The Walrus Bar and Hostel

TM

Trip.com Member

4.5/5Trip.com· 11 months ago

Booked this due to location, right in front of bus station and a few minutes walk to the train station, not bad as we were traveling with a lot of luggage. Stairs only but their staff helped carry them up and down the stairs, there's a storage room open during certain hours which was great, although not necessarily the most secure (they dont tag or check you own them, but still better than storing them in the open room). They have hand soap for the bathroom/shower room sinks, not kitchen sink. No paper towels, other shower amenities. Some of the toilet stalls are super tiny, can barely close the door when you stand in it. Breakfast is pretty simple but nice that they offer it (drinks, breads, fruits, cereals, etc.) The building is quite old but not necessarily dirty. Not much area for sitting/chilling, just a small booth seat in the kitchen. Room itself is pretty barebones bunkbeds as it says, they have a wall with storage cubbies which was nice, bring your own locks.

A

ana_irrenog

4/5Tripadvisor· a year ago

I was looking for a hostel with the 3Bs as they say in Colombia. It's cheap, very well located, super close to Big Ben and tourist attractions. It has several bathrooms. I stayed in a shared female room. It's very clean. The breakfast is varied. The bar plays great music at night. The bus station is right across the street. I stayed there for 4 days and it wasn't expensive at all.

CT

Christian Thornell

5/5Google· 2 weeks ago

A fantastic welcome into a lovely atmosphere, I was positively surprised by the vibe and the hospitaly. Erin, Natasha, Courtney and Darcy are 5 star hosts and made this feel like a second living room. If you're looking for a simple hostel with a cozy bar in a good location, this is your spot.

J

Jack

5/5Google· 2 weeks ago

Natasha and Courtney were brilliant at the bar, helped me check in quickly and show me to my room, showed me how to get in out of hours and explained the padlock system. Rooms were clean, bedding was great. Highlight was the bar were the both of them made my experience for myself and friends visiting some sights around Waterloo/Leake Street amazing

MK

M Kitty

1/5Google· 3 months ago

Stayed here for one night with my mum. We understood that this is a budget hostel and didn't expect luxury, but cleanliness is a basic expectation. The fan was covered in dust, and there was debris inside it. We even tried to clean it with a wet wipe, but it was impossible. The carpet was also very dirty. The staff at the bar were lovely and friendly, which was the only positive part of our stay. However, be aware – we were bitten by bed bugs in our room. We live in the UK and only booked this hostel for one night. We did not stay anywhere else before or after, so we know exactly where the bites came from. I contacted the manager, who thanked me for reporting it but said that no other guests had reported the same issue. Unfortunately, that doesn't change what happened to us. I have never been bitten by bed bugs in my life, and it was absolutely shocking. I ended up with bites all over my back, feet, and hands. I've attached photos. We stayed in the private twin room (Piccadilly). Based on our experience, I would not recommend staying here.

J

Jo

5/5Google· 2 months ago

We did not stay at the hostel, we were actually just looking for a nice pub to have a quick drink before we would venture further. Alas, a quick drink became hours spent as the vibe is great and the atmosphere feels close to home. There are walrus everywhere, even a painting on the wall. However, the highlight for us was definitely the charming communication with the barkeep, Erin as well as MC. Erin is just a very welcoming guy who can warm your heart in an instant, spreading his best vibe from behind the counter. MC is a hands-on guy who takes care of the customers’ well-being, e.g. fixing benches amongst other things. This was the first pub that really transported a London-feeling. We’re happy to return!

KA

Kayla Ado

3/5Google· 2 months ago

Generally a pretty good stay. I was here in a 24 person dorm during the heat wave in July. The staff at the bar were lovely, everyone was respectful and it was fairly clean. Very convenient location- would recommend Sushi Co down the street for a later meal nearby! But wow was it hot and loud! A very difficult sleep as obviously windows open for the heat but we were right on the train track and it was so loud. I would really recommend window ac units! Also please add more hooks in the showers!

PS

Pablo S

1/5Google· 4 months ago

Just stay here if there is no any other option available because you booked your stay in London without much anticipation and you are on a budget. The showers are disastrous: no room for leaving your things, sinks take a lot of time to flush the water, and not all showers were working so I had to bath 2/3 nights in other floors. Room had a weird smell, and it seems booking a bigger room has more advantages than booking one with fewer people since we did not have curtains or lockers (room for 6 had 4 working lockers, out of which just 2 had space for a big backpack. NONE OF THEM HAD SPACE FOR A CARRY ON!!). Also our room had just one very dim light, to the point it is impossible to find anything on your suitcase at with it so try having your stuff in place before noon. Last negative thing is that the staff of the hotel should be more aware off their online advertisement since I had to talk with 3 people to have free towels (because I booked via their website) and they just couldn’t understand it (or just wanted me to pay £2 for towels). Positive: Breakfast and location were the best thing this hostel had (food was decent, location was splendid to go everywhere).