I stayed in the Generator from Feb. 14-March 10, 2005, arriving from Paris.
A former police barricks, the Generator is large, cramped, overcrowded and noisy. How noisy you ask? I could hear the music in the bar on the 4th floor very clearly. Even with earplugs.
The rooms are outragiously cramped and gave me a couple anxiety attacks untill I adapted. The lighting in the rooms are horrible as well with a singe ceiling bulb for the entire room and no independant bed lamps.
The windows in the rooms are only single pained so you can hear all the traffic outside. The bathrooms are decent and cleaned daily but I found no real hot water in the showers which have a weak water pressure.
The breakfast is a free, all-you-can-eat before 8am when the kitchen is locked up.
The dinner is the hit-or-miss adventure that you have to pay extra for. I had a couple good meals but more often than not I had to go out and buy my own food from other places.
The staff are friendly and helpful for the most part, but watch out for the "Hardman" competition where they encourage you to overdrink and strip. (3 people (2 guys and 1 girl)from my Traveling Classroom group did the Hardman. One guy got his shirt off, the girl stripped to her bra and panties and the 2nd guy stripped naked (and won the competition)).
The laundry is affordable but the dryers are almost worthless with at least 3 times needed to get clothes "dry".
There is a luggage storage room for you to use. You need to get a key from the front desk because the door locks automatically after it is shut. I reccomend having a good, strong cable lock for your luggage in the luggage room though. The Generator isn't responsable for lost items and a lot of people just left their bags unlocked.
update post-Sep.2005: The "Chill-Out" room (main commens area) has gone through a make-over and is now filled with comfy looking beanbags, couches, chairs and a couple internet terminals.
Unique Qualities: close to Russel Square and Kings Cross rail stations, elevator, good neighborhood, 15 min. walk from Oxford Street, 5 min. walk from British Museum. cheap drinks, nightly activities, movies at 4pm, internet, free internet booking on hostelbookers.com
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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$20
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Phone: 0044 (0)20- 7388 7666
Address: 37 Tavistock Place, , London, England WC1H 9SE
Directions: From King’s Cross: Turn right out of station onto Euston Road. Walk 100 metres, take 2nd left which is Judd Street. Walk 150 metres to 2nd set of traffic lights and turn right onto Tavistock Place. Compton Place is 40 metres on your right off number 37.
Website: http://www.generatorhostels.com/london/
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on Jan 1, 2006
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