Smart Russell Square
3-star hostel · Bloomsbury, London
Guests rate nearly every hotel highly: half the hotels in London are rated 8.2 out of 10 or more. So our score shows how a hotel compares with the rest, not how luxurious it is.
- Rated higher than 25% of London hotels
- 67% of guest comments are praise
- 73% of guest photos show no damage
How this score is made
- Rated higher than 25% of London hotels. Compared with 5,640 hotels in London. Counts for 50% of the score.
- 67% of guest comments are praise. 406 praise, 198 complain. Counts for 30% of the score.
- 73% of guest photos show no damage. 44 of 60 photos. Counts for 20% of the score.
- Serious reports are never counted in. They are flagged beside the score, because one matters even when everything else is good.
- From $35 a nightdorm beds for two, before tax
- 3 min walkto Russell Square station
- 299 guest reviewsfrom the last 2 years
- 60 guest photostheirs, not the hotel's
At a glance
For
- 11 min walk to the British Museum801 m by road
- A station within walking distanceRussell Square is 247 m away
- Location163 praise · 1 complain
- Value54 praise · 5 complain
Against
- Guest photos show wear and dirt16 of the 60 photos guests took, and 0 of the hotel's 40
- Quiet at night47 complain · 12 praise
- Room size43 complain · 0 praise
- Heating and air conditioning56 of 299 guests
- Beds26 complain · 10 praise
What guests reported
What guests say
299 reviews from the last 2 years. Most praised: location (163 guests). Weakest: room size, where 43 of the 43 who mention it complain.
Location1631Strength
Good location, good price
Booking network, August 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Also, the place is located just near the British Museum, the train station, and the subway.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Okay location but would have preferred to be a bit closer to London centre.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Value545Strength
Great place in cheap price
Booking network, August 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
The location and price, however, were very good.
Google, June 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Don't waste your money on this hell hole
Google, May 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Cleanliness8230Mostly good
The hostel is clean, the bathrooms are well maintained and the common area is amazing!
Tripadvisor, October 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
The staff were friendly and attentive, the cleanliness was excellent, and the location was fantastic.
Google, June 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Carpet in room was dirty.
Google, May 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Breakfast104Mostly good
The hostel was perfect, the location, the breakfast and the rooms.
Booking network, September 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Abdul for the great service🤗 The breakfast was very delicious🍽️ I recommend👌
Google, May 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Staff7432Mostly good
Great location and front of desk staff polite.
Tripadvisor, August 2026, rated 2/5 by this guest
No all staff members are friendly (although most are very sweet!), and all the beds in our room were squeaking.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Very rude cleaning staff that won't/ cannot speak in English.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 1/10 by this guest
Beds1026Weak spot
Uncomfortable beds, too few bathrooms compared to the number of guests.
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Thin matresses and size od beds are smaller than the rest of the hostels.
Booking network, September 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
Bed could've been comfier
Booking network, July 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Quiet at night1247Weak spot
Plus this meant noice from the fans amd the street made it difficult to sleep even with ear plugs.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
Lockers won't lock ,even if you have a locker ,beds make sound all the time you're on it ,it is disturbing if you want to sleep .
Booking network, July 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
The only problem is the noise from the beds whenever you move, but above all, the lack of respect from other residents.
Google, June 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Room condition110Weak spot
Beds are steel, very noise everytime you move and the matrace is old and worn out.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Very small rooms and not very modern, but good location.
Tripadvisor, September 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
The bathroom was tiny and run down.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 3/10 by this guest
Room size043Weak spot
The space in the rooms are too short.
Booking network, September 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
In the middle of a heat wave the room, that was really small, was very warm and hard to sleep in.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Super small bedroom but at least the sheets are clean.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Too few mentions to judge: views and food.
Who stays, and their score out of 10
From every review of the last two years that gives a score and says who travelled, including those with no words.
All 3,508 Google ratings
Problems guests raised
Raised most: heating and air conditioning, in 56 of 299 reviews.
Heating and air conditioning56 of 2991 in 5 reviews
In the 12-person room during the heatwave, even though night temperatures dropped to about 22C, the room felt still like 30+C, despite the fans being turned on.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
The room was extremely hot, but fans were provided.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Problems in the bathroom15 of 2991 in 20 reviews
Shower/bathroom door didn’t close all the way and there was a weird gap at the top of the door.
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
If you are bigger person, you wont fit in the bathroom in the room, its very tiny and wet all the time.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Something broken in the room14 of 2991 in 21 reviews
And the room door handle was faulty, as the door was left unclosed often.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 4/10 by this guest
The bathroom extractor fan also didn't work.
Google, August 2026, rated 2/5 by this guest
Unexpected charges and refunds9 of 2991 in 33 reviews
Towels and lockers aren’t free, you have to rent which is a bummer.
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Useless staff and management I emailed due to not being able to attend my booking due to having a relapse in my mental health asked for a refund of £15 I provided them with evidence from my GP and they failed to refund me due to a non refundable policy!
Google, September 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Complaints the hotel left unresolved9 of 2991 in 33 reviews
Staff were unhelpful when issues were raised, and several advertised amenities were either unavailable or not functioning properly.
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
The guy on the phone (probably the same guy who blacklisted me out of spite and power politics) told me it's permanent when seemingly it's not, and he then proceeds to send an email to another place explaining that I was rude when I was not rude at all.
Google, June 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
The lift9 of 2991 in 33 reviews
Because I have a disability, I wouldn’t recommend especially if you struggling with luggage, two flights of stairs, no l
Booking network, June 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
Pls note that there is no lift in this property or aur conditioner in mixed dorm, but I guess you are getting your money's worth.
Google, September 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Serious reports
7 in 299 reviews, most common first. Shown beside the score, never averaged into it.
Someone fell ill2 of 299 reviews
It smells very bad in the room , there was no AC , i get sick after 2 night in there 😞
Booking network, September 2026, rated 4/10 by this guest
Harassment or discrimination2 of 299 reviews
On trying to explain to the receptionist whom was there at around 10PM on 10th June, he showed no empathy in his responses and preferred to shout at me or tell me to be quiet when I was explaining my access needs with to the room and stairs.
Google, June 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Bed bugs or bites1 of 299 reviews
There was a lot of bedbugs in my bed
Booking network, July 2026, rated 4/10 by this guest
Something stolen1 of 299 reviews
Clearing out my stuff long story short my camera (g7xiii) and $20 bucks were gone.
Google, September 2026, rated 2/5 by this guest
A physical hazard1 of 299 reviews
Because these are three tier bunk beds, this is a significant and dangerous height to fall from (and also against building safety code).
Booking network, August 2026, rated 1/10 by this guest
These are guests' own accounts from their reviews. We have not verified them, and the hotel may dispute them. A report is counted only when the guest says it happened at the hotel and holds the hotel responsible.
Photos, checked
16 of the 60 guest photos we checked show damage or dirt (27%).
Guest photos showing damage or dirt16 of 6027%
Of 60 guest photos, 16 show damage or dirt: stains in 8, pests in 3, dirty surfaces in 3 and mould or damp in 2, and some photos show more than one. Of the hotel's own 40, 0 do.
What it advertises, against the photos
The hotel says it has no swimming pool, spa, gym or hot tub.
Price, place and rooms
Price
Dorm beds for two start at $35 a night, from 303 dates checked in the coming year.
Prices on booking sites, the day we checked
What each seller advertised on the one day we checked.
- Vio.com$63
- Booking.com$64
- hostelworld.com$76
Lowest advertised nightly rate for two adults; taxes and local fees are not included. Shown in US dollars.
Nearby
Russell Square station is 247 m away by road, about 3 minutes on foot. There are 6 bars or clubs within 200 metres.
- Nearest main road: Russell Square140 m
- Nearest shop: Tesco Express3 min walk223 m by road
- Nearest station: Russell Square3 min walk247 m by road
- The British Museum11 min walk801 m by road
- Big Ben2.9 km
- Buckingham Palace3.5 km
- Tower Bridge4.6 km
The lines are 5, 10 and 15 minutes on foot.
Distances follow the streets, not straight lines.
Rooms
14 room types, from 10 to 15 m².
- Single Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room (18-45 Years)10 m²Sleeps 1
- Twin Room with Private Bathroom10 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub
- Single Bed in 4-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room (18-45 Years)10 m²Sleeps 1
- Single Bed in 9-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room (18-45 Years)10 m²Sleeps 1
- Double Room with Private Bathroom10 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub
- Single Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory with Private Bathroom (18-45 Years)15 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub
The other 8 room types
- Single bed in 12-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room Shared Bathroom (18-45 Years)15 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub
- Single Bed in 9-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room with Private Bathroom (18-45 Years)15 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub
- Single Bed in 9-Bed Female Dormitory with Private Bathroom (18-45 Years)15 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub
- Private 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room with Ensuite Bathroom15 m²Sleeps 6Bathtub
- Single Bed in 12-Bed Dormitory Room (18-45 Years)15 m²Sleeps 1
- Private 4-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room with Ensuite Bathroom15 m²Sleeps 4Bathtub
- Single Bed in 8-Bed Mixed Dormitory with Private Bathroom15 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub
- Basic Shared DormitoryNot statedSleeps 1
From the hotel's own room descriptions, checked against each room's photos.
How it compares
How it ranks
Guests who booked rate it 7.6 out of 10. 25% of the 5,640 hotels in London are rated lower, and a typical one is rated 8.2.
Every review site, out of 100
26 Google reviewers ticked "Quiet", yet 47 guests complain about noise.
Google rates it 66 out of 100 and Booking network rates it 76. Booking network only takes reviews from people who booked and stayed, while Google takes them from anyone.
If room size matters to you
Here, 43 of the 43 guests who mention room size complain. These nearby hotels do better on it.
More hotels in London
The nearest first, with our score for each.
How we know
299 reviews counted · 100 photos checked · updated 10 October 2026
- We collected this hotel's 893 most recent reviews from Google, Tripadvisor and the Booking network. 299 of them describe a stay in the last 2 years and are the ones counted here; the rest were 103 older, 130 in other languages and 361 with a score but no words.
- The hotel replied to 118 of its 200 newest Google reviews.
- 4 in every 100 reviews thank a staff member by name.
- 1 review mentions a free upgrade, a cake or a gift.
- We looked at 100 photos: the first 40 of the hotel's own and the 60 newest from guests.
- Every number on this page is counted, not estimated. Anything in quotation marks is a guest's own words.