Anyone stayed in a YHA hostel as a family?

[chicaguapa]

Thinking of staying in one near to Alton Towers during February half term and I have a few questions...

I'm tempted by the self catering facilities as we can save a bit of money cooking for ourselves, but wondered if you can put supplies in a fridge and leave them there for the day?

What do the 'restaurants' serve and what the prices are like?

Do you put DC to bed and then sit in the lounge area with other parents, or do you go to bed too and stare at the wall (no telly )? DC are 9 & 6.

Can you recommend one near Alton Towers or are they all pretty much the same?

Finally, if we're not members, is the surcharge going to be £12 per night for 2+2?

Thanks.

I don't know the Alton Towers one, but we have stayed in YHs several times as a family. Dc aged 9, 7, 3.

SC kitchen facilities generally average to good. All equipment supplied, you have to bring all ingredients. Drudges and geezers available, usually big enough. Everything has to be labled with your name and date if departure.

YH meals usually good. Unfussy cooking, but proper home-cooked food. My lot adore YH breakfasts!

We take the baby monitor, put them to bed, and go to the lounge for the evening.

That's great and thanks for answering. We're deciding between a hostel and the AT hotel, which are extremes, I know! But I'm a bit excited at the thought of starting a whole new holidaying experience.

"Drudges and geezers available, usually big enough. Everything has to be labled with your name and date if departure. "

I'll rewrite that paragraph:

Fridges and freezers available, usually big enough. Everything has to be labled with your name and date of departure.

YHA food varies from a good school dinner standard and style, to really very nice (had the best trout ever at Borrowdale YHA).

usually plenty of fridges.

we go to bed with ours but they're little; when they are older we will do the baby monitor thing, or even just abandon them if the lounge and rooms are near each other.

they are not all the same - some are purpose-built and a bit grim, others are glorious historical buildings.

You will want this one for Alton Towers - not bad huh?

We stayed at the Ambleside YHA. Really good experience, even though rather short bunk beds weren't ideal for dh who is 6'4". But it's lovely having a proper sitting room away from the bedroom.

Haha Pretty, I worked it out!

Seth - yes, that's a nice one isn't it? That's the one we'd go for.

Maktaitai - having another area to sit in is a plus. We usually have to sit in the dark until DC are asleep then dare to put on one small light.

We like YHs. we find them far easier than hotels or B&Bs with my children. The children can rampage around the corridors and common rooms and gardens and you don't have to be constantly worrying they are too noisy/pulling the dainty lace tablecloths off the B&B tables/crashing into things.

Food varies a lot, a few hostels have very nice local organic food, others are just school dinner standard, but we usually self cater.

we would definitely leave 9 and 6 yos in bed while we go downstairs, we did when they were younger too but it depends a bit on the hostel location and layout. Also it's easier if you have an ensuite bathroom.

Thanks Fennel. I expect it gets easier once you've been to one and know the set-up. I'll plan to self cater the first night and see what the food's like and how much it is.

Do you think I'll be able use my Pizza Express Tesco vouchers at YHA? They have Pizza Express written on them, but the blurb says I can use them wherever it doesn't say 'pay in full'.

I have stayed at Ilam Hall (also a National Trust property) and Hartington Hall youth hostels both of which are fairly close to Alton Towers. We had a family en suite room in both.the kids loved it and both had lovely grounds to play in and were very family friendly. Food wasnt bad at all - Hartington was particularly good. The only drawback is the bunk beds are a bit on the uncomfy side but it is really the only drawback!

Have you checked that Alton Towers is open at this time of year OP?

If the park isn't open, the waterpark is, at least it is over half term.

Not sure you could use restaurant clubcard vouchers for stays in youth hostels because you can exchange your vouchers specifically for at youth hostel vouchers (which I have done recently).

We have stayed at YHA in the lakes and in Wales. Both were OK - a good fun adventure but wouldn't want to stay more than a few nights, we found it tiring all being in the same rooms and not much to do in the evenings. Might be a bit exhausting after a day at Alton Towers? The water park is open, the park is open ( pos only for the weekend) but only selected rides open, but the entry tickets are a lot cheaper than normal.

Oh - I exchanged my tesco vouchers for YHA ones and hope to have a few long weekends with Dcs this year (they are 5 and 4) DH and I used to stay in YHs a lot before the DCs came along so it will be a new experience for us to go all together - really looking forward to it!

Sorry to crash your thread chicaguapa - but can anyone recommend any good YHs in the South?

I have always wanted to stay in the Salcombe or Treyarnon ones - wonderful spot by the sea - but they seem to book up a long time in advance in the summer and I have never managed to get a family room.