SLEEPING IN LONDON - London 2015 - page 638

beat value. But you get what you pay for (walls can be thin, construction can be flimsy,
fellow guests can be noisy, and so on). They're only a good deal if you book far enough
ahead to get a good price, and skip the many extras...which add up fast. Locations include
Victoria (34-40 Belgrave Road—see map on here , Tube: Victoria), South Kensington
(14 Lexham Gardens, Tube: Earl's Court or Gloucester Road), Earl's Court (44-48 West
Cromwell Road, Tube: Earl's Court), and Paddington (10 Norfolk Place, Tube: Padding-
ton).
Hostels
Hostels can slash accommodation costs while meeting your basic needs. Prices listed here
include sheets and lockers (bring your own lock), but you'll likely have to rent towels and
pay a bit extra for breakfast. All of these places are open 24 hours, give members a £ 3 dis-
count, and have guest computers and Wi-Fi (usually for a fee).
$ London Central Youth Hostel is the flagship of London's hostels, with 300 beds
and all the latest in security and comfortable efficiency. Families and travelers of any age
will feel welcome in this wonderful facility. You'll pay the same price for any bed in a
four- to eight-bed single-sex dorm—with or without private bathroom—so try to grab one
with a bathroom ( £ 17-34/bunk depending on demand, twin D- £ 50-70, families welcome
to book an entire room, members' kitchen, book long in advance, between Oxford Cir-
cus and Great Portland Street Tube stations at 104 Bolsover Street—see map on here , tel.
0845-371-9154, www.yha.org.uk , [e-mail] ) .
$ Oxford Street Youth Hostel is right in the shopping and clubbing zone in Soho,
with 90 beds ( £ 20-30/bunk, twin D- £ 50-70, members' kitchen, 14 Noel Street, Tube: Ox-
ford Street, tel. [phone], www.yha.org.uk , [e-mail] ) .
$ St. Paul's Youth Hostel, near St. Paul's Cathedral, is modern, friendly, well-run,
and a bit scruffy. Most of the 210 beds are in shared, single-sex 3- to 11-bunk rooms
( £ 20-30/bunk depending on demand, twin D- £ 50-70, cheap meals, 36 Carter Lane, Tube:
St. Paul's, tel. [phone] or 0845-371-9012, www.yha.org.uk , [e-mail] ).
$ Generator Hostel is a brightly colored, hip hostel with a café, a DJ spinning the
hits, and 870 beds in 220 rooms, including doubles. It's in a renovated building tucked
behind a busy street halfway between Kings Cross and the British Museum ( £ 18-30/
bunk depending on demand, twin Db- £ 70-120, breakfast- £ 4.50, free Wi-Fi, 37 Tavis-
tock Place: Tube: Russell Square, tel. [phone], www.generatorhostels.com , lon-
[e-mail] ).
$ A cluster of three St. Christopher's Inn hostels, south of the Thames near London
Bridge, have cheap dorm beds; one branch (the Oasis) is for women only. All have loud
and friendly bars attached ( £ 22-36, higher price is for weekends, less in off-season, D- £ 60
or thereabouts, includes small breakfast, must be over 18 years old, free Wi-Fi, 161-165