Located off of a main street in London's popular East End
Hostel has colorful and creative decor with funky vibe
Clean rooms with personal outlet plugs by bed and lockers
Dorm rooms have four beds max; private rooms are available
On-site cafe and bar area serves breakfast, snacks, and drinks
Fully-equipped, self-catering kitchen shared by guests
Guest computer area, tours at discounted rates, and other activities
Free Wi-Fi in public spaces (for YHA members only)
Rooms are on the smaller side
All rooms use shared bathroom facilities
Wi-Fi can be slow, with fees for non-members, and isn't available in the rooms
Lots of stairs
No air-conditioning during potential sweltering summers
The 103-room YHA Oxford Street has a bright and funky IKEA-type decor, although it also feels a bit rundown. However, there's no arguing about the property's convenient East End location, which is just blocks from some of London's most interesting sights and destinations as well as myriad transportation options. Suited best for the younger budget backpacker, dorm rooms have bunk beds, and even guests using private units are required to share kitchen and bathroom facilities. The hostel also has a small cafe and bar with lounge area and discounted activities/tours.Families with children should check out YHA London Central or YHA St. Pancras, and larger groups should head toward YHA Thameside.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Slightly rundown, but still pleasant with its bright and funky decor
Housed in a standard brick building with a contemporary, industrial design for its first three floors, YHA Oxford Street is a little older and more rundown than its London Central sister hostel. Next door, media start-ups and design offices stretch high into the sky. Once entering the sparsely labeled venue, the layout is a bit awkward. A chalkboard listing activities and hostel information hangs on a wall next to an elevator that only services the first three floors. Reception and common spaces are located on the third floor, and are decked out in bright colors and funky motifs ranging from pink walls to non-traditional vertical surfaces covered in artificial turf. This decor helps keep the mood light, bright, and sociable.In typical hostel fashion, a display of several country's flags hang from the ceiling. With all of the colors, combined with the use of chalkboards as billboards, the place almost seems like a classroom -- but one made for adults and serving beer. Most travelers are young budget backpacker types, and the welcoming common spaces help solo travelers mingle. While this isn't a party hostel like the Generator, it's not a sleepy library either.
Location
Superb East End location with food, drinks, shopping, and more on its doorstep
Located on a main drag in Soho just south of the famous shopping mecca of Oxford Street, YHA Oxford Street is surrounded by cafes, bars, pubs, shops, and restaurants. Offerings are a mix of quirky mom and pop establishments and chains. Pubs, cinemas, and other nightlife activities are all a five-minute walk away. Many of the city's popular tourist attractions like the London Eye, London Dungeon, and Tower of London are easily accessible via one of the many tube and bus stations within walking distance. Heathrow Airport is about 40 minutes west by public transport or car. Gatwick Airport is more than an hour south.
Rooms
Small dorm rooms with 3-4 beds as well as private rooms; shared bathrooms
Most likely due to the smallish size of the rooms, the YHA Oxford Street dorms max out at four beds -- two sets of standard silver-framed IKEA bunks. This is a welcome reprieve from other hostels that have dorm rooms with bunk beds in double digits. Private rooms are also available with either twin bunks or double beds. Showers and toilets are clean and shared among all room types. On the whole, rooms are a little less updated than the London Central sister branch. Some spaces may have worn furnishings while other units have had carpets and lockers replaced. Green and red paint and bedding add pops of color. There's no air-conditioning, so decide if you can handle the possibility of a stuffy and sweaty summer night's sleep with just a small fan, before booking. There’s also no Wi-Fi.
Features
Cheery shared kitchen, all-day cafe and bar on-site, and organized activities
With several options for eating, YHA Oxford Street makes sure backpackers never go hungry. In addition to the plethora of restaurants and eateries outside its front doors, the hostel provides a cheery shared kitchen. Here, outfitted with all the pots, pans, plates, and utensils an amateur chef could need, guests have access to a fully-equipped cooking area. If they don't feel like whipping up a cup of ramen or scrambling eggs, breakfast and all-day snacks can be found in the cafe. This space also triples as a lounge and bar where visitors can mingle before heading out on one of the hostel's organized pub crawls. Other activities, including tours and admission to popular London attractions, can be booked at reception -- often for a discounted price. Wi-Fi has a reputation of being frustratingly slow -- whether or not it came free with your YHA membership or was purchased prepaid. Computers in the lounge are charged by time used.
