Sheringham YHA hostel: an honest review
Motivated by a desire to see the seals in Norfolk again on a bit of a whim and wanting to keep the costs of this long weekend down I decided to book the Sheringham YHA hostel.
I’ve stayed in plenty of hostels and YHAs in my youth but was a little apprehensive as to what it would be like staying as an adult.
Here’s my honest review of my stay at the YHA in Sheringham (details correct as at March 2024) including photos, so you can get an idea of what it’s like if you’re considering booking.
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Sheringham YHA hostel
Although I was not a hundred percent sure whether I’d made a good decision when deciding to book the YHA in Sheringham, not having stayed in one for many years, I was instantly put at ease.
On arrival the kind staff and relaxed atmosphere of the communal areas made sure I was happy with my choice. If you’re in a hurry and haven’t got time to read the whole review, the quick version is that it was good value for Sheringham and I would stay again (making sure I’ve packed earplugs).
Prices
The YHA is a charity with a network of hostels throughout England and Wales. It aims to offer access to travel and nature at a price that won’t break the bank. That’s an ethos that’s right up my boulevard.
- Prices for a bed in a dorm are from £18.
- A private room costs from £35 upwards. Prices are higher at weekends than for weeknight stays.
YHA membership costs from £20 a year and with it you get 10% off all stays and pre-booked meals.
This is a popular hostel so booking in advance is highly recommended, particularly if you want a private room.
Location of the Sheringham YHA hostel
The location of the Sheringham YHA hostel is incredibly convenient. It’s a two-minute walk from the bus stop, where you can get buses up and down the Norfolk coast to explore other great places, like Cromer beach, or go on a seal watching boat trip in Blakeney.
The train station is only a 5-minute walk and there’s a large Tesco right around the corner.
A walk down to Sheringham beach takes around 10 to 15 minutes.
Rooms
Options at the YHA are to stay in single sex dorms or book one of the private rooms, for up to six people.
For my stay I booked a private room and was happy to find that it was located on the end of a corridor on the first floor, so only had neighbours on one side. What a bonus.
The rooms are sparse but adequate. There’s a small place to hang clothes and put bags out of the way, and enough room for two.
The sink and mirror in the corner were useful and came with soap. A little furniture cube made for a handy bedside table.
Rooms have their own radiators which when they’re working (more on that later) get the room nice and toasty in winter/spring.
Double glazed windows keep the sound out from outside well but unfortunately the doors don’t have soft closers so you do hear each and every time a door is closed. This, combined with the sound of the water running in the pipes during the night in my room, meant it was quite noisy.
However, I’m a light sleeper and earplugs help. If you accept that you’re paying hostel prices and that you may be woken up as the rest of the hostel begins to get up, it’s fine.
I said this would be an honest review and we did have an issue with there being no hot water at all on the first night and following morning. So the showers and water from the sinks were all running cold – not great in cold temperatures.
However, by the middle of the morning the issue had been resolved and the water was piping hot. It didn’t impact us too much and hopefully was just a glitch.
The bed
As it’s a hostel I didn’t have high expectations for the mattress but I was very pleasantly surprised. The mattress was firm and supported my back, better than in some more expensive places I’ve stayed in.
The bed in my room was a bunk bed, with a double bed on the bottom and a single on top, and the frame was made of a sturdy metal. A special mention must be made for the spotlessly clean bed linen. It was a joy to sink into after a long day in the East Anglian winds.
A small reading lamp above each bed was ideal for this bookworm. Perfect for ultimate laziness in not needing to get out of bed to turn the light off.
Bathrooms
None of the dorms or private rooms at YHA Sheringham come with a private bathroom so you’ll need to use the communal ones.
This might seem less appealing compared to other hostels where private rooms do have an ensuite but there are plenty of bathrooms and individual shower rooms on each corridor, so it wasn’t a big issue.
The nearest shower to us did have an ‘interesting’ smell, but it was easy enough to go a little further along the corridor to the next one.
Be aware that you’ll need to bring your own towels.
Facilities at the YHA Sheringham
The facilities at the Sheringham YHA hostel are great. There’s both a TV lounge and a quiet lounge, great if you want to just sit and read. WiFi is ok in the common areas but patchy in the rooms.
If you’re looking for some entertainment, you can have a game of pool or challenge your fellow travellers to a game of table football.
In addition to the lounges, there’s a dining room, as well as a self-catering kitchen which also has its own smaller adjoining dining room.
Other facilities include:
- Laundry and drying rooms.
- Classroom and meeting rooms.
- Bike store.
- On site parking.
Note that there is no left luggage facility at the Sheringham YHA.
Sheringham YHA food and drink
An unlimited breakfast is available. The continental option costs £6, the cooked breakfast is £10 and the kids menu costs £5. All options include drinks.
There’s also a café and bar serving hot and cold drinks (including alcohol). If you’re here in winter, a warming cup of hot choc will cost you around £3.65.
Usually there are evening meals as well but that wasn’t an option during my stay.
Self-catering facilities
The self-catering facilities at YHA Sheringham are great. There is plenty of room in the kitchen and it comes with three cookers and two microwaves. Admittedly it took me a moment to work out how to get one of the microwaves to work but that was more user error than anything else.
I was impressed with the large number of plates and crockery. There are also two big fridges and individual shelves for leaving your food on (labels are provided).
Even if you don’t plan to cook, there are a couple of kettles available to use, so you can make your own hot drinks.
Check in and out
Check in was easy, with a simple ring of the intercom someone immediately answered and let us in. Once we‘d shown our photo ID and signed a guest form we were handed our key and directed to our room.
Note that check in is only available from 5pm to 10pm, as reception is not staffed after this time. Once you’re checked in though you can come and go as you please, as you’re given a code to enter.
The checkout process was even quicker, I just dropped the key at reception, let them know our name and away we went.
The verdict
A stay at the YHA in Sheringham means you’ll be based in a super convenient location for a weekend break in Norfolk. It’s a great value way to enjoy all the things there are to do in Sheringham and surrounds. Sure, it is a little noisy, but the spotless bedding and comfortable mattress make up for that.