This map shows bunkhouses, camping barns and hostels in the South and South-east of England. Many are within a couple of hours drive or a short train ride from London. Whether you require self catering accommodation for a stop-over in Kent on the way to the continent, or if you are exploring the South Downs or the New Forest, hostels and bunkhouses provide the ideal accommodation. City hostels in Canterbury, Brighton and London are ideal for exploring these cities or enjoying the nightlife. Camping barns and hostels provide ideal accommodation on the South Downs Way, the North Downs Way and the Ridgeway.
South - South East England
One of London’s top backpacker hostels, Clink261 offers simple, comfortable, self-catering accommodation in the city centre. King’s Cross is a creative area close to the British Museum, Covent Garden & Camden Market or a short tube ride to Piccadilly Circus & Leicester Square. Guests can go round the corner to Clink78 (also in this guide) for entertainment and good value drinks at the ClashBAR.
Harlow International Hostel is in the centre of a landscaped park and is one of the oldest buildings in Harlow. The town of Harlow is your ideal base for exploring London, Cambridge and the best of South East England. The journey time to central London is only 35 minutes from the hostel door and it is the closest hostel to Stansted Airport. National Cycle Route 1 passes the front door. Meals can be provided for groups. There's a children's zoo, orienteering course and outdoor pursuits centre in the park.
Spend your night above a pub, 5 mins from Paddington Station & experience the real & exciting local London. PubLove@The Green Man, has great transport connections to all the famous sites, 24 hour reception & bar, free WiFi, personal power sockets, bed screens & guest food & drink discounts. You can book by the bed or book a private room. There are friendly bar-staff who like to chat, so ask about places to go and the events happening because there’s nothing better then advice from a local.
Only a few steps from the historic Ridgeway National Trail, Court Hill Centre enjoys breathtaking views over the Vale of the White Horse. Reclaimed barns surround a pretty courtyard garden. Providing accommodation for schools, families, groups and individuals, the centre offers evening meals, breakfasts and picnic lunches. There is a beautiful high-roofed dining room which retains the atmosphere of the old barn. A meeting/class-room, camping and self-catering kitchen are also available.
Southsea Rocks Hotel has a variety of rooms from great value hotel rooms with en suite options to cool hostel dorms.
There are social areas, an outdoor courtyard to sit in the sun and space for guests to enjoy take outs from local restaurants. It is within walking distance of the castle, common and aquarium and is a great base for exploring other attractions including Portsmouth’s historic dockyard, Charles Dickens’ birthplace and The Mary Rose Museum.
Green Rooms is a super affordable arts-led hotel & hostel designed for creatives, young travellers, groups and people who want to make the most of London.
Situated in a beautiful late Art Deco building it offers spacious dormitories, chic doubles and family studios. It is right across the road from Wood Green underground station with direct connection to Central London and Kings Cross in 12 minutes.
Seadragon Backpackers is close to the sea front in the seaside resort of Brighton. The kitchen is the focal point of the hostel, where people have been meeting over a cup of tea and a slice of toast since 2006.
There’s a sunny airy living room and a choice of private rooms and small dorms, some with a sea view. Use the travel guides and maps provided together with the free WiFi to plan you next adventure.
The 1912 Centre, in the Harwich Conservation area, is just 50m from the sandy beach & promenade. The centrally heated hostel is the former town fire station. The old engine garage is now the dining and recreational area. The upper floor has 4 cabin style sleeping areas, other beds are on the ground floor & suitable for disabled. Facilities include a fully equipped kitchen, showers & drying room. BYO sleeping or hire duvets.
The Rose and Crown, close to London Bridge in central London provides everything you need for your adventure. There is a double rooms and a choice of well designed bunkrooms. Enjoy the atmosphere and history of this great British pub with a wide selection of ales and spirits and an full English/Irish breakfast available in the morning.
Five minutes’ stroll from Euston Station and just 15 minutes’ walk from the Eurostar at St Pancras, with The British Museum, Madame Tussauds, Regents Park and many of London’s attractions an easy stroll away. PubLove@The Exmouth Arms not only gives you a bed for the night, but also the great atmosphere of a British pub. Complete with pub quizzes every Tuesday, hand crafted burgers and a wide range of drinks including local gins and ales. Explore London by foot in the day with a night of cracking PubLove ahead.
This National Trust owned bunkhouse in the Surrey Hills AONB sleeps up to 16 in 6 and 4 bunk dorms. Well equipped with a self-catering kitchen, large dining table and comfy seating around an open fire.
Walkers can directly access the Greensand Way and other local routes and there are many bridleways and tracks suitable for cycling.
A great place for a group holiday in the countryside only 30 miles from London.
Park Villa is a Georgian Regency villa in the heart of the old East End of London. It has a kitchenette, an inviting lounge and free superfast WiFi. The dorms have comfy bunk bed pods and there are en-suite facilities and family rooms.
At the heart of the trendy East End close to the tube, Park Villa makes a great base from which to explore the city of London. Visit for a warm welcome, a comfortable stay and a real home away from home.
Converted from former farm buildings, Octavia Hill Bunkhouse is located on Outridge Farm on the National Trust Toys Hill Estate. Sleeping 10 in two rooms it is the perfect base for families or groups of walkers wanting to explore this lovely part of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
This bunkhouse has plenty of communal space and a well equipped kitchen for those who want to self-cater. Easily accessible by car, train and bus (the bus stop is just 15 minutes’ walk away).
The Walrus is a multi-award-winning hostel above a bar, with staff who are famous for their genuine friendliness and humour. It has a fantastic location only a short 10 minutes' walk from Big Ben and the House of Parliament and all-inclusive hostel prices. It consistently ranks among the top 5 hostels in London. The bar is a crossroads of local and international guests with a laid back atmosphere, a quirky cocktail menu and real ales on tap.
A hip hangout for locals and travellers, The Crown at Battersea has easy-going vibes. Check in and find your bed, then lounge on the cosy sofas with a tipple or get involved with some board games. Newly refurbished in 2018 The Crown is in south-west London on the lively Lavender Street. Hostel beds are in mixed dormitories, with WiFi, fresh linen, duvet and pillow, 24hr bar, reception and security all included. With food and drink discounts for hostel guests, experience the fun and lively atmosphere of PubLove culture in London.
The Tudor Barn offers unique group accommodation on an environmentally friendly working farm in rural Suffolk. Sleeping 23 (singles/doubles/4 posters & truckles) in 4 private rooms + the huge space of the Tudor Barn where you can also feast & relax. The perfect base for group celebrations, reunions or activity breaks. Bikes and Tudor costumes are included. Larger parties can also stay at the Old Brooder Bunkhouse on the same site (also in this guide).
An award winning eco-renovation in the heart of the South Downs National Park right on the South Downs Way National Trail. The perfect base for walkers, cyclists, business away-days and family get-togethers. The Lodge offers well appointed self-catering accommodation while the campsite has yurts and secluded woodland pitches. The centre has large grounds with woodland trails and a café. Pubs, shops within 2 miles.
This bunkhouse on the National Trust Slindon Estate has so much to offer all year round. In the winter months enjoy the benefit of the wood burner in the lounge, and in the summer enjoy a barbeque in the walled garden.
Perfect for all types of groups and families wanting to get together and enjoy the fabulous South Downs National Park, its surroundings and the miles of footpaths that criss-cross the estate.
Located on the National Trust’s Ashridge Estate in the heart of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this bunkhouse provides rustic, basic accommodation in two restored barns located amongst the woodlands and grassland of the estate.
A well equipped, self-catering kitchen, lounge and outdoor eating area make it perfect for self-catering groups whilst the nearby picture postcard village of Aldbury has two pubs and a shop. There is no mobile reception at the bunkhouse.
A converted Sussex flint barn on a working sheep farm within the National Trust’s Slindon Estate, Gumber Camping Barn provides simple overnight accommodation & camping for walkers, horse riders and cyclists, just off the South Downs Way. A tranquil and remote location for you to get away from it all. Just five minutes’ walk from Stane Street, the Roman Road that crosses the South Downs Way at Bignor Hill. NO CARS. Not suitable for under fives.
Book a bed upstairs, then relax on one of the snug Chesterfield sofas in this classy British pub in the heart of Waterloo. Everything you need is on hand, 24 hour reception, a beer garden for summer evenings, free WiFi, hand crafted burgers & the best of London’s beers & gins. Publove@The Steam Engine is a short walk from London’s main attractions. Head to the river to see London in all its glory, Big Ben and the London Eye. Enjoy a classic night out in central London in the heart of British pub culture.
Palace Farm Hostel is a relaxing, flexible 4* hostel on a family run farm.
Situated in the village of Doddington, (which has a pub!), in the North Kent Downs AONB, the area is great for walking, cycling & wildlife. There are ten fully heated en suite rooms sleeping up to 39. Duvets, linen and continental breakfast included.
Comfy, farm self-catering in rural Suffolk. Sleeps 22 in five bedrooms, including a restored Shepherd’s Hut. Mix of oak bunks/conventional beds. Relax in cosy sitting room; BBQ, ping-pong, croquet & badminton; explore the farm, picnic in a meadow. 20 bikes included in hire or kayak down the River Stour. Go Ape, visit castles, coast, historic towns & houses. Larger groups can also book the Tudor Barn (also in this guide).
Eco project on North Downs Way offering simple overnight accommodation for walkers and cyclists in the Surrey Hills AONB. A converted historic barn with self catering and shared sleeping platforms (possibility of bunkrooms being added in 2020). Pub food in the village. Garden, picnic bench & cycle shed. NO CARS even for off-loading. Stations at Wanborough (3.5 km) & Guildford (7km).
FSC Juniper Hall is a magnificent country house sleeping up to 130 across 30 rooms. Easily accessible from London and the M25, yet peaceful and secluded, the grounds give direct access to footpaths on to Box Hill and the Surry Hills AONB. All types of bookings are welcome including singles, couples, groups of adults, families and extended family groups. Due to Covid-19, rooms are currently offered on a B&B basis at very reasonable rates.
In the centre of London in a 200 year old courthouse, Clink78 combines original features with modern interior design to create a friendly & unique hostel. In the heart of King’s Cross, with easy tube access to the whole city. The friendly team will happily help with your itinerary and provide discounted attraction tickets. Kitchen, games area, TV/film lounge. Meet new people in The ClashBAR.
FSC Flatford Mill is an historic Field Studies Council centre in Suffolk. It sleeps 79 in three internationally important buildings. There’s Willy Lotts’ House, (built in the 1500’s and made famous by John Constable’s ‘Haywain’ painting), Valley Farm (a medieval great hall built in the 1450’s) and the Mill itself that was owned and renovated by the Constable family in the 1700’s. All types of bookings are welcome including singles, couples, groups of adults, families and extended family groups. Due to Covid-19, rooms are currently offered on a B&B basis at very reasonable rates
In glorious East Hampshire countryside (AONB), The Privett Centre offers low cost, comfortable, short-stay accommodation in a unique rural setting. It has been designed to accommodate small to medium-sized groups who like to have the place to themselves. Outside a large paddock and asphalt playground provide secure and spacious recreational and parking space. It is available for weekday, weekend and day use all year. The Privett Centre is an ideal residential setting for family & friends’ get-togethers.
Situated on a delightful family owned farm, this 4* youth hostel provides family/child friendly accommodation for groups or individuals. The hostel is 8 miles from Salisbury & 5 miles from Stonehenge. Cooked breakfasts are available & packed lunches & evening meals can be pre-booked.
Guests receive half price admission to the Rare Breeds Farm. Why not also book a vineyard tour & purchase a bottle of home grown sparkling wine? Guests need their own transport.
The White Ferry House is a stunning Victorian flat-iron building steeped in history. It provides accommodation in central London, close to Victoria, The Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. In the traditional pub atmosphere you can enjoy chilling out and playing board games, locally sourced drinks and award-winning burgers. There's a 24 hour reception, free WiFi, individual power sockets and guest food & drink discounts. Publove@The White Ferry offers a classic night out and a great location for exploring London by day.
A former boarding school nestling in beautiful countryside, Gaveston Hall accommodates groups of all sizes. The 100 beds are spread across dorms, private singe/twin rooms & chalets.
Set in magnificent grounds with a football field, tennis court, woodland walks and fishing lakes. Outdoor activities can also be provided on-site. Inside there are table tennis & pool tables and an indoor swimming pool (summer only). Room for coach parking.
This maps of South England / South East England shows the locations of bunkhouses, hostels and camping barn, which provide self-catering accommodation, all part of the UK’s largest hostels and bunkhouse network IHUK.
This map shows the Bunkhouses, Camping barns and hostels in the south and south east England covering the counties of Essex and Hertfordshire to the north, Kent, Sussex and Hampshire to the south, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Dorset to the west and of course London. The area includes the North Downs, the South Downs National Park and the New Forest National Park as well as south east England’s natural landmarks such as the white cliffs of Dover and the Isle of Wight. As well as all the attractions the capital has to offer, the area is replete with visitor attractions from Legoland and Brighton Sealife Centre to a vast number of castles and stately home, best known of these being Leeds Castle and Dover Castle in Kent and Windsor Castle and Highclere (home of Downton Abbey) in Berkshire.
The nightlife of London’s West End faces stiff competition from that of Brighton. Whist the seaside town also boasts a magnificent pier as well as the royal pavilion and the famous Brighton Beach. Further down the coast Bournemouth also challenges Brighton with its beach and historic grandure. Further east, Canterbury is dominated by the UK’s oldest cathedral the seat of English Christianity. Whilst many visitors to and from the European continent come via the port at Dover, Kent is the perfect place for an overnight stop on the way to the ferry. The traditional seaside town of Margate is not only home to the UK’s “original pleasure park” Dreamland but also the Turner Contemporary Gallery of modern art. Outdoor enthusiasts can find fantastic walking on the South Downs Way, the Kent coast line and of course Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. Further north walkers might want to tackle the Ridgeway National Trail through the Chilterns, possibly England’s oldest road. Whist wildlife watchers will revel in the delights of the Stour Valley estuary and the RSPB reserve there.
Isle of Purbeck
The Isle of Purbeck on the Jurassic coast with the coastal town of Swanage, makes a great area for an overnight stay.
