Zahra Khozema, a 23-year-old journalism Master's student, faced £30,000 in debt when she was offered an unpaid internship at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's international news bureau in 2019. Unable to afford a flat, she moved into a shared room at Bowden Court Hostel in Notting Hill, West London, paying £80 per week for a bottom bunk.
Living arrangements and savings
The hostel included two meals daily, laundry, a gym, and twice-daily cleaning. Sheets were changed weekly, and 24-hour security was on site. The longer she stayed, the cheaper the rent became, eventually dropping to £50–£60 per week. Zahra later said: 'It was the cheapest I could find. The room was tiny; if one person was standing up, it felt crowded.'
She shared the room with three other women and met diverse residents, including a Japanese man who cut hair, a British portrait painter, students, EU English learners, and some British pensioners. Despite the lack of space, she enjoyed the community, throwing parties and teaching each other languages.
Drawbacks and adjustment
Privacy was minimal. Zahra kept all belongings in a suitcase, nightstand, and small wardrobe. She noted: 'Some people really made it their own. People had furniture that they brought in, beautiful sets of matching beddings, curtains that they bought, fluffy pillows and rugs. But there were no chairs in the room and my roommate would sit on my bed. I really don’t like outside clothes on my bed, so I would have to ask her not to. And anyway, if you sit on the bed, your head hits the bunk above, so there was nowhere to chill on a laptop or watch a movie in the evening.'
When her roommate started dating, the boyfriend slept on the top bunk. Zahra recalled: 'When he slept over and rolled in bed, the whole structure of the bed moved.' She also missed having cooking facilities. Despite these issues, she has no regrets.
Debt clearance
After the internship, Zahra found a full-time communications job. She said: 'I was able to save all that money because my living costs were low with the hostel, and the pandemic meant I wasn’t going out.' After a year, she moved into a house with four other hostel flatmates. She concluded: 'When I moved to the UK, I only had enough for a one-way ticket, but when I returned home after two years, I was clear of debt. I was really grateful that I was able to do that.'
Current hostel prices at Bowden Court start at £180 per week for a three-bed dorm and £284 for a single with shared bathroom, still cheaper than average London rents of £2,302 per month (June data).
