Accommodation costs will be among the most expensive items on your London trip budget. It also means that by selecting wisely your sleeping place in London, you can save a lot of money that you can spend on something else, like seeing a West End show or doing some more of elegant London shopping.
Staying at a hostel will make sense especially if your plans will involve spending only limited time at the hotel (e.g. during the night only). So instead of booking a room at a luxury hotel with fabulous facilities that you will never use, you can rather book a place at one of the popular London hostels.
How do they differ from the hotels? Well, they are much cheaper, but also offer much less… Most of the hotels have sex-segregated dormitories (starting at about L10 pp or L50-65 pw). Those are their traditional types of rooms, but modern hostels also offer doubles, triples and quads at a bit higher rates. Mixed dorms are also becoming very popular. The baths are usually communal, but there may be some private baths too (more expensive, of course). Some of the typical rules are that you must use a sleep sheet (included in the price) and there is a curfew (e.g., 11 PM), but the London hostels do not have curfew.
In most cases, London hostels are conveniently located near the tube stations or bus stops, so it is very easy to get to the city's biggest attractions.
There are many independent hostels providing good-quality service, but some of the best hostels are those that belong to Hostelling International (HI) - http://www.hihostels.com. It is is the brand name of more than 90 Youth Hostel Associations in over 80 countries, operating 4,000+ hostels. HI offers single-sex, dorm-style beds, and, at many hostels, "couples" rooms and family accommodations. Membership in HI is open to travelers of all ages and allows you to stay in HI-affiliated hostels at member rates. Members have priority if the hostel is full and are eligible for discounts around the world covering everything from reduced price coach tickets, to special deals in shops and entertainment venues.
You can buy a full HI card right away, or buy it one "Welcome stamp" at a time, one for each night you stay in a hostel. When you have collected six stamps, you have a full card - and can start claiming member prices and specially negotiated HI Member Discounts.
To double-check your accommodation plans, telephone the hostel in advance - certain hostels close during off-season months. HI hostels have a daytime bedroom lockouts (usually 10-4), check-in times between 8 AM-11 AM and 5 PM-9PM, and checkout by 10:30 AM. All hostels have basic kitchen facilities for the guests to prepare the meals, but some also serve their own meals. Space is provided to store both refrigerated and dry foods. Hostels have TV lounges, game rooms, laundry room and lockers. Free high speed Internet access can be found at most of the hostels.
Here are some of the most popular HI hostels in London: - YHA Earl's Court - conveniently located only 4 stations from Victoria Station by the tube. Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, The Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Science Museum and the Royal Albert Hall are all within walking distance. 38 Bolton Gardens, London SW5 0AQ; ph.: 207-373-7083
- YHA St. Paul's - set in the former choir school of St Paul's Cathedral, the hostel retains many original features such as an oak paneled chapel (now a meeting room), and the headmaster's study (now a lounge with views of St Paul's). Easy walking access to many of central London's sights, like the Tate Modern gallery and Shakespeare's Globe theatre. 36 Carter Lane, London EC4V 5AB; ph.: 207-236-4965.
And here are two of the most popular independent London hostels:
- Wake Up! London - in Paddington, a West London neighborhood near Hyde Park. Very lively place, reasonably clean and good rates. 1 Queens Gardens, Paddington, London W2 3BB, ph.: 207-262- 4471.
- Generator Hostel - great for meeting new people. With 854 beds, it's London's largest hostel. Great central location in Russell Square Zone 1; prices from as little as £10 in winter and £12.50 in summer. Famous Generator bar with Happy Hour £1 a pint 6 PM-9 PM. 37 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SE; ph.: 207-388-7666.
