Kandace_York

My daughter and I are going to England this fall for a series of uni visits. This is not our first trip to Europe, tourism is not a primary focus, and we'll be on a snug budget. Because she's under 18, many of the hostels are off limits (London law?). Several other hostels are booked (Holland Park, for example) or private rooms would be far beyond our budget. We are going during the school year, so we can't stay at any of the unis.

Thought I'd get that info out of the way right off the bat.

So our key factors are inexpensive accommodations (~ $150/night or less), close to public transit, breakfast included, and in areas where two single females would be comfortable out after dark. We also need to be reasonably close to King's Cross and Heathrow.

With all those limitations -- and I know it's a lot! -- what are your thoughts on these places?

Palmer's Lodge, Swiss Cottage (private room)
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/palm...e21814284e8cX1

Charlotte Guest House, Camden
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/char...-lightbox-open

St. James Backpackers, Kensington & Chelsea (private room)
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/sain...-lightbox-open

Curzon House Hotel, Kensington & Chelsea
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/curz...21814284e8cX16

Pride of Paddington, Westminster (private room)
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/the-...21814284e8cX17

Equity Point, Westminster
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/equi...-lightbox-open


Many thanks in advance for your help!

janisj

Palmer's Lodge, Swiss Cottage . . . Nice area but not terribly convenient

Charlotte Guest House, Camden . . . Technically in 'Camden', but really In West Hampstead and not very convenient.

St. James Backpackers, Kensington & Chelsea . . . Close to Earls Court

Curzon House Hotel, Kensington & Chelsea . . . Close to Gloucester Rd Tube station. Nice area.

Pride of Paddington, Westminster . . . Its in the "City of Westminster" but not in <i>Westminster</i>. It is across the street from Paddington Station.

Equity Point, Westminster . . . same as above - practically next door to Paddington Station.

Of all these -- whether a tourist or on a school visit -- I'd personally only choose the Curzon House. Its on the same tube line in from Heathrow and to Kings Cross. Most of the others are not convenient to Heathrow (the Paddington ones are 'convenient' - but by expensive trains)

Curzon House is in a nice area w/ lots of places to eat and IF you do any sightseeing at all it is near the Parks and V&A.

bilboburgler

You should check out this organisation, despite its name it allows adults to join

https://www.yha.org.uk/membership

Kandace_York

Thanks, bilboburgler. I did check out the YHA hostels and they were my first choice; and we've stayed in a couple in the US and really enjoyed the experience. However, the ones I researched in London hit one or more of these barriers:

- not available for the days we're traveling
- too far away from KGX and LHR
- too expensive for a private room
- don't allow under-18 hostellers
- don't serve breakfast
- don't have many nearby cafes, etc.
- don't have WiFi
- not in ideal areas for two single females at night

It's disappointing, because we do like YHA in the US and would be glad to support them in the UK.

bilboburgler

Odd, I just did a little digging

Not allowing under 18s "Young people aged 16 –17 who want to travel independently must join YHA and have a choice of Under 26 Membership or Individual Membership."

"You must be 16 years + to stay by yourself in a hostel. Anyone below this age must be with a parent or guardian aged 18+"

WIFI? http://www.yha.org.uk/free-member-wi-fi see details

Breakfast? http://www.yha.org.uk/staying-yha/food-and-beverage

But if they are in the wrong place, though KX has only recently become a place I'd let my mother visit let alone my daughter. Staying at LHR is just weird.

Gordon_R

I often stayed at YHA hostels on my own or with schoolfriends when I was 16/17. There's no problem with this at all. Where did you read something to the contrary?

Kandace_York

Sorry, some of my comments were about hostels in general, bilboburgler -- the Astor chain, for example, does not allow anyone under 18.

Agreed on the KGX area; we were there in late 2012 and not impressed. If our whole family was going I probably would be fine with it, but if it's just me and my daughter, I'm erring on the safe side. And no, no plans to stay by LHR.

Re: under 18s, several of the hostels had lines similar to this one from Generator Hostel): "Sadly if you’re under 18 you need to book one of our private hostel rooms in London. Sorry … it’s the law."
http://generatorhostels.com/en/desti...n/rooms/dorms/

Equity Point -- "Persons under the age of 18 years are only allowed to stay in private rooms or dormitory rooms that are booked for use of one family or group of persons, and cannot share the dormitory rooms with other guests. People under 18 years old must travel with their parents or legal tutor."
http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels.../london/54018/

St. Christopher's Oasis -- "Please note that guests under the age of 18 must stay in a private room with a parent or legal guardian. They cannot stay in the dorms with people who are not a part of their own group or family."
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldet...sis/London/504

At YHA hostels, WiFi is often available only to YHA members, which we currently are not. Other YHA hostels are not available for our whole stay, are not ideally located for our busy list of uni visits, or do not include breakfast (as in the case of St. Paul's "breakfast not included" according to the HostelWorld.com website).

I don't mind dorm accommodations -- that's what we've always done in US hostels, and it's always been fine. But it seems to be a more complicated issue in London?

PatrickLondon

I suspect it's a self-protecting precaution rather than a legal prescription.

bilboburgler

hostelworld website could be wrong. From St Paul's "Sorry, there are no self catering facilities at the hostel, but delicious meals are available in the restaurant. "

KX around the station is no longer the haunt of pimps but has gone up market, take care in choosing your final site.

Have a great university hunt