Travelling as a family of 4, we look for good value, well-located accommodation wherever we travel. As you can imagine rooms for four in any city can be hard to come by and expensive when you do finally find them.
This is no exception in London. We have stayed in hostels in Europe and Asia in the past and hope to do so in the future because they really work for us. So on our recent trip to London, we put the YHA Central London to the test!
- Where to stay in London with family
- What facilities does the YHA Central London have?
- Do family-friendly London hostels exist?
- What are the rooms like at YHA Central London?
- Can you save money at the YHA Central London?
- Is there a laundry at the London YHA Central?
- Can the YHA Central London organise London activities for you?
- Is the YHA Central London centrally located?
- So what do we think about this London hostel for families?
Where to stay in London with family
As you enter YHA Central London you are greeted by the smiling staff, with a warm smile and a great big hello! After getting through the formalities of checking in the staff will ask you if you have been to London before. You will see guests, backpackers and travelers mingling in the lounge area, grabbing a drink or just spending time out of the dorms.
If you have not they will give you a crash course on where all the attractions are located and how to get there. They will point out the free tour that leaves from the hostel every day at 10.10 am.
There are brochures and tourist information available but there really is nothing like getting all the best tips from locals. You can even book some tours and activities through the front desk.
What facilities does the YHA Central London have?
The check-in area shares space with the cafe, bar snack and breakfast area of the YHA. You can grab coffee and cake, beers and chips, snacks light bites and full-sized meals during the day.
Pizza, nachos, salads, jacket potatoes, and Paninis are on the menu alongside chips, onion rings and garlic bread. There really is something on the menu for everyone and for every price bracket.
Breakfast is available onsite, you can either opt for a free breakfast as part of your room cost, or you can sort your own breakfast. All the best hostels will have some sort of breakfast offering.
There are couches and bench tables for lazing and chatting. For families, there was a range of board games available to play and keep everyone entertained.
Free Wi-Fi for Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to keep you connected, but I must say the Wi-Fi was only available in the communal area, not in the rooms.
I think our two teens in London may have gorged themselves on free Wi-Fi using YouTube and Netflix while they made themselves very comfortable on the couches!
Do I need travel insurance in England?
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Do family-friendly London hostels exist?
Talking kids and teens, there were many families staying at YHA Central London. Being one of the most expensive cities in the world, the hostel option is perfect for families. You can get a private room with ensuite or rooms with shared bathroom facilities that are even cheaper.
What are the rooms like at YHA Central London?
The private family rooms are small featuring bunk beds but certainly manageable. There is room under the beds for suitcases, small lockers where you can secure your personals while out and places to hang your jackets. The kids were happy with all the power points in the rooms so they could keep their phones on charge.
Can you save money at the YHA Central London?
An affordable breakfast at £4.95 awaits you or alternatively the YHA Central London has a big kitchen in the basement.
There are storage containers for you to put your food in if you are staying for a long time, there are 4 big fridges, stoves and microwaves.
You could easily whip up any meal that you cook at home here and we did while we were there!
A Tesco Express is located within a 5-minute walk from the hostel. You can grab food from there to prepare and eat in the kitchen dining area of the London hostel. Makes travelling much cheaper when you can cook yourself.
Is there a laundry at the London YHA Central?
You will always a laundry room. Travelling with kids makes laundry a priority and London YHA hostel has you covered with washers and dryers for use. The laundry also doubles as the beauty room where you will find a big mirror and hair dryers to make yourself look pretty. You either need to bring your own towels or you can buy them front reception.
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Can the YHA Central London organise London activities for you?
The hostel gets a weekly allocation of discount theater tickets to see some of the best London musicals for a bargain price of £29. One of the guys at reception can walk you through the shows that they have tickets to, help you purchase your tickets and help you with directions if you need them.
It is only on a Wednesday night and you will get personally escorted to the theatre for the show. My wife and my daughter went and saw Wicked. By all reports it was amazing.
There are also pub crawls and walking tours that can be organized for you at the YHA Central London to help you see Big Ben, The Tower of London, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, The Natural History Museum and more If you need any help with organizing any other London activities, you can ask the friendly staff at the desk. They will do their best to help you.
Is the YHA Central London centrally located?
Central London YHA is easily accessible from London Euston station which handles trains coming from the North. Euston is only 1 kilometre away. London St Pancreas which we arrived at one the Eurostar is only 1.5 kilometres away.
Oxford Street and Regent Park underground station are both within 700 meters from this London Hostel. You will have no trouble transferring from Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport or Gatwick Airport to your central hostel in London.
The British Museum is an easy 15-minute walk, while Madame Tussauds is 10 minutes, the shopping and stores of Oxford St are under 10 minutes away. The Central location is an ideal position for families in London to explore the city.
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- Meininger Hostel in Munich Germany reviewed for families
- A unique stay in a hostel at the YHA Canterbury. Visit The Shire today!
- Book a perfect stay at the Alley Youth Hostel in Xian China
So what do we think about this London hostel for families?
The YHA Central London in England ticks all the boxes for a family stay in London. The rooms have an ensuite, you can cook and do laundry, there are cheap food and a communal area. All this makes this YHA property a winner for families spending 4 days in London or longer.
We hope this article from us here at Wyld Family Travel has inspired you to stay in a hostel when you visit London. There are so many things to do in London and staying at the London YHA can help you save money in London. For more amazing ideas on where to holiday in the United Kingdom click through to our England Destination Guide page for more brilliant inspiration.
Staying in hostels: If you want some expert advice on brilliant hostels to stay in all over the work click through to our Worldwide Hostels Page for more reviews.
More travel inspiration for your trip to England
Rebecca Wyld
bec.wyld@wyldfamilytravel.com
Content Creator/SEO Editor
Co-founder and SEO editor here at Wyld Family Travel. Bec has travelled to over 45 countries across 3 continents and is a journey with kids advocate. When Bec is not planning travel, she is creating content for our family travel blog or doing local community services work. You can find all of Bec’s detailed travel guides here on Wyld Family Travel and on other popular websites such as Lonely Planet.