Sleeping In A Prison Cell At Clink 78

Set in a beautiful old courthouse, you would have no idea that Clink was a hostel from the outside. In fact, I actually walked straight past it when I first arrived!

I'd been invited to spend a night in this historic building where Charles Dickens previously worked as a law clerk whilst writing Oliver Twist. It's also the place where punk band The Clash were on trial back in 1978 for shooting a racing pigeon. Of course, this would be no ordinary hostel stay, but to make even more interesting I would be sleeping in an old prison cell.

After a short walk (only fifteen minutes!) from Kings Cross Station, I stepped through the doors into the bustling, bright reception area where I checked in quickly and easily using a photocard ID. My excitement did turn into worry as I set my bags down in the small cell and closed the heavy steel door behind me, there were no doorknobs in sight! Thankfully, I saw the little green exit button before I began to panic about being locked in.

Having been convinced by friends and family that the room was probably haunted, I did end up sleeping with the reading light on. I'm a complete wimp! Luckily the bed was super comfy and I fell fast asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I woke up refreshed the next morning, having successfully survived a night in a cell. 

In addition to the prison cells, there are also mixed and female dormitories available as well as en-suites and private rooms. Prices start at £13 a night, excellent for a central London location!

I found the best parts of the hostel were the communal areas as they were buzzing with activity and there was always something to do. Whether it's catching a film in the TV lounge,  having a few drinks in the basement bar or playing a board game with some new friends.

Any facilities you would ever need are provided, all bathrooms are clean and checked regularly and the reception is open 24 hours, manned by helpful and friendly staff. If you're up early enough for breakfast you can grab a bite to eat for free from 7am - 10am, or if you're eating later on, you can whip up something yourself in the kitchen. My favourite room was the English Heritage listed courtroom computer area. The hostel have tried their best to keep the room in its original condition, meaning that you can sit on Twitter in the same room the Clash stood trial in.

Overall, I found my stay to be an enjoyable and interesting experience. It's a great location for visiting London as it's fairly close to a large station and is incredibly well priced. If you're interested in staying at Clink and want to know more then be sure to check out their website. They currently have two hostels in London and are opening up a new on in Amsterdam later this year.

Some images were taken by myself and others were sourced from here.

Many thanks to Clink Hostels for providing me with a room for the night.