Prime Backpackers — Hotel in London

I know not to expect much from a hostel, but I thought I’d have a nicer experience having booked a private room and especially because the website makes everything sound so nice and luxurious. I was wrong. First of all, the staff didn’t answer several emails from my friend who made the booking about the room and the check-in process, so we had no idea if I would be able to check in before her until I got there. Then guy who checked me in was very rude about the size of my suitcase after HE offered to carry it part of the way for me - It’s not like anyone told me to expect my room to be at the top of endless flights of steep stairs with no elevator. The worst part though is, I laid down to take a nap as soon as I checked in as I was exhausted from a red-eye flight from America. A couple hours in, that same guy who checked me in just lets himself into my room and then has the audacity to ask if it’d be okay if he put another person in our room, just because we had an extra bed. Excuse me?? It’s a PRIVATE room for a reason, that we’d already paid a ridiculous amount of money for. The lack of professionality was appalling. I was deeply anxious throughout the stay knowing this person had access to my room at any given moment and clearly had no problem just letting himself in. The other employees and fellow guests we corresponded with were all great, which is why I gave more than one star for service, but my experience with this person soured the experience. The location of the room relative to the kitchen and exit was very uncomfortable with having to go up and down several flights of old, rickety stairs constantly, the bedroom and bathrooms were very tiny and cramped, and with the look of the place and the way everything was set up it felt like I was staying in a complete stranger’s personal home rather than a business I paid in exchange for...

Great location, but wouldn’t choose to stay here again. We were in a 9 bed dorm and the electricity sockets by our beds didn’t work. This meant we couldn’t charge our phones overnight, as we needed them nearby for the morning alarm. Then, we found the locker situation strange and hard to use. The lockers were stacked as high as the 3 story bunks, and so the only way to use the top one was to hang off the side of the top bunk. Completely unsafe and impractical. My friend and I ended up sharing one locker, but they are pretty small, and don’t fit more than 1 cabin suitcase.

The staff are good at explaining where everything is kept, although we were only given one key for our group, which was a strange decision. I’m sure we could have asked for a second but we decided not to bother in the end.

The hostel itself it’s pretty tired and shabby, including ripped up carpet on all the staircases which can trip you up. There are nowhere near enough bathrooms to accommodate the number of guests, we found 4 toilets, and 2 of these had a shower as well, so at times it was a long wait to use the bathroom. I suppose for the price these things are to be expected, but combined with the other things mentioned it made it hard to see any positives about the place.

Unfortunately, during our stay we experienced other guests running around the stairwell, mucking about and slamming doors at all hours. It felt like being in a student house with a bunch of lads. This is obviously not the fault of the hostel, but it could be the vibe of the place generally, as there are a lot of people living there.

We wouldn’t stay here again until at least the bathroom situation and personal plug socket...

I stayed here with my mother after spending about a week at another hostel in London over the summer. I felt that the other hostel was cleaner and better maintained overall. This place, however, felt more like a glorified hippy commune. While the room and bed space were generally clean, the room was extremely hot. Though they propped the window open, the loud street noise made it almost unbearable.

The bathrooms were badly in need of repair, with loose tiles and a generally rundown appearance. The kitchen had a nice setup, and it looked like they hosted a family dinner night, which created a nice sense of community. However, the kitchen itself was also in need of repairs. We only stayed for about six hours due to an early morning flight, but honestly, it was six hours too many, as I got almost no sleep. While the staff and guests here were much friendlier than those at the other hostel, it didn’t make up for the poor conditions. I still didn’t feel comfortable or clean during my stay, which was disappointing given this hostel's potential.

I wouldn’t stay here again unless you’re okay with a less-than-clean environment. The bed was comfortably soft, but the headspace above the beds was limited—especially for someone taller like me. The surrounding area was nice, with a great Asian fusion restaurant and a train station nearby. I wouldn’t recommend this hostel for anyone seeking a comfortable stay in London, though I hope they make the necessary improvements, as it has potential—especially with a...