Vacation packages
Stays
Cars
Flights
Support
AARP Member Savings
My Trips
AARP.org
Join
Renew

Saint James Backpackers

2.0 star property
Hostel with free breakfast, in the vicinity of Buckingham Palace

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Saint James Backpackers

Triple Room, Terrace | Terrace/patio
View from property
Terrace/patio
Shared fridge, microwave
Living area
Saint James Backpackers, near Buckingham Palace in central London, offers a lively retreat for explorers. Enjoy free self-serve breakfast on the garden patio, a gym, in-room WiFi, luggage storage, and 24/7 staff assistance. Perfect after visiting Big Ben and London Dungeon.

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Gym
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Housekeeping
  • Free WiFi

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 20 of 20 rooms

View all photos for Standard Double Room, Ensuite

Standard Double Room, Ensuite | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Standard Double Room, Ensuite

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Smart TV
Private bathroom
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Standard Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Smart TV
Detached private bathroom
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Standard Twin Room, Ensuite

Standard Twin Room, Ensuite | Room amenity

Standard Twin Room, Ensuite

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Smart TV
Private bathroom
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Detached private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • 10 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 3 Twin Beds

View all photos for Shared Dormitory (Bed in 8 mixed dorm)

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Shared Dormitory (Bed in 8 mixed dorm)

7.6 out of 10
Good
(5 reviews)

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • 20 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Shared Dormitory (Bed in 6 mixed dorm)

Shared Dormitory (Bed in 6 mixed dorm) | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Shared Dormitory (Bed in 6 mixed dorm)

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Single Room (Bed in 4 mixed dorm)

Single Room (Bed in 4 mixed dorm) | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Single Room (Bed in 4 mixed dorm)

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Shared Dormitory (Bed in 8 Female dorm)

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Shared Dormitory (Bed in 8 Female dorm)

7.6 out of 10
Good
(4 reviews)

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • 36 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Triple Room, Terrace

Triple Room, Terrace | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Triple Room, Terrace

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 3
  • 3 Twin Beds

View all photos for 4-Bed Mixed Dorm

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

4-Bed Mixed Dorm

  • Sleeps 1

View all photos for 6-Bed Mixed Dorm

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

6-Bed Mixed Dorm

  • Sleeps 1

View all photos for 8- Bed Female Only Dorm

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

8- Bed Female Only Dorm

  • Sleeps 1

View all photos for 8- Bed Mixed Dorm

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

8- Bed Mixed Dorm

  • Sleeps 1

View all photos for Private Double Bed Room With Ensuite

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Private Double Bed Room With Ensuite

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for Private Double Bed Room Without Ensuite

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Private Double Bed Room Without Ensuite

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for Private Twin Single Bed Room With Ensuite

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Private Twin Single Bed Room With Ensuite

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for 3 Bunk Bed Private Room Without Ensuite

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

3 Bunk Bed Private Room Without Ensuite

  • Sleeps 3

View all photos for Triple Room, Terrace

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi, bed sheets

Triple Room, Terrace

  • Sleeps 3

Triple Room With Terrace

  • Sleeps 3

Standard Double Room With Shared Bathroom

  • Sleeps 2

You may also like

Ad
Suite, 2 Bedrooms, Terrace | 1 bedroom, Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, in-room safe

The May Fair, A Radisson Collection Hotel, Mayfair London

London City Centre
  • Spa
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
8.8 out of 10, Excellent, 1,028 reviews
The May Fair, A Radisson Collection Hotel, Mayfair London

About the neighborhood

Map
21 Longridge Road, London, England, SW5 9SB

What's nearby

  • Kensington High Street - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Natural History Museum - 19 min walk - 1.0 mile
  • Hyde Park - 6 min drive - 1.5 miles
  • Buckingham Palace - 13 min drive - 2.6 miles
  • Big Ben - 16 min drive - 3.7 miles

Getting around

  • Earl's Court Station - 6 min walk
  • West Brompton Station - 12 min walk
  • London City Airport (LCY) - 62 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Caffè Nero - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Earls Court Tavern - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Jollibee - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪KFC - ‬4 min walk

About this property

Saint James Backpackers

Hostel near Buckingham Palace
Located close to Big Ben and London Dungeon, Saint James Backpackers provides free self-serve breakfast, a terrace, and a garden. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities such as a playground and a gym.
You'll also enjoy the following perks during your stay:
  • A 24-hour front desk, barbecue grills, and luggage storage
  • A banquet hall, outdoor furniture, and coffee/tea in the lobby
  • A TV in the lobby
  • Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms at Saint James Backpackers have amenities such as free WiFi.

Similar properties

Reception

Generator London

  • Pet friendly
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Game room
7.2 out of 10, Good, 1,005 reviews
Generator London

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available

Food and drink

  • Free self-serve breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Things to do

  • Gym
  • Playground
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • Playground

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Picnic area
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only

More

  • Banquet hall
  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer (on request)

More

  • Iron/ironing board on request

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
Guests should be aware that 1 cat and 1 dog reside at this property
This property enforces quiet hours from 11:00 AM to 7:00 AM
Each guest is required to present a valid government-issued photo ID card at check-in, such as a passport or driver's license.

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: GBP 20 per person, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Towels fee: GBP 5 per stay (or guests may bring their own)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts only chip-and-PIN credit cards for onsite payments
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a smoke detector

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Some facilities may have restricted access; guests can contact the property for details using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Alcohol is not served at this property

Property is also known as

Saint James Backpackers Hostel London
Saint James Backpackers Hostel
Saint James Backpackers London
Saint James Backpackers London England
Saint James Backpackers London
Saint James Backpackers Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Saint James Backpackers Hostel/Backpacker accommodation London

Frequently asked questions

Is Saint James Backpackers pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Saint James Backpackers?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Saint James Backpackers?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Saint James Backpackers?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Where is Saint James Backpackers located?

Located in London City Centre, this hostel is 2.8 mi (4.6 km) from Buckingham Palace and within 6 mi (10 km) of Big Ben and London Dungeon. University of London and St. Paul's Cathedral are also within 6 mi (10 km). Earl's Court Station is 6 minutes by foot and West Kensington Underground Station is 10 minutes.

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Reviews

Saint James Backpackers Reviews

7.8

Good

7.4

Cleanliness

8.4

Location

8.0

Staff & service

7.6

Eco-friendliness

7.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 84 out of 228 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 75 out of 228 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 37 out of 228 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 12 out of 228 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 20 out of 228 reviews

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Waiping

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness
I booked for 2 nights and stayed only the first night because of bedbugs on my bed and I was bitten so badly. Hope they do some deep clean for the rooms
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rawle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the free cooked breakfast, TV room area, and outside chill out area.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Phoebe

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
I tried for a week to reach the hostel in several different ways: phone, email, Facebook. I never got any response. The stay itself was great.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rawle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent service and facilities.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ruby

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great people and great place
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Nibal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Saint James Hostel

Saint James hostel is a welcoming place to stay. It gives you the feel of a family home, with its very friendly and helpful staff who connect with guests. The hostel offers free breakfast and free dinner. They organise events and games to entertain. They even have a happiness manager! Tosh does a great job whether he is cooking dinner, making popcorn or organising a game for the guests. I recommend trying it if visiting London.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Huilian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
They don't have an elevator, but the staff helped me with my luggage, so I can't complain. They offer free dinner (on my stay it was vegan beans, salad, and rice) and free breakfast (eggs cooked for you upon request). They have a dedicated bathroom for women which is great. The only mess was that the key they gave me at checkin didn't correspond to my bed number. The locker was stuck under the bed. When I came back from theatre in the evening, someone else put her stuff on my bed. I had to go check with the reception and they pointed me to another unused bed. All the changes caused a longer check-out time.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Greg

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Free dinner and breakfast
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

George

Liked: Staff & service

Bit hot and smelly but good atmosphere

Pretty good for the money. Nice atmosphere from the moment you walk in. Definitely stay in the smaller dorm than the larger ones.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

4/10 Poor

Maan

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
No bathroom on 3 floor. Poor breakfest.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Brett

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

I would stay again

I booked last minute, the room was comfortable and in the perfect location for work. The room had modern decor and the bed was comfortable but the wifi was sluggish to say the least.

8/10 Good

valerie

Liked: Staff & service

cheerful and friendly

This has to be the friendliest, most cheerful hostel i have ever stayed in. Had great conversations with people even though many are much younger, but some my age. But beds could be better - pillows woeful. More cleaning needs to be done. Great having breakfast provided as well as social activities organised by management.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

MING

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
All good~
Stayed 12 nights in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Charles

Disliked: Room comfort

Theft

Not happy,2 cans ovv my beer stolen from fridge , asked for replacement not given or refund £ as details on fridge anyone taking items not there’s is theft No lift wasn’t pleased
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Bed bugs

Sadly got bites from bed bugs. First and last time here. The bunk bed was basic but creaked everytime the girl above moved. Couldn’t sleep because of this. I stayed here as I was going to a work event in the evening and just needed a place to lay my head. The bed bug bites were upsetting to say the least.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very dirty, smell of drugs. Bathrooms very dirty.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

6/10 Okay

Patrick

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff and perfect more thsn perfect Spaghetti Bolognese. The rest wasn't good. Loud everywhere and the doors very loud until ithe night and morning. I slept maximum 3 hours each night. Wash bassins only extreme hot water. Shower area to small. The "Power" in the bathrooms for shaving doesn' t work. No electricy. You have to buy an adapter for UK but that is not useable in the bathroom.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

Hannah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Overall, this was good value for the price and the hostel is in a great location - close to the tube and there is a grocery store and multiple restaurants down the street. My one complaint was that when I took a shower, the drain was clogged and I was immediately standing in 4 inches of dirty water. Future guests should note the following: - The all-female dorm is two floors above the all-female bathroom. All other bathrooms are any gender. - There are no privacy curtains on the bunks - Dorms do not have quiet/curtesy hours posted - The kitchen is small and closed when the staff are cooking dinner. Dinner is limited to the first 30 people who sign up each morning. So if you have plans to make your own dinner, you can’t use the kitchen during normal dinner hours - Guests are not allowed to store cooked food in the fridge, so you can’t keep leftovers - The communal area is pretty small for the number of guests that can fit into the hostel. The hostel was not at full capacity when I was there but I often couldn’t find a place to sit and eat. Although in the summer, there are many seats to sit out in the garden - Each bunk is assigned a lock box for your items that rolls under the bed. I liked this system and the boxes are fairly large. - My bunk did not have a bedside light or shelf
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

6/10 Okay

MATSUURA

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Earl's Court駅から徒歩５分、バス停も近くにある立地の良さ、朝食・夕食込み、キッチンありの低価格が魅力的なホステルです。 朝食は６時からトースト、シリアル、コーヒー、紅茶、牛乳が、８時から１０時半までは目玉焼き、ビーンズ、パンケーキが提供されます。 夕食は午後７時から先着３０名に、スパゲティやチキンナゲット、カレーなどが提供されました。最初は午後８時から翌日の予約を受け付けていましたが、急に朝６時から当日の予約を受け付け始めました。 女性専用のバスルームがありますが、排水は詰まることもありました。人感センサーがすぐ消えて、何回も真っ暗になりシャワーを利用しました。初日にドアノブが壊れて、２０分閉じ込められました。 ベッドサイドに個人のライトはなく、電源も少し離れていて、使い勝手はそんなに良くはありませんでした。 ２日目帰って来たら部屋の入口に、「この部屋は急遽クリーニングをするため部屋を変わってもらいます、レセプションに来てください」と書いてあり、部屋の中が空っぽになっていました。レセプションに行くと私物が置かれていて、新しい部屋に移動になりました。勝手に移動させられた荷物に一部私物がなくて、他の人の荷物にまぎれていました。新しい部屋は１晩だけで、明日また元の部屋に戻ると言われ、移動せずに新しい部屋をずっと使いたいと言っても、駄目でした。元の部屋も再度クリーニングが入り、再度移動があると言われました。 長期滞在者が多い感じで、エレベーターはありません。 アイロン、ドライヤーを貸してもらえましたが、毛布の追加は断られました。タオルの有料レンタルもできるみたいです。
Stayed 12 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

?

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
スタッフが最高！
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Margherita

Disliked: Cleanliness
Good for the position - Museums, Hyde Park, High Street Kensington - all within walking distance. In addition to breakfast, the first 30 to sign up on a list can claim free dinner. Not really impressed by some of the staff, and although the place can be busy with some guests not being particularly attentive to cleanliness themselves, the place could be way cleaner.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sean

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful people, and the option of a free meal in the evening (subject to numbers signing up) was completely unexpected!! Courtyard area is beautiful. Visited in the middle of a heatwave so wasn't really able to take advantage of a lot of the facilities because I felt so tired! But the sound of people playing table tennis below as I cooled down inside made me smile :-)
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Annabella

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Parfait
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

2/10 Terrible

Jonathan

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Impossible to sleep. Loud and hot, no air, no AC. 6 peoplein very small room
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Koki

Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
私のミスで男性が入宿するのが困難な状況で、組み替えをするなど非常に親切に対応していただきました。 申し込めば朝晩の食事にもありつけ、物価の高いロンドンで安心して過ごすことが出来ました。 民家を改造した施設のように思いますが、階段が狭く、トイレ等に少し我慢をしなければなりませんでした。
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

  • † More information about the $50 gift card with flight package benefit may be found at: https://www.expedia-aarp.com/lp/b/vacationpackages50prepaid

  • English Copyright 1995 – 2025. All rights reserved. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Expedia User Agreement and Privacy Policy. Expedia pays a royalty fee to AARP for the use of AARP’s intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purpose of AARP. All goods or services and discounts offered via the AARP® Travel Center powered by Expedia ®, are provided by third-party suppliers. AARP and its affiliates do not endorse and are not responsible for the goods or services and discounts made available on this site. Offers are subject to change and may have restrictions. Please contact the AARP® Travel Center powered by Expedia® directly for full details. AARP and its affiliates are not insurers.