About

Aussie & British owned Backpackers hostel with local and international staff. The largest and most popular hostel in Riga since 2009. An unbeatable location in Old Town. Daily activities, tours and events. On site bar with local and international draft beer, spirits and other drinks. Multiple happy hours every day! SUPER SOCIAL atmosphere, perfect for backpackers, solo travelers and small groups wanting to socialize and party. Great tips, tricks & a FREE city map provided by our local staff.

We have won 25+ awards including:
Top 10 Best Medium Sized Hostel WORLDWIDE in 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015;
No.1 Hostel Eastern Europe 2019, 2012;
No.1 Hostel in Latvia 2026, 2024, 2020, 2019, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009.

Dorm rooms - clean, secure and spacious 4,6 & 8-bed mixed dorms and 4-bed female dorms with custom made bunks. Each bed has privacy curtains, a small shelf, power sockets and a reading light. Under each bed there are large security lockers that will fit a full size backpack! Bring your own padlock or get one from reception for a cash deposit. The female dorm has a getting ready station with hair straighteners, blow dryers and big mirror with blinding lights! :) FREE towels and earplugs included! Feel free to book as many dorm beds as you need, and we will do our best to ensure you and your mates are together.

Private rooms - twin, triple, 5-bed private, 7-bed private, single, double and en-suite double (private bathroom) available for more privacy and extra comfort. FREE towels and earplugs included!

Comfort - we have 17 bathrooms & showers each with their own dedicated hot water systems. FREE sanitary products, body wash & shampoo provided! Super fast 5G Wi-fi throughout the entire building. FREE luggage storage all day and the option to hang out in our common rooms after check out, and make use of all our facilities.

Security - super secure & safe building, only for our guests! Key card only access, CCTV & 24/7 security. When reception is closed you can reach us by calling - we’ll be there to help you in any emergency!

Amenities - 2 common rooms with FREE table football, Netflix, beer pong, books, games. Fully equipped kitchen for cooking with FREE pasta, rice, cereal, oats, milk, tea, coffee, peanut butter, jams, oil, spices etc. And of course a bar with extra friendly prices and fun drinks!

Daily Activities - AK47 shooting, Pub Crawls, house parties, beer pong tournaments, quiz nights, Latvian beer tastings, Latvian craft gin and rum tastings, free walking tours, beach trips and much more!

The Location - culturally significant & historical building exclusively for our guests in the heart of Riga's Old Town. Everything is super close, amazing bars and restaurants and all the popular sightseeing spots!
A large shopping mall, supermarket, airport bus only 1 min walk away.
Main square, House of Blackheads, St.Peters church - 3 min
Central market, Bus station, Freedom Monument - 5 min
Train station - 8 min

CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT:
Check-out: 11:00
Check-in: from 14:00 (you are welcome to arrive anytime after 08:00 and leave your bags in storage).
Reception: 08:00–22:00
24/7 check-in is available ONLY by prior arrangement! Just make sure your email address and phone number is correct so we can contact you!

!!!BOOKING RULES!!!
* NO STAG PARTIES, lads on tour, school groups, sports teams type of bookings.
* NO GUESTS UNDER 18.
* For summer months we have an AGE LIMIT of 45 (May, June, July, August, September).
* Groups of 5+ will be asked to leave a cash security DEPOSIT at check-in.
* We do not offer long term stays.
* This is a hostel for travelers/tourists only.

*** By checking into our hostel you acknowledge and accept the house rules. The hostel reserves the right to cancel a reservation and charge the relevant penalties for breaking the house rules. House rules and penalties are displayed at reception, copies available upon request. ***

House Rules

Check In

14:00 - 22:00

Check Out

until 11:00

  • Taxes Not Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free City Maps
  • Free WiFi
  • Free Internet Access
  • Free Security Lockers
  • Free Luggage Storage
  • Adaptors
  • Luggage Storage
  • Tours/Travel Desk
View all facilities

Reviews

9.6Superb(7724)
  • Value for Money
    9.5
  • Security
    9.7
  • Atmosphere
    9.4
  • Cleanliness
    9.5
  • Staff
    9.8
  • Location
    9.9
  • Facilities
    9.4
Summary of traveller reviews

The Naughty Squirrel Backpackers Hostel in Riga is celebrated for its incredibly social atmosphere, making it ideal for solo travellers and groups looking to meet new people. Guests consistently praise the friendly and helpful staff, the vibrant events, and the prime location in the heart of the old town. Cleanliness and comfortable beds are also frequently highlighted as major strengths.

Stayed in Sept 2026
8.9
S
Sophie
Female, 18-24, New Zealand
The staff were amazing, they were so welcoming even greeting us with a welcome shot!! The hostel is very social as soon as we arrived we went into a bar crawl with the hostel which was super fun !! One thing to note is the hostel is very man heavy ( girls were very out numbered ) but not an issue for all. The facilites were good they provide a towel, sanitary products, soap ect so don’t need to bring any of that. Would recommend taking or making a friend so not alone, not the safest streets !
Stayed in Sept 2026
10
D
Daphne
Female, 18-24, USA
Very fun and clean hostel. The female dorm has good amenities and a get ready desk. The beds are comfortable and there is curtains. I really enjoyed the staff and activities. The common room is nice! Very naughty;))
Stayed in Sept 2026
10
A
Anonymous
Male, 31-40, England
Stayed there for my birthday and from the moment i arrived Matt was more than welcoming. I already knew from that moment I was going to have a great stay, and I was right. The whole hostel was a vibe, Laura, kat and Monika were absolutely incredible. I would really recommend anyone staying in Latvia to stay here. I couldn’t fault a thing. If I could rate it 11/10 I would. You definitely get your moneys worth.
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Location

50 Kaleju Iela, Old Riga, Riga, Latvia
0.9km from city centre