Budget accommodation in London is difficult to find. A stay of any length can be cost-prohibitive for the average traveller. Enter Palmers Lodge, a hostel housed in an elegant 19th-century manor house a short walk from Swiss Cottage underground station. Here is my review.

Budget accommodation in London

In September 2022, I stayed three nights in an eight-bed women’s dorm for a total cost of USD 97. For a nominal fee, a buffet breakfast is available, as well a affordable drinks in the bar. 

Not an ordinary hostel

Palmers Lodge combines the old-world charm of a grand historic building and the comforts today’s travellers expect. The impressive interior, with its large Victorian rooms and elegant staircases, preserves many unique features protected under the building’s listed status.

Embellishments add to the traditional décor without being gimmicky. These include a knight in armour tucked away in the corner of a staircase and church pews scattered throughout the building to provide seating areas for guests.

Oozing in history

Palmers Lodge was built in 1880 for Samuel Palmer of Huntley and Palmers Biscuits. When Samuel Palmer died in 1903, the house, known as ‘Northcourt,’ was gifted to a hospital charity and became the Home for Incurable Children. By 1919, many diseases once deemed incurable were now treatable, and the name changed to Northcourt Hospital and Home for Sick Children. Soon after the war was declared, the hospital was requisitioned by the war office. When the National Health Service was established in 1948, it became a training facility and later, accommodation for nurses.

In 1995, it lay empty and remained that way until 2004. After years of neglect, the building was gradually transformed into budget accommodation while retaining many of its original features.

Well-designed hostel facilities

Like most hostels, Palmers Lodge offers both dormitory accommodation and private rooms.

Awards and certificates grace the walls, testaments to its success as a hostel. It’s the kind of place that attracts people who want a clean, secure, quiet, and comfortable environment at an affordable price and within easy reach of the sights that make London famous.

I’ve stayed in many hostels, several of which seemed to have been designed by people who have never stayed in one. ‘Move a few bunks into a small room with a bathroom nearby, and they will come’ appears to be the extent of the planning. Not so with Palmers Lodge, where every important detail has been considered.

Across the hallway on the second floor was a women’s bathroom and a little further down the hall was a unisex bathroom with similar facilities. Both were cleaned twice a day. The showers produced a steady stream of hot water. The stalls had a couple of shelves and enough hooks to hang belongings. Outside the bathroom were hairdryers, mirrors, electrical outlets, and a countertop.

Towels can be rented at the reception desk.

The Wi-Fi signal was strong in my dorm and public spaces.

Throughout my stay, the dorm seemed to be fully occupied. It was hard to tell because it was so quiet, and when the privacy curtains were drawn across each bunk, it was impossible to determine if someone was happily ensconced within their private cocoon.

My lower bunk had a reading lamp, a power bar with USB ports, and a small shelf large enough for a water bottle, room key card, and mini flashlight. The bedding comprised a bottom sheet, pillow and pillowcase, and a comforter in its removable cover. I could stretch my twisted laundry line along the length of my bunk by attaching the hooks to the mattress frame of the bunk above. Similarly, the same mattress frame provided plenty of attachment points for the hooks and clips of my toiletry kits, in-ear headphones, and travel towel.

Not all dorms are the same, but in mine, one minor flaw was the design and location of lockers. Each set of two bunks had a drawer under the lower bunk, each holding two lockers. The entire drawer needed to be pulled out and on a couple of occasions, I couldn’t access my bunk until my dorm mate had finished accessing her belongings. All things considered, it was only a slight inconvenience.

The property has 24-hour CCTV security and the reception desk was staffed on a 24-hour basis.

My key card provided access to my dorm and the section of the hallway where it was located.

An elevator came in handy when managing luggage.

There’s a laundry room, a couple of computers, free luggage storage, and a spacious reading room with plenty of electrical outlets.

Photo credit: Palmers Lodge

Bar and restaurant

Most hostels with either a bar or restaurant can usually be counted on to offer food and beverages at prices lower than those of nearby establishments. Such was the case at Palmers Lodge. A happy hour brew was priced at 3 GBP, and a continental breakfast with ham, cheese, croissants, toast, muffins, cereals, and unlimited coffee cost 6.50.

Adjacent to the bar/restaurant is an indoor and outdoor area designed for companionship or solitude.

There’s a tiny kitchen for those who prefer to prepare their meals.

Conclusion

Palmers Lodge gets top marks for location, affordability, cleanliness, and attention to detail. I hope to return when I next visit London.

Palmers Lodge Hostel is located at 40 College Crescent, London NW3 5LB, United Kingdom.

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