Safestay Hostel: The Student’s Friend

July 8, 2012
By: Becki Dickinson

Do you ever find yourself in London, just for a short stay, but end up spending a fortune on a hotel that you’re only in for a few hours while you sleep? Well, thank the Lord, there is a solution to this problem of ours: Safestay hostel. HerUni were invited to an exclusive press launch of London’s new hostel, which opened its doors earlier this week. We were treated to a tour of the building, its facilities and around the local area. Essentially a hotel in all but name, the new Safestay hostel in Southwark is the perfect answer to your London sleepovers.

Safestay is a brand new, contemporary and affordable hostel, the first of its kind in London. It will be the first in a chain of innovating hostels internationally; with the appearance and services of a hotel, but the prices more akin to a hostel. Bringing together the old and new, Safestay is situated within the former Labour Party Headquarters, a grade two listed building, but has renovated the inside into a bold and vibrant space for travellers. This means that Safestay is able to appeal to a broad spectrum of guests, including the solo traveller, groups of friends, families or even teacher-pupil groups.

The hostel is located less than a five minute walk from the nearest tube station (Elephant and Castle). It is perfectly located, near to several transport links and several hidden gems for tourists. The tour of Southwark was an eye opener to the sites of the thriving borough; home to great history, beautiful architecture and modern innovations. Our tour guide led us around numerous historical spots, including the Cummings Museum and the Cinema Museum, which used to be a lunatic asylum where people paid to watch the ill. The walk brought us from past to present, to the Old Vic Tunnels, where history is being sprayed on the walls. Our tour supported our opinion of the hostel’s location: there’s something for everyone in the area, no matter what your age!

Not only is Safestay in a fantastic location, it is extremely competitively priced, with the lowest of the 74 rooms offered priced at just £18 per person per night. The prices include a free continental breakfast, free use of the WIFI in the lobby area and use of the internet room. Also within the hostel are a library, a large socialising area with a pool table and a paved outside heated garden. Let’s not forget the bar also, which is situated downstairs amid a vast seating area with TVs, perfect for grabbing a pint or snack throughout the day (beers are around £2 for a bottle and the bar serves toasted sandwiches).

If you are travelling in a two, or would rather share a room with as few people as possible (aka one other) then the private twin room, or family room, is ideal for you. It comprises of a single bunk bed, whose bottom bed can extend to a double. You’ll also find a 40” plasma TV, tea and coffee facilities, and an ensuite with shower (the smaller the room the higher the price). The hostel also offers four, six and eight bunk bedded rooms, most with ensuite facilities. Those without have shower and toilets located along the corridor of the floor. All rooms have comfortable beds (the mattress has been tried and tested by yours truly), with individual overhead lights should you be a late night reader, and pull curtains for that additional privacy you may require. The rooms are all of adequate size, on the premise that travellers will primarily be out of their rooms, either in the communal areas of the hostel socialising, or out in London visiting the array of tourist attractions, or even job hunting.

The hostel promotes a ‘safe stay’, and with a 24-hour reception, individual fobs to get through each door and independent lockers should guests require them to secure their personal items, the hostel definitely substantiates its claims. Safestay, akin to a hotel without the heavy price tag, is the perfect location to rest your head at night while you explore London by day. Affordable, sociable, stylish — it’s budget without downgrading, and there’s no other place to be.

To book your stay at Safestay Hostel, click here or log on to www.hostelworld.com/.

Image source: www.jamesbedford.com