The Best Hostels in London With Incredible Private Rooms

SoHostel, on Dean Street in the heart of Soho, is surrounded by some of London’s best bars, clubs and restaurants. Add in some top-notch facilities – a games room, rooftop bar and pamper room among them – and you’ll quickly get that this is no ordinary hostel. Grab a craft beer from downstairs and head up to the rooftop to take in the Soho atmosphere from above. Dinner is available too – fish and chips or wood-fired pizza, if you please – while private rooms come with double beds and enormous windows that flood the rooms with natural light.

This hostel bridges the gap between high-quality digs and down-to-earth, budget-friendly vibes. The decor has a distinctly retro-meets-industrial style, with exposed hanging bulbs and natural woods contrasting with mid-century furnishings and a funky light-up sign above reception. Check into a private room and you’ll see more of the same, with feature walls in magenta pink and electric blue, spacious wardrobes and ensuite bathrooms. When you’re ready to mingle, the underground bar has got you covered (no pun intended) with lively beer pong and table football tournaments. Should you want to continue the revelry elsewhere, the many pubs, bars and clubs of Shoreditch are a short walk away.

Set above a quintessentially English pub, this no-frills hostel keeps the vibe friendly and simple. It has five spacious dorms that sleep up to eight and one private room with an ensuite bathroom and smart TV. For those hoping to sample some of the local brews, discounts are available at the pub downstairs, which has numerous beers on tap and serves classic pub grub. When the time comes to venture further afield, east London is practically on your doorstep, and with Liverpool Street station mere steps away, you’ll be zipping through the city in no time.

This charming hostel, in a Georgian building at the heart of Notting Hill, is an ideal base for those wanting to explore this illustrious neighbourhood. Recreate scenes from the Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts movie, tramping the same streets that played host in the film. The hostel has an infectious social vibe, offering the chance for travellers to meet and mingle over a free dinner and a nightly pub crawl. The tree-lined terrace is the perfect place to base yourself for drinks before heading out for after-dark adventures with your new pals.

Meininger London Hyde Park blurs the boundaries between hostel and hotel. It comes with the price tag, lively atmosphere and shared-room options of a hostel, but there are also the high-quality and well-equipped private rooms of a hotel. You’re not far fromt he heart of London’s museums and palace district, which makes this a great choice for serious sightseers – and royalists will be excited by the fact that the Queen has even popped in for a visit. Communal spaces – bar, terrace and games room – also offer the chance to meet fellow travellers and make new friends.

The decor at this place, exposed brickwork and reclaimed timber with mid-century touches – think plush-velvet furnishings – might make you think you’ve accidentally stepped into a fancy hotel. But once you’ve experienced the lively vibe of the reception area and late-night bar pretty soon you’ll realise that Generator London is all about having fun and meeting other travellers. Rooms are simple and modern in their aesthetic, with wooden floors and white walls decorated with bright geometric murals. You don’t need to fork out much more for a private room, either – thanks to a range of options that include singles, twins and deluxe doubles with ensuite bathrooms, all designed to suit every budget.

This cosy hostel sits above a lively pub, making it the perfect option for the discerning hostel-goer looking for something a bit different. The pub is popular with travellers and residents alike and serves up a range of local and international beers on tap – all of which hostel guests can get at a discount. Upstairs, the homely rooms feature deep-stained wooden floors and original fireplaces – making a refreshing contrasting with the no-frills vibe of your average hostel. Private rooms take it one step further, with feature wallpaper and gilded mirrors. Just a stone’s throw from Waterloo station, you could not be better connected for exploring London and beyond.