Mapesbury Hostel

I had no help when things went wrong, and ended up stranded at night with nowhere to sleep. I was there from June 12-20, but on June 15 I came back to find a stranger in the bed assigned to me. He'd taken off my name tag, acted aggressively and told me to leave. I tried contacting staff and caretakers, but nobody answered, so I had to pay for another hostel despite already paying for my stay. No response, apology or accountability. This was a serious failure of management and guest safety. If basic respect, organization and feeling safe while sleeping matter to you, don't stay here.

We stayed in a private room, and it was clean with our own fridge. The shared bathroom was in great shape, as was the kitchen, though there was hardly any crockery to use. Some long-term guests seem to treat the cleaner like their personal maid, but that's not the hostel's fault. The doors are thin fire doors and slam easily, so light sleepers should bring earplugs. Communication was clear and we could check in by 2pm. It's a short walk to the underground and local shops. We were expecting the worst from the reviews, so maybe we just got lucky. Great hostel, and I'd recommend it for the price.

The private room was spacious and comfortable, with its own fridge. Bathrooms were clean and had hot water, and the kitchen stayed clean and had lots of space. There's also a big area for eating and relaxing, and the WiFi was good. Shops, restaurants, underground and bus stops are all a short walk away. We were worried by the reviews, but our keys were waiting in a lockbox when we arrived. A real bargain for the price, and we had a great stay at

It's a complete mess, and I wouldn't go there. Rooms were dirty, and people who have been living there for months had let them become trash heaps, including spaces meant for new guests. Food smells filled the building, the bathrooms were unpleasant and dirty, and nobody seemed to respect anything. There was no staff around to manage people's behavior, and the whole atmosphere was terrible.