St. Christopher's Inn - Orient Espresso

The first thing the weary traveller will do, upon debarking at London Bridge Station and stepping out just yards away from the Orient Espresso's colorful facade (that is, assuming one chooses the Borough High Street exit) is wonder how on earth they're supposed to check in. After trudging down the road to the Village, the administrative center for the three St. Christopher's hostels on this road, and back, one finds that all three are really separate pieces making up one standard hostel. The Village has check-in and the free breakfast, along with a few rooms; the Original or the Inn has the bar, and a few more rooms; and the Orient Espresso just has bedrooms and bathrooms - no on-duty staff, and no other amenities.

That being said, it keeps the price down, and it only takes a three or four minute walk to get you your other perks. Since there's only bedrooms in this block, and the coffee shop below closes fairly early on, it stays pretty quiet, too. Security features exist but may be overridden - you need a swipe card to get in the front door, into each corridor from the stairwell, and into each bedroom, but be prepared to find the stairwell latches taped down, and sneakers holding the bedroom doors open if you have roommates who aren't going out (or maybe even if they are). There are wire storage lockers, but only one under each bunkbed, so get there early or be prepared to share if you have any actual valuables.

The neighborhood is nice, the building and the rooms are clean, and the location can't be beat. London Bridge Station puts you within easy walking distance of the Tower and Tower Bridge, not to mention the Tate Gallery and many other attractions, and of course for any more remote destinations, the tube is right there.

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