Hostel 63

Hostel 63 is a ten-minute walk from the Bayswater tube stop, and we found it difficult to find. We had two different addresses, and two different names (Hostel 63 and Princes Hostel).

The receptionists/staff are very friendly and helpful, and there is no curfew or lockout. Our room was very small (three bunk beds in a small room in the basement). It's right next to the kitchen/common room as well, so it's noisy when people are arguing at 2 a.m., and also if the TV is loud. Breakfast is pretty good -- orange juice, tea, instant coffee, UHT milk, bread, nutella, jam, and butter -- sometimes there's fruit.

The bathrooms are filthy – they don't seem to be cleaned, ever. The hostel had no hot water for the first two days we were there, but the shower is so disgusting that we didn't want to shower anyway. The room we had is mixed gender but there are separate male/female dorms available. There is a communal shower on the top floor but that floods and is also really dirty.

Though there seemed to be a lot of young travelers at the hostel, there isn't a very friendly atmosphere. The TV in the common room detracts from whatever chance you might have of making friends. At breakfast, instead of talking to each other, people just stare at the TV. The area that the hostel is in doesn't seem very nice, and there are quite a few weirdos. But Bayswater is nice, and seems quite lively at night. Kensington Gardens are a short walk away. We do not recommend this hostel, based on the dirtiness, the unfriendly atmosphere, and the dodgy area.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
September 2006