Hostel shopping in London can pose a bit of an overwhelming challenge seeing as the metropolitan is the largest city in Western Europe with over 75 hostels to choose from! With so many incredible things to do in London, it’s no wonder the city sees roughly 30 million tourists every year — and so many of them are savvy backpackers searching for the best hostel! We here at Road Affair are the hostel experts and are here to lighten your research load by presenting the best hostels in London. From bumping party hostels to boutique hostels and female-only accommodations, we’ll explore the crème de la crème of London’s accommodations so you can find a hostel that best fits your travel needs.
6 Best Hostels in London
- Best Overall Hostel: Wombat’s City Hostel London
- Best Hostel for Solo Travelers: Onefam Notting Hill
- Best Hostel for Solo Female Travelers: Hostelle London
- Best Party Hostel: St Christopher’s Inn Village
- Best Hostels for Digital Nomads: The Walrus Hostel
- Best Budget Hostel: Palmers Lodge
Wombat’s City Hostel London
Wombat is a tried and trusted hostel brand, and their London location is no exception! Those looking to be spitting distance from top London attractions will love this hostel as the Jack the Ripper museum is literally around the corner and the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and the London Wall are all less than a 10-minute walk away. The Tower Gateway Underground stop is only a five-minute walk away as well, offering great access to the city.
The hostel is located in an old 19th-century sailor’s housing building that has been beautifully revamped into a clean modern hostel space. Private rooms are available for one to eight people, as well as dormitory rooms with configurations of four, six, or eight beds in a mixed or female-only dorm. After a day of cruising the city, guests can return and turn up at the on-site bar WomBAR or grab a bite at the on-site café. There are plenty of common areas to pop down with a book or get some work done on a laptop. Plus, the on-site communal kitchen is perfect for those looking to reduce their budget. Other top-notch amenities include luggage storage, laundry facilities, and 24/7 reception.
Onefam Notting Hill
Onefam Notting Hill is easily the best hostel for solo travelers due to its impeccable location, great amenities, and social vibe. Located in the heart of Notting Hill, guests will have fantastic foot access to several attractions, such as Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, and Portobello Market. This is the perfect youth hostel in London for those who want a lively hostel for a few days as Onefam Notting Hill only allows guests aged 18-36 to stay and caps stays at seven days per person.
Inside, guests will find loads of awesome spaces to hang out and join in free activities held by the hostel, like the terrace garden that features tables and a barbecue, the dining lounge that offers communal dining tables, a chill lounge with couches, and the fully equipped communal kitchen for preparing meals. There is also an on-site laundry room. Guests can book a two-person private room with a shared bathroom or opt for the classic hostel vibe of a four-, six-, or eight-person mixed dorm room. There are lockers for guests to use to store their valuables and loads of activities to sign up for, like free family-style dinners, drinking games, and more. With all these awesome amenities, it’s no wonder the hostel was voted #1 in the UK for several years running!
Hostelle London
Are you a solo female traveler on the hunt for a lively and safe hostel? Well, Urbany Hostel London might just be the best London hostel for you! This women-only hostel is here to bring the sisterhood together and help solo female travelers relax while on the road. The bright and colorful lounge room is the perfect spot to get some work done on a laptop or enjoy a meal prepared in the communal kitchen. Hostelle also offers board games and a living room lounge with a TV. Guests can hang out on the rooftop terrace with their newfound hostel girlies or catch up on their mounting dirty clothes by heading to the laundry room. Luggage storage and a 24-hour reception are also available.
Hostelle London offers dorm rooms with configurations of six, eight, 10, 12, or 16 beds, and every bed comes with curtains, a reading light, a shelf, and an electrical outlet. The hostel is located in a lively neighborhood with plenty of bars, restaurants, and shops nearby, including a grocery store a few doors down. There are several bus stops nearby as well as Bethnal Green Underground stop that’s a three-minute walk away.
St Christopher’s Inn Village
In the Southwark district just off the River Thames sits this awesome party hostel in London. St Christopher’s Inn Village is ideally located within a 15-minute walk of several top-rated attractions, such as Borough Market (the city’s oldest food market), the London Eye, the Shard, London Bridge, and the HMS Belfast.
This is the perfect hostel for party-hungry travelers as the hostel is well known for its on-site bar and nightclub Belushi’s. Guests can also enjoy a bite to eat or watch the game at the downstairs restaurant, the Dugout, or head to one of the nearby restaurants or cafés. The hostel offers private rooms for up to four people, along with dorm-style and capsule pod rooms. Guests can opt to book a bed in the UK’s first capsule pod room, which features 26 individual capsule pods with air conditioning, two electrical plugs, two USB plugs, a light, and a shelf. The classic dorm rooms are mixed or female-only and sleep anywhere from six to 33 people, with triple bunks in some rooms. All dorm beds feature wrap-around curtains and lockers to store valuables. Other outstanding amenities include laundry facilities, 24-hour reception, and a large lounge with foosball.
The Walrus Hostel
Located in the hip area of South Bank, the Walrus Hostel is the perfect hostel for those who want to be within spitting distance of some of London’s most well-known attractions. Guests can explore the Graffiti Tunnel, the Florence Nightingale Museum, Sea Life, the London Eye, and much more all in the neighborhood and within a 10-minute walk. Other top-rated attractions are located just across the river within a 20-minute walk, such as the Churchill Rooms, Big Ben, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, and much more. You really couldn’t ask for a better hostel location, especially if you’re only visiting London for a short time.
Inside, the hostel boasts a classic British pub feel with wooden accents and modern touches throughout. After a day of exploring nearby attractions, guests can settle into a lounge chair with a refreshing pint from the on-site bar or head out to the picnic tables outside to have a drink in the open air with heaters. The hostel offers private and mixed or female-only dorm rooms, along with free breakfast, free earplugs, and a well-equipped communal kitchen.
Palmers Lodge – Swiss Cottage
Do you want to stay in a Victorian-style building that will bring all the British feels to the surface? Then Palmers Lodge – Swiss Cottage might be for you. Located in a charming Victorian building dating back to 1882, this quintessential British hostel offers royal red décor coupled with gorgeous wooden details and high ceilings. Palmers Lodge – Swiss Cottage offers both private and dorm rooms available for travelers, including ground floor units for guests with mobility impairments. After touring the city, guests can enjoy a refreshing pint at the on-site bar or play a round of billiards. There are several lounge areas with many outlets for those looking for a comfy spot to get some work done or enjoy a good book. Other notable amenities include a backyard with seating, laundry facilities, and loads of board games and books!
Palmers Lodge – Swiss Cottage is located in South Hampstead, a short walk from Abbey Road and the Freud Museum. The Underground is less than a five-minute walk away, offering great access to the rest of the city. Guests can also pay extra to park their vehicles on-site!
More Great Hostels in London
Barmy Badger Backpackers
Those on the hunt for a good hostel in London that is laid back and peaceful should consider booking a bunk or private room at Barmy Badger Backpackers. This awesome hostel offers several free amenities, like all-day coffee and tea, luggage storage, a London map, and daily breakfast with cereal and fruits. Budget-savvy travelers can make use of the well-stocked communal kitchen or head out to the backyard to grill up some burgers on the barbecue. The communal lounge features comfy couches, along with a guitar, a TV, board games, and a book exchange. Barmy Badger Backpackers has some of the most comfortable hostel beds as each bed comes with a memory foam mattress, two power sockets, and a reading light. Guests can book a bed in a four or six-person mixed or female-only dormitory room, where there are pin-coded lockers available to store valuables.
The hostel is ideally located in Earls Court, just a four-minute walk from Earls Court Underground Station and less than a 20-minute walk from the Design Museum and the Leighton House. Kensington Palace is a 30-minute walk away.
Generator London
Located just a short walk from Kings Cross, this funky and colorful accommodation has to be one of the coolest hostels in London! Upon entering the hostel, guests will be greeted by the front half of a classic British double-decker bus and a quirky modern décorum. There are seemingly an endless amount of shared lounge spaces for guests to use, as well as an on-site bar and restaurant with a billiards and foosball table.
Generator London offers several kinds of private rooms that can sleep anywhere from one to eight people, along with mixed or female-only dorm rooms with configurations of four, six, eight, or 12 beds. Each bed in the shared dorms comes with a personal shelf, a reading light, an electrical socket with a USB plug, and lockable locker drawers under the bed. Guests can opt to join in on the community activities hosted by the hostel, such as karaoke nights, live music, and sports games. The hostel is ideally located a 10-15 minute walk from King’s Cross St. Pancras Station, the Charles Dickens Museum, and the British Museum.
Astor Hyde Park
If you’re looking for a hostel in London with private rooms and daily activities, then look no further than the beautiful Astor Hyde Park hostel. Ideally located less than a block from Kensington Gardens and Park, this lively hostel offers more than just great proximity to attractions. Astor Hyde Park offers a Victorian-era-style vibe with a large lounge featuring a piano, plenty of seats, and a large projector screen as well as a communal dining area and massive kitchen so guests can prepare their own meals. Those who don’t feel like cooking can take advantage of the hostel’s inexpensive morning breakfast before starting the day. Astor Hyde Park also boasts a foosball table, a washer and dryer, and discounts at local restaurants and cafés. Guests can book a private room with an ensuite bathroom or book a bed in one of the many mixed or female-only dorm rooms which vary from four to 15 beds. This hostel has an age cap for guests, meaning only those aged 18-40 can book a room. It’s also required for you to book two or more nights! Nearby attractions to walk to include the Royal Albert Hall, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, and Kensington Palace.
YHA London Central
Are you looking for a lively hostel that offers plenty of activities and discounts? The YHA London Central might be the hostel for you. Not only does this top-rated hostel offer activities almost every day of the week, such as pub crawls, free walking tours, and Sunday roasts, but they also offer discounted prices and tours to several popular attractions in the city, like Madame Tussauds, the London Eye, and the Tower of London. Now if all that doesn’t sell you on this hostel, perhaps its awesome on-site amenities will. Guests can return from a day of touring the city and enjoy a glass of wine from the on-site bar, grab a bite to eat at the on-site café, or whip up their own meal in the communal kitchen. YHA London Central offers female-only and male-only eight-person rooms, along with private rooms that can sleep anywhere from one to six people. Other noteworthy amenities include luggage storage, 24-hour reception, and security lockers for guests to lock up their valuables. The hostel is also ideally located a 10-minute walk from Regent Park, the Cartoon Museum, and the BT Tower. Plus, the British Museum is a 20-minute walk away.
Urbany Hostel London
Located a few blocks north of Kensington Palace and Gardens in Notting Hill, this fabulous London hostel will have you within walking distance of fantastic attractions like Portobello Market, Hyde Park, and the Museum of Brands. Not to mention there are several restaurants and cafés within spitting distance!
Urbany Hostel London focuses on fun and community and only rents rooms and beds to guests between the ages of 18 and 40. Guests can easily make friends with fellow hostel stayers as the hostel hosts several events during the week, such as free dinners, pub crawls, and nights out as a group. Urbany Hostel London also has 24/7 CCTV, luggage storage, and a 24-hour reception. Spend the evening hanging out in the open air of the terrace with a bottle of wine and new friends, or head to the lounge inside to pick a book from the library, play a board game, or watch a movie on the TV. Savvy backpackers will also have access to a spacious communal kitchen. The hostel offers private rooms with shared bathrooms for up to two people, as well as mixed dorms with four, six, or eight beds.
Onefam Waterloo
Onefam Waterloo is another excellent cheap hostel in London with an extraordinary location. The hostel is within a 15-20 minute walk of several popular attractions, such as the Imperial War Museum, the Florence Nightingale Museum, Graffiti Tunnel, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben. Lambeth North Underground station is also just a 10-minute walk away, offering excellent access to the rest of the city.
This socially-focused hostel aims to bring people together with its many daily and nightly events, like walking tours, free cooked dinners, drinking games, and more. Social butterflies can hang out in the lounge and play one of the board games provided or watch TV. There is a communal kitchen guests can use to prepare their own meals, which they can enjoy on the terrace or in the dining area. Onefam Waterloo offers both private and dormitory-style rooms for people aged 18 to 36. The dorm rooms offer configurations of three-, nine-, or 12-beds in a mixed room setting with triple bunk beds. Other awesome on-site amenities include luggage storage and 24-hour reception.
Clink261
Clink261 is a homey hostel that has been in business for 20 years in London, and for a good reason. This awesome London Hostel offers an outstanding location, right down the street from Kings Cross Station, allowing guests to walk to the Postal Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum, and the Wellcome Collection within 10 minutes. Camden Town and the LGBT+ nightclubs of SOHO are also within a 10-20 minute tube ride away.
After a day of exploring London’s best museums, guests can return to the hostel and play the guitar in the comfy lounge or whip up something to eat in the well-stocked communal kitchen. Clink261 offers two types of dormitories, along with private rooms that can sleep up to six. Guests can opt to book a capsule pod in a 14-bed mixed dorm, which comes complete with a curtain, ventilation, a reading light, USB ports, and electrical plugs. The classic dorm rooms come in configurations of six, 10, or 18 beds in a mixed or female-only dorm, and every bed in a bunk includes a reading light, USB outlet, electrical plus, and locker to store valuables. Other awesome amenities at Clink261 include discounted attraction tickets, laundry facilities, and a 24-hour reception.
Now that you’re an expert on the best hostels in London, all you have to do now is figure out which of these incredible hostels fits your itinerary the best. Just remember this is rainy old London, so be sure to pack a rain jacket!
Stan
I am planning to visit london i was searching for the hostels to book this blog helped me a lot to book my hostel room, thanks for your suggestions.
Jazzy
Hey Stan,
Glad we could help! Hope you enjoy your trip to London! :)