Watch the video tour of YHA's new-look London hostel

Walking into the YHA's new London Central Hostel was like walking into a trendy internet cafe - teenagers in low-slung jeans and eye-skimming haircuts slumped over laptops and iPhones, tapping their keyboards to a backdrop of 1980s pop - apparently some things do last the test of time...

While YHA hasn't abandoned its principles of dorm bedrooms, bunk beds, a kitchen, and long tables for communal dining; it's the internet cafe and bar that's now the hub of the hostel, not the stove and the kitchen sink.

Bright furniture, bold artwork, big screens playing music videos and a vast back-lit map of the Underground decorate the walls of the open-plan reception and cafe.

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The backpackers, many of whom told me they were students and cheap mid-week breaks, sipped frothy coffees while planning their days in London - shopping was the most popular activity according to my short straw poll, plus sampling the city's nightlife.

London Central opened earlier this year and business has been brisk since, with most of the 294 beds filled every weekend. The rooms are spotlessly clean with crisp white sheets, lockable cupboards for security and most with ensuite bathrooms.

The dorm rooms will continue to put off couples seeking privacy on a romantic weekend break, but for backpackers or families who want a safe and clean base from which to explore the city, you can't go wrong with this value-for-money hostel.

Need to know

For more information about YHA visit www.yha.org.uk.

For more tips on where to stay in England, visit our interactive map of hotel reviews or click on the EnjoyEngland Accommodation website

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