Housed in a standard brick building with a contemporary, industrial design for its first three floors, YHA Oxford Street is a little older and more rundown than its London Central sister hostel. Next door, media start-ups and design offices stretch high into the sky. Once entering the sparsely labeled venue, the layout is a bit awkward. A chalkboard listing activities and hostel information hangs on a wall next to an elevator that only services the first three floors. Reception and common spaces are located on the third floor, and are decked out in bright colors and funky motifs ranging from pink walls to non-traditional vertical surfaces covered in artificial turf. This decor helps keep the mood light, bright, and sociable.

In typical hostel fashion, a display of several country's flags hang from the ceiling. With all of the colors, combined with the use of chalkboards as billboards, the place almost seems like a classroom -- but one made for adults and serving beer. Most travelers are young budget backpacker types, and the welcoming common spaces help solo travelers mingle. While this isn't a party hostel like the Generator, it's not a sleepy library either.

Located on a main drag in Soho just south of the famous shopping mecca of Oxford Street, YHA Oxford Street is surrounded by cafes, bars, pubs, shops, and restaurants. Offerings are a mix of quirky mom and pop establishments and chains. Pubs, cinemas, and other nightlife activities are all a five-minute walk away. Many of the city's popular tourist attractions like the London Eye, London Dungeon, and Tower of London are easily accessible via one of the many tube and bus stations within walking distance. Heathrow Airport is about 40 minutes west by public transport or car. Gatwick Airport is more than an hour south.

Most likely due to the smallish size of the rooms, the YHA Oxford Street dorms max out at four beds -- two sets of standard silver-framed IKEA bunks. This is a welcome reprieve from other hostels that have dorm rooms with bunk beds in double digits. Private rooms are also available with either twin bunks or double beds. Showers and toilets are clean and shared among all room types. On the whole, rooms are a little less updated than the London Central sister branch. Some spaces may have worn furnishings while other units have had carpets and lockers replaced. Green and red paint and bedding add pops of color. There's no air-conditioning, so decide if you can handle the possibility of a stuffy and sweaty summer night's sleep with just a small fan, before booking. There’s also no Wi-Fi.

With several options for eating, YHA Oxford Street makes sure backpackers never go hungry. In addition to the plethora of restaurants and eateries outside its front doors, the hostel provides a cheery shared kitchen. Here, outfitted with all the pots, pans, plates, and utensils an amateur chef could need, guests have access to a fully-equipped cooking area. If they don't feel like whipping up a cup of ramen or scrambling eggs, breakfast and all-day snacks can be found in the cafe. This space also triples as a lounge and bar where visitors can mingle before heading out on one of the hostel's organized pub crawls. Other activities, including tours and admission to popular London attractions, can be booked at reception -- often for a discounted price. Wi-Fi has a reputation of being frustratingly slow -- whether or not it came free with your YHA membership or was purchased prepaid. Computers in the lounge are charged by time used.