Do you possibly have more information on 'The Generator' in Russell Square? Like Vanessa I am planning to stay in Hostels in London (during late June and early July). I have done some Web research but found no hostels close to Russell Square, which would be ideal for me as I'm taking a couple of Contiki tours which tend to leave from the Royal National hotel (which is in Russell Square) very early in the morning.

I have found the following websites useful for hostelling: http://www.hostels.com http://www.hostelplanet.com http://www.iyhf.org/iyhf/ehome.html http://www.hiayh.org http://www.yha.org.uk http://www.st-christophers.co.uk

I am a bit unsure about bookings though. I've been to hostels where they don't take bookings, so you need to turn up at a convenient time and hope there's a bed free. Too bad if you are arriving in a city late at night and, like a game of musical chairs, the music has stopped hours ago and the chairs are all taken! On the other hand the last time I went to London with a couple of friends back in 1993 we had trouble getting into a hostel without a booking so we stayed in a Bayswater B&B instead. Does anyone know if/when bookings are essential and how far ahead you need to book?

Peter van Schaik Canberra, Australia