Looking for a good Hostel in/near London

[ruthlessangel]

I've been searching Hostel World but to be honest I'm wary as I've never traveled alone before except for trips to see relatives. They have an 80% guest rating which, compared to many of the hostels on there, seems pretty good (It's this one:Read more... )

Comments

[lissylonglegs]

Can't offer any advice about the hostel but as for the money: having worked in a money exchange bureau my advice to everyone is: never use them! They're always trying to scam you. Either buy some pounds before you leave (this is always at a fixed rate) or take a large sum out directly from your bank account when you get there.

[ruthlessangel]

Awesome. :) Good to know. I remember back in high school I went and after once or twice exchanging at one of the little kiosk-y things we went out of our way to find a bank or a post office (iirc) just to get a better deal.

don't change money at all!

[henare]

you don't say where you're travelling from, but if you're in the u.s. you are pretty much guaranteed to get a crappy rate. instead, wait until you arrive and use your atm card. you'll generally get a better rate, and it won't come with funky surcharges (check with your bank for atm charges when you use your card abroad).

Re: don't change money at all!

[ruthlessangel]

Ah. Damn I did forget that but you're correct, U.S.

The rate of exchange for using an atm card would be whatever it is on the day the transaction finalizes, wouldn't it? Or would it be the exchange the day of the purchase?

Re: don't change money at all!

[henare]

depends on your bank. the rate is always much closer to the rates you see listed in the newspapers. if the rate differs by $0.01-0.02 per unit and you exchange 200 units (pounds, euro, whatever) then the difference is $2.00 ... not worth schlepping around town looking for a better deal.

the foreign exchange kiosks, however, offer a crappy rate (they rate they show is the rate for which they *buy* pounds/euros/... but you want them to *sell* you pounds/euros/... so that's a different rate ... and then they add a surcharge besides!

Re: don't change money at all!

[henare]

also, like someone said below, do let your bank know you're travelling internationally so they can flag your account ... sometimes, if you don't tell your bank that your travelling outside the us, they might flag international transactions as fraudulent, and that would suck.

[fadeintodawn]

I've stayed a lot of hostels through Hostel World, and the highly rated ones have never given me any trouble. In London, I stayed in the St. Christopher's Hammersmith, but that was only one night. It was fine, though.

Another visit, I stayed in this hotel because I was splitting the room cost. Earl's Court was convenient.

[10acgirl]

I stayed in Astor Quest back in 2007...my first hostel. It was in the Bayswater/Queensway area..not far from a tube stop. It wasn't bad.

http://www.hostels.com/hosteldetails.php/HostelNumber.523

+1

[spiegelland]

After comparing hostel options booked Astor Quest for the end of August. Hope, it's the right choice -) I also like walking and everything I want to see/visit is within walking distance from this one.

Re: +1

[ruthlessangel]

Hmm I will have to look at this one, I'm pondering Palmer's Lodge as was recommended below because the ratings are excellent and it was listed as one of the top five hostels in London. But I will look here too as good recommendations are win! :D

[silentseanymph]

I stayed at Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage the last time I was in London, and quite liked it. It's maybe a 5-minute walk from Swiss Cottage tube station.

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Palmers-Lodge-Swiss-Cottage/London/14348

I'm going to echo everyone else and say, don't use the money exchangers! Just bring your ATM card and use that. However, make sure you notify your bank that you'll be using your ATM card abroad! Exchanges happening in a foreign country qualify as "suspicious activity" for most banks, and they might freeze your card. But as long as you let them know where you're traveling to and when you'll be there, you should have no problem using your card at British ATMs.

[kali_kali]

Agreed on both! I loved Palmers Lodge, and just take money out with your ATM card when you get there (after notifying your bank of course).

[agentlerain]

Thirding both of these!

Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage is great, and the only thing I'd tell you to do is bring slippers because if you're in the basement level and the showers are being used by seven other girls, then it's going to be wet for a lot of the time. :P

[ruthlessangel]

I've heard about this before, I think it was in an article about the top 5 London hostels. Thank you, now that I have some personal recommendations to back it up I feel more comfortable making the choice. :)