Step Out of the Hostel and You're 700 Yards from a Zone 1 Interchange
Step outside onto Newington Butts and you're a seven-minute walk from one of London's busiest interchanges, on the southern edge of Elephant & Castle in Zone 1: the ticket hall hands you the Bakerloo, the Northern line and Thameslink, with a direct train to St Pancras International in about ten minutes. That position is the whole point of staying here, a clean, safe, sociable dorm bed on the southern hinge of central London at a price the West End can't touch, with the Imperial War Museum, the South Bank and Borough Market all on foot.
Cricketers Hostel is an adults-only, dormitory-only budget hostel set inside the former Cricketers public house at 146-148 Newington Butts, a multi-storey Victorian terrace with sash windows, period mouldings and an original fireplace in some dorms. There are ten dorms, four mixed and two female-only, sleeping four or six at around 18 m² each, and every bed gets its own privacy curtain, an individual locker, a reading light, fresh linen and a free towel. Aggregators that file it as a '20-room party hostel in Barnes' simply have it wrong; this is a 10-dorm, quiet-minded base in Elephant & Castle.
A Shared Kitchen, a Roof Terrace and the One Thing to Know Before You Arrive
The social heart of the building is the shared kitchen, where a striking mustard-yellow tile splashback sets the tone and strangers swap travel notes over breakfast until the room feels like home, the single feature guests single out most often. It opens onto a sociable lounge and a roof terrace with picnic benches, parasols and a small herb bed, the kind of spot you drift up to with a coffee, while self-service laundry, free luggage storage and daily housekeeping keep a long trip easy. With Morrisons directly opposite, cooking for yourself and eating well on a budget takes no effort at all.
The single most important thing to know: there is no reception at Cricketers itself. Check-in, keys and enquiries are handled 24/7 at the sister property, Dover Castle Hostel, a 15-minute walk away, so head there first and late-flight arrivals are routine. The building is stairs only with no lift, so pack light and use the free luggage room. Guests rate the stay highly, and the standout praise is for value and the staff, with manager Robert and reception Peter named warmly in guest write-ups.
Why Book Cricketers Hostel?
The hostel is strongest for solo backpackers, budget couples and solo female travellers who want a clean, safe, genuinely central Zone 1 base and accept stairs and an off-site check-in as the trade for unbeatable value.
Zone 1 for budget money
Seven minutes from the Elephant & Castle Bakerloo, Northern and Thameslink interchange, with the Imperial War Museum, the South Bank and Borough Market all within a short walk.
Privacy in a dorm
Every bed across the ten dorms has its own curtain, an individual locker, a reading light, fresh linen and a free towel, with two female-only rooms and a fully equipped shared kitchen.
Best-fit guests
Best for solo travellers, budget couples and solo female backpackers who value a safe, sociable, central base over hotel-style service and step-free access.
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Interesting Points About Cricketers Hostel
- Aggregator microsites get the basics wrong: they variously list '20 rooms' or '8 guestrooms', place the hostel in 'Barnes', and tag it a 'Party Hostel'. It is none of those. The verified count is 10 dorms (four mixed and two female-only, confirmed in the property's own guest Q&A), the location is Lambeth/Elephant & Castle in Zone 1, and the house rules are adults-only with quiet expectations rather than a party scene.
- There is no reception at Cricketers itself. Check-in, keys and enquiries are handled 24/7 at the sister property, Dover Castle Hostel, 6a Great Dover Street, SE1 4XW, which has provided backpacker accommodation since 1985. First-time guests are caught out by this more than anything else, so arrive at Dover Castle first; a free 24-hour bag drop is available there on arrival day.
- The building is the former Cricketers pub on Newington Butts, run under brewers Barclay Perkins and then Courage through the mid-20th century before closing in the 2000s; a faded Courage sign is reportedly still visible. Elephant & Castle sits at the junction of two Roman roads, Watling Street and Stane Street.
- Mercato Metropolitano, the community food market a five-minute walk away, will trade only through the end of 2026 before demolition for the Borough Triangle redevelopment, so a stay in 2026 is the last chance to catch it. Alongside it, the £1.5bn Elephant & Castle regeneration opens its first retail and leisure units (an M&S Food Hall, a five-screen cinema and around 40 outlets) in late 2026.
Rooms & Accommodation at Cricketers Hostel
Bed in 4-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
Sleeps 4 · 4 single beds · ~18 m² · Mixed · Shared bathrooms
The smallest and most private-feeling dorm, with four single beds in a roughly 18 m² mixed room, the option couples rate most highly of the three. Each bed has its own privacy curtain, an individual locker, a bedside reading light, fresh linen and a free towel, with shared corridor bathrooms. Choose this if you want the calmest, least crowded option.
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Bed in 6-Bed Mixed Dormitory Room
Sleeps 6 · 6 single beds in three bunks · ~18 m² · Mixed
The most social dorm, with six single beds in three bunk sets across roughly 18 m², mixed and same fit-out as the four-bed: per-bed curtain, individual locker, reading light, fresh linen and a free towel, with shared corridor bathrooms. The beds here draw warm comfort feedback. Best for solo backpackers who'd rather meet fellow travellers than have the room to themselves, and choose this if you want the keenest value of the three.
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Bed in 6-Bed Female Dormitory Room
Sleeps 6 · 6 single beds in three bunks · ~18 m² · Female-only
The only female-only configuration, with six single beds in three bunk sets at around 18 m² and the same fit-out as the mixed dorms. Solo female travellers repeatedly cite the per-bed lockers, the privacy curtains and the 24/7 reception at the sister hostel as why they felt safe here. Linen and a free towel are provided, with shared corridor bathrooms. Best for solo female travellers who want a women-only space and choose this if safety and a lockable locker matter most.
Check PricesIs Cricketers Hostel right for you?
Best Suited For
- Solo backpackers who want a clean, safe, sociable Zone 1 base on a budget, with a kitchen and a roof terrace
- Budget couples after the calmer 4-bed mixed dorm, the option couples rate most highly
- Solo female travellers who want a female-only dorm with lockers, curtains and 24/7 reception at the sister hostel
- Self-caterers who'd use the fully equipped kitchen, with a Morrisons directly opposite
- Sightseers who want the Imperial War Museum, the South Bank, Borough Market and Tate Modern on foot
- Travellers happy with an off-site check-in and stairs in exchange for genuinely central value
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You need a private room or en-suite: this is a dormitory-only hostel with shared corridor bathrooms
- You're travelling with children or want a family room: it is strictly adults-only (18+), with no cots or extra beds at any rate
- You need step-free access: it is a multi-storey Victorian building with stairs only and no lift
- You want check-in at the door: keys and registration are handled off-site at Dover Castle Hostel, a 15-minute walk away
- You're after a party hostel or a bar on site: there is no bar, no breakfast service and quiet expectations
- You're bringing a pet or need on-site parking: pets are not accepted and there is no parking (Congestion Charge and ULEZ zone)
Amenities & Facilities
In Each Dorm
- Per-bed privacy curtain on every bunk
- Individual lockable locker (laptop-bag size) per guest
- Bedside reading light and power point
- Fresh linen and a free towel provided
- Free Wi-Fi (varies by floor)
- Heating throughout
- Not available: No en-suite (shared corridor bathrooms)
Food & Drink
- Fully equipped shared self-catering kitchen (hob, microwave, fridge, kettle, crockery)
- Mustard-yellow tile splashback and concrete-effect counters
- Morrisons supermarket directly opposite
- Mercato Metropolitano food market ~5-min walk (trading through end of 2026)
- Cafés on Newington Butts
- Not available: No restaurant, bar or breakfast service
Property-Wide
- Roof terrace with picnic benches, parasols and a herb bed
- Shared lounge / common room
- Self-service laundry (washer and dryer)
- Free luggage storage (on site and at the sister hostel)
- Daily housekeeping
- 24/7 reception off-site at Dover Castle Hostel
- Not available: No lift (multi-storey, stairs only)
- Not available: No pool, gym or spa
Parking & Transport
- Elephant & Castle interchange ~700 yds / 7-min walk (Bakerloo, Northern, Thameslink)
- Kennington Underground ~750 yds (Northern line)
- Contactless adult daily Zone 1 cap is £8.90 (no Oyster needed)
- London City Airport ~8 mi via DLR change at Bank
- Congestion Charge and ULEZ zone, so arrive by Tube
- Not available: No on-site parking
- Not available: No airport shuttle
Policies
- Adults-only, minimum age 18, no exceptions; no children at any rate
- Check-in 24/7 off-site at Dover Castle Hostel · check-out by 11:00
- £10 refundable damage deposit on a credit card at check-in (cash not accepted)
- Photo ID plus credit card required at check-in
- Maximum stay 21 nights in any rolling 180-day period
- Non-smoking indoors; designated outdoor smoking area
- Pets not accepted
- Not available: No cots or extra beds
146-148 Newington Butts, Elephant & Castle: Zone 1 on a Backpacker Budget
Cricketers Hostel sits at 146-148 Newington Butts, on the southern edge of Elephant & Castle in the borough of Lambeth, SE11, in Travel Zone 1. This is the southern hinge of central London, a working, fast-changing quarter in the middle of a £1.5bn regeneration rather than a polished tourist set-piece, which is exactly why a clean, central dorm bed here lands so well. The Elephant & Castle interchange is roughly 700 yards (a 7-minute walk) and hands you the Bakerloo, the Northern line (Bank branch) and Thameslink, with a direct Thameslink to St Pancras International in about ten minutes.
The headline sights are within walking distance. The Imperial War Museum, with free admission and its Spitfire-and-V-2 atrium, is a 10-minute walk in Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park; Borough Market, the Tate Modern and the London Eye with the South Bank are all 20 to 25 minutes on foot via Bankside; and Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are a 30-minute riverside stroll. Mercato Metropolitano, London's first sustainable community food market with 40-plus traders, is a five-minute walk, but it trades only through the end of 2026 before redevelopment, so 2026 is the last year to catch it.
Getting in is easy by rail and Tube. London City Airport is about eight miles away via a DLR change at Bank; Heathrow is roughly 15 miles (around 62 minutes on the Piccadilly then Bakerloo lines); and Gatwick is about 27 miles with a direct Thameslink from Elephant & Castle. There is no on-site parking and this is a Congestion Charge and ULEZ zone, so arrive by Tube and tap contactless, where the adult daily Zone 1 cap is £8.90.
- Elephant & Castle interchange: ~700 yd · ~7-min walk · Bakerloo, Northern (Bank branch) and Thameslink; direct Thameslink to St Pancras in ~10 min.
- Kennington Underground: ~750 yd · Northern line, a second nearby option for the City and the West End.
- Imperial War Museum: ~10-min walk · Free admission, open daily 10:00–18:00; Spitfire-and-V-2 atrium and the Holocaust Galleries.
- Mercato Metropolitano: ~5-min walk · 40-plus traders and a Bavarian micro-brewery; trading only through the end of 2026.
- Borough Market: 1.4 mi · ~20–25-min walk via Bankside · Full trade Tue–Sat, lunch-only Monday, closed Sunday.
- London Eye & South Bank: ~1.4 mi · ~25-min walk · Book ahead to skip the queue; the riverside walk back at dusk is the highlight.
- Tate Modern: ~1.5 mi · ~25-min walk · Free permanent collection in the former Bankside Power Station.
- Big Ben & Houses of Parliament: 1.4 mi · ~30-min walk via the South Bank.
Getting to Key Locations
Photo: pit-yacker (crop by IxK85), CC BY-SA 2.0
Elephant & Castle & the Imperial War Museum
Elephant & Castle is the southern gateway to central London, a once-overlooked junction now mid-way through a £1.5bn regeneration. A ten-minute walk lands you at the free Imperial War Museum, with its Spitfire-and-V-2 atrium and the Holocaust Galleries, set in Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park. The area earns its keep on transport: three lines and Thameslink from one interchange put the whole of London within easy reach, which is the real reason a budget dorm bed here is so useful.
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Photo: Stephen Armstrong, CC BY-SA 2.0
Bankside & Borough Market
Walk 20 to 25 minutes north along Bankside and you reach the river: Borough Market for full trade Tuesday to Saturday, the Tate Modern's free collection in the former Bankside Power Station, and the Globe and the Millennium Bridge a few steps on. Closer to home, the area's food scene is shaped by its communities, with East Street Market off Walworth Road strong on Caribbean and African traders and Mercato Metropolitano five minutes away through its final year.
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Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
The South Bank & Westminster
The South Bank is the hostel's free entertainment: a 25 to 30-minute riverside walk takes you past the London Eye to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, with the National Theatre, the Southbank Centre and a string of pop-up bars along the way. It is the best of central London on foot, and walking it back at dusk, with the river lit and the skyline reflected, is the kind of London evening a Zone 1 base makes possible without a single fare.
View on MapHow to Get to Cricketers Hostel from Heathrow
- 1. Take the Piccadilly line from Heathrow: From any Heathrow terminal, board the Piccadilly line eastbound and ride to Piccadilly Circus, around 50 minutes. Tap in and out with contactless, where the adult daily Zone 1 cap is £8.90.
- 2. Change to the Bakerloo line southbound: At Piccadilly Circus, change to the Bakerloo line southbound and ride about 12 minutes to Elephant & Castle, the end of the southern branch.
- 3. Walk south on Newington Butts: Exit the south-side ticket hall and walk roughly 7 minutes south on Newington Butts to 146-148, a Victorian terrace with a Domino's on the ground floor.
- 4. Important: do not check in here: There is no reception at Cricketers. Continue to the sister property, Dover Castle Hostel, 6a Great Dover Street, SE1 4XW, for your keys and ID check; the desk is staffed 24/7 and offers a free bag drop on arrival day.
- 5. Or arrive from the Eurostar: From St Pancras International, take a direct Thameslink to Elephant & Castle in about 10 minutes, then follow the same short walk south to Newington Butts.
London at a Glance
London needs little introduction, but staying in Zone 1 changes how you see it: from Elephant & Castle the whole of the centre is a short Tube ride or a long, rewarding walk away. The Bakerloo, the Northern line and Thameslink leave from one interchange seven minutes from the door, while the South Bank, the Imperial War Museum, Borough Market and the Tate Modern are all reachable on foot. The best of the city's heavyweight museums and galleries are free, so a budget dorm bed in the middle of it all goes a remarkably long way.
Elephant & Castle itself is one of London's most fast-changing quarters. The £1.5bn regeneration opens its first retail and leisure units in late 2026, with an M&S Food Hall, a five-screen cinema and around 40 outlets, and a new step-free Northern line ticket hall is being folded in. For now the area's character lives in its markets, the Latin American food scene shaped by its community, East Street Market off Walworth Road, and Mercato Metropolitano a five-minute walk away in its final trading year before redevelopment.
Practical notes: tap contactless or use a phone, where the adult daily Zone 1 cap is £8.90, so there is no need for an Oyster card. London weather is changeable year-round, so pack a rain layer whatever the forecast, and demand peaks from late spring through summer and again in December, so book any peak dates well ahead. The single best free thing to do from this base is the riverside walk from Big Ben back along the South Bank at dusk.
Watch: seven things to do on the South Bank
Seven stops along the Thames between the London Eye and Tower Bridge, taking in Tate Modern, Borough Market and the riverside walk that links them. It starts twenty minutes north of Newington Butts on foot.
Is Cricketers Hostel worth it?
Yes, if you want a clean, safe, sociable dorm bed in Zone 1 for backpacker money: guests rate it highly, with value and the staff drawing the warmest feedback, and the kitchen and roof terrace punch well above the price. Skip it if you need a private room, step-free access or check-in at the door, this is an adults-only, dormitory-only hostel with stairs and no lift, and keys are collected off-site at the sister Dover Castle Hostel.
What Guests Say About Cricketers Hostel
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Very Good
Across the verified reviews Cricketers Hostel reads as remarkably consistent: a clean, safe, sociable budget base in Zone 1 that wins on value, the kitchen and the staff. Value for money and the staff draw the warmest feedback, with manager Robert and reception Peter named warmly in write-ups; cleanliness and location back them up. The recurring caveats are structural rather than service failings, the stairs with no lift and an off-site check-in at the sister hostel, plus floor-by-floor Wi-Fi and street noise (earplugs are provided). Guests tend to forgive both once they understand them, and solo backpackers, budget couples and solo female travellers come away rating it highly.
Hadn't shared a six-bed dorm in years but found it worked well, and says having a proper kitchen made all the difference.
Mckie
Hadn't shared a six-bed dorm in years but found it worked well, and says having a proper kitchen made all the difference.
2026-04-19Calls it an ideal short-stay base and praised the kind front desk and the free 24-hour bag drop at the sister hostel before check-in. Each bunk has its own curtain, with a towel and locker key provided; notes the upper floors share a shower.
2026-04-23Highlights the security, regular cleaning, washer-dryer, room for big bags, good showers and toilets, the location, lockers and bed curtains for privacy and light; nothing to dislike.
2026-04-12Helpful staff, the kitchen, the terrace and a comfortable bed made it feel like home; the only drawback was the stairs and lack of a lift.
2026-04-08Smooth check-in at the sister venue with clear instructions, a comfortable curtained bed and consistently clean ground-floor bathrooms; notes the bedroom uses an old-style knob that can be left unlocked, but the per-bed locker keeps valuables safe.
2026-04-02Great location close to everything with friendly staff; nothing to fault.
2026-03-18Describes it as a great little gem that has everything you need, and says he'll definitely return.
2026-03-15Good to Know Before You Book
Check-in is off-site at Dover Castle Hostel (open 24/7)
There is no reception at Cricketers itself. Collect your keys at the sister property, Dover Castle Hostel, 6a Great Dover Street, SE1 4XW, a 15-minute walk or two Tube stops away. The desk is staffed 24/7 for late arrivals, with a free bag drop on arrival day.
No lift, so pack light
This is a multi-storey Victorian building with stairs only. Use the free luggage room and ask which floor you're on before carrying a heavy case up. The stairs are the most common reason guests give for a lower score, so go in expecting them.
£10 refundable damage deposit on a credit card
A £10 refundable damage deposit is taken by credit card at check-in and returned at check-out after a quick room inspection. Cash is not accepted for the deposit, and the £10 figure is the same regardless of room type or length of stay.
Adults-only and fully self-catering
The hostel is strictly adults-only (18+), with no children at any rate and no cots or extra beds. There is no breakfast or restaurant, but the fully equipped shared kitchen and a Morrisons directly opposite make self-catering easy.
Call Cricketers Hostel
Want to ask about availability, your arrival time or the off-site check-in? Contact the sister property, Dover Castle Hostel, which handles all enquiries.
+44 20 7407 9777Photos of Cricketers Hostel
Frequently Asked Questions about Cricketers Hostel
There is no reception at Cricketers itself. Check-in, keys and ID checks are handled 24/7 at the sister property, Dover Castle Hostel, 6a Great Dover Street, SE1 4XW, a 15-minute walk or two Tube stops away. Head there first; a free bag drop is available on arrival day, so you can stash luggage before the room is ready.
Rooms are ready for arrivals from 15:00, and you'll need to vacate your bed by 11:00 on departure day. The sister-hostel desk runs around the clock, so a late-night landing is no problem; just collect your keys at Dover Castle Hostel whenever you reach London.
Yes, it is strictly adults-only with a minimum age of 18 and no exceptions. No children are accepted at any rate, and there are no cots or extra beds. It suits solo travellers, budget couples and solo female travellers rather than families.
No. It is a multi-storey Victorian building with stairs only and no lift, and step-free access is not available. Use the free luggage room, pack light, and ask which floor your dorm is on before carrying a heavy case up.
The Elephant & Castle interchange is about 700 yards away, a 7-minute walk, with the Bakerloo line, the Northern line (Bank branch) and Thameslink, including a direct Thameslink to St Pancras International in around 10 minutes. Kennington (Northern line) is a second option about 750 yards away.
There is no breakfast service, restaurant or bar. Instead there is a fully equipped shared self-catering kitchen with a hob, microwave, fridge, kettle and crockery, and a Morrisons directly opposite, so self-catering is easy and is one of the things guests praise most.
A £10 refundable damage deposit is taken by credit card at check-in and returned at check-out after a quick room inspection. Cash is not accepted for the deposit. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and Discover are accepted, and photo ID plus a credit card are required at check-in.
There is no on-site parking, and this is a Congestion Charge and ULEZ zone, so arrive by Tube; the adult daily Zone 1 cap is £8.90 on contactless. Pets are not accepted. Smoking is not permitted indoors, though there is a designated outdoor smoking area.
Cancellation and prepayment terms vary by the rate you choose, so check the exact policy shown for your dates before you confirm. Separately, a £10 refundable damage deposit is taken by credit card at check-in and returned after a quick room inspection.
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Ready to Book Cricketers Hostel?
Ten dorms, four mixed and two female-only, every bed with its own privacy curtain, locker, reading light and free towel, in an adults-only hostel set in the former Cricketers pub, 700 yards from a Zone 1 interchange in Elephant & Castle. A fully equipped shared kitchen, a roof terrace and self-service laundry round it out, with 24/7 check-in at the sister Dover Castle Hostel. Guests rate it highly, with value and the staff leading the way.
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