The Central provides basic, self-catering accommodation with shared bathrooms at decent prices. It has a well-equipped kitchen and a lot of single rooms -perfect if you're travelling alone but don't fancy dorm living. There are also doubles, triples and twins. Located a little way from the centre and ironically name The Central, it has the beneft of being above a traditional London pub - meaning you can really soak up some East End atmosphere, play pool or darts and even befriend some locals.

Price examples (January 2008)

Rooms from £15 with http://www.travelstay.com
Single with shared bathroom and English breakfast: £27

Why is it a good choice for a budget traveller?

If you fancy being out of the city centre and experiencing a taste of traditional London life, the Central could work for you. The East End has a distinctly different flavour to areas like Kensington and Notting Hill, and is full of quirky, funky venues - often at a fraction of the price of the well-trodden tourist destinations. You can have a curry on Brick Lane, explore the old markets like Petticoat Lane, Spitalfields and Columbia Road Flower Market and check out National Maritime Museum and the Greenwich Meridian in leafy suburbia not too far away. With good transport links nearby, it's still easy to get into and around Central London so you won't miss out on that either.

Where is the hostel?

150 Barking Rd Upton Park London England E6 3BD Upton Park Station is the nearest underground station to The Central, on both the District Line and the Hammersmith & City Line.