11 Best Hostels in London UK

London is the city that has it all! Whether it’s incredible history, stunning architecture, top grub, fantastic shopping, immersive exhibitions, charming parks, you name it! Since it’s twice as big as New York, you can rest assured that there are tons of exciting things to do in the capital city of the United Kingdom. Since it’s so huge, you might wonder where to start? But most importantly, where do you stay? To help you make the most of your trip, we’ve put together a list of the best cheap hostels in London UK. These hostels are the perfect choice for travelers who want to keep their budgets in check. Don’t worry; this doesn’t mean you have to stay in an overcrowded dorm! Our top picks are comfy, affordable, and have pleased countless travelers! Keep reading to know more about them!

London Waterloo Hostel

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The first hostel on this list is the London Waterloo Hostel. It’s proud as punch to be the closest youth hostel in London to Big Ben, the London Eye, and Westminster. Those searching for the best cheap hostels in London Westminster should consider staying here. At this hostel, you’ll receive free Wi-Fi, free lockers, free linen, and complimentary breakfast! Talk about freebies! If you’re looking for accommodation that can help you save lots of money, this one is one of the best.

After a long and fun day of adventure, head back to the hostel to have some rest. As with other hostels in London Westminster, there are several room types for you to choose from, such as mixed dormitory rooms and female-only dormitory rooms. Some of them can even accommodate 12 travelers. The shared bathroom is spacious, and it’s super clean. There’s also a shared kitchen where you can exchange recipes with other travelers. Other notable amenities include on-site activities like pub crawls and movie nights, as well as an on-site bar.

Safestay London Elephant & Castle

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Housed in a Georgian building formerly the Labour Party headquarters, the Safestay London Elephant & Castle is an excellent choice for backpackers. Its zone-one location offers excellent transport links to the city’s tourist spots. London’s most popular attractions, including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Oxford Street, and Leicester Square, can all be reached within a 15-minute tube journey via Elephant & Castle station. An early pioneer of the poshtel concept, you can expect to see a unique design and décor at this hostel with splashes of pop art, antique mirrors on the walls, and striped carpets.

Moreover, the dorm rooms at this hostel have space for four to eight people with a separate shower room and toilet. You also get your lockable locker to store your valuables but bring your padlock. Apart from the dorms, this hostel offers 11 private rooms too. They’re a little pricey but sleep up to three people and come with an en suite bathroom, television, and coffee facilities. The room rate includes a basic breakfast. There’s also a basement bar where you can enjoy Pot Noodle and Budweiser!

SoHostel

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Staying in a luxury hotel in London is nice, but not everyone can afford it. Thankfully, there’s SoHostel! Located on Dean Street in the heart of Soho, SoHostel is a funky option for travelers over the age of 18. With its enviable central location, this hostel is only a three-minute walk away from the shops on Oxford Street. The West’s theaters, clubs, and restaurants and Piccadilly Circus are only a seven-minute stroll away. This hostel boasts public areas with funky bar stools and Fatboy bean bags for you to chill on. Even better, it also has a guest-only bar that’s open until 1 AM, perfect for those who love to drink!

There are plenty of dorm rooms at this hostel for you to choose from. The biggest one can even accommodate 18 people! For those who need privacy, twin and double rooms are also available. The rooms and dorms are all well furnished and come with extremely comfy mattresses to make sure you rest well after a day of exploring London’s delights. Apart from the usual amenities, this hostel has quirky additions to make it unique, including a “pamper room” complete with light bulb-framed mirrors, hair straighteners, and hairdryers.

Smart Hyde Park View Hostel

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Are you searching for cheap hostels in London Westminster? Look no further than the Smart Hyde Park View Hostel! With its superb location and friendly staff, this hostel is highly recommended. It offers comfortable, clean rooms and fantastic access to London’s most famous sights and attractions. Step out of the hostel and enjoy the stunning walk through Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace and Picadilly Circus or Portobello Market. When it comes to the rooms, all of them have en suite facilities, with their shower and toilet facilities making it a perfect place to stay. The beds have curtains and panels, ensuring that your stay is private and comfortable.

As with other hostels in London Westminster, this hostel also provides a range of services and amenities to help make your stay more comfortable. Never be out of touch with your contacts, with free Wi-Fi offered throughout your stay. If you plan to arrive by car, you’ll appreciate the hostel’s available parking right on-site. This hostel also provides front desk services such as luggage storage and safety deposit boxes for your convenience. For lazy days and nights, in-room conveniences like room service and daily housekeeping let you make the most of your room.

Hostel One Notting Hill

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Next on this list is Hostel One Notting Hill. This hostel is located in a 19th-century building located in the famous neighborhood of Notting Hill. The recently restored historic building now offers brand new bathrooms and a common area, making it one of the best cheap hostels in London UK. Due to its location, Hostel One offers easy access to many tourist spots and amenities. Close by; you’ll be able to find the Portobello Market, Hyde Park, and Kensington Palace. There are so many things to do in London that you can do here, so you’ll never have a boring day!

As one of the top hostels in London UK, this accommodation offers a social atmosphere. Run by fellow backpackers, the staff understands the appeal of meeting new people. They host daytime activities as well as nightly drinking games and pub hopping. Furthermore, this hostel provides a complimentary dinner every night for its guests! In addition to the free nightly dinner, you can also take advantage of the complimentary tourist info, maps, Wi-Fi, lockers, luggage storage, and more!

Astor Hyde Park Hostel

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The Astor Hyde Park Hostel is located in a quiet neighborhood right off Hyde Park, and it’s within walking distance to some of London’s best museums like the Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert. The first thing you should note is that this hotel only welcomes guests over the age of 18. Tons of attractions surround the hostel, including Science Museum, Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington Underground Station, and numerous restaurants and cafes.

It has a great party vibe, and the friendly hotel staff will help you arrange tours and activities. Not to mention, you can’t beat the 1GBP breakfast! And thanks to the hostel’s old wooden decor, you’ll feel more like you’re in a home than a hostel. Not to mention, the dorms are huge, and there’s plenty of room to sprawl out. That said, you might want to avoid the rooms on the upper floors as this hostel has no elevator!

Generator London

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Set in Camden Town, this Generator London hostel is the brand’s first hostel, as it’s now a huge chain spread all over Europe. Housed in an old police station, you can’t go wrong with this hostel. Like most Generator hostels, this property has many modern, upscale fixtures, a huge common area, a bar, and a restaurant. However, there’s one thing missing: a common kitchen. Luckily, the on-site restaurant won’t break your bank. Plus, it also offers vegetarian meals! Even better, there’s also a pool and foosball table, meaning there’ll never be a dull moment when you decide to spend your nights here. Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas, and there are plenty of on-site activities that you can participate in, including pub crawls and walking tours.

When it comes to room selections, there are many options for you to choose from. There are shared and female-only dormitory rooms, and the biggest one can accommodate more than 10 people. Depending on which room you get, some of them come with a shared bathroom. If you need some privacy and want a guaranteed good night’s sleep, opt for the private room instead! Surprisingly, the beds are plush and comfortable! This is quite shocking, considering how affordable the hostel is. Not to mention, its location is near King’s Cross Station and a short walk from Regents Park, Covent Garden, and the British Museum!

The Walrus Bar and Hostel

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Quirky and charming, The Walrus Bar and Hostel is unlike most cheap hostels in London UK. Let’s start by talking about the rooms at this hostel. The super spacious and bright dorms are among the cleanest and nicest in London. The biggest one is a 22-bed mixed dormitory room, which is huge! It reminds us of the dorm room where Squid Game players have to sleep (minus the chaos, of course). But if you’re not a fan of sharing your space with strangers, you can opt for the standard twin room instead! Of course, there’s free bed linen and free Wi-Fi as well.

When you’re starving, go to the shared kitchen area and feel free to cook anything you want! Apart from that, there’s also an on-site pub with its unique style. At night, it turns into a great local spot that’s ideal for socializing, sipping on a couple of affordable drinks, and making new friends. Best of all, you can enjoy a complimentary breakfast every morning – the perfect way to start your day! Once your stomach is happy, head out to explore London! You’ll find yourself in the absolute heart of the city, within walking distance of all major attractions. Some of the main spots include London County Hall, London Aquarium, Big Ben, London Dungeon, The Old Vic, and more!

Hostel One Camden

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For solo travelers looking to see the more indie side of London and mix with locals and backpackers simultaneously, we highly recommend the Hostel One Camden. As one of the best cheap hostels in London UK, it’s set above a pub with a fully stocked bar, darts board, pool table, and a footie table too. Camden Town is one of the city’s most vibrant areas, a definite place to visit in London, especially if you love live music and hipster bars. Here, you can start your day fully recharged with some coffee and a cheap-as-chips breakfast. On top of that, you’ll also get a free vegetarian dinner every single night! You’ll be taken care of when staying at this amazing hostel.

Being a solo traveler it can feel a bit lonely at times. Luckily, there are three common rooms at this hostel! This means there’s loads of space to share travel stories, meet fellow travelers, and even get some work done on your laptop. If you’re a shy backpacker, join the nightly pub crawl the hostel holds, and you’ll be guaranteed to make friends in no time. Here, there are two different room types: typical dorms with bunk beds and private rooms. Each of them is spacious, clean, and equipped with private lockers.

Clink78 Hostel

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If you can’t spend a day without partying, then no other hostels in London UK can beat the Clink78 Hostel. There are many cheap hostels in London UK that allow you to party hard, but this one, without a doubt, is the best. This old courthouse building is the perfect party venue, and the basement is where the action is. Throughout the week, it hosts DJ nights and live music too. If you want to explore London or the hostel’s surrounding neighborhood, head down to the reception and ask for discounted tickets to the city’s top attractions! Since you’re located only a couple of minutes from Kings Cross underground, it’ll be a breeze to get around the city.

As with other cheap hostels in London UK, this place offers you three types of different rooms: backpacker dorms, normal private rooms, and the special ones, which are former prison cells! Don’t worry, they’ve been renovated and are perfectly comfortable to live in! Furthermore, this hostel appreciates the shoestring budget many backpackers need. If you’re looking to save some cash, be sure to use the shared kitchen rather than fork out on pricey restaurant meals!

Wombat’s The City Hostel London

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Considering its price and the top-notch amenities it offers to travelers, Wombat’s The City Hostel London is easily our number one pick! You can find this hostel right in the heart of London, which is partly why it’s seen as one of the best cheap hostels in London UK. This accommodation is one of the few places that has kept its cleanliness, value, and fantastic hospitality over the years. You can choose from three different room types: dorms (mixed or female-only), private double rooms, or private single rooms. And the best thing is that they all have their private shower! No more sharing a smelly bathroom with loads of other travelers.

If you want to meet like-minded travelers, no place is better than the on-site bar. There, you can share travel stories over an ice-cold beer and relax in the courtyard or comfy lounge. This hostel also provides board games, so getting to know other travelers is a piece of cake. Staying here, you’ll be located in a prime spot in Whitechapel, close to the famous Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and the iconic Wilton’s Music Hall. With the free city map, it’ll be a breeze to get around and explore the rest of London’s top attractions as well!

Where to Stay in London, UK

When you’re looking for the best hostels in London UK, you might want to stay in Kensington and Chelsea. It’s an Inner London borough and the second smallest district in England. This is an area of historical and architectural interest. Apart from cheap London hotels and hostels, you can easily find tons of breathtaking buildings as well as plenty of theaters.

Then, there’s Camden. It’s one of London’s quirkiest neighborhoods and is packed with brilliant places to see. You can expect plenty of lively bars, cool street art, shopping, and pubs by staying here. Oh, it’s also home to Camden Market!

Another area that might interest you is Westminster. The hostels in London Westminster are pretty cheap and won’t disappoint you. It takes in a large area of central London and is set to the south of Camden. Here, many great attractions can make your trip memorable. They include the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, The Supreme Court, Guards Museum, Westminster Abbey, and more.

Recommended Restaurants / Bars in London, UK

• Addie’s Thai – Going strong for more than three decades, you must spare some time to visit this erstaurant. Dig into the great-value menu for all the usual Thai suspects, from the fresh and frighteningly spicy som tum (green papaya) salad served in a deep bowl to curries, stir-fries and luscious pad thai topped with a traditional lattice pancake.
• Ariana II – This modest Afghan spot has been attracting people from across London with excellent cooking and budget prices for a long time. Dumplings, tikkas, curries, and kebabs show the cuisine’s cultural diversity. Don’t forget to try its more distinctive menu, from mantu to the must-have kabuli palow.
• Bancone – Wallet-friendly, hand-crafted pasta is king at this restaurant. Apart from that, this buzzy restaurant also has a great collection of wine that compliments its menu.

Recommended Activities in London, UK

• Little Venice: Regent’s Canal Waterbus Boat Trip to Camden – Get ready to enjoy a leisurely one-way guided boat trip down Regent’s Canal between Little Venice and Camden Town passing by sights such as London Zoo.
• London: Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise – Take a one-way or return cruise from Westminster to Greenwich (or vice versa) and see the sights of London from a different perspective. Listen to an informative audio commentary as you admire monuments such as the Tower of London from the River Thames.
• Kensington Palace Sightseeing Entrance Tickets – Visit this iconic royal landmark and learn the surprising stories of many of the palace’s inhabitants over the centuries, from Queen Victoria to Diana, Princess of Wales.