Belsize House

Nobody gets out alive (figuratively)
So I got there on the third, which was just three days ago. My traveling partner and I got into our room somehow without seeing the hell that was the Belsize House. Granted, the outside of the place and the surrounding neighborhood was beautiful. So maybe we still had the gilded eyesight. But after beginning to unpack, the reality hit. And oh, did it hit with some force behind it. The two guys in our room were rather nice from the start, but that wasn't keeping us in that rat's nest. As we went out of the room to head to an internet cafe to get some information for a flight to Ireland, we noticed a plate on the floor outside of our room that was covered in mold. I don't mean to say a bit of green spotting showing up. I mean something one might see in a bacteria culture plate. Ten meters past down the hall was the bathroom. As nature was calling, I did go in. But this was when the horror set in. There was head full of human hair on the floor next to the sink. At this point, my mind was made. To stay in such a place for a week was merely out of the question. In fact, I'd have much rather slept in the underground if you'd prefer my blatant honesty. To sum things up, the place was a disaster. The general state of cleanliness was appalling and was simply not something I wished to be subjected to for a week. I've been hosteling now for a decade. I've never stayed in such filth. And I don't believe I will start anytime soon, which is why I went back downstairs and got my money back and found lodging elsewhere.

I stayed there for three weeks and I must say the food wasn't that good, because every meal I was supposed to have cods. No problem with that, but I have never eaten so many of them! The place also could have a recreational area as other hostels do, so that people could hang out in it, and not only in a sitting room with a TV. Despite all that, I met really interesting people there. Anyway, it's worth taking a look at!

I lived there for three weeks at the end of 2000. The location wasn't so good but I didn't have a problem going anywhere. It's a good hostel but the food wasn't so nice! Good luck, guys!

Great time, great women, bad food. ;) How's it going, Carlos?

Call to ask if Henry is still there!!! If he is, try to find another hostel. It will save you time and money. Also, ask for age range in the hostel, because when I was here last (October) there were plenty of old people, and they were the kind of old people who are difficult to cope with. They complain about everything!!! If they are still there, avoid this place!!!

I lived here for three months. The hot water was off typically twice a week. I went three days in the winter without heat. The management was unfriendly. If you can go somewhere else, DO! However, you do meet lots of cool people! (But then, that happens at most hostels, right?)

I've stayed here for two nights. The beds are not that cozy, but the cleanliness was okay. Staff were helpful, though. The location was not that good; it's a 10-minute walk from tube station. For the same price, you could find better hostels.

We stayed there over New Years and found it sub par. It was far from clean and most everyone that was there were living there for extended periods. It was in metro zone 2 so you had to pay 2 pounds one way to get to the main sites. It did have a good comunity room but that was about the only good thing about it. If they cleaned up their act it would be ok.

I've living in that hostel for 5 months. Almost everything was ok until the manager got crazy and started to impose imposible rules which the people weren't able to conform. They have plenty of money for food but they don't spend a penny. Once we ate pasta without anything else, just boiled pasta after paying £74 a week, that it's when there was something to eat that could be called food. However I met really nice people and I had a great time with them.