About

The heart & soul of London backpacking
Pull up a bar stool and talk until morning at PubLove’s most sociable Hostel-Pub. As well as being on the doorstep of London’s biggest tourist attractions, the Steam Engine is beautifully soulful and life-affirming - you’ll feel at home as soon as you step through the door. Warning: you’ll never want to leave.
Perfect for travellers looking to meet new people to share their London adventure.

Legendary London adventures start at PubLove.
All our Hostel-Pubs are welcoming, small and social - the perfect places to get to know your fellow travellers. The best thing about staying with us? Your common room is the great British pub! We have 24hr bars specialising in craft beer & gin. Get social with the locals or swap stories over a drink with your fellow backpackers.

Our dorms are modern, cool and spotlessly clean. Our bunks have hygiene/privacy screens, dedicated power sockets, great free Wi-Fi and crisp white linen. Our top-class washrooms are private and offer shampoo, shower gel and plenty of hot water.

Every Hostel-Pub has an award-winning Burger Craft kitchen serving up burgers, loaded fries and brunch, with vegetarian and vegan options. They open daily from 12pm until 10pm.

BOOK NOW to start your own London adventure.

Things to do in London

Here's what's happening in the city over the next few weeks.
Bloomsbury Festival London
19 Oct
London Restaurant Festival
19 Oct
View more

House Rules

Check In

14:00 - 00:00

Check Out

until 10:00

  • Age Restriction
  • No Curfew
  • Non Smoking
  • Taxes Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free WiFi
  • Free Security Lockers
  • Free Luggage Storage
  • Adaptors
  • Luggage Storage
  • 24 Hour Reception
  • Housekeeping
  • Internet access
View all facilities

Reviews

7.7Very Good(689)
  • Value for Money
    7.6
  • Security
    8.3
  • Atmosphere
    7.0
  • Cleanliness
    6.5
  • Staff
    8.3
  • Location
    9.0
  • Facilities
    6.8
Summary of traveller reviews

PubLove @ The Steam Engine, Waterloo in London offers a fantastic location, perfect for exploring the city. Guests frequently praise the friendly and helpful staff, and the lively pub atmosphere downstairs. While some mention cramped rooms and occasional issues with bathroom cleanliness or hot water, the overall sentiment highlights great value and a convenient base for travellers.

Was this helpful?
Stayed in Sept 2026
8.6
L
Lilly
Female, 18-24, Germany
I stayed for 3 nights. I was in a middel bunk, it was a parkour to get in there almost fell out several times while trying to get in. But the hostel was great. close to any kind of public transport. only about 20 minutes away from all major spots. very nice staff. for me there were very little solo travelers who were up to do anything together. so i had to do everything alone aswell. but that might have just been the people there that week.
Stayed in Sept 2026
7.1
R
Robert
Male, 31-40, Canada
A few good things a few bad. Beds are great, not creaky and are secure and high quality. Only improvement is the curtains that most other hostels have. Good sleep and security. Bathrooms are ROUGH. Poor drainage from the showers has the entire floor wet at all times. Bring flip flops 100%. Some staff (not all) are neither friendly nor rude, but they seem bothered if you interact with them. Lockers are small, bag nearly didn’t fit Pub below is quite expensive for a hostel.
Stayed in Sept 2026
5.7
J
Jemimah
Couple, 25-30, Australia
The positives: luggage stoage provided, good location and helpful staff. The negatives: we stored luggage at 12pm, and checked in at 10pm. Our room had not been cleaned. With dirty towels and bedding in room. Rubbish in both mainroom and bathroom. We had to wait an hour untill 11pm to have our room cleaned when another staff member arrived. I commend the staff for their actions, and for the full refund however the room was still not fully cleaned after a staff member did clean it.
View all reviews

Location

41-42 Cosser St, London, England
0.5km from city centre
speech

Hostelworld says

The Steam Engine, Bestplace Inn is a great hostel for those looking to see some of London?s best-known sites. Guests tell us ?you can easily walk everywhere in London? from this hostel, including Piccadilly Circus, the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Lambeth North tube station is also nearby. Many of our visitors praise this hostel?s friendly staff, the ?clean and really comfy beds? and the discounted drinks and pizza in the pub downstairs. One reviewer told us they ?would recommend this to someone wishing to meet real Londoners?.