Totters Independent Hostel

Rooms and decor

The whole place is built into a 500-year-old heritage building with the structure left intact — thick stone walls, oak beams and narrow wooden stairs. The common room has a fireplace and Welsh memorabilia on the walls. There are 24 beds in total, split between mixed and female dorms of 4-6 beds each, plus a limited number of private doubles and twins. Bunks come with fresh, clean linen and a personal locker. Bathrooms are mostly shared — 1-2 per floor for every 4-8 guests — but they're kept clean and all have hot showers. One guest called it the best hostel in North Wales for its genuine heritage feel, helpful staff and comfortable beds. The private rooms go quickly, so book ahead.

Food and amenities

The big common kitchen has a fridge, electric hob, microwave and a full set of cookware, so you can make your own meals and save a fair bit. The lounge has sofas, Snowdonia guidebooks, Welsh maps and board games to borrow. Laundry runs about $4-6 a load, and luggage storage is free after check-out. Breakfast isn't included, but the kitchen is free to use. The owner and staff are Welsh locals who'll happily help arrange a Snowdonia tour or a Mount Snowdon hike and point you to a decent local pub. Wi-Fi is free and fast. There's no private parking — use a nearby public car park for around $6-10 a day.

Location and getting there

It sits on High Street inside the medieval town walls — the 1283 walls that Edward I built alongside Caernarfon Castle, a 2-minute walk and the closest stay on this list. Castle Square is a 3-minute walk, the Welsh Highland Railway steam station is 5 minutes, and Caernarfon Harbour and the Menai Strait are also about 5 minutes on foot. Everything in the centre is within a 10-minute walk. Snowdonia National Park is 15 km away, with a Sherpa bus running to Llanberis and Mount Snowdon from the centre. Bangor Station is 12 km out, about a 15-minute drive, with buses to Bangor every 30 minutes from a stop near the hostel.

Things to know before booking

Most beds are in shared 4-6 bed dorms, so privacy is limited — this is a sociable hostel, not a hideaway. The 500-year-old building has no lift, only narrow stairs, which matters if you're hauling heavy bags. Bathrooms are mostly shared rather than en-suite. Breakfast isn't part of the price, and there's no on-site parking. None of that is a surprise for a hostel at this price, but go in expecting it.

Our take

Totters has been running as a hostel for over 30 years and it's well known among backpackers heading into Snowdonia and North Wales. The 8.9/10 Booking.com score is high for the segment, and it earns it — a real Welsh-hostel atmosphere in a genuinely old building, warm service, and the lowest prices in town. If you want character and company over four walls to yourself, this is the one.