The Best Hostels to Book in London, England

Female travellers seeking an all-female hostel in London need look no further than the Mornington. Housed within the Hurdwick Hotel in a Georgian street close to central Camden and the glorious green spaces of Regent’s Park, the Mornington offers a 10-woman dorm with five comfortable bunk beds. Security is carefully considered, but no more so than comfort, with plush carpet, hairdryers and high-speed broadband all provided. There’s also a common area with a dining table and a striking scarlet sofa for socialising.

Many of London’s cultural highlights are merely a step away from this professionally run hostel directly across from the world-famous British Museum. If you ever get tired of the museum’s treasures, you’re an easy walk from the teeming nightlife of Soho, the world-class shows of the West End theatre district, the culinary discoveries of Chinatown and the shopping of Covent Garden. Inside, dorms are comfortable and well-maintained, while private rooms in multiple configurations are housed in a separate building.

Looking for a great-value hostel in central London? There aren’t many that compare to Prime Backpackers, located in the youthful neighbourhood of Angel. Inside this handsome Victorian townhouse, you’ll find a mixture of single, twin and triple private rooms, six- and twelve-bed mixed dorms and a female-only dorm. Common amenities include a large chill-out room, a well-equipped kitchen, a book exchange and more. Outside the front door are all the bars, restaurants and shops of one of London’s most vibrant areas.

Safestay London Elephant and Castle may be the southernmost hostel on this list, but it’s still very well connected to Central London, with the Underground station minutes away. It has a low-cost continental breakfast for guests, a cafe serving piping-hot margherita and pepperoni pizzas, Friday rock nights and street-art tours of East London all on offer. Upstairs, hot-pink walls clash with dusky-purple bunks that come complete with curtains – a valuable means of privacy that you’ll likely appreciate in a shared dorm. If you’d rather go private, there are rooms for up to three people, all with en-suite bathrooms stocked with handy extras such as toiletries, hot drinks and towels.

A stay at Astor Hyde Park will not only put you within strolling distance of the city’s most famous green spaces but also the enlightening wonders of the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Sitting behind the red bricks and peach-hued archway – a great spot to sit in the sun while socialising – of this Victorian townhouse is a mix of old-world vintage furniture and colourfully graffitied walls. On rainy days, the lounge’s burgundy leather armchairs and forest-green Chesterfield sofas make for a great alternative, as aspiring Beethovens play on the room’s piano. Later, unleash your competitive side with a game of table football in the kitchen area, before crashing in the red bunks of the dorms upstairs.

Located in a quiet north London neighbourhood, Palmers Lodge has Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill and London Zoo on its doorstep. It’s close to Finchley Road and Swiss Cottage Underground stations and only a handful of stops from Baker Street, Westminster and England’s impressive national stadium in Wembley Park. This characterful old building features original ceiling roses, fireplaces and warm wooden details.

Throughout much of the late 20th century, Wombat’s The City Hostel London was a guesthouse for sailors from the merchant navy. There’s a very different vibe today – you don’t have to be a seafarer to stay here, for starters – yet the place has kept up its reputation for hospitality with a multitude of Hoscar awards for Most Popular Hostel. Right in the heart of East London’s historic Tobacco Dock, this trendy hostel is just a short stroll from the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge and Skylight – an adult playground and rooftop bar. Soothingly neutral rooms all have en-suite bathrooms, along with white wooden bunks and panelled floors complemented by mauve feature walls. You’ll find extra privacy on double beds nestled in the alcoves of dorms, or by splashing out on a private room.