Smart Camden Inn Hostel
Hostelz.com Overall Score
6.6
9 = Extraordinary
7 = Good
3 = Not so good
1 = Run away
Based on 2746 guest ratings.
Features & Details
Recommended For
Families
Free Amenities
Bedsheets
Breakfast
Wi-Fi in Lobby/Commons
Fee Services
City Tours
Lockers in Lobby
Luggage Storage
Other Features
24 Hour Security
Cable TV
Concierge / Info Desk
Credit Card Payments
Currency Exchange
Entirely Smoke-free
Hair Dryers
Hot Showers
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Swimming Pool
TV
Details
Checkout:
10:00 (10 AM)
Curfew:
No Curfew
Lockout:
No
Maximum Stay:
Unlimited
Minimum Stay:
1 night
Open Dates:
All Year
Reception Hours:
24 Hours
Size:
Large (60-100 beds)
Booking
Photos
+3
Description
Map
(Location is approximate. You may need to pan/move to find "Smart Camden Inn Hostel" at 55/57 Bayham Street.)
Location/Contact
- Address
- 55/57 Bayham Street, Camden, London, Greater London, England
- Coordinates
- 51.536820, -0.139475 (accuracy not guaranteed)
- Location
-
- Website
- www.smartbackpackers.com
- Telephone
- +44 20 7388 8900
- Fax
- +44 20 7388 2008
To add or correct information for this listing, please use the Listing Correction Form.
How is Smart Camden Inn Hostel rated on other websites?
| Cleanliness | Staff | Location | Atmosphere | Security | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostelworld |
70%
|
90%
|
63%
|
73%
|
||
| HostelBookers |
72%
|
91%
|
62%
|
74%
|
||
| HostelsClub |
56%
|
77%
|
63%
|
64%
|
||
| Hostels.com |
60%
|
82%
|
51%
|
64%
|
||
| Average |
65%
|
85%
|
60%
|
69%
|
Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Very basic, horrible accommodation, and sneaky pricing
This is very basic accommodation and best kept as your option of last resort. First up, the pricing is somewhat sneaky and dishonest. The "rate" does not include any of the standard things you would ordinarily expect in hostel pricing, albeit they are listed under "facilities" as though they are. If you want a locker, you must pay extra. For real! If you need a towel, you must BUY one. For real! There is free wifi in the dungeon basement area, which is decked out like a prison and smells perpetually like cigarette smoke. As there appear to be a number of people "living" at the hostel, you will also be privileged with the company of some unusual characters. And I can't tell you what that adds to the "vibe" of the hostel -- nothing good. Upon arrival you will be issued some bed sheets for you to make your own bed. For real! The lights in the toilet are on a timer -- it goes off if you sit still on the toilet for 5-10 seconds. The shower is push-button operated, it also goes off around 15-20 seconds into your shower. You cannot adjust the temperature or shower pressure either -- I had a far more comfortable (free!) shower at Gatwick airport. Are these annoyances seriously necessary?! If you are in the big dorm, you will be up four flights of stairs -- with your luggage, and your bed linen. The room is full of "residents" and there is absolutely nowhere to put your luggage as the shelving is occupied by the "residents" and there is no space under the beds. The underground fare to Cambden is 5 pounds -- put this towards your accommodation cost, and stay somewhere closer to town, and far nicer! All up, this is a horrible hostel, with sneaky pricing and I'm so glad I only booked one night so that I could move on!
Shimeji
(Australia)
2014-10-22
Loud, Small, and Overpriced
First of all the staff wasn't very friendly or very helpful at all. Second of all the rooms were very small, no air-conditioning (only a window right next to a busy street with traffic driving by constantly) and the 4 beds (4 bed dorm) were kinda attached to each other, meaning if someone got in or out of bed, the other 3 would also feel their beds shaking because the beds are all attached to each other. The very little privacy also didn't help very much. Worst of all was all of the traffic noise during the night, which prevented us from getting any sleep at all. Also the loud other inhabitants and loud tv in the common area didn't help our cause ... All in all not the best hostel, actually probably pretty sh*t! Still hotels in Camden are quite expensive, but for us worth the money spent!
Frank
Age 25, The Netherlands
2014-08-11
Penny Pinching
Despite having booked a room for my daughter and three friends less than 24 hours before the arrival date, Camden Inn still charged a full room rate when I had to cancel several hours later. Although I would understand losing the deposit, to charge the full rate shows a nasty attitude. To be honest, they were a last minute desperate choice, having stayed there myself a few months previously. The rooms are tiny, dirty, noisy, and less than basic. The toilets are filthy as are the showers. The mattresses are uncomfortable and the bedding inadequate. This place has two things going for it: it's better than the street and the water was hot.
Anonymous
(UK)
2011-02-16
Shocking hostel but chocie is limited in camden
Everything aspect of this hostel is focused on minimising cost and maximising profit. When in the shower one must constantly press a button to keep the water flowing, this is undoubtedly designed to minimise the amount of time people spend in the shower. They also cut costs on cleaning, kitchen equipment. They charge extra for everything, internet an incredible 50p for fifteen minutes, washing around £4.50, lockers is rooms £1.50/night, and the one that really pissed me off, increasing the price between the time and booked and arrived. (nice people hey!?). but still I stayed for two weeks because all the other hostels in London are in the the west, which has no character. To find character and young people one must go to north or east london and unfortunately choice is limited in these areas. Those of us who love camden will just have to put up and shut up. sometimes one has to sacrifice principle for expedience.
Alex
(Australia)
2007-08-12
This place was appalling. The staff was rude. The rooms were dirty and the bed linen had stains on them. You could smell the toilets in the corridor. I am ashamed that this is a British establishment. Do not use this hostel.
Edgar
(UK)
2007-04-18
we were a large group (about forty people) and the showers were only three. The staff person was so unhelpful, and he asked some girls about her names, about her old, where did they live, where they were calling. He also tried to establish a relation with one of the girls. He didn't want to give us the money we let (L100). He said we have broken some things, and it wasn't true. Finally, he was always coming us saying we were making noise, and noise was being made by other people in the hostel. Oh, and the breakfast was so bad, so poor.
axular
(Basque)
2007-04-04
I don't think this hostel is anywhere near as bad as some people have said. It was reasonable for the price and was kept pretty clean.The staff were quite friendly and the people staying were a pretty good crowd. The breakfast was ok too although I never tried the Jam! There were a few problems though. The showers were too few and there was an ongoing problem with the door entry swipe cards which often decided not to work, especially bad when you are on the top floor! The internet computers were rubbish too. Overall this is not a bad hostel at all and you can do a lot worse!
CARL
2007-03-15
I'm not so experienced at backpacker-hostels but my visit at this hostel were everything but nice. when i arrived, the assistant argued with a customer, and i stood in queue for fifteen to twenty minutes. he couldn't find my booking from the internet, and i showed him the mail at the computer (during that, he took another customer, and two phone calls, making me wait ten minutes more). but he didn't accept the mail either, so i had to make a new reservation. lucky enough they didn't charge my visa-card twice. apart from this, let's say not so good experience, the bed in my room weren't cleaned from sheets and blankets, so I went down and reported it, the assistant promised to fix it before late evening but of course he didn't do that, so I cleaned it myself. the corridor stank from the toilet that worked half of the times you flushed, and the breakfast in the morning were so cheap and disgusting that I chose to buy another one in a cafeteria nearby. the most boring about this hostel though, is the assistants. I met all of them (three i think) and everyone had the same cheeky attitude at every customer. I am not choosing this hostel again.
Gufv
2006-10-26
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