WORST hostel in London! Do not stay here. It used to be a pleasant stay, but it is NOT now. There was a woman in our dorm last January running around completely nude for three days. The last night I was there she was so drunk she moved from bed to bed on fresh covers only just changed. Those sheets/duvets cost the hostel money to clean, so I reported her moving around to unassigned racks. Instead of being happy I had their back, the front desk put into the notes on MY name that I was a problem and that I had done that! I did not know it until today when I tried to book a stay this July. The Operations Manager told me he could do nothing to remove the wrongful accusations against me. He could rent a private room but not the more affordable dorm bed. The music in the pub is so loud now, it's like St. Christoper's Inn--it's all party and no comfort now. This place has rapidly descended into to a miserable place to rent a dorm bed. read more

This hostel is absolutely terrible. Very poorly managed with disrespectful staff. The bathrooms were absolutely filthy and very far away from the rooms. Additionally there were no working outlets available on the side of the room that we booked. HIGHLY disappointed and would never recommend this location. Dirty, bad experience, and absolutely zero care or effort put into rectifying. ALSO unlike other hostels they charge you a rental fee for storage lockers. INSANITY read more

Generator London - Broken dirty disgusting toilet - Hostels Near Me - London, XGL

Loved my recent 2-night stay at Generator London. The vibe is super social without feeling overwhelming, and I joined one of their evening events which was genuinely fun and a great way to meet people. The staff were friendly, the rooms were clean, and the location makes it easy to get around the city. Would definitely stay again. read more

Generator London - party - Hostels Near Me - London, XGL

I was served by Joao who made my morning! he was friendly, very accommodating and made me smile.

Definitely would not return to this hostel. I've stayed in the Paris Generator and it was so much better than this one. My room had no mirror, the smoking area was right outside the window so I'd wake up coughing because our room was filled with smoke, and we never opened the window it just came in anyways. There was no shower or bathroom in our room like the Paris one. Our shared women's bathroom that was in the hallway smelled so bad like rotting toilet paper and the showers were see through with no locks on the actual bathroom door so anyone could've walked in on you. The location is great but that's about it. read more

Generator London - Hostels Near Me - London, XGL

It shouldn't be called the generator, it should be called the incinerator. Windows do not open more than 2 inches, there is not air circulation. When you walk into the hostel is can be upwards of 5-10 degrees Celsius warmer than the outside temperature. Staff does not want to accommodate as they know the product of the hostel is a bad one, especially considering location, accommodations and basically everything else. DO NOT STAY HERE !!!!! read more

Not the best Generator location . The one in Dublin is also quite inferior to other Generator locations I've stayed at . Maybe it's also because I am getting to old to stay at hostels but the noise level in the morning caused by staff members loudly speaking Portuguese to each other gave me a headache . After attempting to check in early which was not possible ( no issue with that as I understand that it's really all about availability and the receptionist tried to do his best which I appreciate) I decided to walk to the Kimpton and drop $300 ( the cheapest room available ) on a single occupancy room because I just couldn't stay here . There's not even a lounge really ..or rather the communal space is limited so I couldn't really sit around for 7 hours waiting to check in my room . While it's a great location ( literally my singular reason for booking this place ) I still recommend booking elsewhere nearby if you can afford it or even another hostel further out . read more

Beds and bathrooms were dirty. The entire place felt unsafe. A drunk man came into the room at 3 am and made tons of noise, plus as women it felt highly unsafe to allow someone in that state to have a room. Would not recommend if you're a woman, especially alone. read more

*GREAT COMFY BED - slept like a baby . *GREAT SHOWER - free shower gel and en-suite *AMAZING STAFF - keisha and Meg will always chat with you *SPIN THE WHEEL - I won a free pizza and free drink AMAZONG VALUE FOR MONEY . I've stayed in many hotels and this is really great value for money there's a laundry room too 5 stars all the way!!! read more

Defines needs some work. The one elevator was out of service making it inaccessible for anyone handicapped and difficult for guests with luggage. The beds were not made and we were provided with one sheet and one comforter with NO pillowcases. There was makeup smeared on multiple surfaces and one of the pillows was stained. The laundry services are overpriced (almost 5 pounds for a wash, and 4 for a dry) and the dryers are dysfunctional as you need to run them twice (AKA pay double the price). read more

The room we were given when we arrived at extreme sewage odor in it. It's obvious this place does not have proper ventilation for their plumbing. We were given another room, but it was smaller. I asked the attendant at the desk about if they could call for a taxi for me, they said what about an Uber? I said no I only wanted to use a taxi. They said to use the phone number by the desk with the phone numbers on the posted paper by the phone for taxi service and that that would give me a taxi. I use the phone number that they provided and then waited outside for in quotations the taxi. When the unmarked white car arrived and stopped in front of me, the driver said are you the one needing a ride and I said yes are you a taxi? The driver said I'm just like a taxi. Reluctantly, I entered the car and the driver began driving. I said do you know where I'm supposed to go? I had already given the address to the person on the phone when I called them. He said yes, but you can give me the address again. I said no you're supposed to know the address already. He said here it is on my phone and the address was for some comic book store. I told him I had told the person when I called that I wanted to go see the MI6 government building. He said he could take me there. I said OK? And then he said you're Payne in cash right? And I said no I only pay taxis with my debit card. The driver then said I need you to pay in cash or some form of other payment? I said you are not a taxi service stop the car. He stopped the car after we had driven about 3/4 of a mile from the generator and I exited the car and left. I walked the 3/4 of a mile back to the generator and told the attendant that I spoke with at the desk before that you are not Referring your customers to a taxi service at your selected phone number at your phone at the desk and that you are lying to your customers and passing them onto an Uber service so you can get part of the funds. The attendant repeatedly apologized and then I said, can you please call me a taxi and he said he was unable to do that. I then laughed and walked down the street to the Holiday Inn and was immediately received with a customer service representative and they called me a London taxi cab, who is very helpful and helped me get to my location and back to the generator. Then as of a situation wasn't already bad after changing rooms to one that didn't smell like sewage. I went to take my shower in the community shower where two of the stalls were taped off with black and yellow tape and the other three were open with one blasting water that could not be shut off that was running out into the hallway. And then having black mold, hanging from the ventilation system above. Needless to say no shower was really taken here. The only thing I can tell anybody considering staying here is to not stay here. The rooms are not clean. The service is horrible and just not in any standard is a good place to stay. I can't even think about trying to bring children to this place. read more

The private 4 persons rooms are super small. Two bunk beds with barely 3 feet in distance between them. You literally have to rotate in and out to be able to access the tiny sink. The women's bathroom stinks, and two of the four showers don't have hot water. In the mens bathroom one shower door does not latch. The only plus is the location other than that, this is by far the worst hostel we have ever stayed at. read more

The staff at Generator really made the experience great. First time in a Hostel and wasn't sure what to expect or how I would go without the usual luxuries of a hotel. But the moment we walked in we were made to feel at home by Yomade (especially) and the tanned Brazilian barman (never got his name). We initially booked a room for 4 but decided to upgrade to a private room because of the lack of space. Location wise it was perfect and walking distance from multiple stations. Definitely would recommend to a friend. read more

Buckle up everyone for I have a story to tell. Travelling with my sister we had seperate bunks with an old man underneath my sister. She felt uncomfortable so had to change rooms, luckily staff members were very helpful and friendly getting us into a new room on the same bunks. Unfortunately this new room smelt absolutely disgusting (musty feet, B.O and doglike kinda stench) as well as an extremely creepy lady laughing all night (can't blame the generator for her just adding for context) Had to hack it for that night but couldn't stand the smell the next day so got into a new room, this room smelt fine, however as soon as we walked in we had two guests staring at us very creepily and one of them seemed to have tourette's. We felt very uncomfortable (not because of the Tourette's!) so moved again to our 4th room before our 2nd night of stay. This time we luckily got put in a room with no other guests that did not smell at all and got a well needed fresh aired good nights rest in that room. Ofc there was a catch that we had to check out of that room for a new room as it was fully booked for the following day. Now checked into our 5th room of our stay right next door. It seems clean & fine for our 3rd and final night. Hopefully no unexpected crazy people staring at us that smell like feet and b.o. Overall generator is hit or miss for the rooms, (mostly miss) they should have an age limit for the guests like some other generators do. The only good thing about the place is the staff are super friendly and helpful. ESPECIALLY GIULIANA! Very kind and knows what she's doing very much so. read more

Lift out of order, had to carry luggage to 5th floor. Avoid placing items on bed headboards, they fall to the floor out of reach into dirty crevices. Courtesy hair dryers don't work. Light fixtures not working in vanities. USB ports loose. Cramped shower spaces. read more

Location is fine and the bar was OK but everything else was pretty bad. Showers were terrible and you get backwash from all the other showers. I'm still not sure what the "changing rooms?" were for...looked like it wanted to be a shower but no hooks or anything resembling it. The rooms were way too cramped even for 4 people let alone 6. Overall, definitely wouldn't come back...can we also mention the random people in the bathroom? Yikes read more

Very warm, upbeat and welcoming staff. Quick to assist, answer questions, and make suggestions. Check in was smooth, no problems. Decoration around the lounge, bars, dining areas are eclectic and modern decor. Lots of people passing through on vacation or on other reasons for travel. Just standing in the lobby, you can hear at least 5 languages in the air. Cool!! I stayed in a women's dorm for 10. So 5 bunk beds, including personal trunk space and vanity area, 1 sink inside the dorm, women's bathroom down the hall. Everyone is very respectful, quiet at night and early in the morning. Guys across the hall or around the corner were quiet too. I was pleasantly surprised how quiet it was at night. Not rowdy at all. Only issue, you can't bring in food from outside and there isn't a kitchen to prepare your own food. So you can either purchase prepared food in the restaurant/pub on the premises , or eat out. Tons of affordable places to eat and drink within a block or few blocks walking. Great neighborhood, safe and easily access to the underground train. I would stay here again!!! read more

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I made my reservation over the phone using the number on their website. I paid nearly double the price for a female-only room since I was traveling solo. I got checked into a co-ed room without knowing until men started entering my room. I went to the front desk to sort it out, and found out they didn't write down that I wanted female-only when I made the reservation! I had only received a text-confirmation (no email) so I had no "proof" that I booked a female dorm (the price was nearly double than co-ed so that should have been proof enough). They wouldn't move me to a female dorm, all they could do was either move me to a private room for $50 more a night, or check in the rest of the men who were scheduled to be in my room to another room as the day went on... meaning I'd still loose the $20 difference between what I already paid for female-only, and I'd still be in a room with all men, or I pay triple what I had already paid for a private . Everything about this felt super sketchy and I had been traveling for 2 days at that point and was dead tired, so I decided to check out since they refused to refund me or give me a credit for the price difference and went to another hotel where I had a way better experience. Your safety is NOT their priority in the slightest, they just want your money and to put bodies into beds, at ANY cost. I live in a country now where if something happened to me and I ended up getting raped, I'd have zero protection at home. It just wasn't worth the risk. I'm super disappointed because the generator I stayed at in Denmark was incredible. This location really dropped the ball and I won't be staying with this company ever again. DO NOT RECOMMEND FOR WOMEN TRAVELING SOLO. read more

I have mixed feels about this place! Giving it 3 stars for its potential, though my personal experience was more of 1-star kinda time. I booked a bed in an all-girls dorm last minute as a place to crash after a week of solo travel before my flight home the next day. Unfortunately, I wasn't provided a bed sheet (which I didn't notice until I was getting into bed exhausted at 11pm) so I ended up sleeping on the plastic mattress cover all night (ew). I did try to go upstairs to talk to the staff about it, but the line was so long to get to reception, I could not be bothered to wait when I just wanted to go to bed. Plus, my room was right next to the smoking area, meaning it smelled of smoke and I had to listen to partiers chatting all night. When you're only coming to a hostel with the goal of sleeping, this is not ideal. Not much sleep occurred. Like some other Yelpers said, they do nickel and dime you for towels, locks, etc. Glad I came prepared with those things so I didn't have to purchase! All this said, if I were 5-7 years younger and was in more of a party/social mood, I think I could have liked it here. There's a huge bar and cafe upstairs which I could see being a great place to meet people if I'd had more time. The rooms and bathrooms were squeaky clean (super key), and the location was fantastic: It was about a 10 minute walk from King's Cross Station, which I used to easily get to and from Gatwick Airport, and walking distance from all the major sites of London if you're keen to stroll. And if you're Pret a Manger obsessed like me, there are Prets on every corner of this hood! Overall, because of the fantastic location and handy cafe, I'd give it another chance if I could book a private room away from the smoking section, and I'd recommend the dorms to someone in their early twenties who was down to party. read more

Zagat guide needs to hire Lazarus. My trip to London would have been a waste without his insight. Great hostel, fair prices. Shoutout to Barris and Oliver as well. Keep them around. read more

This was my first time staying in a hostel so maybe my review is biased. My friend wanted to stay here because of the "great location and cheap price." She said we would have a private room. She was correct the three of us had a private room, but we had to share a communal bathroom and the room was super small. So small we all couldn't get ready at once. The room was just ok, but I found the heater to be a bit concerning..lots of signs saying that anything put on top of the heater was a fire hazard. Bring a towel with you as they will not provide one. Actual building was nice and modern. Breakfast was extra, so we didn't get it. I could of dealt with the small room situation, but the showers were too much. Without going into too many details I got stuck in the shower. By stuck I mean the latch got stuck and I couldn't open it. This was the FIRST time that ever happened to me. Therefore, this is a public courtesy to warn everyone that the shower latch on the 4th floor does jam so close at your own risk. read more

Generator London - The small private room. - Hostels Near Me - London, XGL

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Prison like dormitory. No A/C in the middle of summer so the rooms were minimum 85° F every night. Sheet was full of black mold so had to get another one and the one that was moldy they just tossed it in the dirty clothes bin for someone else to get (good luck). Bathrooms were marginally clean, and by that I mean not one time did I go in and they were clean. The shower heads spat water the wrong way. And good luck trying to find a quiet place to make a phone call, inside the music is turned to 11 and outside the security guard yells at you if you are doing anything but sitting there silent, not allowed to make a phone call. 2 stars only because it's $50 a night and semi-decent location. Don't expect anything nice at all though. Good luck. read more

Here is my full honest review after staying here for 3 days. This hostel is in a perfect location being so close to kings cross. The beds are not bad however the bathrooms were absolutely disgusting. We stayed on floor 2 and the bathrooms flooded constantly with mass amounts of hair or other bodily fluids floating around. The locks did not work on the doors either. We ended up showering on floor 0 because the bathrooms there were much nicer. The bar was cute and the food at the restaurant was good. I tried breakfast the first day but did not go back because it was not good. The staff was pretty rude, especially the girl with the shoulder length brown hair -(I believe she was Australian). Multiple people I encountered said that she was rather rude and an unpleasant person to them. I would definitely not stay here again however it's a hostel so you can't expect too much. read more

Quite unhappy with my first Generator experience. While the location is killer, especially if you are taking the Eurostar, the fact that they want to nickel and dime you to death is tedious. 5 pounds for a towel? 5 pounds to put my bag in a locker? I'll go with other hostels that charge closer to 2 pounds (or less!) for a towel and will watch your bags for free. If part of the point of being in hostels is saving money, you won't do so here. To say nothing of the overcrowded rooms that feature beds with no outlets nearby. A bit like living in a first world slum. You'll find better elsewhere in London. I have before, and will again. read more

People stay at hostels because they are cheap and affordable but when a place finds ways to rip you off that is a problem. For instance : I brought my own coffee so I asked for hot water for which they charged me 50 pence for? Seriously? Charging for hot water? Who does this? Another thing: They have music blasting 24/7 throughout. Some good, mostly bad blasting as if your at a concert.. What if someone doesn't want the music? Music is fine just keep it mellow.. Also, the food is a joke.. They charge an arm and a leg for it and let's just say that they aren't generous with the portions. Also, it's not that good. And the minute the clock strikes 11 am, they close everything down regardless if you want more , juice or the like. In fact, they quite Jerks about it. Also, they have a TV room. It's on BBC News all the time. When I asked if I could change it I was told that "we aren't allowed to"... Um, yea ok... Speaking of which, they advertise movie night but there was never one so advertising under false pretenses. I can go on and on but I think you get the gist of this review. I stayed here under the recommendation of a friend who must know something I don't because they raved about this place but I recommend you look elsewhere someplace that actually cares about their guests... read more

Generator London - This is on work their breakfast. It costs 6.50 (pounds) - Hostels Near Me - London, XGL

This place is definitely for the young traveler. The generator was my first hostel experience, so I went in expecting the worst, and I was surprised it was not as bad as my parents had warned. I stayed in an all female dorm with 6 bunks, and as I was traveling through Europe by myself, it was great to meet other girls to go out and explore with. The dorm style bathrooms are awful, the bar here is full of creepy dudes, but the people are friendly and you get free breakfast and free wifi, so I would definitely recommend this hostel. It's London, so the value you get here is pretty amazing. oh and be warned of the luggage room. See the picture. read more

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I just recently spent the past week here. The place is cleanly, vibrant, and perfectly located for getting around anywhere in London. I highly recommend staying here! Only downfall is the shower pressure. Not sure if this is a common issue in London or not. The management is incredible! I had the misfortune of having my lockbox (equipped with a pad lock) broken into. My travel wallet which only contained my passport, was the only stolen item. I spoke with the manager at the front desk. She was extremely sympathetic and helpful. We ended up looking around my room and found the wallet stuffed under an empty mattress. Thankfully, my passport was still inside and that I had taken all my cards/money with me in my other wallet during the day. If I can recommend anything for travellers, is ask the staff at the front desk if they can keep your most valuable items (passport/id/wallet/money/etc.) at the front desk in the safe. The manager recommended this for me. No matter how safe you believe your items are in the room, in a locker, with a lock, it can still be broken into. There are cameras and security staff everywhere except in the rooms and washrooms. So, it helps to keep it at the front desk where it will be safe. I also recommend taking photos of all your documents just in case they get stolen. Also, send a copy of the photos to someone reliable in the incident if your phone gets lost/stolen. Overall, I had an amazing time here. Even after the bump in the road. The management made my trip so much better by the professional manor in which she dealt with the incident. She moved me into a new room and ensured that the rest of my trip would be enjoyable (which it was). ** read more

I wish I could give this place 0 stars. The staff are rude and the guests are annoying; they blast a terrible radio station in the common room during the day. There is "security" patrolling the hostel 24 hours a day like someone important is here. This is the worst hostel I have been to and I have been to a good amount of hostels. It is Nazi Germany. I felt like someone was constantly on my ass waiting for me to break one of their ridiculous "rules". There are too many people staying here, you have to pay to use the computers and there is no free breakfast. The security guards constantly harass the people staying here. The only good thing about this place is that it is cheap but I would rather pay a little bit extra to stay anywhere else. Worst hostel I have ever stayed at! Read all the reviews before booking here because most elaborate on how terrible this place really is. Please find a more accommodating place to stay, unless you like fascists. read more

Generator London - Not only was the sink clogged up like this, the water actually came out of the faucet this color. - Hostels Near Me - London, XGL

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HEAT DOES NOT RUN ALL DAY (even in winter) I am disappointed to provide such a low score to this location. It is solely for lack of heating. The first night I slept in a thermal top, thermal pants, socks and gloves using my outdoor jacket on top of my blanket and two hand warmers under the provided blanket. 30F/0C degrees is too cold outside to forgo heat. The heat runs only during certain hours of the night beginning at 9PM to somewhere around 3AM, off for a few hours and then on again to turn off at 9AM. (Or something to this idea) After a day of touring in freezing temperatures, we dreaded coming home. Other positive notes.. The hostel: Interior is funky, hip and trendy from the decor to loud, modern music. Many groups and individuals filled the common areas and bar. Despite the traffic, it was actually pretty clean. 4 person dorm: Not overly small for a dorm room. Each person has access to storage bin under the beds which can be locked. Communal bathrooms: Fine. Communal showers: Poor, smelly, in need of maintenance. Water never reached hot but was warm. I paid for 4 nights and only slept at the hostel for 1. Too cold. read more

NOTE: They got renovated in the summer 2013. We were the first inhabitants of our NEW 4-person room (around 35-40 Euros/night). We could still smell the paint off our walls. The room had 2 bunk beds, a sink, storage for each person, windows w/ curtains and system heater/AC. The room was wayyyy too small for comfort. There's about 3 feet wide walkway in between the beds to walk, so it was impossible for all of us to get ready in the morning without running into each other. There were separate gender bathrooms. However, the shower rooms were still old. I hated how we had to hang our clothes and towel on a tiny hook outside of our stall so it wouldn't get wet, but it ends up falling on the ground anyway - Yikes! I recommend bringing a small plastic bag to hold everything in. Free breakfast was pretty nice: juice, milk, coffee, cereal, ham, cheese, bread, etc. You get one free drink at the bar too! And every night, they have some kind of event in the lobby/bar. Anywho, the three 3 S's are pretty well here: safety, sleep, and sanitary (although the bathroom lacks a bit here). Workers are pretty chill too. What can I say.. I have a soft spot for British guys with accents. read more

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Perfect except for the bathroom : the toilets were often blocked and the showers were to small (and there was nothing to lay the clothes,...). Except that, the hostel was great, big and well located ! read more

This is the fourth hostel that I have stayed at over the past week and a half as my best friend, sister, and I are finishing up our Euro trip in London. Upon arrival we were immediately impressed with the set up of the hostel downstairs. A cafe/bar, lots of seating, music, and a full bar in the back that opens after 8pm. This is clearly catered to young college kids but was fun and seemingly better than most of the other ones we stayed at (Meininger in Amsterdam was the best). About 20 minutes after we got to our PRIVATE room that we PAID approximately 150 pounds for a night, a girl who works at the hostel takes it upon herself to enter our room with a key without knocking first or saying a thing. Again, this is a PRIVATE room that we paid extra for and not a dorm room with college kids. Then, she asks us if we've checked in already. Of course we have. We are physically IN the room??? She leaves and we are disturbed. What if we had been changing? Completely unacceptable. But we brush it off. Two days later we are in our room when the SAME girl walks in once again. I asked her "Can you knock?" To which she rudely replies that she knocked AND said "housekeeping." There were three of us in the room, that did not happen. I told her she did not and it's not okay to just walk into our room. She asked if we had a do not disturb sign. No, we were never given one or offered one nor was there one in our room upon arrival. She's bickering back and forth with us about this, never offering an apology and continues to stand there to put a STICKER on the back of our door after we made it quite clear she needed to leave. At this point we don't feel comfortable at all leaving any valuables in our room. This hostel does not value your privacy. I did see do not disturb hang signs on a housekeeping cart on our way out, but we never received one, nor were we offered one when we subsequently complained at the front desk. I will say most of the other staff members were pleasant and willing to help us out during our stay and offered hospitality. Another issue is the fact that the shared bathrooms were SO far away from our room that it was a trek every time you needed to use it. If we needed to get up in the middle of the night it was difficult to go back to sleep after walking there and back through many doors and halls. Electrical outlets in rooms offered 2 USB ports per panel, but they didn't work. The lady at the front desk was kind enough to let us borrow an adapter which normally cost 6 pounds I believe. This was meant to be temporary until someone would come fix it the following day (never happened). The hostel offers breakfast for 9.5 pounds a day and a cafe menu with about 10 items on it. They post signs around the cafe and seating areas saying no outside food is permitted which seemed extreme considering their tiny menu and taking into account dietary restrictions (my best friend is vegan). This was also the only hostel we stayed at that didn't have a kitchen/microwave/any cooking appliances. For such an expensive hostel you will end up spending even more money not being able to bring in your own food to cook and they really just nickel and dime you for everything. 4 pounds a towel. If you value your privacy and comfort, just spend slightly more for something better. It's not worth it here. read more

Probably the worst hostel I've stayed in, don't waste your money. This significantly effected my London experience and I suggest you find another hostel that will make your stay more comfortable. 1. The dorm room was under no circumstances worth the money we paid. It was impossible to move around or store your luggage. There was one small sink that wouldn't turn off and a single mirror that was placed so high you could only see the top of your head. Also only 6 working plugs for 9 girls staying in the dorm. It looks nothing like the pictures they have posted. 2. I'm going to give them the benefit that our stay was during Londons heat wave but the ventilation in the hallways and rooms were borderline unlivable. The air was so so stuffy and hot, nobody wanted to go anywhere near the hostel during the day. The staff was not committed to making our stay comfortable and didn't have enough fans for the rooms. 3. The bathroom situation was awful. The showers were always packed with people because there was only one bathroom for probably over 100 people on the floor I was staying on. There were three sinks, no counter space, and a broken blow dryer. 4. Lastly the breakfast was minimal. Although breakfast was 'included' I bought cereal and just used their milk. What they offered was disgusting. Just sliced of ham and cheese which was gross. Old cucumbers, mushy tomatoes, and spoiled fruit cocktail. Would not recommend the hostel whatsoever read more

I cannot say enough good things about this place. I stayed for a week and was blown away by the hospitality! Steph who works at the bar is absolutely darling. Kind and patient. I saw her deal with some pretty crazy patrons and kept her cool the whole time. There's also a young Australian guy who works behind the bar. He was outstanding and kind. Everyone at the front desk was helpful and patient. The cleaning staff! Also lovely and sweet. The rooms were clean and I felt really safe. I was really reluctant to stay in a hostel and first but SO happy I did. I will definitely be back! Thank you for an amazing time and please give the Australian kid behind the bar my information. I would like to date him. Thanks ! read more

Do NOT stay here. Their customer service is terrible. I have tried calling about 15+ times to speak with a worker regarding a missing $700 object, but they either immediately hang up and send me to voicemail, or they answer and give me incorrect information as to who to contact next. My stay here was gross, uncomfortable, unpleasant, and quite honestly upsetting. read more

This was my first time staying at a hostel and I was very nervous about doing so. I was very pleased with the experience provided at Generator. The location is very clean and they offer all of the amenities you would need while traveling. Their drinks were a little expensive at the bar but the food was reasonably priced. I definitely recommend getting their breakfast if you stay there, it is a good deal and very convenient when traveling. This is definitely upscale compared to a normal hostel which is why the price is a little steeper than normal, but it is definitely well worth it. It's located right by Russell square and kings cross tube stations which will take you anywhere you need to go in London. At night, they had numerous security guards outside at every entrance which made me feel very safe. The only negative thing I have to say about this hostel is that they often falsely advertised events that were happening. For example they advertised a "ladies night" at the bar when in reality there wasn't one. The staff could also be a little rude at times. However, overall, I was very pleased with my stay here. I definitely recommend it for anyone wary of staying in a hostel for the first time or traveling to London. read more

I stayed here for four days in 2004 and it is horrible. I got a filthy private room with uncomfortable bunk beds and shared bath. The window opened on to the alley that came to the front and all night long I heard the loud clunk clunk clunk of luggage wheels on the cobblestones. Every morning at 7 am someone pulled the fire alarm, I was told that it was a tradition. I give them an extra star simply because the room was affordable and their bar was open till 3 am. read more

I've stayed at plenty of hostels in my life and the Generator does EVERYTHING wrong. This place resembles a big creepy dorm with questionable hallways and pipes running through whichever way it wants. Here's what Generator does wrong: - CRAMPED rooms. Absolute no place to even do a somersault. - Bathrooms didn't work on every other floor - Broken Elevators - Construction right outside our room with scaffolding so people could walk on. - Mushy beds that curve in the middle so you are cacooned in. - Bunk beds where the bottom bunk has about 2 feet before the top bunk. - Expensive for what you get...or don't get. What Geneator does right: - Free drink upon arrival! Woot! - Security that checks key cards after a certain hour. - Free brekky! - Sink in room. - Prime location, about 2 blocks from King's Cross Station If I came back to London, I will NOT be returning to the Generator no matter how poor I am. read more

The most disgusting hotel i have ever been too. the service is horrible, the rooms are dirty (it looks like the don't even try). the showers are disgusting as well. read more

One VERY early Monday morning, sometime during March 2014, the Baby Jesus smiled down upon my soul and gifted me with the privilege of getting my hands on the much sought after Kate Bush tickets that everyone was flipping the F out about. 550 Canadian dollars in the hole, I was the proud owner of 2 Kate Bush tickets. I was going to London! I love getting private rooms in hostels and settled on the Generator after much research. I booked a private room on-line and the total came to 270 pounds for 4 days. Seemed like a fair price, but god god does that exchange rate sucked my willingness to live; that basically comes out to 500 Canadian bucks. Owwwiiieee. But FRIK IT, KATE BUSH, LONDON. IT WAS HAPPENING. I emailed with the Generator before-hand to ask a bunch of inane questions about the rooms and they were courteous and helpful. I also changed the booking dates a few times with them as well, and they were super accommodating and informative, they even kept sending me updated invoices! They take credit card info to secure the room and do not charge until you check in. Loved it. Arrival: The Generator is suppperrrr central, but tucked away in a quiet side street. I opted to disembark at Kings Cross Station, and after a little confused wandering, I found Tavistock Road and was soon at the Generator sign, I walked down a cute alleyway and up to steps to the hostel. Where I met 1 of the 4 big beautiful Bouncer/Security guards that man the door at all times during the day (2 out of the four always told me what a pretty lady I was/complimented me all the time so A+ on the ego boost service these guys provided.) could come off as creepy, but their Caribbean charm was entirely endearing to me. After a certain hour into the night, security is then placed at the entrance alleyway and you have to show your door card to get in. It made me feel VERY safe and I loved the precautions and security level of the place. Especially as a woman travelling alone. The room: Super super clean. Clean sheets, clean floor, spotless bathroom. I was on floor 3, room 318, and the end of their hall. The private room was tiny! I booked the room for 2, but actually ended up solo, so it wasn't a huge issue for me. But be aware, there isn't much room to turn around and relax in there with 2 people, and their suitcase(s) worth of stuff. The room came with a bunk bed set, a bench and a private equally tiny "wet room" aka, a toilet and shower in the same space with no separation between the shower and toilet. I found that to be a delightful surprise. The wet room also came with a bombass waterfall shower head that had excellent water pressure and temperature. And there was a powerful ceiling fan that sucked out all the moisture and water from the wet room - by next morning, the puddle in the middle of the wet room was gone, and everything was dry. Plus, the door has a rubber stopper, so aside from anything in the wet room, nothing else outside gets wet. The door to the room was a little sketchy, it has to slam to actually close, and there were a few instances where the door closed lightly and didn't lock. And because the doors SLAM LIKE HECK, night time (and basically all the time) is loud. I am a light sleeper and had to buy ear plugs (they ran out of them at front desk sigh) so I could get a good nights rest from all the WHAMMING AND SLAMMING. The food is meh, overpriced and mostly not worth your time. You can get a better deal elsewhere, or pop into the Whiterose literally across the street for some budget eats. I did however get the Generators their full english breakfast because it looked so good, and that's the only thing I really liked. Their burger was run of the mill. Overall, I really liked my stay at the Generator, despite staying at a hostel, I kept to myself and enjoyed the solitude and awesome level of service! read more