Hostels

london hostel cheap accommodation budget low cost shared bedroom private en suite common area lounge

London boasts of the biggest urban area in England and the whole of United Kingdom. Being a settlement for over 2,000 years, London has developed into a massive collection of cultures – thanks to a rich history that dates back to the Roman times. London has made huge leaps since then and had given contributions to the world in the fields of business, finance, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts. That’s why tourists from all over the world are enticed to visit London. Aside from business trips, more and more travelers go to London to have fun, relax, and enjoy the rich history of the great city. As an international tourist destination, one of London’s biggest industries is service – which covers accommodations. Aside from hotels, another internationally accepted type of lodging is hostels – they’re cheap, relaxed, and abundant in London.

london hostel cheap accommodation budget low cost shared bedroom private en suite common area lounge private en suite

A hostel is the most budget oriented kind of accommodation. It’s also a great opportunity to meet new friends, because everyone that stays in a hostel is ready to mingle. To put it simply, hostels are public dormitories. Instead of getting a room, or a place of your own, in a hostel you get a bed and linen. The bathrooms, kitchen, dining area and lounge are shared between guests, or as the hostel community would put it, backpackers. The kitchen is kept simple. The dining area is big - one of the places where you can socialize with other guests. The lounge is probably the best place to stay aside from your room – facilities like cable television, DVD players, wi-fi internet access, and other entertainment amenities are located here. Some also add payphones and fax machines. As for the bathroom, it rarely becomes a problem because hostels are equipped with sufficient enough bathrooms for a fully booked building. Most hostels also have security lockers, washing machines, dryers, ironing, and luggage storage. It’s more common in London that hostels have their own cafes. Some of the better ones have coffee shops and even their own bar and restaurant.

london hostel cheap accommodation budget low cost shared bedroom private en suite common area lounge

It’s definitely for the light traveler, those who prefer simple bed space. Most tourists prefer hostels for the price – it’s practical: why spend on lodging when most of the time you will be outside anyways. The sensible choice is a hostel – for less than half of what you paid for in a standard hotel you get a bed for sleeping and sometimes even a free breakfast. Towels and toiletries are rarely given for free, but they’re cheap anyway so you just buy them outside. Some hostels offer private rooms, too. It would cost more but for those who want privacy, these rooms are good value for money. They come in single, double, twin or quad occupancy. Some private rooms are even en suite.

Booking in a hostel is definitely an acquired preference, but internationally it has grown in huge leaps and has led the way in creating a market for low-cost travel. You can book from an overnight stay to as much as weeks. But like any other accommodation, hostels can be fully booked, too. Take note of these public holidays so you can book in advance if you plan on traveling during these times: Summer Bank Holiday on August 25, 2008, Christmas Day, Boxing Day on December 26, 2008, New Year’s Day,Good Friday on April 10, 2009, Easter Monday on April 13, 2009, Early May Bank Holiday on May 4, 2009, Spring Bank Holiday on May 25, 2009.