Apollo Hotel Kings Cross
by the TopOfHotel team
Apollo is the last call on the budget shelf — a free breakfast and an 8.9/10 location for under $50, as long as you treat the room as a place to sleep, not linger.
Apollo is the last call on the budget shelf — a free breakfast and an 8.9/10 location for under $50, as long as you treat the room as a place to sleep, not linger.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
These are basic 3-star budget rooms — small, with the trimmed-down amenities the price implies. Part of the reviewer pool calls them clean and the staff very friendly, describing rooms that are compact but usable. Another part reports the opposite: tired bathrooms in units that clearly haven't been refurbished, thin walls that let in noise from the next room and the corridor, and beds a few guests found too firm. The takeaway is that your stay depends heavily on which room you draw, so it pays to ask for a higher floor away from reception when you book. Staff consistently outscore the rooms on friendliness and effort to help.
Food and amenities
The free breakfast is the headline feature that sets Apollo apart from budget hotels at the same rate. Most reviews are pleased simply to get a morning meal included at this price, even though it's a basic continental spread rather than a cooked fry-up. Late check-out is available — more flexible than the budget norm — and the front desk runs 24 hours with free Wi-Fi throughout. There's no restaurant for other meals, no bar and no gym, but the streets around St Pancras cover every gap, from international kitchens to old-school English pubs.
Location and getting there
After the free breakfast, location is the strongest selling point — and the 8.9/10 guest score backs it up. It's a 5-minute walk to St Pancras International, where six Underground lines fan out across the city and the Eurostar runs to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. The British Museum is 15 minutes by Tube, literary Bloomsbury a 10-to-15-minute stroll, Camden Market two stops and Oxford Street three. For a place at the bottom of the price list, that reach is the whole argument.
Things to know before booking
The 6.2/10 overall is the lowest score on this list, and it's earned: across roughly 1,200 reviews, complaints cluster on small rooms, thin walls and noise from neighbours and reception. Bathroom cleanliness is inconsistent room to room. Amenities are bare — no on-site dining, bar or gym — and the breakfast serves in a limited window you'll want to confirm at check-in. Request the top floor away from the desk, and message ahead if you're arriving late, since a few guests noted overnight shift-change mix-ups.
Our take
Apollo suits the backpacker on the tightest budget who wants a free breakfast and a top-tier location at the lowest rate on the street. From about $44 a night, with breakfast included and St Pancras five minutes away, the cost-per-value beats what the 6.2 score suggests — provided you accept a basic room and plan to be out exploring all day. Stretch the budget a little, though, and the European Hotel nearby delivers a clearly better stay for not much more.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Free breakfast is built into the rate, which genuinely matters in London where a basic morning meal out can cost $20 or more. It is a simple continental spread of toast, cereal, fruit and a hot drink rather than a Full English, but it is enough to set you up before a day of sightseeing.
- The location scored 8.9/10 across roughly 1,200 reviews. You are a 5-minute walk from St Pancras International, which means six Underground lines and the Eurostar to Paris are on your doorstep, plus the British Museum one Tube stop away.
- Late check-out is offered, which is more flexible than most budget hotels in the area and handy if you have an afternoon Eurostar or a late flight out.
- The front desk is staffed 24 hours, and staff pulled noticeably better reviews than the rooms — repeat guests singled them out as friendly, helpful and quick to point you toward the right Tube line or a nearby pub.
- At around $44 a night with breakfast thrown in, the cost-per-value is better than the 6.2 score alone suggests, especially for a backpacker who only needs a clean bed two Tube stops from everything.
- The overall 6.2/10 is the lowest on this list for a reason. A large share of reviews report small rooms, thin walls, and noise carrying in from neighbouring rooms and the reception area — light sleepers should request the highest floor away from the front desk when booking.
- Bathroom cleanliness is inconsistent. The happy reviews call the place spotless, but a steady minority flag tired bathrooms and rooms that clearly have not been refurbished, so the experience depends heavily on which room you draw.
- Amenities are bare-bones: there is no on-site restaurant for lunch or dinner, no bar and no gym. The continental breakfast also serves within a limited window, so an early-start traveller can miss it if they do not check the timing at check-in.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Ask for the highest floor and a room away from reception when you book — the noise complaints cluster around the lower floors and the front of the building near the desk.
- Confirm the exact breakfast window at check-in. It serves for a limited time in the morning, and you do not want to miss a free meal on a day you are heading out early.
- If you are arriving late, message the hotel ahead about late check-in. The desk runs 24 hours, but a few reviews mention mix-ups during the shift change overnight.