The 5 Best Hostels In Kings Cross

King’s Cross St Pancras station is a huge hub for train travel across the country and beyond. Choosing a hostel in the area means you’ll be perfectly placed for day trips outside the city and within minutes of several major Tube lines. It’s also one of the best locations in London for budget-conscious travellers, thanks to its abundance of cheap restaurants and wide range of hostels – here’s Culture Trip’s pick of the best.

1. YHA London St Pancras

Hostel

A no-frills approach to hostelling, YHA London St Pancras doesn’t have flashy extras such as a games room or hip bar. But thanks to a refurb in mid-2019, it’s colourful and welcoming with fun, travel-themed murals splashed across reception and brand-new bathrooms. The focus here is on helping you make the most of your stay in the city, so the hostel has a packed calendar of social events, including group trips to West End shows, free walking tours and Sunday roasts, plus plenty of discounted tickets to attractions such as the London Eye and the Tower of London.

2. Clink261

Hostel

Offering clean (if quite compact) rooms, a comfy lounge area and an affordable all-you-can-eat breakfast every morning, Clink261 has done everything it can to create a home away from home. Social without being a party hostel, its laid-back vibe is more about low-key movie nights than raucous drinking games – perfect for anyone looking for a place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing. But if you are in the mood for a lively night out, directly over the road you’ll find The Water Rats bar, an intimate music venue that has hosted icons such as Bob Dylan and Oasis, and where you can discover a range of up-and-coming bands.

3. Generator London

Hostel

A hostel chain that has been making waves across Europe, the Generator brand began at this London branch. Rooms are decorated with bold, rainbow-hued geometric shapes, and the huge bar is an offbeat combination of statement, London-themed feature walls, tartan and futuristic light fixtures (it also has a pool table and a daily happy hour). The bathrooms feel far more luxurious than the average hostel’s, there’s a great on-site café, free Wi-Fi in rooms and a dedicated ‘travel shop’ helmed by a team of experts who will point you towards the capital’s least-visited sights.

5. Clink78

Hostel

This branch of Clink has character in spades. Housed in a former courthouse, its private rooms are in old holding cells, and the common areas are in the atmospheric wood-panelled courtrooms. As a listed Victorian building, original features have been left untouched: sofas in the TV room have been cleverly fitted in and around witness stands and solicitor’s benches, and the cell rooms still have heavy metal prison doors. None of this is at the expense of practicality and comfort, however. There are USB ports at every bedside, complimentary Wi-Fi, a coin-operated launderette and free walking tours. The hostel also has a huge kitchen, and the basement ClashBAR (named for The Clash, who stood trial here) has a roster of live music and DJs, a pool table and great pizza.

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