To start off: Avoid this place at all cost. spend a little more for a proper experience and proper rest. I stayed in the 12 person dorm and it was basically in the basement. The pictures on Booking are not what it is in real life. There we're no proper windows except 3 small windows on the ceiling. These did not fulfill any purpose as the room was só hot. no air-conditioning either, just 2 cheap fans that didn't do anything but push hot air through the rooms. Staff does not look happy with their job, seem rather angry or annoyed that you are there. while showering the temperature changes from warm to ice cold and back. the "lockers" are metal drawers under the beds, so when people arrive at the hostel at midnight and they want to open the drawers/lockers, a loud metal screeching noise just echoes through the room, and you will wake up guaranteed. The beds are only 1.80m (5ft 10), so if you are taller than this, you will have to curl up on the small bed, not a great sleep either. Conclusion: whatever the owner might reply here, avoid this place and do yourself some good by getting another hostel.

Very close to supermarket, buses, British museum, very convenient to go anywhere. Noisy because it's inevitable to have silent moment, people come and go, but I don't have problem sleeping with noise. For people who has problems, then I better think twice. The breakfast was so satisfying, it's 6£, but only milk and eggs and fresh. In a safe neighborhood, easy to walk to the stations I made many friends there. There's kitchen and fridge, you can buy your own tea to use there. Microwave is available. It's like home anyway. It's lack of places in the shower to put you clothes. Or you hang everything on the door which will get wet. Toilet is usually clean. There are many clean ladies.

I was a regular customer on business trips, until the day when travelers turned on the lights at 3am. I pointed out to them that it was a bit early and told them it was none of my business. I went to see a man on the staff who pointed out that people could leave the lights on as much as they wanted at night and that this was not a hotel for those who work. I never went there again. Conclusion if you are here for work for a few days and want a place to sleep avoid it.

I would rather cut off all my toes one by one than stay in this hostel again. You cannot use the kitchen before 11 am, so forget eating breakfast. Besides our food was thrown away or stolen? There are metal “lockers” to put your bags in, but they make a ridiculous amount of noise. When someone has to wake up at 6am, it’s guaranteed that you wake up. The rooms are small and hot. The showers are nasty. They try to squeeze every penny out of you. Charge you per bag not per locker, which is weird. Not a youth hostel, no friendly people! Would recommend to book another one!

You'll get better value in a detention camp. Toilets are dirty. Second day I was there, a homeless man managed to get into the dorm rooms in the morning looking for a bed. Moved my bed without warning and took my personal items, which they couldn't find when I asked. Ended up checking out early (without a refund). I'm sure I'll get a templated response to my review, only for my feedback to be ignored by the hostel. This is probably the worst hostel I've stayed in anywhere in the world.

Room+restroom size and height as well as bathroom is small, you can knock your head several times. Stay if you need but no longer than a week. The network and location is good though. Cleanliness in toilet could be improved but common room is good for social life.

Check in and out went pretty smooth. Stayed in a private room and everything was very clean. They gave us clean sheets and towels. No complaints about cleanliness, however, there’s a LOT of noise all night long. To me it seemed like the people upstairs kept moving their bunk beds across the bedroom. Would I stay here again? Yes, only for the price and location which is amazing.

That's a really mixed feeling After 3 nights there. What drives the evaluation up definitely lies in the location. Perfectly located, near everything you need. Also good breakfast. However, the beds are way too small (if you're above 1m80, back pain becomes real after only 3 nights). Not that welcoming, and too loud (you hear everything as the walls are so thin, several incidents making the nights really painful).

The room stank to high heaven. Full of dossers who just lie in bed all day, farting and snoring. My bed was next to the door, which constantly banged all night, with these people coming and going until 4am. You need to pay for EVERYTHING, from a simple locker for your valuable items, to a bottle of water. If you want to self cater, make sure you have cutlery, cups, plates or eat with your fingers. Spent two nights, got no sleep. It's cheap, but you can sleep on a bench at St Pancras station, up the road, for free.

Good place to stay for a hostel. Please note that it is a hostel and not a hotel. - The beds are rather small, I am 185cm and I could almost touch the border with my head and feet at the same time. - Showers are cramped but of good quality - Only stairs (tough luck) - Rooms get cleaned daily - Nice and large common room - Breakfast has some variety - Close proximity to the underground, groceries, a pub and the British Museum

The staff was amazing and helpful! The beds are boxes, and it was difficult for me to sleep as a tummy sleeper, I couldn't fit in the length of the bed. If you 175cm and above and you are a tummy sleeper you will have to consider it. The guy next to me grabbed his mattress and slept on the floor because he couldn't fit In the bed. We were in a 4bed dorm so you can understand how difficult it was for the rest of us

Best thing about this hostel is that it is the cheapest you can get in central London! Wonderful location and really a calm and quiet hostel! I also liked how they make each bunk a private space by a simple curtain, which I couldn't find in the two other hostels I stayed in central London during my month-long stay there. Everything is quite frequently and regularly cleaned with care. Overall the best budget-stay in Bloomsbury/central London.

A review from someone who knows this place since 2015 so this is not a hate comment. This place was heaven before they employed this particular security man which I advise every future guest of this place to bear in mind as he discriminates on colour of skin and race and will make your stay in this hostel a living hell which I have been going through with him despite having paid this hostel he is also racist according to staff on this hostel even them can’t wait he leaves ! He will abuse his position and assault you for no valid reason so if you are looking for somewhere safe to stay this is not it as every day you might find yourself out for having charged your battery or phone ! Restup hostel elephant castle or clink261 or urbany hostel are better alternatives.

Lots of people from different countries. Rough around the edges. People from all walks of life. You get what you pay for. It is a hostel after all. Showers are clean and well maintained. I had to sleep on the third bed up because all of the other beds are occupied. No curtains on my bed. Luggages are all over the place but the sheets are all clean and smells nice. When I went up to shower upstairs, police were there in the common room. Apparently someone was attacked. I could be wrong as I only saw the man with the police. Like I said, people from all walks of life stay there. Don't expect hotel-like services. Loud and boisterous laughter can be heard in the common room. Wifi is weak downstairs.

Nice hostel in a great location. Right next door to the British museum, great subway/bus links, walkable to the theater district, and many restaurants and grocery stores nearby. Beds are small - suitable up to about 5'9 but then you have to lay diagonally. Kitchen is large but gets very very crowded. Staff is very helpful.

Not good, as a young woman on my one I didn't feel safe and wanted to leave as soon as I could. Staff is fine, but the ambience doesn't feel right. I'm happy nothing happened to me, but I'm terribly sorry to say that I had to help out a female compatriot who felt extremely unsafe because of a drunk in her dormitory. Glad nothing more happened but this was not good at all. Besides that it was not an hygienic place.

Not the worst hostel I've stayed in, but far from the best. Booked a private single bed room with private en suite, they overbooked so they ended up giving me a six bunk room with en suite all to myself. The beds were only about 5 cm (2 inches) thick and not particularly comfortable. If you're taller than 170 cm (5'7") you'll also find you're too tall to lay in the bed. The en suite was particularly small as well. I had just enough room between the door and the sink to close the door behind me. If you need to sit on the toilet, you'll also probably find yourself sitting with your head in the sink. Might just recommend using the public shared toilets. While I didn't see any rats or mice, the presence of poison rat traps in the room suggested otherwise. Overall, the facilities all seem pretty nice and the common areas were very well kempt. I noticed they also had a security guard working the front door at night, likely to address previous reviewers concerns about safety. If I was only paying £22/night for a bunk in a six bunk dormitory, I might not be so nitpicky. But having paid £111/night for a private single bed room, this was far from the level of comfort I was hoping for.

Horrible, horrible and one more time horrible. The dorms are extremely dirty and looks like weren't cleaned for a while. What is more, the staff is unfriendly and don't care at all, you have to ask about everything, breakfast offer is also bad. When I came there to check in I was assigned to the bed which was already occupied, on the reception they told me that I just have to change the sheets and that's it. I also received missing sheets cover. Definitely, I m not gonna stay there anymore. The worst hostel I have ever been. Not recommend at all!

It is great for the price. They were responsive to messages I sent before my stay, my room was totally fine, the place is clean, and it feels safe and secure. The beds are pretty short, I couldn't fully fit, but I am pretty tall. I'm not sure if they have longer beds, it may be worth asking if you are also tall.

Decently priced and good location but staff are a bit abrupt getting mad I didn’t put a bed tag on my bed (which wasn’t ever mentioned at checkin). Besides that staff seemed friendly enough and rooms were sufficient for the two nights I stayed, though be warned it’s 3 bunks high in the 6 bed room.

Check in fast and easy with photo I'd required. Rooms are clean and tidy. Large dining area with kitchen that serves breakfast,there is a fee for this unless the cost is included in your booking. This area is busy throughout the day with people watching the large television and charging their devices. You can bring your own food in and consume it in the dining area.

This place is properly festering in its own mud. Our first impression was horrible, as we entered we were greeted to a huge waft of bleach which made the joint smell like a swimming pool the entire time we were there. The pictures online made the room look far bigger than it actually was, which is really where my complaints begin. The room had this weird musk to it to start off, and there is really no room at all if you bring anything bigger than a backpack. The bathroom is tiny, as confirmed in other reviews, where if you sit on the toilet there is quite literally a sink in your face. You also need to choose the time you shower very carefully, perhaps it was because we were on the 3rd floor but during “peak hour” showering times we would have the option of scalding hot water, or no water at all. Pretty humiliating to be standing naked in the bathroom for 15 minutes waiting for the water to turn on to be honest. We stayed here for 5 nights. If you must save some money, just don’t expect it to be an epic time. You are much better off spending the extra in staying at a more reputable hostel nearby if you plan on staying long. Could only tolerate this place for a night The only redeeming qualities for this hostel is its location; safe area, nice parks, quiet at night, shops nearby and being positioned right next to a station.

Clean. economic. safe. and In the center of London. a great place.

I'm only 187 cm and the top of my head and the bottom of my feet touched the ends of my tiny box-of-a-bed. There's barely any place to put my stuff so I had to sleep with my bag at the foot of my bed in order to not block the narrow walkway, making my bed even smaller. If you want to rent a towel, do your laundry, and eat breakfast be prepared to spend another $22. There is not a single comfortable chair in the common area, and because the bed is not comfortable for me, I don't feel like I can really relax here. On the bright side it's affordable for London.

I loved the hostel's location, although I have to admit the beds were just okay - not too comfortable and quite warm. I wouldn't choose it for a summer stay; I felt like I was in a sauna 😅. The cleaning left something to be desired, and the showers definitely need an upgrade (they even admitted it), plus they weren't as clean as they should be. After a shower, it felt more like a steam room than a refreshing cleanse – you'd start sweating again right away.The kitchen had a not-so-pleasant smell, but it was stocked with everything you might need 😅. On the bright side, the staff was incredibly friendly, and the fellow guests were nice. The location and price were excellent, but the cleanliness and upkeep were lacking.

Price is very cheap, that is true, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when you’re looking for a hostel. But there are little things that keep adding on to the price plus the conditions of the place, that make this experience not worth it. There is breakfast, but you have to pay separately, and there are not many options, basically just bread, cereal and coffee; you have to make your own bed when you check-in, even if it’s past midnight and everybody else is asleep; you have to pay for luggage room when you check-out and you need place for your bags; you have to pay for towels. All those things are really annoying, and make you feel like you only paid half the price. Now to the rooms: terrible. They have triple bunk beds, and if they put you on the top one, good luck climbing that thing up and down every time you need something from your bag without waking up all the people in the room and getting the looks between the curtains. Noisy place. Too crowded, probably due to the concentration of people in small spaces with those bunk beds. Everyone is talking, walking, running, flushing the toilet and showering. And the walls don’t protect from any sound, you hear everything. AND I think there is a BOILER or some other kind of loud MACHINE in between the walls somewhere, very poorly placed obviously, that keeps turning on and off all day and night long, preventing you from having that good, deep sleep. Besides all that, the beds are very small and hard, not comfortable at all. I couldn’t fit in my bed while stretching out, my feet were pushing the bottom part of the bed. Anyways, if you are young and doesn’t care about the health of your back, or about your quality of sleep, and you are looking for a cheap place (bear in mind the things I said about paying for towels and stuff like that), go for it. You will probably regret it, but I understand sometimes there are not many options.

Stayed in a mixed dorm for 6 people for 2 nights. The personnel was very pleasant and helpful. The location is amazing, within 10-15 minutes walking distance from St. Pancras International St. The room had 3 bunk beds so you either get the top or bottom bed. There was a private bathroom inside which is quite small but it gets the job done. There are options to rent a towel or buy a padlock for the locker, which is located under the bed. Overall , a very pleasant stay, no complaints.

Was this a horrible experience? No of course not. However, it wasn’t comfortable. The room I was in was unbearably hot, even with a fan and the window open. The bathroom sink was a pain. The cold water had to be held down constantly to run, and the hot water was so hot that you couldn’t use it, and there was essentially no way to use them simultaneously without another person’s help. The people working there were kind and amiable, and it wasn’t too expensive to rent a towel or any amenities one might need. However, if you’re someone who doesn’t sleep well in a hot room, I wouldn’t recommend it. Location was fine though, as it was easy to catch a bus or metro anywhere we needed to go.

It‘s like hell! They have the smallest beds I have ever seen in a hostel. My head and my feet are touching the end of the bed, and I‘m not even very tall. Besides that it feels like 100°C in the room. It‘s a miracle that I could get a few hours of sleep, and only god can help me to make the remaining days. So dont go unless you are 1,5m tall and like to sleep in deserts.

I was a long-term stay guest and stayed that got a year. This is not your typical hostel, it has one private room and 1 dorm room for 6 people. The hostel is lovely and feels like home.

Alright. This is in the heart of one of the most expensive and oldest areas in the world. The hostel rates are cheap for its location--next to the British Museum, within a 15-minute walk of all the central London attractions and King's Cross Station. But, the catch is that you will, for that price, have to sleep in TRIPLE DECKER BEDS. The hostel's lights are also really bright to a degree that feels really unnecessary. The bathrooms are also small and so not clean. But again, if you're just looking for a place to stay at night in London, and could care less about staying in a nice place, this is for you. You'll always be able to grab something from Pret a Manger until about 9 or 10 pm, plus the pubs of course.

Average hostel. We had a room for two people. The room was very clean and nicely furnished but we didn't get any sleep as the water pump right outside our room was very noisy at night. Breakfast wasn't good. The only good thing about this hostel is the location as we could walk basically anywhere.

Me and 2 Friends stayed for 1 Night in London and payed 18€. So there was nothing much to expect. But arriving at the Smart Hotel, first of all we were really impressed by its central location! The staff was also really friendly and helpful. The room was good. The curtains by the beds made me feel comfortable. Free ear plugs at the reception were also really helpful, giving me a calm sleep. After loosing my Headphones and having already left the Place, they immediately started looking for them and were a great help! The headphones ended up being in my friends bag, but the help was taken for granted!

I can’t complain for anything! I met wonderful people there. Staff were very helpful. Even the cleaning lady who didn’t speak English helped me a lot. Front desk people were cool. Some guests were just a bit disrespectful regarding people’s belonging. But the places is great! Wonderful location!

The hostel itself isn't bad and the common areas (kitchen, lounge area, reception) are alright. However, the rooms feel like a chicken coop - too hot in there and very narrow, so it's a 'no' if you are in a room with more than 6 people. We also booked a female dorm where we ended up staying with men - not that we would mind that in the first place, but it'd be good to be informed about that. Worth mentioning that one of my friends who was staying in a 9-bed dorm returned every night to find her bed taken by other people who were already sleeping and had her stuff thrown from the bed to the side. Unacceptable. And what made it even worse was the very unhelpful people at the reception who didn't even apologize for mixing things up or take care of the situation. All in all, it's worth staying here if you are looking for cheap accommodation, good transport and a central place to stay when in London, but otherwise just don't.

Staff were friendly, luggage storage was very practical too. Safe location for London standards, fantastic base for exploring London with easy transport to main attractions. Under 30 min walk to Leicester Square, Covent Garden, the Thames etc. would highly recommend if you’re ok with busy hostels.

The hostel is good and situated near an underground station, but the beds a bit wonky since it's triple bunks and they aren't fully secured to the wall. This means that movement on any level will be felt by everyone. Also some of the curtains don't fully close/are hard to close so that's not great too. While we were there some people were not very respectful of the quiet hours. We also had trouble finding showers in the building. Other than these things the hostel is pretty good, is clean and is a good option.

A good hotel in the city center, one of the cheapest, the rooms are clean, but the mattresses are dusty and the bed is small. Otherwise everything is fine, friendly staff. At £3.50 for luggage storage I find it a bit pricey

This place did not meet my expectations at all , it was not enjoyable or comfortable. The rooms are way smaller than what they show in the pictures, no place to fit your suitcases. The place is dirty it’s not sanitary, there was keptchup packets on our walls in the beds , the little cabinets to keep our clothes were filthy. The showers are no where near decent small and in bad conditions with either boiling or freezing water , there is no in between. The customer service was bad their job was done poorly and didn’t make u feel welcome. Instead of 36£ it should be 10 max .

It's the cheapest hostel on booking, so I didn't had a high expectation. But I can say that it's very good. They have very good staff, the room is very clean, the bed too. And most importantly the bathroom, it's clean almost every time. You will find it not clean only if an uncivilized person goes there. In conclusion it's a very great place for the pricing and the location is very good. Enjoy!

i loved the central location, good price and the amenities. For London standards, this hotel is on a larger side, it doesn’t feel crammed. it was airy, bright, with lots of colors and light. I booked a room with 9 beds. It was 3 large triple bunk beds, i got the middle level. The guy who slept above me kept going up and down his ladder all night, so it always woke me up. But the privacy curtains were great because it blocked the light. There is strict no food, no noise policy in rooms, so if you coming to sleep, it works great. If you want to socialize, there is a large dining room/common room, and a lounge are with Netflix. Great for movie night or catch up with fellow travelers. I took one star off because the kitchen was on smaller side for the capacity, and fridge doesn’t have enough space to keep all the food. But i only stayed one night, so I didn’t need to use the kitchen. I just warmed up water for coffee and soup one night. The check-in says no people over 45 are allowed, however, i noticed at least 3 people during my stay who appeared older than that. Maybe in their 50s even. It’s not an issue for me, but the information online is clearly not followed. Also, kitchen is ‘closed’ in the morning because they serve breakfast (if you paid for it), so don’t plan on cooking your own breakfast between 7-10am. Or just order the breakfast, it looked good. The place was kept clean, showers had nice warm water. Towel was 2,50 extra, but worth it so you don’t have to bring your own towels. I stayed on Wednesday night, so perfect mid week getaway and I would definitely stay here again!

The hostel is well-located, really close to an underground station, less than two minutes, that's the best thing. The staff was very helpful, the reception desk is open 24/7 so you can check-in when you need. However, the rooms... our room was small and had an uncomfortable bunk, it was not easy to get to the top bunk, fortunately we had a private bathroom, an small one, but functional. It was not as cheapest as it should, but it looks like it is a trend in London nowadays.

If you stay at ground stair, be ready for dirt kitchen and loud neighborhoods, but price is good

Has cooking, laundry facilities, rooms are decent with privacy curtains

Is a very impressive piece as to also comeback,just the need more staff . But they did the breakfast amazingly.

Good service and prime location. The only bad experience came from the water supply in the bathroom. The temperature cannot be controlled and water stopped working during usage. It gave a very bad start and end of our day.

Clean facilities, friendly staff and in a great part of London. Would highly recommend.

Nice beds and toilet Best place for stay in less budget . Also very secure feel safe ☺️

too bad we can't put zero, horrible dirty, bathroom i'm not talking about it, mixed! we paid for lunch we refused to serve us, the lady who takes care of the canteen I do not speak unpleasant, no hygiene!!!! it's not worth what you pay!!

Bang for the buck. The rooms/beds are a little small, so if you are on the taller side like me, it can get uncomfortable.

Mixed experience. Many of people with mental health challenges have been dumped on the street which this hostel kindly accepts them. Huge pressure on receptionist and the manager. They all need full and professional training and support. Suitable for everyone as long as you put your head down

The hostel is wonderfull, good beds to sleep the night. Warm rooms. Good showers and looms. Laundry works perfectly. A good value for matinal breakfast. A nice kitchen to share. But do not have oven to bake or grill. Two microwaves and two cooker tops. Excelent value for money for a short discovery trip to old and charming London .

Terrible room, terrible service, terrible bed, terrible sanitation, unfriendly staff. Decent location but not still not good enough to give it more than 1 star.

Great hostel in a good area, good room & good shower & lounge room will be staying here again

The location is awesome, very close to the tube. A lot of attractions and wonderful restaurants and cafe nearby. However, the shared dorm room is not a good option as there are three levels bunk beds. This make the head space so limited, you could not even sit on the bed. And, it is difficult to climb up to the top bed if you were unlucky being the last person checking in.

Best place for temporary stay... Clean and tidy!

It’s okay to just sleep. It’s clean, but rooms are really hot and it sometimes smells like weed. Location is good though. Staff at the reception could be more friendly.

Excellent value for money. You won't find a better price in this location. <5 min walk to British museum. 2 min walk to underground station. And within walking distance of the city centre. Beds were a bit small for tall people but wasn't a major issue. Very friendly staff and super clean. Vibrant common area so a great place to meet people if you're travelling alone.

Good value for money! We were a family of 4, including two children and we felt very comfortable in the hostel. Clean place and very nice and helpful staff. The room was small (including a private bathroom) covered our needs. Definitely, we would come again.

Didn’t stay at the hostel but used it today to store my luggage for today. Booked via radical storage and everything was fine. Nice stuff and I got a locker for my luggage, which was great and made it feel very safe.

It's an excellent hostel, especially when you go to the room. A group of friends the place is clean and good. I have a bathroom in the room. Greetings to the owner of the place and whoever came forward

I was stuck waiting at kings cross station having to wait 14+ hours for my next train and it was already midnight. I found this hostel and called them and they found me a bed for only £24 considering I didn’t reserve a bed and it was midnight, that’s a very good deal, saved me having to sleep at the station. The staff are very friendly and provided bed sheets and a pillow cover. Waiting time is really short and they have really nice common room to relax in. The size of bed is moderate but fit just right for me. I highly recommend this place if you’re trying to sleep on a budget.

The use of people at the reception is friendly. The rooms are clean and tidy. Toilets are often unclean! Good arrangements for bathing. The kitchen is good.

This was a pretty average stay. The bathrooms and showers could’ve used a more regular cleaning and the bedding was very stained. Staff were quick and attentive with check in and out, but more tact around customer relations would’ve been beneficial. They provide a wide range of food for breakfast, and despite not partaking (4.50 pounds) I was able to sneak in and steal a cream for my coffee (purchased around the corner in the alley of all places) and a jam for my vending machine Belgian Waffle. If you’re looking for travel stay on a budget, it’s hard to complain about a place like this.

We stayed 3 nights at the hostel. Was what we expected for the low price : clean enough but not super comfy. Luckily we had toilets and a shower attached to the room. I don’t think breakfast is worth 5£, we didn’t include it in our reservation but one was free. Would recommend because on the area and because it’s close to the train station.

RUN!!! I am on vacation in London I stayed a week in this hotel paying night by night at the beginning everything was going well apart from the smell of feet present in all the rooms 3 days before the end of my stay I was accused of stealing a duvet that I wouldn't even put on myself, I took it off my bed and the housekeeper had to remove it from the room. 2 day later my friend paid £42 for my room. I went down to reception to collect my pass and was told I can't stay at the hotel and have to leave even though my room is £42 because I've been here 4 days and I don't I haven't changed rooms and my English is not very good we can't communicate well that's the message that was left on the reception computer (it's my friend who booked ago several different rooms I didn't know I ask to keep the same room so as not to lose things and change every day I am told ok no problem, and yet this morning the very unpleasant manager tells me that I cannot stay one one more night here even if I paid for my room it's no one is ruining my vacation I advise you to flee this place which smells of feet all your belongings will be infested with a very bad smell and you risk like me even if you have paid for your room to be refused access.the good reviews are left by people who want to benefit from the free breakfast ps I am a very well educated and very clean person I had no problem with anyone during my entire stay stay there I repeat, run away if you don't want to lose your vacation.

It was a bit of a struggle to get into the bed as mine was in the middle and the entrance is narrow, but the curtain gave me absolute privacy for sleeping (plus earplug for free!). I have seen cleaning staff several times (the toilets were dirty sometimes but I blame the guests who don't know how to keep a basic hygiene standards). Also my locker was occupied but that is also not the hostels fault (do recommend taking your own lock, I did not think about it).

It was a safe place to sleep for two nights. The staff was nice during check in and check out. The room was small and 1000% clean but it was good enough. The shower was surprisingly good. The bed was small and I could not sit up fully but it was fine. The location was very ideal and close to transportation, food, and parks.