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If you are heading to London and want to save some of your precious pennies for something other than accommodation, I recommmend checking out www.hostellondon.com.
It's got heaps of cheap accommodation and all of it is reviewed by former customers meaning you won't end up in a total kip!
I think it is becoming essential to protect yourself against being refused your pre-booked hotel room. After a long flight I arrived at a south Kensington hotel to be told I had no booking and they were full. In future, I will call beforehand to make sure it's all OK. I have found a website page that lists the reasons so you can be prepared.
Situated right next to the city and the bars, cafes and markets of Spitalfields and Brick Lane, the location is ideal. Tube station right next door also. Rooms are basic, but spotless, clean and comfortable. For £65/night at the weekend it's a bargain. Unusually for a hotel, the bar is buzzing and comfortable. The staff are so friendly. Definitely worth checking out.
Commercial Street, E1. Aldgate East tube station.
Weardowney's 'Artisan' Guesthouse was developed by fashion label Weardowney. It is home to a fashionable crowd of artists and models, along with international business professionals who regularly pass through.
There are 7 rooms all individually decorated by artists to encourage creativity from its guests. I love the atmosphere the guesthouse provides and the home from home environment to unwind in. This guesthouse is a real treat and once you've stayed the once it'll become your second home!
Everyone is really friendly and helpful and made my stay one of the most comfortable away from home. The rooms are from £68 and are well worth it.
You can find the Gueshouse at 9 Ashbridge Street, North Marylebone, London NW8 8DH. It sits in the quiet back streets of Marylebone where the guesthouse is set within the House of Weardowney's grade II listed building, just up the road from bustling antique colonies Church Street which has a lovely fruit and vedge and fresh fish market on Thursdays. Closest tubes are Marylebone and Edgeware road. WD guesthouse is near various bus routes and also only a 25 min walk from Oxford Street! Contact booking number is 0207 725 9698 and email is guesthouse@weardowney.com. Talk to Amanda or any of the Weardowney team!
What a great place to stay. This budget accommodation is in a brilliant location and is within walking distance of loads of tourist attractions. It is safe and friendly and vibrant and has plenty of facilities on site including a bar, restaurant and internet cafe. Lots of buses and tube stations close by too and no curfew.
229 Great Portland Street
London, W1W 5PN;
www.ish.org.uk;
tel: 020 7631 8310;
Tube: Great Portland Street Underground
This hostel is so unexpectedly swish that you have to stay there once if only to realise that budget accomodation is not as bad as you
think. It's packed full of facilities, including a free all-you-can-eat breakfast, 24 hour reception and a ludicrously cheap,
buzzy bar - and it's only £10 a night. Not bad for a hostel slap bang in the middle of London (between Euston and Kings Cross).
The Generator, Compton Place (off 31 Tavistock Place), London, WC1H 9SE
020 7388 7666 www.generatorhostels.com/london/
Depending on the time of year, prices at the Holiday Inn Express can be as low as £70 a night.
All rooms come with a double bed and fold down sofa, so four of you can cram in (this may involve two of you not technically checking in).
Obviously not a good option for families and people seeking a bit of luxury, but great if you’re looking to spend a cheap weekend on the town in London. The Express on Old Street is particularly well-located near the bars and clubs of Shoreditch.
275 Old Street, EC1V 9LN; tel: 0870 400 9093; nearest Tube: Old Street
You couldn't get much more central in London than this hostel off Piccadilly Circus, meaning you can cut down on transport costs. Some rooms have been refurbished recently with new pod-style dorms, individually painted by selected artists. The style is eclectic but fun. Pod bed prices start at £12.
12 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7BR,
www.piccadillybackpackers.com, 0207 434 9009. Nearest tube is Piccadilly Circus
Guesthouse West is a small boutique hotel in Notting Hill. I like it because the staff are friendly (it doesn't lose intimacy as large hotels can) and its decor is both classy and comfortable. Being there simply makes you feel good about yourself.
The food and drink are a little expensive for my taste, but if you're in the mood to treat yourself, they are of high quality.
www.guesthousewest.com
Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate.
+44(0)20 7792 9800
enquiries@guesthousewest.com
163-165 Westbourne Grove
Notting Hill London W11 2RS
Great mid-price hotel that feels like a five-star posh one. Prices start from 99 quid for a double. Restaurant is excellent and the location, next to the Tate, is fairly central.
30, John Islip Street, London SW1P 4DD, Tel.: 0207 630 1000, nearest tube: Pimlico (handy for Liverpool Street)
There are really very few nice hotels in central London - the rooms are small, the rates are high. One Aldwych is probably the best of the bunch if you want something a bit more modern (not a gilded chair in sight), and it has a large swimming pool in the basement. Sited in the Aldwych it is very handy for either Covent Garden or crossing the river to the South Bank.
The fruit of collaboration between Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck, with stunning views of the city. Double en-suite: prices from £220 (as of August 10).
45 St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4HX; Tel: 0207 300 5500; Tube: Leicester Square; www.morganshotelgroup.com/
For green holiday breaks and accommodation in the UK take a look at Natural Discovery's website.
There are several of these apartments all over London. They are a very reasonable alternative to a hotel and can be booked for a minimum of one night. In addition to a separate bedroom, there is also a small kitchen and dining area which is a real boon when visiting with small children.
Only available in the summer months, but ideal for the budget traveller and visiting groups. Four different residences (Hampstead/Waterloo/London Bridge/Denmark Hill) offering B&B or room-only ensuite in student accommodation from £19 per night. Very hard to find cheaper in central London.
www.kcl.ac.uk/kcvb;
tel: 0207 848 1700;
email: stopover@kcl.ac.uk
Tucked away on a quiet street in Fitzrovia, this trendy five-star hotel is home to an intimate basement cinema. The Sunday night film club costs about £35 and includes a three-course meal at Oscar, the hotel's restaurant, and entrance to a film screening.
It's an affordable way to wine, dine and flop in front of a celluloid classic. The bright orange leather seats are pretty stylish and roomy enough to snuggle up in the back row-would really impress on a first date.
15-17 Charlotte Street, London W1T 1RJ; 020 7806 2000;
Goodge Street station is the nearest underground;
www.charlottestreethotel.com
One of London's new boutique hotels handily placed for Clerkenwell, and therefore St Pauls, the South Bank and quite close to the west end. I think it is over priced, BUT the bigger rooms have terraces at the top and the cocktail bar and brasserie are well worth having on site.
Quiet, nice sized rooms, comfortable beds and furnishings, friendly and helpful staff. A tiny bit pricey but worth it to look out your window and see Kensington Palace. Super easy access to tubes and buses, good, reasonable food nearby. Nice place!
Located at 54 Bayswater Road between Queensway and Notting Hill Tubes.
Accommodation in London is notoriously expensive, but if you're happy with basic facilities, student accomodation outside of term-time can be very good value. The LSE (London School of Economics) has several halls of residence in central locations, starting at £26 per night for single rooms. Only a small number of en-suite rooms are available.
Quiet hotel in the city centre owned by the same family for three generations. Single en suite rooms from £117 per night. Double en suite from £150 per night.
8 Basil Street, Knightsbridge, London, SW1 1AH; Tel: 0207 581 3311; Tube: Knightsbridge; www.thebasil.com/
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