Boutique Hostel Forum
by the TopOfHotel team
Boutique Hostel Forum is a chance to sleep right beside the Roman Forum and St. Donatus in the heart of Zadar's Old Town for a fraction of what the boutique hotels around it charge — pick a dorm bed or a private room, and lean on the location and value rather than luxury.
Boutique Hostel Forum is a chance to sleep right beside the Roman Forum and St. Donatus in the heart of Zadar's Old Town for a fraction of what the boutique hotels around it charge — pick a dorm bed or a private room, and lean on the location and value rather than luxury.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a place that sits right on the main street of Zadar's Old Town — step out the door and you're facing a Roman Forum more than two thousand years old and an ancient round stone church. That's the pull of Boutique Hostel Forum. What sets it apart from a typical hostel is that the word "boutique" isn't just marketing: the rooms are clean, bright and modern, in warm tones, and kept far tidier than the budget-hostel stereotype. The best part is the flexibility — you can take a dorm bed if you want the cheapest price and don't mind sharing, or a private room or studio with your own space for a couple or anyone who wants to sleep undisturbed. The beds are clean and comfortable, and there's air-con, which is a lifesaver in a Zadar summer. Plenty of reviews agree it's cleaner than the price suggests, and waking up a few steps from the ancient stone heart of the Old Town is hard to find at this rate.
Food and amenities
The heart of a stay here is the common space, which is noticeably more usable than most hostels'. The spot reviews mention most is the on-site cafe-bar, easy for morning coffee or a cold evening drink and a natural place for strangers to become travel companions. Beyond it are a garden and sun terrace that open onto the Old Town, good for reading, planning your day or just watching life pass through the stone lanes, plus a game room for nights in. The overall feel is friendly the way a good hostel should be. What impresses reviewers as much as the common areas is the staff, often described as warm and genuinely helpful with local restaurants, sunset spots and how to get around. As for eating, you're not short of options — the surrounding Old Town is packed with restaurants, coffee shops and local stores to browse all day.
Location and getting there
The location is the trump card here, no question. The hostel is on Široka ulica, the main pedestrian street of Zadar's Old Town, beside the Roman Forum — the largest ancient public square on the eastern side of the Adriatic — and St. Donatus, the 9th-century round church that is the city's symbol. St. Anastasia Cathedral, whose bell tower you can climb for a city view, is just a few steps away. The landmarks that made Zadar famous worldwide — the Sea Organ, where waves push through pipes under the stone steps to make natural music, and Greeting to the Sun, a circle of solar panels that glows in color at night — sit about 350 meters away, an easy walk for a seaside sunset that Alfred Hitchcock once called the most beautiful in the world. One thing to know: the Old Town is pedestrian, so cars can't reach the door — you'll wheel your bags the last short stretch — and there's no private parking, so you'll use nearby public lots. If you like ditching the car and exploring on foot all day, this location scores a perfect ten.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The most important thing first: this is a hostel, not a full hotel — even as a clean, well-designed boutique one, there's no pool, no spa and no luxury-hotel service, and a dorm means sharing bathrooms and common areas with other guests. If you want real privacy, book a private room or studio, which costs more but is still good value for the location. Second is getting there and parking: the Old Town is pedestrian stone lanes, cars can't reach the door, you'll wheel bags the last stretch, and there's no private parking, so you'll use nearby public lots — contact the property ahead if you're driving. Third is noise: because it's in the heart of an Old Town full of lively bars and restaurants, some nights — especially weekends and summer — you may hear the nightlife or the cafe below. If you sleep lightly, ask for a room facing inward or on a higher floor.
Our take
After reading through plenty of real reviews, Boutique Hostel Forum clearly sells "a top Old Town center location, the flexibility to pick your room type, and value that's hard to match" — enough to make it the best-value pick of this list. If your trip looks like waking up where stepping out the door puts you at the Roman Forum and St. Donatus, walking a few minutes to hear the Sea Organ at sunset, then coming back for coffee in the garden or to socialize in the cafe — all for a fraction of what the boutique hotels around it charge — this is the answer. But if you're after a pool, a spa, ready parking, or the privacy and polish of a full hotel, the hostel character here may not fit. Overall we give it 8.4/10, best for backpackers, solo travelers and budget-minded couples who want to stay in the heart of Zadar's Old Town for the lowest cost.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The location is about as central as Zadar's Old Town gets — on Široka ulica, right next to the Roman Forum and St. Donatus church, a few steps from St. Anastasia Cathedral, and about 350 meters from the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun. Step out the door and you're surrounded by the main landmarks.
- Clearly the best value in the list — you get the same Old Town center address as the pricey boutique hotels around it, but starting at a fraction of the cost, from about $60 a night.
- Real flexibility: dorm beds for travelers on a budget who want to meet others, or private rooms and studios for couples and anyone wanting their own space, all in the same place.
- The common areas are more usable than a typical hostel's — an on-site cafe-bar, a garden and sun terrace for coffee over the Old Town, and a game room — which keeps the vibe sociable and good for meeting other travelers.
- The look is clean, bright and modern enough to back up the "boutique" label, and plenty of reviews praise the staff as friendly and good at pointing you toward restaurants and sights around town.
- This is a hostel, not a full-service hotel — there's no pool, no spa and no luxury-hotel service, and in the dorms you share bathrooms and common space with other guests. If you want real privacy, book a private room or studio instead.
- It sits in the pedestrian Old Town with stone lanes, so cars can't reach the door — you'll wheel your bags the last stretch on foot — and there's no private parking, so you'll rely on nearby public lots.
- Because it's in the heart of an Old Town full of lively bars and restaurants, some nights — especially weekends and summer — you may hear noise from the nightlife or the cafe below. Light sleepers should ask for a room facing inward or on a higher floor.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Zadar
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Zadar — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in ZadarAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Walk from the hostel toward the Sea Organ at sunset — listen to the waves play the sea organ, then wait for Greeting to the Sun to start glowing in the evening. It's the best moment in Zadar and only about 350 meters away.
- If you're a couple or want privacy on a budget, book a private room or studio rather than a dorm bed — you get the same Old Town center location with your own space. Reserve ahead, since the private rooms are limited.
- Because cars can't reach the door in the Old Town, contact the property in advance about how to get there and which nearby public parking to use, especially if you're driving — it saves circling around with your bags.