Kandace_York

Thanks in advance for your help -- for this message and also undoubtedly more questions over the next few weeks.

My daughter and I are trying to plan a trip to UK this fall, centered around college/uni visits. We've been to London before and this will be a "snug budget" trip, so sightseeing is secondary; we'll only have about one full free day anyhow, by the time you consider travel to and from the city

We're pretty basic people, love staying in hostels, happy living out of backpacks (she's never checked a piece of luggage in her life), and comfortable with public transit. But I'd also be a mom traveling with a teen daughter, so I'd rather avoid mixed gender dorms or big-time partying hostels.

We think we've narrowed our choices to these three hostels but we're hoping you can share your thoughts on them. We're trying to keep costs as low as possible, and again, not planning on much sight-seeing. We like both sides of the Thames in the Westminster/London Bridge area and have no real goals other than visiting Borough Market, seeing Big Ben and just soaking up the atmosphere of it all.

YHA St. Paul's -- 36 Carter Lane, near Blackfriars
cost: $66.88/night for 2 people in a 4- to 6-bed female dorm
pros: least expensive, free WiFi, safe quiet neighborhood (I think?)
cons: breakfast would be $16/more extra for two people (could we buy breakfast for 2, for less than that, nearby?), 67% rating on tripadvisor
http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/london-st-pauls
tripadvisor -- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...n_England.html

Clink78 -- 78 King's Cross Rd. near Percy Circus
cost: $81.92/night for 2 people in a 6-bed female dorm
pros: free WiFi, free breakfast, near KGX, cool history
cons: sketchy neighborhood? (we were at KGX a couple years ago and not thrilled, but we didn't venture far from the station so I'm not sure how fair that impression is), 54% rating on tripadvisor
http://www.clinkhostels.com/london/b...ostels/clink78
tripadvisor link -- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...n_England.html

The Walrus -- 172 Westminster Bridge Rd. near Waterloo train station
cost: $86.82/night for 2 people in a female dorm
pros: near Big Ben, London Eye, 89% rating on tripadvisor
cons: bar with hostel (may be noisy)
http://www.walrussocial.com/
tripadvisor -- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...n_England.html

What are your thoughts? Thanks again.

PalenQ

http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/london-holland-park

Have you also considered what many consider to be London's nices HI hostel (YHA in England) - in part of an old Georgian or Tudor palace - Holland House, lovingly set in Holland Park in tony upscale South Kensington - often booked full it is so popular.

I have stayed there a long time ago as well as St Paul's - St Paul's I guess has a better location but at night the area is dead as a doornail - in a business area - formerly Fleet Street newspapers with few folks around at night - the hostel is in an old dorm or school once associated with St Paul's Cathedral I believe.

Yes kings X IME is a rather sketchy neighborhood at night though it has somewhat been gentrified in recent years with the development of St Pancras as the Eurostar Channel Tunnel train depot - lots of cheap hotels in the area that may even be cheaper - check out Jesmond Dene hotel there - I've stayed there several times - very clean for the area - some hotels or 'hostels' here can be dumps so check them out carefully.

http://www.jesmonddenehotel.co.uk/

check Let's go Britain for a good rundown on London hostels and cheap hotels. (A guidebook available from Amazon.com - written bu American students for backpackers and coverage of accommodations IMO is superb.

jamikins

Of the ones you selected I would go with carter lane. Kings cross is more out of the way and I wouldn't want the bar on site.

PalenQ

Even AYH hostels now are likely to have bars on site I believe?

janisj

Carter Lane is a nice location - so close to St Pauls and the Millennium Bridge/the Tate Modern.

I'm not that familiar w/ the area immediately around Percy Circus -- but there seems to be a Travelodge right across the road from the hostel. I wouldn't think there is anything to worry about re the neighborhood.

I'd guess the Walruss would be the much noisier one - not just because of the bar but also the railroad tracks directly behind the bldg.

I'd probably opt for the Clink for easy access to Kings Cross and your train trip north, or Carter Lane if you wanted to be near the river.

janisj

The Clink is really nearer to Coram Field and the Foundling Museum than it is to Kings Cross.

spaarne

<i> Please help me decide between these London hostels
Posted by: Kandace_York on Mar 6, 14 at 12:17pm Posted in: Europe</i>

I stayed at Rosebery Hall of the London School of Economics a few years back. http://tinyurl.com/n8q98hy. If LSE classes are not in session rooms are available. This is an all-around great experience. Clients are students, families, geezers, and hen packs from around the world. There are other dorms also.