I am a student planing a trip to London and want to do it as cheap as possible. Has anyone tried the hostels. I am most interested in the Smart Camden Hostel. They also have a Hyde Park location. they look wonderful on the website, but I have been duped by pretty websites before. Does anyone have any experience with this or other hostels in London?

Thank you!!!

This probably won't help you too much, but what the heck? My friend and I stayed at the Albert Hotel (youth hostel)
191 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5EU, London, England
in 1996. It is BARE BONES! We were on such a tight budget then that it fit us perfectly. We bought groceries and cooked there. We shared a bathroom/shower on the hallway, and bunked with two other girls. It was fun because I was with my best friend and we were new teachers then. We weren't used to fancy hotels or very modest either. The location was, if I remember correctly, perfect! The tube workers were on strike and I clearly remember walking everywhere in convenience. I also remember it being close to the British Museum.

ttt

I was very happy with Astor Victoria and St. Christopher's Shepherd's Bush. There are some very cheap prices for hostels here: http://www.studio92.com

!

I made a mistake with that link. Use this one:

http://www.studios92.co.uk

may i suggest reading and posting on Lonely Planet's bulletin board called Thorn Tree. there are many more people there with experience similar to what you're asking about.

www.lonelyplanet.com

There are several around King's Cross - Ashlee House- very clean and friendly, not too big but not tiny either, 5 minute walk from the station. The Clink is also very clean and has a big party atmosphere in the evenings in the large communal rooms, including a bar. Try http://www.hostelbookers.com for loads of hostel information including pictures, videos, ratings and easy online bookings. I did stay at the Smart Camden, which was very cheap and ok. The kitchen area was very small and a bit grungy, as was the room, but the bed and linens were clean, the staff were friendly and it was very cheap. There was also a free hairdryer attached to a wall in one corridor! I am about to stay at the Generator in the same area. It looks good on the website which hasn't steared me wrong yet (I didn't use hostelbookers for that one!), but I don't know for sure yet, however it is listed as one of the largest in London and is between Russell Square and King's Cross station by foot. Just remember that if the price is absolutely dirt cheap it will possibly also be just that, dirty, but for the most part London Hostels are in good shape. Good luck.

Oh, I meant that I didn't use the hostelbookers for the Smart Camden!!

neyboreno: <i>Any</i> particular reason you topped a <u>seven year old</u> thread? The OP very likely went on the trip, returned home, finished grad school, got married and had 2 kids since then.

janisj: Foolish me, I just saw the subject and jumped right in there didn't I!!! lol!!!!!!!
Oh well, no harm done, so what made you notice? Into reading old threads as well or are you a moderator?

Topping old threads should not be condemned out of hand as yes it brings up a topic someone may well be interested in and then they would have the use of the really sage reply neyborneo gave and yes no harm done so why carp about it?

yes we often do not look at the date of OP because the topic is an evergreen - and just because the info is old does not mean it is not valuable.

For a rundown of London's zillions of hostels - from dirty dumps in Earls Court to really nice HI hostels i would always recommend going to a library or bookstore and reading the many reviews in Let's Go Britain - written by college kids for that age group - it covers literally dozens and dozens such places.

"<i>Oh well, no harm done, so what made you notice? Into reading old threads as well or are you a moderator?</i>"

No - it was tagged UK so I was going to try help -- UNTIL I saw the thread was old and beyond moldy. It was topped so, no, I wasn't looking for old threads.

How on Earth did you even dredge up such an old thread about such a generic topic? Genuinely curious. . . . .

Oh sheesh -- you might guess PQ would jump in!

PQ: "<i>Topping old threads should not be condemned out of hand as yes it brings up a topic someone may well be interested in and then they would have the use of the really sage reply neyborneo gave and yes no harm done so why carp about it?

just because the info is old does not mean it is not valuable.</i>"

There are MANY (hundreds) more current threads w/ more current info about hostels in London, some in the last few days, that would be better topped if that is your purpose.

But then we both know why you posted that. give it a rest . . . .

Well, I don't know what PQ is, and I am not normally a forum person. Somehow found some info the other day about tipping and so thought I would add some advice and had someone be downright rude to me. Another person supported me there as well!! THis time just was looking around at info on Hostels since I stay in them a lot and NO info is mouldy. Go eat some chocolate and try not to be so nosey or grumpy!!! If I get anymore grumpy or rude comments, I'm going to wonder what all the fuss is about being on a Forum anyway. Thanks to Palenque (maybe that is PQ?)

Thanks to Palenque (maybe that is PQ?) Well some call me that - PQ - but my name here is Palenque - well some call me lots of other things as well....