Review of the Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage Hostel in London

November 22, 2025
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Finding the right hostel in London can sometimes feel like an impossible task and I have tried about 5 different ones at this point. Palmers Lodge has been my most recent stay, so here is my full review of the stay and if I’d recommend the hostel:

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My experience of the Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage Hostel in London

I chose Palmer’s based on price, reviews and rooms available at the time, but how was it really? Here is my in-depth experience and whether I would recommend it, especially for other solo, female travellers:

The location:

The location is quite nice, a short bus ride to the centre and Camden, and located right by the Swiss Cottage tube station that connect to basically anywhere in London via the Jubilee line. Swiss Cottage is Zone 2, making it very affordable too for visits to central London (Zone 1).

Regent’s Park is also only a short walk away, which is a beautiful green space and is home to one of my favourite views over London – Primrose Hill.

I felt pretty safe at all times of day in the area and there were always lots of people around. I also liked that it was a little out of central as that means it’s a little quieter and you get to experience local London.

The building:

The hostel is in a big, old building full of vintage décor, which I thought was quite cool. The building from the outside is really beautiful and very “London”. There is a big lounge space on the ground floor and a big eating area below.

There is a bit of an off food smell to the downstairs area with the kitchen and bar, which isn’t a huge issue but it is there. The kitchen is tiny with almost no utensils, so not great for cooking.

They also had a laundry room where you could wash for around £5.

The rooms:

I was in a 12- bed female dorm on the lower ground of the hostel, near the kitchen and bar. The room was very spacious and the beds well-made with curtains, which I love! There were no triple bunks, which is a pleasure in London.

The room was fairly quiet considering its location near the bar, except for the main door which was impossible to close without a bang. I could also hear train noises every few minutes, not sure if it is the nearby tube and because I was on the floor below ground. It didn’t bother me when asleep, but I would recommend earplugs!

We also had a bathroom right next door, meaning noises sometimes filtered through from there.

Cleanliness was okay, there was a bit of a musty smell but nothing too bad. I slept pretty well. I’d say if you can get a smaller dorm, it’d be even better.

The bathrooms:

There are several shared bathrooms and a female only one on the first floor. Cleanliness of the bathrooms was okay, average for hostels in London but could certainly do with a little more frequent cleaning.

As a female traveller, I didn’t love the fact that most of the bathrooms were shared as it made showering and washing up a little uncomfortable. Not a deal-breaker though.

The staff:

I didn’t interact too much with staff while there. The reception team was friendly enough and even helped me switch beds when the first one had a blocked locker by other people’s bags. They had events on like trivia night, which sounded fun.

Luggage storage:

There were lockers under the beds in the dorms. They fit my small backpack and any valuables. The dorm rooms are pretty spacious, especially for London, meaning there was plenty of space to put your bags.

After checkout, there are paid lockers. Unfortunately this is common in London. A small one was £2.50 for 6 hours and I believe a big one £6. I fit my 40l backpack and smaller bag in the small locker.

Overall:

I think the hostel is one of the best ones I’ve tried in London. It still isn’t always the cleanest and a bit noisy, but I think booking a smaller dorm would help with that. A big downside is the tiny kitchen, which means you pretty much have to eat out.
A big upside are the sturdy beds with curtains. Value for money wise, I’d definitely recommend!

Note that they had one or two reviews for bed bugs, which again is pretty common for London (unfortunately). Their response did say they addressed the issue promptly and I had no issues nor heard anything regarding that during my stay, but always remember to check your sheets and the mattress seams just in case.

How to get to London?

You will likely arrive in London in one of the four airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

Check out my full guide on getting to the city centre from each of the four airports using trains or shuttle buses here: How to Get from Each London Airport to the City Centre

Alternatively you could grab a black cab or Uber at each airport.

How many days do you need in London?

I would recommend at least 3-4 days to begin seeing some of London’s highlights, up to a week to really see all of London’s top attractions. London is a big city packed full of must-see attractions. If you have more time, London also has a ton of affordable and even free stuff to do (check out the best walks, my favourite free viewpoints and top free museums).

If you are on a time crunch or experiencing London on a layover, here is my guide on what to see in just one day in London.