Clink78

The room was overall very good, the only point is that the walls were not insulating at all and we heard absolutely every conversation from the people passing by the corridor. However, the cleanliness of the room was really appreciable, and the quality of the breakfast was impressive. My friend and I loved the pancakes machine! I would totally recommend this place for a short stay, and for people who do not worry too much of noise. Moreover, I think it is a good place more for young people than for a family or adults looking for tranquility.

I’ve stayed here a few times already. It’s cheap, clean, safe and comfortable. Everything you need in a hostel. There is a shelf, a light and charging stations above every bed which was great because that way I can sleep knowing that my valuables are next to me and I will also hear my alarm clock in the morning. Very good locker space. The showers are clean and spacious. Also there is a very nice bar and a lounge. 10/10 would recommend.

I had a great four-day stay at Clink78. I was in an 8-person room. They did a good job of booking people into the room who would also be there multiple days. There were a few people who came and went, but for the most part I was familiar with most of the people during my stay. The toilets and showers were what I would expect at a hostel. Very simple and acceptable. The Community areas were great. The TV and Computer rooms were unique and kind of fun to spend some time in. The bar area was fun. A lot of room to find a place to sit. I met great people there that made my trip even better. I loved the location of the building. A bus from the Kings cross station dropped me off right in front of the building. The bus wasn't really necessary either. It was only a short walk to the station. There are plenty of restaurants along the way too. Overall, great experience.

I had booked at bunk in a 4 person room. It was small and clean and the window could open which I appreciated greatly. It was also nice that there was a locker for my valuables. The bed was clean and had a nice lamp so I could sit and knit before turning in. I did not use the bar or other common rooms other than I had a breakfast. The breakfast was not in my taste so I skipped it the next day. Baths and toilets were neat and clean and the staff was very friendly.

I really enjoyed my stay at this hostel. Rooms are quiet and the beds are partitioned off so you get some actual space to yourself. Each bed has a light, an outlet, and a USB port. Lockers were big enough for my hand luggage. You can have quiet in your room, or if you're looking to stay up, enjoy the bar in the basement, which also serves food. Staff are friendly and do a wonderful job keeping the place very clean. This would have been a five star but I just couldn't stand how jam packed and crowded the kitchen/dining area always was. The tables, vending machines, benches and counters are just not spaced appropriately for many people are always in there, and you really can't even move at breakfast. The hallways are also very narrow, but I understand that it's an old building. I would absolutely recommend this place, and will likely be back!!

Great hostel. Great prices, super duper clean, staff committed and speak your language if needed. I came by myself, no contacts and am leaving with great memories and friendship. Working people and travelers mix in harmony. What I appreciated the most is being able to party without being surrounded by binge drinking backpackers. Had great conversations. Shower super hot, loved it. Just didn't receive any information about the rules of the establishment nor the way it worked, especially the kitchen.

I had a very good experience at the clink! Friendly, secure, quiet when you need it, and good facilities. I stayed in two different dorms on the ground floor, an 8 and 12 person. One was very quiet but dark being in the centre of the building, and the other airy but next to the street. There is a light, AC point, and usbs in each bunk. Mattresses were a little thin, but linens were clean. I signed up for the breakfast when booking online, it was simple but pleasant and so easy in the mornings. Plenty of seating everywhere, even with school groups during the week. It can be a very social area, but you can of course be left alone if you prefer. The bar was comfy and I had a good chat with a few other guests. I've seen some reviews complaining about bathroom facilities, but I didn't experience anything negative, the individual showers on the ground floor were particularly good, but they could use a small shelf on the wall to keep things dry. Apart from that, there's still hooks to hang clothes etc on, and it wasn't a big deal. I appreciated the staff member on the door, it felt comfortable and safe at night as he was checking that everyone had their access card at the door. Some objected to that, but it's a small thing to keep the guests protected from petty thieves. Speaking of, I felt safe and didn't feel worried about personal belongings, just make sure to bring a lock as boxes are designated for each bunk. Overall, a very good experience, I would go back

Nice modern hostel. Felt very safe as a lone female traveller, even in a mixed-sex room. The staff are friendly and helpful and the rooms are pretty nice. The bar is great and gets pretty lively, even on weekdays. Also the breakfast is pretty good for what you're paying for it, it's mostly a selection of cereals, toast and juices, but it's a lot cheaper than you'd get anywhere else nearby.

I really wanted to like this place. It's got a fun party vibe and is absurdly cheap. But my experience wasn't great. I shared a 12 person mixed dorm. It was extremely cramped and had no ventilation. In the morning it was smelly and steamy from so many bodies. Since there was so little space there were people's belongings everywhere and the room was so crowded. I have only a few hostel experiences so I'm no expert, but my next hostel was an 18 person mixed room and it was so comfortable and spacious in comparison. They have cool nightly events like karaoke as well as a bar with cheap food downstairs which is great. It is a very young crowd- 18-25 I'd guess and at 34 I felt quite old and out of place though I met and hung out with some cool young folks. The shower situation is also not great. The showers are hot but have a button that needs to be pressed every 30 seconds or so to keep the shower going. Since I have long curly hair and my showers need a little more time for detangling I basically just rinsed and couldn't wash my hair. Overall this place is safe and super cheap. Its conventiely located to Kings Cross and the area is nice. If you are looking for something for a night or two go for it, it's not terrible, but again I was very relieved to have more space and shower at my next hostel.

This hostel is literally a prison! I randomly booked a double room with a friends for one night without looking at pictures online and in the end we were surprised and happy about the "experience". We also got a free-drink at the bar of the hostel when we checked-in. Overall, the place is clean and close to King's Cross station (directly connected to Heathrow)

Okay, I really hate to rat on these guys, but this hostel was the pits. I've stayed in my fair share and know the routine, but this was for a private double bed, and yes, I know it was in a former jail cell (the novelty of why we chose to stay in this historic courthouse) but as soon as we opened the door to our room, it STANK. The tiny bathroom looked like it was taken out of an RV - picture TINY shower (that has no ability to drain properly and squeeezed up against the toilet. It smelled like a leaking septic tank. This plastic bathroom even shifted around when you stepped inside. Yuck! Another feature that was disappointing was how cramped the bunkbed was as the top bunk was very close to the roof with these very dangerous looking light features (Large square metal boxes with lights inside) that didn't look very safe if one were to bump their heads. My 20-year-old was supposed to take the top bunk, but ended up sharing the bottom (double sized) bed below with me. Either way the room was very depressing, we were tired after our flight and the smell was a constant reminder that we were trapped. On top of that, my daughter smokes, and went outside to light a cigarette and staff was outside running everyone off the court steps. Well, the area wasn't very safe as there were a lot of homeless men trying to sleep near the stairs and trying to bum money and cigarettes off the guests. The staff off the hostel would run the guests off the stairs and the smokers were forced to stand on the sidewalk/street smoking in the night. This wasn't very safe for women and one of the homeless guys actually vomited on my daughter's foot! On top of that, one of the staff had the important job of seeing who was touching the stairs with their feet (if they had a cigarette) and he would report into his walkie talkie that someone was breaking the rules. What was really ironic was that this hostel has a basement bar/live music and you could hear the music shaking/echoing off the walls, and when we first checked in, they gave us free passes for an acoholic beverage (which we lost interest in redeeming) So yessss, let's encourage everyone to partyyyyyy and get tipsy, but if ya wanna smoke, hit the road jack. This hostel was heavily crowded and several times the front doors would swing open and stampedes of youth would bellow up/down the stairs, causing difficulty in going to/from room. I went to the counter and CANCELLED our 2nd night and booked a different hotel for our 2nd night in London. Were it not too late, and we weren't already exhausted, I would have cancelled our first night as well. This is by far, the worst hostel we had ever stayed at. So much for our experience at the place where Charles Dickens used to work. Not impressed! ***The ONLY reason I'm giving this place 2 stars is because they were true to their word, and I received my refund, I half expected them to refuse. ****Okay, wait a minute. Downgraded back to 1 star. I remember when we arrived near Kings Cross Station from the fast train - via Heathrow and I called the hostel for directions as it was confusing due to the massive crowds of pedestrians and traffic. The female on the phone gave me wrong directions. I called again, reached someone else, who impatiently gave me AGAIN wrong directions. 3rd call, the guy hung up. When we arrived to check-in, he actually blushed when he realized I was the person who called. ***Oh wait, another downgrade ---- wooops, can't give a minus star. While standing on the sidewalk at night with my daughter while she smoked, I noticed a homeless guy sliding into his sleeping bag at the very top of the stairs off in a corner, and fold himself into a fetal position. I told the lady at the front desk that HOW COME it's okay for the homeless to sleep on the top steps yet, my daughter - the paying guest -- can't sit quietly out of the way on the bottom and safely have her smoke? The lady argued that there wasn't a homeless guy on the stairs. I said, YES THERE IS. She replied, NO THERE ISN'T. YES THERE IS! NO THERE ISN'T! YES THERE IS! i

I've been dreading this one. I feel like doing paragraph-ish bullets so it won't FEEL like I'm doing a lot of typing. *The solo showers on the main level smells like pure piss. *I wasn't made aware that you had to request bottom bunks. *I fell off the top bunk mere minutes after getting up there. *The lady at the front desk who likes to sing her heart out (I THINK she had glasses she for sure had dark hair) disregarded the fact that I went flying off the bunk when I asked for another bed on the lower bunks. *I had just complained to her ten minutes earlier about switching bunks and she said come back in two days. *She made me not only remove the sheets but the entire cardboard mattress myself when I asked to swap beds with one of the three girls who had checked out early. *I feel like homeless people slept better than I did. Day three I woke up in complete pain due to the cardboard that they passed off as a mattress. *The breakfast consists of Rice Krispies and bread. The jam and cheese was extremely delicious. *The bathrooms were said to be cleaned six times a day. The lie detector determined that was a lie. The sink was always dirty AND I was caught out there once with no toilet paper smh. *The showers on the main level towards the cells had this 40 second timer on. That was the cheapest shit ever. *The showers smell like mildew. *NO LIFT FOR THE BIRDS NEST ROOM. *If you tape your phone to the wall you can get wifi in the room... Seriously though keep your phone closest to the wall and you'll occasionally pick up on it. *The wifi kept disconnecting and sometimes didn't want to connect at all. *I find the "wifi in common areas only" rule to be stupid. No one is socializing with one another so the point of having people using wifi with in those common areas to socialize was a dud. Actually if you're using wifi anywhere but the kitchen, chances are it's quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Time to rethink that one buddy. *It is kinda a hike from the tube but I didn't mind it. London is gorgeous. Walk, you lazy creatures. *The heifers that I stayed with from Italy didn't understand how rooming together worked. They left the doors open by expanding the lock instead of taking their key card causing outside noise to filter in and the door to bang every time the idiots walked in/out. Also one of the heifers would open the door late at night to have convos about absolutely nothing. Luckily I slept pretty late because we would've had a not so pleasant exchange of words at 2-3am. I'm a grump when woken out of my slumber. *Also the cleaning lady thought it wise to wedge the door wide open to clean the room. She conversed with another cleaning lady while doing so. I quickly jumped up to kick the wedge out and fully close it. I had a late night and wanted to sleep in beyond 8am. *They were doing construction on a new bathroom directly next door to my room the whole time I was there. Not once was this stated online, in my reservations or even in person. So of course that's more noise that filtered in. *The bar sucks. The area itself has a rule that if asked by police to stop drinking you must comply. Any rule outside of that belongs to Clink and Clink ONLY. Which means yes, you cannot drink within their hostel because they want you to buy at the bar. *Finally, no one here is really as sociable as the company makes it seem. It's doable if you want to be close and meet new people but YOU have to reach out to others. This one girl said that I was friendly. Said one person, ever. That's how you know it's not as chummy as they make it seem. I'm a nice person, don't get me wrong but I don't really open up to people so early on. I basically introduced myself and asked a few questions and was told this. So... yeah. I don't think I would stay here again but it was cool for what it was. The lady with the blond hair behind the desk was nice and helpful. Dassit!

Clink Hostel is a very unique hostel in an excellent location in London. This location (Clink 78) is super convenient to King's Cross station and has the added advantage to being a historic courthouse where The Clash were on trial and where Charles Dickens was inspired to write "Oliver Twist." While everything has been remodeled the courtroom and the original cells downstairs are left pretty much in their original state, which is really neat. When I was at Clink Hostel we shared a 10 person room which was a spacious room with open windows, five sets of bunk beds, and hooks for towels and jackets. Our room had a toilet and sink right outside the door, and showers were available down the hall. The internet room is actually inside the original courthouse so you can sit in the judge's seat while you check your email. They also have a luggage room downstairs where you can leave your bags in a giant unorganized heap if you're checking out but not leaving London until the afternoon/evening (my luggage was still there in the evening so despite how it looks this system seems fairly safe). The other advantage of this hostel is that it's huge to the point of being almost maze-like, but it's also very communal and fosters a kind of friendly meeting place for travelers. Whether it's the Welsh guy sharing your room or throngs of fellow travelers sitting on the front steps of the hostel, you're bound to strike up a conversation with someone. They served free breakfast in the eating area downstairs which was your standard milk, cereal, juice, toast setup with shared-style tables and benches. At night they have a bar area where you can have drinks, listen to loud music, meet fellow travelers, and dance. This bar caused me to have a semi-hazy memory of Clink Hostel, but all in all this is a nice place to stay for cheap in a great location in London.

I am astonished at how some have given this place anything more than 2 stars. In an ATTEMPT to start off on a good note, I can attest that staff for the most part were friendly and bilingual. That is the ONLY nice thing I can say. Let me just say, this was my first time in a hostel, and undoubtedly, it will probably be my last. We were a party of 8, so we opted for the 8-man room. But of course, 2 out of our 8 people were put in separate rooms. We had to literally beg the strangers to swap so that are party could remain together. Now, this is where the problems begin to arise, this hostel looks absolutely nothing like the photos. There are literally bunk beds just placed side by side, with a narrow walkway. If more than 2 people want to get dressed at the same time, you can forget about it. Just not enough standing room. And geez, the bathroom, wow, absolutely pathetic. The floor was made up of some type of plastic material that was heavily stained. if you were sitting on the toilet your face would literally be in the sink. The water in the shower was lukewarm but did not get hot. This bathroom is just a tad bigger than the one you get on a plane. I thought that perhaps I could cope with the lack of space. But boy was I wrong. As I laid on my bed, that a strange man had already been in I noticed lots of brown stains and dried blood on the linen. I was absolutely horrified. I had to carry the linens to the front desk. When I told one of the staff, she replied carelessly, "okay can you just place it over there" and pointed to a box across from her. She said she would inform housekeeping. It took about 40 minutes before I received "clean" linens. The confined space and the blood on my blanket were enough to keep me awake. So, I decided to explore the TV room to which I saw one of the staff making out and groping a woman, (I am unaware if it was another staff or a guest). All in all, this facility is absolutely disgusting, it reeks of urine, it severely lacks cleanliness, and I am absolutely astonished that I was given a blanket with someone's blood on it. Staff act very clueless when you need to help, and housekeeping steals your stuff. During our stay someone for our party had their bed stripped, and items stolen. Absolutely horrendous. I honestly think I would have had better sleep on the public ground. Please save yourself the money.

This hostel is in the perfect location in London! Just a ten minute walk away from the tube, it feels like everything is super close! Made traveling to all of our spots super easy, would definitely stay there again. Loved all the quirky artwork in the hallways. Only downside was no A/C in the hostel, we unfortunately were there during a heat wave and had to leave our windows open at night. Despite that it was a fun place to stay and I would definitely go back!

I had a great one night stay at Clink 78. I was flying out of London in the morning and was looking for a place to stay close to King's Cross Station, as I was taking a train to the airport. This was my first time in a hostel and I had a very good first experience. Booking a room was very easy and didn't take much time. One thing I noticed was that you had the option to click which you preferred: an upper or lower. When I arrived in my assigned room, I noticed that my locker was being used by another patron, but I just used another. I wanted to charge my phone but the power bar above my bed didn't fit my adapter and the USB ports were not working. I spoke to the front desk and they switched me to the bed beside mine since i was only there for one night. Once again, that locker was in use, so I kept my stuff in the original locker. When you check in you receive a voucher for a free drink which was great! Whilst at the bar I met some very nice people who i then participated in the beer pong tournament with. A very fun place to stay!

The only positive of staying at this hostel were the staff and the bar downstairs. Despite cleaning efforts, the showers smelled awful, like old mold. The 4 bed rooms were so crapped, having 4 people stand in the room at the same time was uncomfortable. They had no full length mirror in the room (I would suggest adding one to the back of each room). The only full length mirror was in the wet moldy shower room. Please note that I was housed in the basement, so there was barely any light and really tiny window.

Clink78 is located in a beautiful old courthouse and retains many of the original features like the courtrooms which have been converted into a TV room and internet lounge where they have PCs that you can use of a fee and plenty of sockets for you to work away on your own laptop using the free wifi! The main draw of hostels is of course the social aspect and the ability to meet up with fellow travelers and make friends so it's great that there is also the Clashbar in the basement. (Fun fact, The Clash went on trial at this very courthouse in 1978 for shooting a pigeon!) Sadly I wasn't feeling 100% on the night of my stay so I gave this a miss. One of the quirkier draws of the hostel is that you can even spend the night in one of the old cells in the basement! Sadly I wasn't staying in one of these as I requested a room with a private bathroom (the joys of IBD) but my room was pretty funky. Small but functional with a double bed, side table and plenty of sockets. The bathroom was again, as expected, small but perfect for my needs. Most importantly it, my room and every part of the hostel I visited was very, very clean. I was really impressed to see that they had even included some themed miniature toiletries which of course have gone straight into my collection.

I'm not sure about everyone else but my experience was fine here, although it was my first hostel. Booked it for $27 usd a night for 4 nights. I think the actual rooms may have played a huge part of the experience. I was in a room with 14 other people and none of us had issues. Yes 14 different people and we all got along fine, room was always clean and service was very helpful for me too. Basic breakfast was included, cereal, juice, toast, eggs coffee and tea. I'd say definitely worth a shot all you're considering is just a decent place to sleep. Showers were communal but were individual stalls. Oh it was very close to Kong's cross, I think 3-5 City blocks if I remember correctly so location is great. WATCH OUT for the sink's water pressure in the toilets, turn on slowly, you have been warned!

Pretty much par for the course for a large hostel in a major city. I partly agree with the 1st reviewer (please read her review to compare), so here's my version of her review, with my revisions in [brackets]. What a [mediocre] place to stay! The bar is a lot of fun [if you're a silly 18yr old who really believes that Fosters is Australian for 'Beer' and is outside his/her parents' care for the first time], the people who come through here tend to be young and [obnoxious], the staff is friendly, and the price is [rather average]. It's centrally-located and is a short walk from King's Cross [and St. Pancras International] Station[s as well as SOAS, plenty of cheap eats, random pubs, Islington High Street, etc.]. The building is a renovated Victorian courthouse [...]. My only peeve is the lack of free wireless internet [actually, the wireless is pretty inexpensive--£1 for 30 minutes, in 30 minute increments, but I will truly gripe about the exceptionally dirty bedsheets, the out of order toilet, the fact that when anyone on your floor shuts the door, the walls shake].

There aren't many hostels that I would go back to but clink is one of them. I came here 3 years ago and it was my first hostel experience and I loved it. The staff was friendly and helpful. The rooms were just what I expected. The basement bar area is a lot of fun any night of the week with great drink prices. We got to meet a lot of diverse people and had a great time. I will definitely come back here on my next trip to London. Only down side is how far from the center it is. But close to the train station if you have an early morning departure.

Had a wonderful stay! Great location and huge kitchen. Shower is small but very clean. Would definitely come again 10/10 recommend.

This is a party hostel with a bar in the basement. Don't stay there unless that is your scene. CONS - people yelling in the halls on the way out to drink and arriving back from drinking - people spilling out of the bar after fistfights or arguments - strange smell on the basement level, perhaps coming from the keg room - Internet is not available in the rooms - Internet isn't free - private rooms are very tiny - breakfast is instant coffee, toast, cereal and juice PROS - staff are friendly

My friend and I (2 ladies) booked a last minute trip to London to celebrate the end of summer. This hostel was rated one of the best in London and boasted a bar, free breakfast, and Wifi with a pleasant mix of modern and 19th century decor left over from its days as a courthouse. We booked a private room with our own bathroom and overall enjoyed our stay. It's a good budget option for a young, casual traveler. We ended up staying in the middle of a heatwave, for which London is completely unprepared. The hostel had no air conditioning, but neither did the majority of places in London- the trains, train stations, restaurants, stores, and even some museums made us sweat. The window in the room provided some ventilation, but it was still rather hot and the hallways were stuffy. I do not blame the hostel as it seems to be a city-wide phenomenon. Wifi was strong and everywhere. Made it very convenient for us to plan our trip :). The entrance to the hostel is secured at night by staff to ensure that there is no trespassing. The neighborhood is very quiet after 10pm- busy around the train station but dies down as you get closer to the hostel (10 minute walk). Alcohol is not permitted in the rooms but they will store it for you until you leave. Overall, we felt very safe being in the hostel. The towels in the private room would occasionally disappear and not be restocked- the first time this happened we were extremely confused and turned the tiny room inside out looking for the missing towel. When it happened again the next day, we realized that someone came to our room to clean. If you want a replacement just ask the front desk- towels are complimentary with a private room, otherwise they're 2.50 per towel. The bathroom in our private room was very small yet clean- the shower shares the floor with the rest of the bathroom but everything dries quickly. Occasionally a small spray of water gets through the crack in the door into the room during the shower- just put a towel out for yourself to step on. The provided toiletries expired in 2015 so we did not use them. My towel kept falling onto the floor while I was showering and kept getting wet because the hooks were too small, requiring the use of more towels. The shelf over the sink made it difficult to wash my face without spilling water everywhere- if the shelf could be moved to the side of the sink instead it would really help make everything comfortable. I also used the communal bathroom at one point and it was very clean and neat- no issues whatsoever. Did not have the pleasure of using the communal showers, but peeked inside- a bit dark but manageable. Our bunk bed and sheets, pillows, mattress and blankets were all very comfortable. There were earplugs available for our use as part of our welcome package but we didn't really experience much of a noise disturbance, even though we were on the ground floor. Occasionally voices would drift up but they weren't too bothersome. The free breakfast is consistent with milk, tea, coffee, cereal, and toast- nothing to write home about but is there should you want a morning snack. Kitchen and some utensils are available for those who want to make their own food. The common area downstairs is well lit and has plenty of seats, a pool table, foosball, and occasional beer pong games. There are vending machines for coffee and snacks and plenty of outlets for those who want to be on their computer. The kitchen (open until 12), dining (open until 12), and common area (open 24 hours) are all connected and make it easy to meet people :). The bar(open until 2am) was a wonderful experience- good music, fun crowd, easy going atmosphere, great staff, and cold Guinness :). After a bad night out we returned to the bar and immediately wished that we stayed in the hostel!

After arriving in London and walking in the pouring rain after taking the tube, the Clink was surely a sight for sore eyes. I checked in with no worries in a mixed dorm. They usually put females on top bunks which they did with me. After inspecting the lock to my bed locker and finding it broken, I went to reception to request a new one. They put me in another bed and everything was good. It's super close to the tube and within walking distance to convenience stores and restaurants. They also offer free internet time if you find and book online for your stay. Otherwise you pay for wi-fi and computer use. Decent size dining area in the basement, offer movies, and the courtroom on the main floor was transformed into the computer area. Pretty frickin cool if you ask me. Bathrooms are clean.

This is a great hostel. I've stayed twice now and never an issue. Very clean. Friendly staff. Lively at night. Kitchen is great and WiFi is now throughout the building. Great location too. I highly recommend it if staying in London for a couple of days.

Most of my posts these days involve some sort of reference to Hipster joints- Clink 78 is the ultimate in Hipster accommodation but I am not complaining! Located about 15 minutes walk from Kings Cross Station, I felt very safe walking to and from here late at night. The Hostel itself is huge and you would be forgiven if you thought it was a hotel from the outside. Inside is very clean and trendy. Make sure you remember your room number or you will for sure get lost in the endless hallways that all look the same. We had an 8 bunk dorm which included a bathroom with shower. I still ended up using the communal shower as it was just bigger and less noisy for my hungover companions! The beds were comfy and sheets clean. If you forgot a towel- no problem, you can get one for 2 pounds from the lobby. The wifi was free and worked really well except in the bedrooms. Breakfast was free before 10am (cereals, toast, juice etc) and there was always lots of staff around to help you out. There is also a bar in the basement. We stayed for one drink to watch rugby- at the time there was a band setting up thier gear. My first experience in a hostel and honestly couldn't have been any better!

I had a great time staying in Clink 78, value for money was certainly worth it and the location was pretty great for young nightlife. Reasonable location as it's about a 10 min walk to Kings Cross therefore we were able to commute to other parts of London easily

Sadly my experience wasnt good. But I will start with some good points: It's close to the train station, plenty of bars and restaurants around. The breakfast area was small but the food was good. Just a few options: cereal, muesli, toast, coffee, tea, but it was OK (it is hostel). The staff is helpful and the place was reasonable clean. Now the bad part: the showers. They are mixed. I found this terrible. They were dark, wet and as a woman I did feel safe by having someone else (in this case a guy) taking a shower by my side. Dont get this wrong, we did see each other, there is a thin plastic wall. But we were altogether. It was super awkward. In one situation I saw a guy on putting on his underwear in the external side of the shower. It was totally unnecessary and weird. I just came back to my room and waited until he left. The rooms were small but nothing strange with it. The problem was that I was on the top bunk bed and the stairs to get there were pretty dangerous. Instead of having regular stairs to go up they have that fancy-hipster whatever style of stairs that make it difficult to climb! I hate and I even hurt my feet in it. They have holes where you put your feet. It is no sense. They have 2 or 3 floors, Im not sure, and the lift was not working. I had two big luggages with me and I had a bad time getting to the second floor. And to conclude: that place was noisy. They have a bar on the ground floor and it might be related. People were laughing loudly, talking, and even screaming and singing in the corridor. It was pretty annoying and I couldn't sleep for a long time. The place was cheap but after that I would prefer to spend a few couples of pounds more in a different hostel.

If you are looking for a cheap place to stay in London, The Clink Hostel is a good option. It's not glamorous, but it does have some advantages. The place is huge, so there is a lot of availability and rooming options. I stayed in a mixed dormitory and thought the setup was really good - beds are bunked but there are partitions between them so it's not like you are sleeping directly next to someone else. There are lockers and I would definitely bring a lock to store day packs and any other valuables you may have. Large luggage storage is available as well. The public bathrooms are CRAZY small (and I am a petite girl), can be a bit tough to get into. There are a lot of them though. The Clink offers a lot to its guests. Bar parties with cheap drinks, an internet cafe, a little shop and daily tours, which is nice. The communal kitchen area is minimal but the breakfast is free continental (toast, cereal, coffee, etc). You can definitely make friends easily here. A big benefit is its location. You can easily walk from Kings Cross Tube/rail station or you can take a bus from the station that drops you off right in front of the hostel. It is definitely super convenient and if you are the kind of person who spends most of their time out of their hostel, The Clink is a great place to stay.

This hostel is AMAZING! I stayed there for 4 days and I had a great time. The only problem I can think of was the bathrooms tended to be a little smelly but they're bathrooms, whatcha gon do. Breakfasts were great and they have these pancake machines that make u 2 little cute pancakes in a minute and I am all about the pancake machine. Make sure you wake up early before the line starts yall also great location right next to kings cross station and I used the Santander bikes hire thing to get around all over London, theres a bike dock right nearby too. Also the front desk was super nice and helpful. Yayysnfkdjl

A good hostel in general. Big rooms, nice staff and very clean. Unfortunately really antisocial. People rather stick to themselves or their groups than meeting anyone. Good free breakfast and also a travel desk in the main hall to help you with your trip planning. The house was originally a court so that's quite cool to see.

Hi Clink staff!! Thank you for the warm welcome when we arrived late at night while checking-in and showing us to the comfortable beds that we were dying to lay in after hours of travel. Aga was especially kind when one of our members lost their luggage on the last day of stay, she spent hours tracking it down and eventually found it in the cleaners room. Don't know how it managed to get there :) All in all, helpful and friendly staff, would defiantly stay again.

Booked two beds in a 4-bed room with a en suite bathroom. The room seemed pretty clean, even after two people were already staying in it, and the beds were a good size with bedding. There were plenty of power sockets and the en suite included a shower, toilet, sink, mirror, and a daily-replaced bath mat towel (like in most hotels) and the shower had plenty of pressure and hot water. Desk staff was very friendly and helpful and the decorations of the hostel were very fun, with a ton of comfortable seating areas. The wifi is free but only available in the common areas. Breakfast also free but pretty limited in choice (coffee only instant and toast or "old people preferred" cereals your only real options). Noise outside can be a little much, especially in the warmer months where you absolutely need to have the windows open for air. There's a lot of hostel people being drunk outside as well as a local pub across the street, so even during week nights, it was very noisy. Not something the hostel can really deal with but be aware. My only real complaint is the shower was ridiculously small, made worse by being a bigger person. It was impossible to thoroughly clean oneself if you aren't an anorexic midget. Might be better to get a communal bathroom (remember your flip-flops!) if they're more spacious accommodations.

If you are under the age of 25 and always wanted to experience what it would be like to live in a dorm or frat house then this is the place for you! If you are over the age of 25 and enjoy a good night's sleep then avoid this place at all costs and spend a bit more money to stay at a hotel.

There is no nice way to put this- it honestly felt like a jail cell. I don't expect anything amazing when it comes to hostels, but this place just isn't worth it. The room was insanely small- even by hostel standards. There was only enough space in the room for one person to get ready at a time. On top of that, it was unbearably hot at night with no fan and a tiny window. Showers and bathrooms were barely OK. Stayed at the YHA the next night and had a much better experience (not to mention it was cheaper). Avoid Clink78.

A good hostel if you are looking for a not-too-expensive place to stay in London while not being too far outside the city. This is close to King's Cross and from there it's easy and fast to get anywhere in downtown. I had a private room en suite together with a friend. Well... if you remember that it is a hostel and not a hotel this is fine. ;) The bathroom was really incredibly small but at least it was possible to get one just for us. Rooms were clean and after around 1-2am in the nights it gets quiet on the floors so you can get some sleep. Breakfast is OK, good for a hostel actually. Be prepared to have to wait for a bit before finding a seat as it is always very crowded. WiFi is available in the lobby and other locations but not in the rooms. Speed was good, no complaints. The staff is friendly and the average age of the guests is rather low - this really is a youth hostel. With our 30 years we already felt pretty old. ;)

I went in for a tour and was treated as a third-class citizen. The building is outstanding - but work on your reception staff. Disappointing.

well this hostel is ok. the rooms are clean, even though the breakfast is not overwelming but ok. (long waiting time to get something to eat.) the staff is polite and helpful. king's cross station is about 5-10 minutes away, so it's pretty central. this hostel is okay if you stay just over one or two nights and be gone the rest of the day for sightseeing...

Where do you even start. The rooms are small as expected for a hostel but EXTREMELY HOT. I am not joking our room was 85+ each night with NO ONE in our 6 person shared dorm being able to sleep well. The staff doesn't care about this problem at all. When we tried to open windows to increase air flow, they closed them in the middle of the night. When we attempted to keep the door open just to air out the room, they came around and rudely told us to shut the door and that us being "hot" os not their problem. The bathrooms are FOUL AND DISGUSTING. There were poop marks on every toilet in the clink with one instance having poop all over the toilet seat and trash can. Who provides service like this? Not to add, almost every bathroom is a converted prison janitors closet, a literal 5x5 box. I promise you, you will it have enough room to spread you legs and be comfortable, most miserable experience. Showers sucked, hair and dirt every where. If your reading this and have a future stay at this garbage clink, GET OUT

This hostel is very welcoming. You are welcomed by a staff speaking different languages. You will not be disappointed with the hygiene of the premises. The small downside is that the rooms are smaller than 4 since they are dormitories, but the rooms are very user friendly 12. The proximity to the subway station is a real asset. Ideal for a trip with friends or a group of students.

Rooms were cramped, receptionist was unhelpful, and the bartender downstairs with the pierced ear was the biggest entitled prick I've ever seen. Signed up just to say **** that guy. Also couldn't pour a proper pint to save his life, even after making you wait 30 minutes.

I found this newly opened hostel while conducting a Google search for cheap London hostels. Not only was it cheap, but it was novel, and upon inspecting its website, I realised this place looks really cool. Booking online via the site directly is not so easy; if you have a Maestro card, you have to ring up because they only accept Visa or Mastercard on the website. You can also book through travelstay.com but they add a fee. It was easy enough on the phone, and my bed was secured. One thing I should warn people is that it is mixed sex dorms on offer. However, if you're a family, travelling with children under 16, it is compulsory for you to book an entire dorm (which ranges from 4 beds to 16). I had never been in a mixed dorm before so I went for a 6 bed, at a cost of £25 a night. It turned out to be only me and a man in there but I felt safe enough. I bought a padlock at reception to secure my possessions in the lockers under the bunks. The rooms are simple enough but also clean and safe, and comfortable. Although it is centrally located; near Kings Cross, even though I had only moved out of London 5 months ago after living there 22 years, I found it very hard to find, to be honest. So definitely remember to print out a map (I didn't!) There are 2 old court rooms still intact which as a history buff (and rock and roll fan; the Clash were tried here), I loved. One is a TV room and the other is an internet cafe (I think it's £1 for 30 mins but I took my laptop). There is no Wifi either, but I had my internet dongle so was fine. I loved sitting in the Judges chair and reading the old signs on the wall; eg banning photography, so of course I took a photo of it Breakfast was a let down. I am allergic to wheat and dairy and they only offer cereal and bread. No fruit, no fruit juice, no soya milk. So I went without. YHA are cheaper to stay at and have full cooked breakfasts as well as juice, so I was disappointed here. There is a communal area you can prepare your own so next time I will bring some supplies. Yes, there will be a next time.I plan to stay again in a private room which used to be a cellhow cool is that!!

This was the worst experience I've ever had. There were several things that went wrong. To start, our check in was "8am," when we arrived they wouldn't have a room ready for us until 2:30pm. Traveling overnight, we specifically chose this Hostel because of the great check-in time, we would be able to sleep upon arrival. Obviously that did not happen. The hostel smelled like urine, and the bathrooms smelled worse. The rooms and halls smelled like wet mop. On our 2nd night, we arrived back to our room to find a young woman sleeping in my friend's bed. The beds were not numbered, so the stranger THOUGHT it was her bed and had someone from security take my friend's personal belongings and our towels that we paid for off the bed (we finally found her shirt in a pile of dirty laundry and her pants downstairs in the lost and found). We went to reception to solve the issue and the gentleman argued with us for several minutes, only to find out we were in our correct beds and they had allowed someone to invade our belongings and claim my friend's bed. Absolutely nothing was done about this, except my friend was given new sheets for the open bed in the room... but not even a pillow. This place doesn't even deserve 1 star..

Easy checkin. Great location and the price is according to that. Friendly staff. Quite safe and clean. Complementary breakfast. But Wi-fi is extremely slow, which I suppose is mandatory for tourists or visitors in a place like London. Good Privacy even in 16 bed dorms.

If nothing else, this hostel is extremely convenient to getting around London. It's proximity to the King's Cross Tube station and King's Cross rail station is perfect for making your way around the city. However, when I booked the hostel, the site said there were lockers in the room. These lockers are extremely small, only being big enough to hold some toiletries and personal items you want to keep locked up overnight. You have to have your own lock for them though. Also the room I booked was supposed to be women only and it most assuredly was not only women in my room. In fact it seemed like I was the only girl in the room the whole week I stayed there. There is a free breakfast every morning. The juice is terrible though but there is toast, jam and several cereals to choose from. The bar that takes over at night in the same area as the breakfast is served has good music and cheap drinks and is a good place to meet people to hang out with the next day. The internet in the hostel works but is always asking for more money, even though you are supposed to be able to access it for 24 hours unlimited. The manager there though is very helpful and they will help you to fix the internet when you have to make it work everyday. The lockers are large enough to hold a big back but if you get the largest size it's 3 pounds every 24 hours so the amount adds up fast between the lockers and the internet charges. It's very clean though and the beds are generally very private. Great if you go with friends and you know everyone in your room cause there is plenty of space to keep your bag in the room.

It's a budget hostel reccomended for young people. Comfortable bunk beds. Toilets were clean and showers too. You will meet people fron all over the world. Downstairs it's got a bar where you can enjoy some drinks.

Small rooms with 8 beds in it were horrible. Dirty blanket, but was changed nicely and quickly. No big toilets, only small one person ones. Eating room was again very small. The staff was nice, that's why I rate 2 stars. Really can't recommend this place. Maybe only because it was cheap.