Safestay London Elephant & Castle

Safestay London Hostel at Elephant & Castle occupies John Smith House, a Georgian-style building that was the Labour Party's 18th-century headquarters. Its wide brick facade has a series of white fan light windows on either side of a regal purple front door. Inside, architectural details have been preserved and play off punchy, ultra-modern decor: high-design fixtures, contemporary furnishings, and an energetic palette with magenta and lime green hues. 

The main floor has plenty of inviting spots to work or play. In an attractive parlor, there's a tufted club sofa, a gallery wall of mirrors, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases. The swanky breakfast lounge has banquette seating and connects to a leafy outdoor retreat. Off to the side, there's a bar with high-backed velvet chairs in funky patterns, plus a foosball and pool table. 

This hostel draws families, solo travelers, and groups looking for a quiet, stylish, and affordable stay who don't mind the 20-plus-minute ride from most of London's top sights.

This hostel is about a 25-minute tube ride away from Central London, located on a busy street subject to traffic and construction. It's a nine-minute walk to Elephant & Castle tube station where there's a shopping center, and you'll find eateries, cafes, and pubs on surrounding blocks. Major South Bank sights -- such as the London Eye, Tate Modern, and Borough Market -- are a 25- to 30-minute walk.

• Nine-minute walk to Elephant & Castle tube station
• 11 minutes to Borough Market via tube
• 17 minutes to Piccadilly Circus via tube
• 18 minutes to London Eye via tube
• 18 minutes to Trafalgar Square via tube
• 23 minutes to Westminster Abbey via tube
• 24 minutes to Tate Modern via tube
• 25 minutes to Tower of London via tube
• 26 minutes to British Museum via tube
• 27 minutes to Selfridges via tube
• 29 minutes to Buckingham Palace via tube
• 40-minute drive to Heathrow Airport (more with traffic)

Rooms at Safestay London are bright, tidy spaces with splashes of color in complimentary hues: cool lavender and carnation pink for bedding, magenta and fuchsia on walls and seating, and rich amethyst painted on backs of doors. 

Dorms have bunk beds with above-par mattresses, privacy curtains, linens, plush quilts, reading lights, and large, personal-storage cages underneath. There's one power outlet per bunk; they're above baseboards but just out of reach of the beds, which can be a minor inconvenience.

As with many hostels, guests in dorms must bring, rent, or buy padlocks, toiletries, and towels. Most have en-suite bathrooms with separate showers and toilets, sleek tiles on walls and floors, adjustable showerheads, and pedestal sinks. But units that lack their own bathroom make use of a communal ones that some guests find unkempt and understocked. Also, the hostel doesn't have single-sex dorms. 

Private rooms feature flat-screen TVs, armchairs, electric kettles, and free coffee and tea set on low tables. Bathrooms are similar to dorms except free towels and toiletries are added. Cots are available upon request. Summer travelers should note there's no AC. 

Amenities at Safestay London Hostel at Elephant & Castle match those at other high-end hostels in the city. For a few pounds, there's a continental breakfast served daily in an attractive lounge that connects to a private outdoor patio with tables. Around the corner from that is a bar offering daily happy hour, hot drinks, snacks, and a short menu including pizza and other comfort food. It's a pleasant space to chill out, with a foosball and pool table. Adjoining the front parlor is a room lined with public desktop computers and headphones to use for a nominal rate. Another seating area on the main floor has a high table suitable for setting up laptops. 

There's free Wi-Fi throughout -- although some guests note it can be slow or down at peak hours. Other perks include a bike room, on-site parking (subject to availability and for an added fee), elevators, and, in the basement, a laundry room with coin-operated washer/dryers, an iron, and an ironing board. The hostel allows pets in private quarters.