here!

I was not compensated in any way by this hostel—my opinions are always my own.

Check out my other posts on North Macedonia:

What To Do In Skopje, North Macedonia’s Funky Capital

Matka Canyon: A Perfect Daytrip From Skopje

A Guide To Exploring Lake Ohrid In North Macedonia

Do you stay in hostels when you travel? What do you look for in a hostel?