Stay In London For £25 A Night – But There's A Catch

Nothing comes cheap in London – everything from the price of food and drink to entertainment, rent and buying a property is off the charts in many areas. Hotels and hostels aren't generally affordable compared to many European cities, either.

But now, there's a new cheap way to stay in London short-term: in a capsule hostel. They're commonplace in cities across China, Japan and Singapore, but St Christopher's Inn in London Bridge is bringing the pod experience to the UK.

The hostel, which claims to be the first in the country to offer this budget travel concept, is offering rooms – perhaps better described as pods – from as little as £25 per night. There are 26 capsules in total, which each come with coloured "mood lighting" controlled by an LED touchscreen wheel, free Wi-Fi, plug sockets, USB charging points and (thankfully) a ventilation system, which the hostel says helps to keep the pod cool.

They come equipped with a thick mattress, curtains for privacy and ear plugs to block out the noise of your neighbour's snoring. They may look claustrophobic, but the hostel claims there is "enough space for you to change your clothes/do your makeup and dry your hair", and they're also secure as they can only be accessed with a digital key card.

Despite the isolated nature of each capsule, the hostel claims to maintain the "social and communal vibe" of a traditional hostel thanks to a bar, late night music and DJs. Backpacking just got a whole lot more futuristic.