SoHostel

SoHostel opened in 2014 after a major refurbishment that resulted in a fun, hip hostel that’s budget-friendly and full of colorful communal spaces designed to bring travelers together. Behind the up-beat atmosphere is a socially-conscious mission: The property is owned by One Housing, a nonprofit organization that uses the profits from SoHostel and its coffee shop to care for the homeless of London and fund their homeless shelter. 

The hostel is housed in a brick and stone building. Upon entering, guests are greeted by a lobby with a neon-lit front desk, blue floors, and colorful futuristic chairs for seating. Public spaces have playful decor, with colorful wall murals, futuristic chairs, fluorescent lighting along the ceiling or counters, and trendy couches and chairs with bright accent pillows. The coffee bar has wooden floors, white tables, turquoise booths, and trendy multicolored wall stencils with maps of Britain and the world. Note that there isn’t an elevator, so be prepared for stairs if you have heavy bags. The atmosphere is young and relaxed, but can be noisy. The property is also intent on being welcoming of LGBT travelers. As of 2016, SoHostel is planning to add 150 extra beds, more rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and a roof garden restaurant that serves pizza and drinks. 

The hostel is located in Soho, a major nightlife area, and the neighborhood is busy with foot traffic and taxis throughout the day and even more at night. Surrounded by cafes, bars, restaurants, and clubs, party-goers don't need to go far to find fun. There are also plenty of LGBT bars and nightclubs in the area. Beyond night revelry, there’s some attractions within walking distance, like Chinatown, which is only an eight-minute walk away. The National Gallery takes 11 minutes on foot to reach, while the Royal Opera House is a 13-minute walk. Buckingham Palace and Big Ben are both within a 26-minute walk from the property. For attractions that are too far to reach on foot, there’s a tube station a five-minute walk away and a bus stop that takes three minutes to reach. It’s a 50-minute drive to London Heathrow Airport. 

The hostel offers both private rooms and dorm-style lodging that sleeps three to 18 people. Decor is simple, with white walls, parquet or tiled floors, and black metal bunk beds with white linens and single-colored bed runners. The compact rooms have few features apart from metal lockers for storage beneath bunk beds, single plastic chairs, and a reading light attached to each bed. Private rooms have flat-screen TVs. Though the rooms are bright and clean, guests complain there are few electrical outlets in each room. Another issue is bothersome noise from within the hostel or from the street. Note that rooms do not have air-conditioning. Rooms vary from having en-suite bathrooms to rooms with just sinks and access to shared public bathrooms. Beyond hand soap, toiletries are not provided. Towels cost extra to rent. 

SoHostel features a colorful bar that offers pub-style food such as fish and chips and hamburgers. There’s also a chic coffee shop that provides caffeinated drinks and light meals or snacks. Breakfast is offered each day for a small fee, but it’s basic, with cereals, toast, and coffee or juice. Public spaces are on point here -- there’s a library, a coin-operated laundry room, a public lounge that offers movie screenings, and a Pamper Parlor with hairdryers, cute seating, and mirrors to apply makeup and do hair (freeing up the bathrooms). The hostel has a computer room with four desktops, plus free property-wide Wi-Fi. During the week, they offer free walking tours and karaoke nights. Other features include luggage storage, lockers, and board games.