YHA South Downs

The booking was easy, staff were very helpful and polite, I would 100% stay here again, really good value for money. It has everything you need for a short stay. The room was clean and tidy, beds were simple and adequate for what you pay. Thank you

A very well run Youth Hostel. The staff are very efficient, polite and helpful. It's in a perfect position on the South Downs Way, so ideal in particular, for any walkers and cyclists. The cafe for hot food and drinks is open all day for passing 'traffic' as well. A lovely hostel, which is clean, relaxing and very comfortable. My room was very nice, with a basin, but the bathroom was only two doors away and again was very clean. The hostel is located about 2-3 minutes walk from Southease BR station, where there are regular train services to local areas, such as Lewis, Seaford, Newhaven and Brighton. There is a very nice cycle path along the River Ouse to Lewis, which has just been renewed and is a lovely surface to ride along. I would highly recommend YHA South Downs, if you need a break, to 'blow away a few cobwebs' and give your brain a holiday, or to just enjoy the great outdoors !! Give it a go !!

After a 7 hour walk from Pycombe and the second day of doing so as my husband and I were doing a mammoth Southdowns way walk i hobbled into the YHA. Having never stayed in hostel before I was braced for the worst but I was so very wrong :-) On arrival all the staff were very friendly - Camila ( I really hope that was her name I was in so much pain from blisters on my feet at the time hahaha) was so upbeat and beyond helpful and even encouraged me to complete my day 3 which I was so ready to bail out on !! Our room was on the top floor and had loads of space and was clean and the bed was comfy. The shared bathroom was clean and the shower was decent - I have extremely long and thick hair so I find it hard to find decent showers with enough power to clean the shampoo out and this was good. Dinner and drinks in the evening were fun - and once again I expected very little from the food but the Chicken burger was good. Breakfast was as expected but tasty and powered me through another long day of walking. A really good experience overall. Only negative is the noise from the train which cant be helped but if you're a light sleeper this may be an issue.

The staff at YHA South Downs were so helpful during our stay. We had over estimated our time to get to the youth hostel on the South Downs Way and called them to let them know that we would be late and we hoped we would get there before they stopped serving food. We were assured that we would be able to get food when we arrived and that gave us the drive to get there quicker! On arrival, food was sorted out, bike storage was shown to us and we were all booked in quickly. The private room with ensuite was clean and well setup, even with lights, power sockets and shelves on each bunk bed. Breakfast was great, with ample food available and no rush to leave!

My family and I stayed in a Bell Tent at the hostel this summer. The tent was very spacious and also had a designated outdoor area to accompany it. The foldable mattress was slightly uncomfortable, however upon request, we were given a different mattress. The staff were always incredibly friendly and very helpful whenever we had questions or queries. We had a problem with another guest staying at the hostel, but the manager, Marco, responded very professionally and saw that we were satisfied with the resolution. The location is very convenient, being less than a five-minute walk from Southease station. It is also in a perfect spot for walking and hiking in the South Downs. Would absolutely recommend!

Shared a 6bed dormitory and ensuite with friends for 2 days. Solid bunk beds and good bedding. Clean. Beautiful building in a lovely area. Great space including decent outside space and good facilities including BBQ stuff. Charming yurts. Lovely staff. Nice atmosphere. Handy cafe. Would definitely visit again and even stay longer - time permitting

First the good points: Lovely location with good amenties on site. Nice café, competitively priced. So to the bad......& it's that road (A26 between Lewes & the port town of Newhaven). My room (Granary) was yards from the speeding cars so sleep became a challenge. Needless to say I got none. When I asked if it was possible in future to have a bed in the main block (further away from the road) I was told it was policy restrict that area to females only. I remember in my youth staying at Tescombe hostel (1979 - 2015) which was quiet & peaceful. Disappointing experience.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay while walking South Downs Way. This YHA is so conveniently located for the path. The room was clean and comfortable. We had breakfast which was excellent. We also had our evening meal, which was well cooked and reasonably priced. We had a sunny evening so we sat outside in the lovely outside seating area. Only downside was that it was a little expensive for a youth hostel but it was worth it for being right on the South Downs Way!

The first time I've given a 1 star review. We tried to resolve things directly with YHA, but our concerns fell on deaf ears. My advice to anyone wanting to book.... Make sure you: 1) Do NOT stay in the end room of the main block. You won't sleep due to the noise of the road. Even the earplugs that they may (or may not) provide, won't help. Check they are in the room. They told us they were, but they weren't. 2) Do not expect the management to listen to your complaints, or to resolve things. 3) Book a room in the building where the self-catering kitchen is. You will sleep better here.