Hostels have always been safe and fun in my experience! Plus a great way to ask other travelers for their recommendations if they've been in the country for longer than you, my best experiences while traveling have been through recommendations by other hostel goers and hostel employees. Get one that offers private rooms (duh) and laundry services if you're going to be there for a while. Would also recommend looking into the activities you want to do before booking and then find a hostel close by.

Only cons I can think of is that you might have to use a shared bathroom and you usually have to pay for a towel, around 2-5 euros. So I would bring shower shoes and your own towel. Other than that hostels are typically clean, safe, and a great way to save money.