Bath Backpackers

Just one block (from the bus station) or two blocks away (train station) on the left, Bath Backpackers is super-easy to find. It's a great place to drop your bags off before hiking up the hilly city to the other sites (a small fee per bag if you're just stashing luggage for the day). There are lots of long staircases to your rooms and the bathrooms near the dungeon, so you'll get your exercise in Bath!

The rooms are named (such as "Divas") and you get a bed assignment, but it looks as if the bed numbers have been switched around a few times, so don't panic if you're not assigned a bottom bunk. This is definitely a party hostel -- just steps from the action and with a list of hot places to go in the foyer (bars are ranked according to friendliness, price). The staff is totally willing to steer you in the right direction, although there is a true dungeon in the basement where you can drink, smoke, hang out, and listen to music with other like-minded compatriots. The noise tends to concentrate in the basement and doesn't keep you from sleeping in the floors above.

The hostel is small, so the bunks are kind of crammed in the rooms. They were remodeling the showers during our stay, so it was a little crowded and not as clean as other hostels in the country. Don't plan on washing all of your clothes and hanging them up to dry in the cramped rooms. Don't let your bunk-mates close the window as the room heats up very quickly amd there's not that much noise from the street below.

The hostel doesn't include meals but coffee and tea are available. The self-catering kitchen is closed off from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m., but this isn't strictly enforced if you're leaving early. There are several tables and some comfy couches available just off the self-catering kitchen, so it's easy to find people to meet/hang out with. Many movies are available on VCR to watch if you get caught there on rainy night. There is a small key deposit and they don't open the front desk until 8 a.m., so get your key before you go to bed if you have an early departure.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review