Hostel Review: Astor Hyde Park Hostel

Location 

This hostel is located in one of the most beautiful and luxurious neighbourhoods in London which is close to major tourist attractions and the metro, but is set far enough away from the hustle and bustle that it’s quieter. The hostel is extremely close to Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens, which made for a great spot for us to stay to easily get to Winter Wonderland (the Christmas market) in the park in December.

Room 

Astor Hyde Park offers several different room options for travellers from a 12 bed dorm to a twin private room (ranging from $23.00 USD to $59 USD). We stayed in the most inexpensive room which is the 12 bed mixed dorm. Our room was similar to the one photographed above with tall, beautiful windows that let in natural light.

Our bed was comfy, and linens, a duvet and pillow were provided. When you enter the room, you look for the name tag on the bed marked under your reservation name. Lockers are located as drawers under your beds (bring your own lock), and fit most backpacks and small suitcases.

There was a power bar with several outlets by the main door, but I wish there were outlets near each bunk because even though you like to be trustworthy in hostels, I didn’t really want to leave my cell phone or other expensive electronics out charging on the other side of the room while I was sleeping. There also weren’t personal lights at each bunk, so make sure you bring a flashlight if you don’t want to wake up your roomies!

Bathroom

In our 12 bed room, we had an ensuite bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink. The bathroom was clean and it was all we needed! The only concerning thing was sharing one shower, and one toilet with 12 people in a room, but thankfully our timing for when we needed to use it always worked in our favour and there was another bathroom in the hallway.

Common Areas

Although we were short on time and didn’t have much time to hang out at the hostel, I did go and check out what they offered in terms of common areas for guests. Downstairs they had a big kitchen for guests to use, which was attached to a great seating area (see above). The hostel hosts daily activities such as different themed or game nights if you are looking for a way to meet new people!

Note: Breakfast is available for £1.00 and the £1.00 goes towards charity. 

Besides this common area, there was another common area located right beside the check-in desk (see above). This seemed like another great place to hangout outside of your room, and since we were there for Christmas, it was even festive and had a Christmas tree! The character of this old Victorian building is absolutely beautiful and makes the Astor Hyde Park Hostel unique and homey.

Note: Laundry facilities are also available at this hostel!

Hostel Staff & Information 

The first thing I noticed when I entered the hostel was all the information that was available in the entrance for different modes of transportation, nearby attractions, maps, and everything else you may need. The hostel also has 24 hour reception, with friendly and helpful staff that can help you out with whatever you need. WiFi is also available all throughout the hostel and it works great, so if you need to catch up with people at home, or figure out your game plan for the day, you’ll have no problem.

Overall our stay at Astor Hyde Park was short, but great. The hostel was quiet, our roomies were respectful, and the location couldn’t be beat. We took the metro from the airport and the directions we were provided with were simple and easy. I would definitely stay here again if I find myself in London as the accommodations are great, and the prices are reasonable (for London, a very pricey city).

Take a virtual tour of the hostel here:

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary stay from this establishment to conduct a review. I only recommend places that I enjoyed, and would personally recommend to other travellers. All opinions in this piece are my own and 110% honest.