La Suite West - Hyde Park

The place felt very homey and was quiet enough to study, but also good for meeting people. The Wi-Fi was pretty good where I was, and receptionists were helpful and friendly. I felt they took time to make guests feel welcome. On my first day, they told me they'd throw out any guy who bothered me, no questions asked, since I'd had a bad experience at my previous hostel. They dealt with security issues, like dangerous or strange guests, very effectively. Guests had easy access to a fridge and cooking facilities, a nice big bathroom and a TV room. The key cards did demagnetize quickly once, but it wasn't the worst I've seen and reception fixed it fast every time. Laundry was cheap, less than a laundrette, with free washing product, 3 pounds for a machine and 1.5 for the dryer, if I remember correctly. I do think they could use more lockers, with a security camera facing them, and a fire alarm system that identifies which room the smoke came from so the smokers who woke everyone could be found. Definitely the hostel I'd go back to.

The staff were great, kind and always smiling. After checkout, they let me leave my luggage in storage until the afternoon, when I needed to take the tube, which was really helpful. The place was better than I expected, though nothing surprising. It seems small at first but is fairly big, with reasonably comfortable beds and an OK breakfast. The shared kitchen is useful, though it's not open 24 hours. That probably won't bother most people, but sometimes you're hungry or can't sleep and want to make coffee. Nothing that would stop me booking it. I recommend it.

The room smelled unbearable, and the same awful smell was in reception and the hallways. In room 101, the window was definitely too small for a room with 10 people. The staff and location are superb, and the breakfast was good overall. One receptionist in particular, a really friendly guy with dark hair who was big and tall, helped me out a lot. Unfortunately I didn't catch his name, but thank you again if you're reading this. More toilets and showers would make things much easier :)

The location is good, but that's the only thing this place has going for it. The rooms were nasty, with trash everywhere. Bathrooms were filthy and small, and they weren't cleaned once during my 3-day stay. There weren't enough for the number of guests, with 3 for about 30 people on my floor. One was clogged and another wouldn't lock. This is NOT a youth hostel. Many guests were in their 40s or older, and the atmosphere felt very sketchy. I wouldn't recommend it or stay again.