Best Hostels For Families in London

Accommodation can be one of the most expensive outlays on a visit to London.

The good news is there are numerous hostels which offer affordable accommodation and many are fantastic for families.

If you’re short on time, check out our top pick of the best hostel for families in London:

Key Considerations When Choosing a Family Hostel In London

There are lots of considerations when choosing a good hostel for your family in London. Here are my top five key factors to look for:

1.) Location: London is huge! There are over 8 million inhabitants. In reality, it’s a city made up of numerous villages and towns which have joined together over hundreds of years.

Therefore you want to pick a central location which is near the attractions you want to visit and / or a tube station. If you pick a family hostel further out of the centre, it’s even more important to make sure it’s near a tube or bus station.

2.) Price: – It’s true you get what you pay for. Cheapest isn’t always the best. Cheap hostels often mean a small room and a lack of amenities.

3.) Private family rooms: Look for a hostel that offers comfortable private family rooms and the necessary amenities such as a private bathroom.

4.) Family-friendly amenities: Check whether the hostel offers family-friendly amenities. Your kids may not be able to live without Wi-Fi, so Wi-Fi in a private bedroom is a plus. An affordable breakfast is also great for filling the kids up for a day of sightseeing.

5.) Friendly staff: Consider the friendliness and helpfulness of the hostel staff, as they can make a big difference in your experience. Look for a hostel with staff who are welcoming and good with kids. Check online reviews from other families who have stayed at the hostel to get an idea of their experiences.

It’s Also Worth Noting:

About Aircon – If you’re staying in London in the summer, many hostels (and hotels) don’t have air conditioning. This is because most of the year it’s not needed. Having said that, it can get quite hot and stuffy in the city in the summer especially if the weather does heat up. If air conditioning is important to you, look for a hotel or hostel with air con.  Or you could buy a fan.

Budget hotels may be cheaper – Sometimes hostels don’t provide the cheapest accommodation and it’s worth checking out budget hotels like Premier Inn, Travel Lodge and Holiday Inn chains. These are often a better choice if you have young kids, as you can all fit into a family room. However, if you have older kids or teenagers a budget hotel room can feel cramped and family rooms in hostels are often more spacious. It can often be cheaper to book a large family room in a hostel rather than multiple rooms in a budget hotel.

The best hostels for families in London tend to be the YHA hostels, and there are 3 mentioned in the list below. They have the best reviews, good rooms and welcoming staff.

6 Top Hostels for Families in London.

YHA London St Pancras

YHA London St Pancras is the top rated hostel in London on TripAdvisor at the time of writing and it’s not hard to see why.

The hostel is centrally located, just a few minutes’ walk from St Pancras International train station. It’s also near the underground making it easy to get to London’s main attractions from the hostel. The hostel offers private family rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Breakfast is available for an extra charge. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Other amenities include a coffee shop, free Wi-Fi in shared central spaces and luggage storage.

Safestay London Elephant & Castle

Located about 1 mile south of the city centre, the Safe stay London Elephant and Castle is a 10 minute walk to the nearest tube station. The hostel is great for small families of 3.

This hostel offers private rooms for 3 people. In addition, there’s free Wi-Fi throughout.

For a small extra cost, (£6 at the time of writing) you can start your day off with a continental breakfast.

There’s a Co-op shop right next door to load up on snacks.

YHA London Central

Located near Oxford Street, the YHA London Centre is highly rated by families on Trip Advisor. There’s private family rooms with ensuite, Wi-Fi throughout and a shared kitchen. Plus, continental breakfast is available at a small extra cost.

The location is great, it’s central and has access to plenty of tube stations with lots of underground lines. You can also walk to a lot of places from the hostel. In addition, there’s plenty of small supermarkets nearby to stock up on snacks.

Keystone House

Situated just across the road from Kings Cross and St Pancras station, this is another centrally located hostel. It’s near the tube so ideal for accessing the attractions. It’s actually more like a hotel than a hostel with ensuite, air conditioning, smart TV and tea and coffee facilities.

Families will want to choose a premium room with a sofa bed. The rooms are quite small but it’s fine to lay your head for the night.

It’s a self check-in hotel but there are some staff onsite. On the downside, reviews suggest it can get noisy, so it may be worth bringing some earplugs.

YHA London Earl’s Court

Just a five minute walk to Earl’s Court tube station, this hostel is based in a lovely refurbished Victorian building. It’s well located for access to Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Royal Albert Hall.

The hostel has private ensuite rooms. There’s Wi-Fi in shared social spaces and a continental breakfast available. In addition, there’s plenty of cafes and eateries nearby including Pret & Manger, Greggs, M&S Simply Foods.

Safestay London Holland Park

Safestay London Holland Park is set in a gorgeous Grade I listed building located in the middle of Holland Park. It’s just a short walk from both Holland Park and High Street Kensington tube stations.

It’s an ideal location for visiting the Kensington attractions which include the National History museum, Science Museum and V&A museum.

There’s free Wi-Fi throughout. En-suite family rooms are available and boast flat screen televisions, tea and coffee making facilities, and towels.

Pin Me For Later

You May Also Like…