London Hostels

Search London hostels with up-to-date availability and book a hostel in London.

london Is it possible to be bored in London? It is doubtful. Samuel Johnson might have said it best when he said, “When one is tired of London, one is tired of life.” It is no wonder, therefore, that people have been visiting this historic and vibrant city for centuries. The city’s main sights are easily accessible by either walking or using London’s top-notch public transit systems, and it is often easy to get a good deal on airfare to London because Heathrow Airport is such a main hub.

That is all well and good, but the problem remains that London is a very expensive city to visit. The British pound is one of the strongest currencies on the planet, and no one’s travel money tends to go very far. You could make a huge sacrifice and cut back on the number of days you will spend in London, but then you either would not be able to see everything you want to see (and there is quite a bit to see) or you would be so exhausted by the end of your trip that you might not have many good memories of London after all. So how can you make your money last longer so you can see more of this exciting city? There are many ways to stretch your travel budget, but by far the easiest way would be to book a hostel in London.

Forget what you think you know about London hostels - these days, even if they are called “youth hostels,” they are not just for the younger crowd. In fact, it is very rare that you will find an age restriction of any kind. What you will find in the hostels in London - and elsewhere in the world, for that matter - are other budget-conscious travelers who want to enjoy a trip to London without spending a fortune. The people who stay in hostels also tend to be more sociable and enjoy meeting other travelers, so you are likely to meet interesting people from all over the world (London is quite a cultural cross roads, after all) and you just might make lots of new friends, too.

Hostels also offer travelers a different perspective on a place - it is unlikely that you will get a very good feel for what London is really like if you are staying in a 5 star luxury hotel! In an hostel, on the other hand, you will be closer to the action, chatting with the staff who are usually eager to help, and swapping travel tips with fellow guests.

About Hostels in London

Each hostel is going to be slightly different and have a unique personality, but in most hostels you shold be able to choose between a private room or a shared dormitory style room. And because it is such a large city, you will be able to choose from hostels in London which are in many different parts of the city. You will have the luxury of being able to choose a hostel based on its proximity to the things you most want to see in London, or choose a hostel because it is far from the main sights but boasts a quiet garden where you can relax after a long day of sight seeing. The choice is yours.

One thing to remember, however, is that the prices on London hostels will vary - usually depending on their location. As is true in other tourist destinations, the closer your bed is to the main attractions, the more it will cost. A centrally-located hostel will cost far less than a centrally-located hotel, but a hostel located outside central London that requires a ride on the Tube to get downtown will cost even less. Again, because of the sheer volume of hostels available in London, you will be able to choose the one with the perfect combination of location and price to suit you.

Some of the areas to look for a higher concentration of hostels in London include the Kensington area (trendy and full of great restaurants as well), Paddington/Hyde Park (Heathrow Express goes right to Paddington Station, so it is easy to get to the hostels in this area), Bloomsbury (can get dodgy beyond King’s Cross Station, but there are some decent budget options here, too) and Westminster (plenty of small budget hostels and hotels in the area, with Victoria Station nearby for easy access to the rest of London).

Some of the more popular London hostels

There are several London hostels which are popular with travelers, but do not worry if you read these descriptions and you are not excited by any of them. As mentioned, there are so many London hostels to choose from you will not have trouble finding one you like.

Astor Museum Inn - This is one of the hostels that does have an age restriction; it is geared toward a younger age group. In the Bloomsbury area, the hostel is walking distance to many of London’s top attractions.
Meininger City Hostel & Hotel London - Meininger is a chain of hostels operating mostly in Germany, and this one is in the South Kensington area not far from Kensington Palace.
Ace Hotel - Ace is also in the Kensington neighborhood and spans four Victorian town houses.
St. Christopher’s Greenwich Hostel - This St. Christopher’s is one of 4 hostels in this chain in London, but there are St. Christopher’s hostels throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.
Palmer’s Lodge - This hostel is a short walk from Regent’s Park and only 4 Tube stops from central London

And remember, if these London hostels do not sound like the perfect setting for your London vacation, never fear. There are plenty of budget accommodations to choose from in London - all it takes is some research and you will be able to find a place where you can stay and not spend all your holiday money. And that is a very good thing!

We hope you have a wonderful time in London, and if you are looking for more information about the city, be sure to read up on daily life in London on this London Travel Logue. You can also check out traveler’s stories in the London Travel Guide. Have a great trip!