Planning a Solo Trip Part I

June 3, 2010 8:06 PM

I want to take a solo trip to London, but I've never really traveled solo before. What advice do you have (especially about accommodations & socializing)?

I'm a guy in my mid 20s, and I'm thinking of taking a one week trip sometime in August to London and Rome (I plan to ask a follow-up about Rome later). I've traveled in the US and internationally before, but I was either traveling with friends or traveling to visit friends: I've never really gone anywhere solo.

My current rough plan goes something like this:

1. Fly to London
2. Stay in a hostel
3. See the sights
4. Fly to Rome via RyanAir or similar
5. Stay in a hostel
6. See the sights
7. Potentially take a day-trip to Florence via a train
8. Fly back to London
9. Fly home

Here are my questions about London:

1. What are the best hostels to stay at for a solo traveler in London?
2. How easy is it to meet other people in hostels? I'm not really into partying or night life, if that's important.
3. What's the best area to stay in to see all the touristy stuff?
4. Are there any bad parts of town that I should make a point of avoiding?
5. Any safety tips for London or solo traveling generally? My Mom is worried that some misfortune will happen to me (like getting lost in a bad part of town, getting sick, or getting my ID stolen) and that I'll have no friends around to help me. I'd like to reassure her that I've taken all proper precautions.
6. What airport should I fly into from the US?
7. Which airport should I fly out of to Rome?
8. What's the best way to get between the airports and the city center?

posted by cosmic.osmo to travel & transportation around London, England (32 answers total)

I haven't done the hostel thing in London is some time, though the last time I did that sort of thing, I just found a cheap hotel/flophouse run by some Greeks. You can meet people in pubs, too.

Fly into Heathrow and take the train in; it's cheap.

Personally, I think you are insane if you want to visit London and Rome in the same week. You're giving both the short shrift and just wasting time traveling. There is so much to see, and splitting your time will leave you frustrated.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:13 PM on June 3, 2010

Mid-twenties guy myself. I can't speak for London specifically, but I've done a bit of solo travel in Europe - and never travelled with a group. I've always stayed in hostels, and I've always met folks at them. Take a look at a review/booking site like Hostelworld and look for ones that seem to have the mix you're looking for - social without being 100% party-oriented.

For meeting folks and doing things, I'm going to very specifically point you to the New Europe tours: this is the site. They're basically by-and-for younger folks, and I've found them to be extremely fun, casual, and very social. They do a free (read: 100% tips) general-purpose walking tour, and a couple of city-specific ones that cost a few euro (eg, tapas in Madrid, Red Light district in Amsterdam.) My first one was in Madrid, and I ended up hanging out with my tour guide till 1am having beers and talking nerd-stuff; I later went on a couple of different ones in Amsterdam, ended up being adopted into a group of Canadian students on one of them, and spent the rest of my stay in the city with those folks. Looks like they have London, though not Rome.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:17 PM on June 3, 2010 [2 favorites]

Oh, and take a look in the top right of your browser and hit that Metatalk link, and try to arrange a meetup with some local mefites. Dunno about Rome, but I'd be amazed if you couldn't find some of us in London to hang out with and maybe even play guide.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:19 PM on June 3, 2010

Dude, seriously, Haddock is right. Take the week and spend a few days in London and then do day trips (maybe head down to Bath or up to Edinburgh). Hell, you could spend the whole week in London.

All of this information is much more succintly contained in the latest travel guides - Rick Steves, Fodors, Lonely Planet. You can purchase books that review hostels. You might have better luck with this thread if you tell us the sort of thing you enjoy so we can recommend places to go.

If you're relatively extroverted or just willing to join in conversations, hotels can be entertaining. They can also be crazy party houses - hence the need to read reviews.

I'm going to bet that if you compare London's general crime rate with any big US city, London is probably safer. I'm sure there are dodgy areas, but your guide book will cover that.

Get yourself a temporary cell phone when you get over there. Keep your passport on you at all times - don't leave anything you positively cannot lose in a hostel. I've stayed in a bunch and never had a problem - but other people in the same hostel lost cameras and stuff.
posted by canine epigram at 8:26 PM on June 3, 2010

Oh, and go on any night time history or spooky tours (Edinburgh's are particularly awesome, but London's are also entertaining. Have some cheese with your gruesome history.)
posted by canine epigram at 8:28 PM on June 3, 2010

Regarding number five: know someone in the city you're visiting, let them know you're coming, and have their phone number. I can't recommend this enough.

I visited London alone a few years ago, and stayed in a hostel. 4 nights into my weeklong visit, I was mugged coming home from a club - luckily, I did the "throw your wallet that way, and run that other way" thing and it turned out alright. But I didn't want to stay at the hostel, and Ididn't have any cash or a credit card.

What I did have was the phone number of my penpal from third grade, Fiona*, who I'd never met, but who had found me through facebook ten or so years later. She was Scottish, but had moved to London for school. I'd let her know that I was going to be in London, and we had tentative plans to go to the Dali museum there, I think.

I called her, and within an hour or so, I was whooshed away to her boyfriend's apartment, and was fed and watered and tucked into bed.

Having Fiona there saved my trip there, and she was kind enough to call my parents a couple of times and reassure them I really was okay, since I had sent an "oh my god I was mugged send money please come to London and save me" email to them. So - even if it's a friend of a friend, even if it's someone you've never met, even if it's someone from a fairly well-known website that rhymes with FetaFilter - just have a native who knows you'll be there, and who can rescue you if things get bad.

Have fun! I loved the National Gallery so much I went twice during my stay.

*We had met through Cricket magazine. I think she wrote in, and I noticed that she was from Scotland. I was going through a Beatles phase, and wrote in to ask if she knew Paul McCartney.

Man, I was a pretty pathetic third-grader.
posted by punchtothehead at 8:33 PM on June 3, 2010 [2 favorites]

A week to get over jetlag and see London and Rome is possibly a bit optimistic...

Hostels are the way to go - if you're even halfway sociable, you can't help but meet people in the communcal areas.

To allay your mum's fears, hostels are unlikely to be in dodgy parts of town - central London covers a pretty big area and most hostels are in it, and central London is generally safe (but standard travelling precautions apply). The tube (and buses) mean that wherever you're staying, the sights are all easy to get to. I will point out that tube stops are closer together than they look on the map - sometimes it's easier to walk!

Couch surfing is another option - you may not be in the centre of London but you'd be staying with a Londoner who can give you tips and might take you out.

Airports to fly into and out of - doesn't really matter - they're all on the outskirts of London and all have transport into / out of central London. Google the relevant airport and it will tell you the public transport options for getting to and from central London.

Enjoy!
posted by finding.perdita at 8:39 PM on June 3, 2010

If you're visiting both cities for the first time, presumably you'll want to see the major sights, which will be very crowded with other tourists. In my solo experience, I've found that the major sights can be quite exhausting, especially when you're waiting in lines and in a big crowd of mostly American families. Solo travel is awesome when you go off on your own to explore some random neighborhood and have a little spontaneous adventure.

THEREFORE, I think you should pick a country and stay there, perhaps visiting some smaller towns. Then you can have the classic sights AND the amazing solo experience.

Or if you must, have you thought about Ireland or Scotland instead of Rome?
posted by acidic at 9:51 PM on June 3, 2010

Oh and for your questions, you can't beat Wikitravel for info on logistics.
posted by acidic at 9:53 PM on June 3, 2010

I went to London on my own and stayed at The Generator. Lots of young people from various countries stay there, and there's events held to socialize. There's a bar in the hostel, but I don't really drink and didn't do the drinking thing. Still, I talked to people wherever I went, whether in the hostel or at the London Eye, where I met another girl traveling alone. The location is near Russell Square/Bloomsbury, so you're centrally located.

I knew someone in London at the time, so I spent an evening at my friend's flat, which was a student residence.
posted by cmgonzalez at 10:08 PM on June 3, 2010

1 -4. You will meet other people in any hostel you stay in. The more central the better just for convenience, but the underground is extensive. There are no places in the generally touristed areas I would tell you to avoid. It's a vast city, and the places I wouldn't want you wandering around in on your own late at night really take some getting to.

As with any major city, you do need to keep your eyes open, be aware of your surroundings and keep your property secured to your person. But you will be one of a million lost tourists rotating a map cluelessly and that's OK - there's comfort in numbers.

5. Post a meetup in MetaTalk so you know some people in London and have some contacts. Take the number for the embassy with you to make your mum feel better; in a true emergency, they can provide 24 hour consular services. Hell, take my number - we're in Ireland now but if you get in a jam we can dispatch someone local to bail you out. Make sure you have travel insurance.

6 - 8. Heathrow or Gatwick; it doesn't matter. Ryanair flies to Ciampino. Trains.

If this is your only trip to Europe for the foreseeable future, than OK yes: London and Rome. Otherwise, ugh. London and Dublin, London and Cork, London and Edinburgh, or London and Brighton and Cornwall or something.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:11 PM on June 3, 2010

One week? Just stay in London the whole time. Don't try to do London and Rome. You'd get, what, 2 or 3 days per city? What's the point? I don't know why people try to do this kind of thing. Save Rome for another time or extend your trip. London, Rome, and Florence in one week is impossible.
posted by Jaltcoh at 10:17 PM on June 3, 2010

Since it sounds like your priorities are about getting yourself into interesting places and avoiding tedious/dangerous ones I will lend another voice to those saying " please don't attempt to do London and Rome in a week - in August especially: choose one". If your ticket takes you in and out of London AND you want to see another city as well then concentrate on those cities which can be reached by a short air or train hop: Edinburgh, Paris, Amsterdam, etc. All these places have great night life, many opportunities to meet up with locals and other travellers and loads to see.
posted by rongorongo at 10:33 PM on June 3, 2010

Definitely stay in a hostel -- having access to a kitchen can save you a mint in the UK and you meet lots of people while cooking, etc.

I'm going to be staying at the Oxford Street YHA hostel in London for a few days in June -- it's a superb location, a bit pricier than some (£20-25/night) but with an excellent kitchen and nice rooms (that's why I like YHA and IHA hostels). The people there will be on average older and quieter than some of the big party hostels in London (some have bars or clubs attached) but I like that because I'm an old fogie.
posted by jb at 10:46 PM on June 3, 2010

I adore Rome. ADORE. And I um, kinda hate London. But I have to agree with the above posters that splitting a week between the two is insanity. Also, August in Rome is a mess. Italians take their holidays (Ferragosto), which means Rome is largely empty except of tourists. Some people like that, but I love being among the Romans. I love having the regular everyday shops (not just the Benetton on Piazza Venezia) open their normal hours. A bunch of Americans and Japanese milling about following their tourguides is not the best Rome has to offer.

Plus, Rome in August? HOT. Especially after coming from London, it's a painful shock to the system.

And really, although I trash-talk it, London deserves a week to itself. Or you could do the Eurostar to Paris for a couple of days (or even one really long day). But Rome (especially if you're trying to cram Florence in too) deserves more than 3.5 days, especially when you remember all the time it takes to get to the London airport, check in, fly to Rome, and get from the Rome airport to the city. And then set up at new lodgings. Seriously, I have to go lie down just thinking about it.

If you insist on doing the split trip, you may be limited in airport choices based on which low-cost carrier you can book. If you get the choice, avoid leaving from Stansted (a long way from town and not as convenient as Heathrow [Heathrow Express or the tube] or Gatwick [Gatwick Express]), and try to fly into Fiumicino. From Fiumicino you can get on the Leonardo Express, which for 14 euros will take you to Termini station in 31 minutes. From Termini you can connect to anywhere in Rome or Italy, or you can find cheap lodging near the station itself. (Convenient if you decide to take the day trip up to Florence -- walk around the corner to the train). Ciampino is a cute little airport that feels like something out of a neo-realist film, but Fiumicino's train station in the airport = win.
posted by katemonster at 10:47 PM on June 3, 2010

to continue -- the best hostel for you will depend on where you want to be in London, and your own preferences for liveliness, etc. I found the Oxford street by a recommendation, but most of the dozens of hostels in London have reviews on the web that give you an idea of what they are like. I know that there is one big one known for the parties and attached club -- I don't know if this is the sort of thing you would like, but there are certainly almost as many hostels as there are tastes and budgets.

One hostel I would not recommend is the Astor Museum Hostel (next to the British Museum). It was loud and cramped, and the kitchen was so small I could barely get a cup of coffee.

If you google "hostels London" you'll find aggregater websites that you can search by price, etc.
posted by jb at 10:54 PM on June 3, 2010

I'd swear there was a comment asking for more info about myself and what I like to do, for recommendations, but I must have confused myself with a different thread, anyway: I'm a guy, in my mid-20s, moderately sociable, that hates clubs, hardly drinks, but would be OK with visiting a pub for the experience. Basically, I'm looking to do interesting things (who isn't) and to preferably meet people who are past the partying phase. Hostel-wise, I'm going to be looking for something on the quiet-but-not-dead side.

I'm starting to rethink the idea of going to Rome: it was a vestige from an earlier plan, and the jetlag + extra transit time & logistics + language barrier + first solo trip might be a bit more than I want to take on at once. I do intend to come back to Europe, and I can always visit the second time.

Hostelworld and New Europe tours look great, I will definitely check them out.

I don't know anyone personally in London, but now that I think of it, I may have a decent chance of having a couple of friends-of-friends there. I didn't really know MetaTalk was used for meetups.
posted by cosmic.osmo at 10:55 PM on June 3, 2010

Oh -- on the safety issue, I'm sure there are bad parts of London, but most people are fine if they avoid drunk people. And you can reassure your mom that if you get lost, etc, the locals do generally speak English.

on preview -- it sounds like you would like the Oxford Street hostel, if it's in your budget. I really did before (that's why I'm going back). Nice big comfy lounge where people quietly chill, big, bright kitchen -- but all within blocks of Soho, Bloomsbury, etc.

Definitely book a mefi meetup, if you would like to meet people. Guarenteed to meet interesting ones.

Also, for the most pubby-pub I've ever been in -- check out the Mitre in Ely Square. It's crazy busy after 5pm, but more chill in the afternoon.

For dinner, have a meat pie (so many kinds!) at the Blackfriars Pub at Blackfriars station. Gorgeous decor, filling & delicious food for a remarkably reasonable price (less than £10 in 2007). This is harder to find in the UK than you might think -- expect all food in restaurants, coffee shops, etc, to cost twice as much as North America. Marks & Spencer sandwiches (£1-£3) might come in handy, as will cooking at the hostel.

Of a sorts.
posted by jb at 11:05 PM on June 3, 2010

sorry -- that "Of a sorts" was a reference to the English skills of the English.

Just thought of one other thing -- London Walks is the most amazing £5 I have ever spent in the Uk. I thought I knew London and British history -- I learned so
much fascinating stuff. I did the Tuesday morning "Secret London" walk -- but all of them are great. I met a flight attendant who went on a different one everytime she had a layover, and she liked them all.
posted by jb at 11:12 PM on June 3, 2010

Oh! Learn from my sad experience -- make sure you arrive at your hostel or other lodgings in daylight so you can check it out before you commit. If you go with one of the ones people are recommending here I'm sure you'll be fine, but if you're going with an unknown quantity you don't want to find out it's not fit for man or beast when it's already bedtime and you've got to hustle to figure out where you're sleeping.
Also, there's a metafilter couchsurfing group -- you might be able to find people who would either put you up for a night or two, or who would at least be down for coffee and conversation. And if you decide not to go the hostel route, you could look into university dorm accommodations -- London School of Economics has singles as low as 33 pounds and there's a centralized booking system for some schools.
posted by katemonster at 11:16 PM on June 3, 2010

Other people have addressed many of your questions; I'll add my "don't try to do Rome and London in one week" and move on to Question #5.

Two things I suggest:

1. Wear a money belt. In many years of traveling alone, I've had many wonderful experiences, and nothing remotely bad ever happened. But on one business trip with a co-worker, I got a bit careless and had my wallet stolen. But since nothing critical was in my wallet - that stuff was all in my money belt - the trip went on just fine. I was just out a bit of cash.

2. Read The Gift of Fear, by Gavin de Becker. I read it for a totally different reason; my work takes me into the homes of people I've never met before. But the advice in the book could be useful to many people in many situations - including your solo travel.
posted by jeri at 12:37 AM on June 4, 2010

# What's the best area to stay in to see all the touristy stuff?
# Are there any bad parts of town that I should make a point of avoiding?
# Any safety tips for London or solo traveling generally? My Mom is worried that some misfortune will happen to me (like getting lost in a bad part of town, getting sick, or getting my ID stolen) and that I'll have no friends around to help me. I'd like to reassure her that I've taken all proper precautions.

London is very safe. As others have said, one of the best areas to stay in is the Russell Square area. It also happens to be where I live. There are lots of students around here because it is where University College London (UCL) is. The British Museum is here too so it is also swarming with tourists. Most places you'll want to go to in London are a short walk or bus/tube ride away.

I do agree though that it is always good to have a local contact. All the mefites here in London are good people. So you could call a meetup. If not, feel free to use me as your emergency contact (just mefimail me and I'll send you my contact info). I'm an expat American living in London and know my way around pretty well.
posted by vacapinta at 12:53 AM on June 4, 2010 [3 favorites]

Watch the fictional movie Hostel - - but treat it as if it were a training documentary on what not to do.
posted by fairmettle at 2:15 AM on June 4, 2010

In twenty years of being in or around London, I've never had, nor have any of my friends, any criminal trouble at all, ever. With one exception: I know lots of people who have had a wallet stolen by a skilled pickpocket in the entrance hall to Tube stations during rush hour. If you buy a travelcard - a multi-use, possibly multi-day ticket - take it out of your wallet before you enter the station and keep it in your hand through the barriers and until you're well past the crush of people; do the reverse as you leave. Having your wallet out to take/replace your ticket gives people an easy mark.

It's really the only problem - come and enjoy the city, it's a wonderful place. Top tips- take a day long boat trip up to Hampton Court; the Hunterian Museum of anatomy and surgery (seriously!); people watching on the King's Road, Chelsea; a full day in the Tower of London (may need a mortgage for the ticket, but it's worth it for the whole day); visit the commercial and independent art galleries (try artquest.org.uk for a list, often closed Monday); Kew Gardens; Fortnum & Mason's; the public gallery in the House of Commons for PMQs on Wednesday (not always easy this; but you can always walk around Whitehall if you don't get in); the British Museum's new '100 Objects' walking tour; get on the Oxford Flyer for a cheap day trip.

There are a few things that are really not worth your time: stay away from Madame Tussaud's, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, Angus Steakhouses, Soho strip joints, Walkabout bars and the open top buses and you won't go far wrong.
posted by cromagnon at 3:24 AM on June 4, 2010 [5 favorites]

A couple of suggestions for day trips by train from London:
1. Brighton: archetypical British seaside town - fun to go to if there is a group of you.
2. Oxford/Cambridge: take your pick.

Airports to fly into: There is not really any London airport which I would describe as ideal. Heathrow is busiest but quickest to get into town (apart from City airport to which you are unlikely to get a flight).
posted by rongorongo at 4:40 AM on June 4, 2010

First up, cromagnon's reply is great, and has even told me things I didn't know, and I've lived here for years.

I agree with the idea of staying in London, and doing day trips: Brighton and Oxford would be my suggestions too.

3. What's the best area to stay in to see all the touristy stuff?

This doesn't matter too much; you can easily get the tube to whatever area you want.

4. Are there any bad parts of town that I should make a point of avoiding?

Yes, but you probably won't go there anyway. Anywhere you might go (around Trafalger Sq/Whitehall, the South Bank, Greenwich, Kensington) is fine. Even the rougher areas are generally OK if you stick to main roads. Crime in London is pretty low.

5. Any safety tips for London or solo traveling generally? My Mom is worried that some misfortune will happen to me (like getting lost in a bad part of town, getting sick, or getting my ID stolen).

You've probably got no more chance of getting sick in London than in the US. Make sure you have good travel insurance that covers medical expenses. As I said above, you're unlikely to get lost in a bad part of town - if you start heading the wrong way, you'll get bored before you get anywhere dangerous.

Mugging and pickpocketing is always possible - police signs in some areas advise people not to wear MP3 players, or flash their phones around, because they supposedly attract muggers. I haven't had the problem, but it might be worth bearing in mind. If you're paranoid like me, take a money belt with your essentials in it, and a wallet with petty cash - if you get mugged or pickpocketed, you just lose the wallet. Maybe consider carrying a bank card and a credit card, separately, so if you lose one you can still get cash.

6. What airport should I fly into from the US?
Heathrow is fine, and is probably where most of your flight options will be landing. London City is short-haul only. Gatwick is my favourite, but doesn't appear to have many North American flights. Nor does Stansted.

7. Which airport should I fly out of to Rome?
Like others, I'd advise not doing Rome. If you must, then I'd strongly advise not using Ryanair, but going with EasyJet instead. Gatwick is probably your best option here (the budget airlines don't tend to fly from Heathrow; you might be able to get a good deal with BA or someone flying from Heathrow though).

8. What's the best way to get between the airports and the city center?
Heathrow: just get the Tube. Takes about an hour to the centre because it stops often, but it's cheap. You could also get the Heathrow Express to Paddington station, which is obviously faster. Depends where you're staying. Check tfl.gov.uk for London travel information (you can put in your starting point and destination, and get route advice).
posted by Infinite Jest at 5:26 AM on June 4, 2010

I too am an expat American living in London. Here's how not to get pickpocketed:

-- Have a bag that zips shut. Since you're male, maybe a messenger bag or something. You can use a money belt if you want -- they're perfectly secure, but it will mark you out as a tourist. Backpacks, being out of visual range when worn, are less secure.

-- Keep the bag zipped shut unless you are transferring something into or out of it.

-- The bag is never out of visual or physical contact. In other words: in coffee shops, don't put it beside your chair or hang it on the back of your chair; put it down between your feet. In crowded situations like markets, shopping streets and Tube stations, keep a hand on your bag. On long bus or train journeys if you're going to zone out or drift off, keep it in your lap.

-- Oh, and if you have a nice phone, don't keep it on the table while you're eating or having coffee, especially an outdoor table.

This is all probably way more paranoid than you need to be-- but better safe than sorry, eh what?
posted by Pallas Athena at 6:07 AM on June 4, 2010

I agree with the other posters saying that London + Rome in one week is too much. Stick with one place and you'll enjoy it much more, I think.

As for London, get a map. I've made several trips to London, all solo, all with my traditional "oh, I think I'll walk this way today and see where it takes me," and the difference between my initial map-free "Crap, I am totally lost" trips and my later map-having trips was dramatic. I went with A-Z London Mini Atlas for my iPhone, but it comes in book form too. Seriously, my grid-city mind was broken by London the first time I realized streets curved. Maps save brains!

Last time I was in town I stayed at Piccadilly Backpackers, which was fantastic for the location, right at Piccadilly Circus, and not too shabby otherwise, though I thought the Internet cafe was pricey. One time previously I stayed at The Generator and while the price was right, the bathrooms skeeved me right out and I have not returned, though that was around 2003 so perhaps they have found the bleach since then.

I have never once had any assault-y crime worries while in London, and I carry a small messenger bag that does not zip closed and don't take any particular precautions like a money belt, etc., though I also don't let my bag out of my sight or fondle my electronics ostentatiously (same as at home). I did get swindled my first day I went abroad (if someone asks you for GBP in exchange for equivalent AUD so that they can make their departing-shortly Heathrow Express, do not be me, and keep your £35 to yourself, because honey, he's not coming back -- and frankly, since I fell for it, I kinda deserved it so I don't really hold that against London criminals to be honest), but otherwise have never had any problems or felt worry.
posted by sldownard at 7:32 AM on June 4, 2010

The open top buses are a bit pricy (£18 in 2007) but also way more awesome than I thought. You get a great sense of the shape of the city -- it was good enough that my
mom is going to do our local version.

Also, I'll put a plug in for the Museum of London, if you are at all interested in history -- it's a national museum, so it's free, it's well curated and my mom liked it better than the British Museum (which can be overwhleming an confusing).

Kew Garden is pretty, but also pricy, and not terribly interesting if you aren't into botany. I found it to be just like botanical gardens everywhere. The greenhouses with the tropical plants were better, but it's always best to see stuff you can't see anywhere else when travelling.

That said, if you go all that way out (second last tube stop on the line?), you can always stop by the National Archives aka the Public Record office a few blocks from the train station and goggle at the original Doomsday Book on display in the small (and free) museum there.
posted by jb at 8:36 AM on June 4, 2010

Airports: Heathrow and Gatwick are both easy trips into Central London by tube or overground train. Go with whatever gets you a better airfare (I do -- this time it's Gatwick, though my friend lives near Heathrow.)

Luton and Stanstead are sometimes called "London" airports but are nowhere near London -- but I think they only do domestic and European flights, so no worries.
posted by jb at 8:40 AM on June 4, 2010

For hostels:
My friends have stayed at Generator and liked it. I've stayed at Ace Hotel and enjoyed it. It's quite clean, on a quiet street, and in a good location for seeing museums and seeing some nice sights. It's also a straight shot from LHR. I've also stayed at Ashlee House, which is a little grimier location (next to King's Cross station) but a cheaper place to stay. It's also a good location if you're planning to take any day trips out of the city since a lot of trains stop there. I've always been there with friends so didn't socialize much with other travelers, but there were always people around at Ashlee House.
posted by sub-culture at 9:26 AM on June 4, 2010

Haven't used hostels in Europe, but...

1. Find out the real costs before you leave. While hostels are cheaper than hotels or B&B’s, that doesn’t mean you won’t pay $50-$80 per night to stay in one.

2. Be realistic about the weather. Rome is certain to be warmer than Britain in August, but my experience is that indoor Britain often feels warmer than indoor USA at the same temperature. Older buildings, lack of ventilation and AC, etc.

3. Fly into London via whatever airport gets you the cheapest fare. You can take buses or trains from any of the 5 airports that serve London. Odds are you will fly into Heathrow. The cheapest way into London from there is the Piccadilly line on the Tube (the subway).

4. Assuming you are not burdened with luggage, the best way from an airport to the city center is going to be a subway, a bus, or a train. What you take depends on what’s on offer.

5. On staying safe: In the typical tourism areas of London and Rome, the only real danger you’ll need to worry about is having your pocket picked. That said, I lived outside London and have visited several times and have never had any problems there. If you want to be more secure, put your wallet in a front pants pocket, and keep a grip on whatever bag you may be carrying when you are in a crowd.

6. If you are young and healthy, illness likely won’t be an issue. However, if something serious does happen, it pays to know that few, if any, American health insurance plans will cover the cost of a medical evacuation from Europe to the U.S. Those can easily run into six figures since the may involve chartering an aircraft, flight crew, and medical personnel. You can buy insurance to deal with this.

7. Check out websites like Frommers and ricksteves.com for some good information for travelers. The more you know, the better the trip will be.

8. And, if you don’t already have a passport, apply for one now!
posted by justcorbly at 5:04 PM on June 4, 2010