one night stay in london, yha/clink hostel?

want2bmortgage3

i am going to a gig in central london friday night and considering staying a night so i can stay up there saturday as well and then come back sat evening.

cheapest accommodation i have seen is the yha and clink hostels. yha is £18 in a shared room, or £60 a private room. only thing is i've never stayed in a hostel before, so don't know what to expect?

are they good places to stay? do you have to speak to anyone if you're in a shared room? also do you get a towel for a shower, as i don't intend on carrying much with me just a small bag at most. i'm not bothered about breakfast.

any tips most welcome x

DarkStar_3

Most hostels are a brilliant way of spending very little money on a bed, just don't expect to much from it. Towels aren't generally provided as standard but in some places you can hire them for a small fee (check with the individual hostel). If you are sharing a room just be friendly smile and say hello some people may want a longer chat but you can always say you need a shower/are going out etc. Most places also have cupboards in the room where you can put you stuff, with these you (normally) can bring you own padlock to make it more secure or leave it open, depends what you have with you really.
Generally they are great places to stay, normally with a nice atmosphere and good service.
You don't say where abouts in London the venue is (which could narrow down a lot of the hostels) but my friends stayed here last year http://www.piccadillyhotel.net/ and really enjoyed it. When I visited it seemed pretty nice.
Hope this helps, if you want any more answers let me know

want2bmortgage3

thanks for that darkstar, sounds like it would be ok. ideally i'd like a room to myself but there's quite a jump in price, a travellodge in the same area is £67 a night. i'm looking at central london, anywhere between brixton and kings cross. are there any other hotel chains similar to travellodge?

grumpybear_3

Yep Hostels are great!

It seems a bit weird to think about sleeping in the same room as a bunch of people you've never met but its nothing to be worried about, especially for just one night.

Usually its just like a hotel you book in advance through something like hostelworld or hostel bookers, arrive on the day, book in, get your key and pick up your bedding, make your bed, stuff your stuff in your locker and then go out and enjoy yourself!

Generally you sleep in a bunkbed and have your own locker to put your stuff in and a shared bathroom in the hallway and a shared lounge to relax in (some places have kitchens, computer rooms, bars, all sorts!)

Most places provide bedding / towels which might cost you an extra pound or two to hire and you might need to provide your own padlock if you want to keep anything there and a washbag but usually that's it!

Regards other people you can be as sociable or as insular as you like, most people generally keep themselves to themselves but its up to you, people don't bite, are generally friendly and happy to talk to you, especially if they know you speak English.

The only drawback of hostels is that they can be a bit noisy especially with people shuffling in and out of your room as they come back in the evening if you're having an early night , but if you've got earplugs or are planning on coming back late youself its usually no problem.

I would say the best thing to do is to check the ratings online on one of the hostel booking sites and book into a hotel that's well reviewed and nice and close to the concert venue, if its a big gig you might find you meet up with some fellow fans staying in the same place and have someone to chat to and go with if that's your thing, and can get home quickly and easily after the concert.

Have a good time!

DarkStar_3

If you still haven't found someone this place looks pretty good (£35 a night). Hope you have a good time. http://www.easytobook.com/hoteldetails.php?arrival=23-11-2012&departure=24-11-2012&room[14456]=1&prs_arr[]=1&currency=GBP&lang=en&hotel_id=5088&show_all_rates=1&affId=280821882&utm_source=hotelscombined&utm_content=etb3&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=en&utm_term=london&label=105908651

LimeLight

I always stay in hostels when i'm in London, so cheap.

I usually stay in the Picadilly backpackers, just off Piccadilly Circus.
Word of advice, stay in a 4-bed dorm. People who stay in these, only want to get their heads down, and not party all night like you can sometimes get in 12 bed dorms etc.

Beds are around £25 a night, going cheaper the more beds are in the room.

sdavi3680

you can stay in an Easyhotel for £35 a night (if you book plenty in advance, though not sure about weekend nights) and have it all to yourelf. I've stayed in the South Kensington and it was pretty nice considering the price. Certainly beats paying £25 for a shared 4 person room and a toilet/shower shared with who knows how many people.

Fruittea

Try this site - you can find places from about £15 sometimes. They are hostels but you can also find some real bargains if you are prepared to travel a little.

http://www.budgetplaces.com/london/budget-bed_and_breakfast-list/