Where to find budget hotels in London, the most expensive city in the world?

[dana r.]

Is it just London that's expensive or is it all of England that's pretty expensive to travel?

 

I thought I'd be a bit clever and avoid the dynamic pricing where London hotels hike up prices for Fridays and Saturdays by staying in Bath on those two days to see Bath and Cotswolds. With all those days in England, seeing Bath and Cotswolds seemed like a way to see a different, more quaint side of England.

 

But, the prices for Bath hotels were what you'd expect to see in London. In London, at least, you could find cheaper hotels further away knowing that you could take the subway to take you to the sights. But, Bath doesn't have a similar public transportation system to do that?

 

 

When the British take their holidays in Spain and Greece, I thought they did that for their sunnier weather. But, now I wonder if its cheaper for the British to travel overseas to those countries than it is to stay in England and travel somewhere more local.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Host Bonjour

[wowzz]

Bath is one of the most popular tourist cities in the world, and priced accordingly. Book a hotel in Swindon ( not in the world's top 100 cities!) and get a train to Bath.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

[Host Bonjour]

Is it just London that's expensive or is it all of England that's pretty expensive to travel?

 

I thought I'd be a bit clever and avoid the dynamic pricing where London hotels hike up prices for Fridays and Saturdays by staying in Bath on those two days to see Bath and Cotswolds. With all those days in England, seeing Bath and Cotswolds seemed like a way to see a different, more quaint side of England.

 

But, the prices for Bath hotels were what you'd expect to see in London. In London, at least, you could find cheaper hotels further away knowing that you could take the subway to take you to the sights. But, Bath doesn't have a similar public transportation system to do that?

 

 

When the British take their holidays in Spain and Greece, I thought they did that for their sunnier weather. But, now I wonder if its cheaper for the British to travel overseas to those countries than it is to stay in England and travel somewhere more local.

 

 

As wowzz mentioned about Bath being popularly visited, so too are the Costwolds, some of the most lovely villages you'll ever see and also, very popular among visitors within the UK and from everywhere else one can imagine. I was enchanted by them and my uncle and his co-writer created a cosy murder series set in a fictitious village inspired by a real Cotswolds village!

 

You needn't necessarily stay IN the Cotswolds to visit any one place - many people choose a starting place and then drive to one or two or three villages per day and circle back home. It's up to you how you wish to visit and which places you wish to visit. I suppose you could also center yourself in Glouscester or Cirencester (possibly) though I don't think it would save much, if anything, there would be more of a lodgings selection as they are bigger cities than the tiny Cotswolds villages.

 

There's a member on here called Cotswolds Eagle who could best advise further. The UK isn't quite an inexpensive holiday but backpackers have been coming forever and there's the possibility to make anyplace affordable if one is willing to put in the effort to find the savings - it's there. Best wishes.

[dana r.]

Bath is one of the most popular tourist cities in the world, and priced accordingly. Book a hotel in Swindon ( not in the world's top 100 cities!) and get a train to Bath.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

 

I didn't know Bath was so popular, and therefor priced accordingly. Before this cruise, I'd never heard of Bath or Cotswolds and only discovered them because I was looking for a daytrip from London.

 

That's an interesting idea about staying in a cheaper adjacent city and taking the train into the more expensive tourist destination. But, I have two follow up questions:

 

1) Why stay in a hotel in Swindon?

 

Looking at the map, Bristol seems like it'd be closer than Swindon to Bath.

 

And, there seems like there's a bunch of smaller towns or cities that are even closer to Bath than Bristol and Swindon.

 

 

 

2) Would you also recommend staying in a city outside London and taking the train into London?

[LHT28]

I would weigh the costs of a cheaper hotel in London to one outside & commuting back to London ...how much time will it take going back & forth ??

Sometimes it is better just to book something in London

Do the math & see what works best for you

 

If you want to pay in USD you could try priceline & pay in advance

[John Bull]

I didn't know Bath was so popular, and therefor priced accordingly. Before this cruise, I'd never heard of Bath or Cotswolds and only discovered them because I was looking for a daytrip from London.

 

That's an interesting idea about staying in a cheaper adjacent city and taking the train into the more expensive tourist destination. But, I have two follow up questions:

 

1) Why stay in a hotel in Swindon?

 

Looking at the map, Bristol seems like it'd be closer than Swindon to Bath.

 

And, there seems like there's a bunch of smaller towns or cities that are even closer to Bath than Bristol and Swindon.

 

 

 

2) Would you also recommend staying in a city outside London and taking the train into London?

 

 

You can pick 'em, Dana. ;)

Bath is up-market, and popular with tourists.

Ditto Windsor.

Hence the prices.

 

Yes, for Bath, Bristol would make more sense than Swindon.

I think wowzz mentioned it cos it's frequently used as a much-maligned example of a town with nothing to offer (unless you're a railway buff).

 

A similar example would be Slough, a town with nothing of interest but ten minutes from Windsor and quite close to London.

And folk commute to London from as far away as Swindon, a great many more commute from Reading. Much cheaper accommodation, but your day in London will start around 10am and finish around 5.30, then it's back to a pretty boring base for the evening tired and dishevelled.

Half the vacation, half the cost.

 

Best to bite the bullet in a decent area, somewhere handy to a tube station

 

JB :)

[yaletownboy]

Is Pret a Manger still around? I liked them to grab and go sandwiches and other foods/salads

[newport dave]

Is Pret a Manger still around? I liked them to grab and go sandwiches and other foods/salads

 

 

Yes, loads of them in London. Will probably have shop in most major UK cities.

[newport dave]

You can pick 'em, Dana. ;)

Bath is up-market, and popular with tourists.

Ditto Windsor.

Hence the prices.

 

Yes, for Bath, Bristol would make more sense than Swindon.

I think wowzz mentioned it cos it's frequently used as a much-maligned example of a town with nothing to offer (unless you're a railway buff).

 

A similar example would be Slough, a town with nothing of interest but ten minutes from Windsor and quite close to London.

And folk commute to London from as far away as Swindon, a great many more commute from Reading. Much cheaper accommodation, but your day in London will start around 10am and finish around 5.30, then it's back to a pretty boring base for the evening tired and dishevelled.

Half the vacation, half the cost.

 

Best to bite the bullet in a decent area, somewhere handy to a tube station

 

JB :)

 

We regularly stay in Slough when visiting London, most tourist attractions only open at 1000 anyway. No need to leave at 1730!!!! Most people will have a bag with them, easy enough to pack some anti-perspirant and a clean top for a quick change for the evening. Last train back to Slough is approx 0130. We normally stay at the PremierInn in Slough which is a 15 min walk to the train station. We're staying there for 3 nights in October for £125, prices during the summer months are very similar.

[John Bull]

We regularly stay in Slough when visiting London, most tourist attractions only open at 1000 anyway. No need to leave at 1730!!!! Most people will have a bag with them, easy enough to pack some anti-perspirant and a clean top for a quick change for the evening. Last train back to Slough is approx 0130. We normally stay at the PremierInn in Slough which is a 15 min walk to the train station. We're staying there for 3 nights in October for £125, prices during the summer months are very similar.

 

 

Hi, Dave,

 

OK, whether it's worthwhile have a base somewhere like Slough and spend all day and evening in London without a bolt-hole in-between is subjective.

Yes, it's something most of us do for a day - and something I'd do for a couple of days. Beyond that I'd find it a real bind, hence back to the ranch for evenings by the TV or a local pub or pizza joint..

Mebbe I'm just gettin' old :o

 

But you've shown the big price difference, even after allowing for travel costs.

 

JB :)

[Bob++]

I thought I'd be a bit clever and avoid the dynamic pricing where London hotels hike up prices for Fridays and Saturdays by staying in Bath on those two days to see Bath and Cotswolds. With all those days in England, seeing Bath and Cotswolds seemed like a way to see a different, more quaint side of England.

 

But, the prices for Bath hotels were what you'd expect to see in London. In London, at least, you could find cheaper hotels further away knowing that you could take the subway to take you to the sights. But, Bath doesn't have a similar public transportation system to do that?

 

 

Generally speaking, London hotel prices are cheaper at weekends when there is no special event going on, than during the week. This is because their core customer base is from the business (on expenses) rather than the tourist (paying from their own pocket) world. This applies even more to hotels in the East of the City, around The Tower of London. A hotel in the West End where I have stayed a couple of times (for the theatre) regularly sends me two-for-one offers at weekends.

 

Bath, on the other hand, is primarily a tourist destination and many English people will go there for a weekend. Prices naturally reflect this.

[Bob++]

My suggestion to a tourist with a few days in hand, is to look at bed and breakfast rather than hotels. The standard of B&B is incredibly high these days and you can have a much more personal and memorable experience of the British people and places there than you will get in a Premier Inn in Slough.

[ReturnCruiser]

You might also check VRBO for a London rental. We found a one-bedroom rental from this site for a week in 2015 that was walking distance to Paddington rail station. Being able to have daily breakfasts and a few dinners in the apartment was relaxing and helped reduce travel costs. Several grocery shops in this area, as well as dining alternatives.

[Globaliser]

Is Pret a Manger still around?

Still around? It's making steady progress in its aim to take over the entire world!

[dana r.]

You can pick 'em, Dana. ;)

Bath is up-market, and popular with tourists.

 

Bath seems doable as a daytrip with a train ride from London, but one of the reasons I was interested in staying in Bath is because the tours that originate from Bath are better than similar tours that start in London.

 

Bath is closer to Stonehenge, Cotswolds, etc.. so those tours don't waste as much time travelling to those sites and you can therefore see more sights.

 

If those tours started off in Bristol, then I'd stay in Bristol despite what seems like its limited tourist attractions.

[DrivesLikeMario]

When I was on a budget, I used the UK Priceline website for our two rooms. Worked out pretty well since you get to choose the area you want to be in - and that's what really matters in London - the area and how convenient it is to get around.

[lazygal]

We have booked many affordable rooms through hot wire blind deals and have NEVER been disappointed. Just make sure to carry the booking all the way through to final price to include any taxes and fees and then compare the price on regular sites to make sure it is indeed a bargain. Novatel Greenwich was one of the hotels and though it's a 20 minute train ride to London, the DLR station is connected to the hotel and it as a large room. You have to accept the hotel assigned, but it will be true to the area and star rate selected.

 

This time we chose 2 different 4*hotels within London, both around $135. London is so spread out that no area is a bad area and with a close tube station and Oyster card, you can see it all. Personally I consider Victoria and Kensington both to be ideal for central exploring. The main city of London is mostly a financial, not tourist, area.

 

We eat on a budget, favoring Pie and Mash pubs, and take out from markets. A loaf of bread, cheese, bottle of wine go a long way. Then there is always the burrito and cheese burger for a pound route.

[orchestrapal]

Take another look at hotel rates. The Pound is very low and many fine hotels now have great rates. Food will also be much cheaper than it has been.

So looking at our 44 stay in London this spring.for much less than we paid in October:D.

[Bob++]

The main city of London is mostly a financial, not tourist, area.

 

Apart from St Paul's, The Tower, Tower Bridge, The Museum of London, Borough Market.... Lots of ancient pubs and odd bits of the old City going as far back as the Romans.

[Host Bonjour]

We have booked many affordable rooms through hot wire blind deals and have NEVER been disappointed. Just make sure to carry the booking all the way through to final price to include any taxes and fees and then compare the price on regular sites to make sure it is indeed a bargain. Novatel Greenwich was one of the hotels and though it's a 20 minute train ride to London, the DLR station is connected to the hotel and it as a large room. You have to accept the hotel assigned, but it will be true to the area and star rate selected.

 

This time we chose 2 different 4*hotels within London, both around $135. London is so spread out that no area is a bad area and with a close tube station and Oyster card, you can see it all. Personally I consider Victoria and Kensington both to be ideal for central exploring. The main city of London is mostly a financial, not tourist, area.

 

We eat on a budget, favoring Pie and Mash pubs, and take out from markets. A loaf of bread, cheese, bottle of wine go a long way. Then there is always the burrito and cheese burger for a pound route.

 

 

I used Hotwire in London once and while the hotel was genuinely 4 star it was wayyyy further out east than I had hoped for; out on the DLR which still connects right into the tube but I was in an area where there was NOTHING else - just the ExCeL. If I'd have ended up in a neighborhood, that would have been fine - I'm lived in two boroughs of NYC so I can do that. There are many neighborhoods in London boroughs that are contenders (gentrification is everywhere) though then one becomes a commuter but it's all relative.

 

Again, hotel was nice but I need at least a few things near me for it to count as tolerable - it loses stars in my book once that's not going on. I'll take a clean 2 star in a bustling, clean, connected area anytime. No more Hotwire. But....glad to hear it worked well for you twice!! I think that trip I just had some bad luck ;)

 

Dana how goes the search, have you decided on anything yet? Is the trip a go? Hope you found something that fits your budget! :)

[cruiseelady]

Is London the most expensive city to rent a room?

 

I've been looking for budget hotels, especially recommended budget ones, but they still strike me as expensive.

 

So far, the budget hotels I've found are charging $150 a night for a room and then additional 20% taxes and fees so its really $180 a night. Is this the expected baseline for renting from budget hotel in London?

 

I wanted to stay in London for about five or six days, but not at those prices unless I can find something less expensive.

 

I'll probably have to find something further away, but how far will be too far? The budget hotels that I was looking at aren't even in Central London, but in surrounding areas like Kensington and Victoria.

 

If I'm looking at a map of London's subway stations, what's the cutoff point for something that's too far? Something like East End around the Canary Wharf will be too far?

 

The only thing I've found that's closer are True Hotel and Studios2Let Serviced Apartments near King's Cross Station that are below $150. But, True Hotel will then charge you for everything- to clean the room, for the TV, for a towel, etc.. Its like the RyanAir Model for hotels.

 

And, isn't the King's Cross Station area kind of sketchy and dangerous?

 

Parkwood at Marble Arch is less then $150 a night, actually their rooms start at 78 a night. Its in a very good part of town near hide park.

[SteveH2508]

[/url]

 

The most-pleasant areas further out' date=' places like Richmond & Kew, Kingston upon Thames, Bromley, Woolwich, Hampstead, [b']Harrow[/b], are probably as expensive as more-central areas, but worth checking-out prices. Beyond the tube network you need to be handy to a railway station, but the service into central London is excellent and inexpensive if you travel after the commuter period.

 

<snip>

JB :)

 

JB - I am guessing you have not been to Harrow in the last 15 years or so! I used to work and live there and it has deteriorated badly IMHO. There are still some nice parts - but they do not have hotels. Good tube connection to Central London is a plus point I suppose.

[dana r.]

 

Dana how goes the search, have you decided on anything yet? Is the trip a go? Hope you found something that fits your budget! :)

 

I ended up getting a self service apartment on North Gower Street. It was the closest, cheapest thing place with its own bathroom I could find that didn't have cringe worthy reviews.

 

In my search, I could only pick two, not all three, for other places I looked at. If a place was close and cheap, then it had terrible reviews. Or, if a place was cheap with good reviews, then it wasn't close. And, if a place was close and had good reviews, then it was more expensive.

 

I'm paying $110 total per night in May including Friday and Saturday nights. So, I booked it without waiting for feedback from this forum about the neighborhood because I didn't how long it would still be available at that price.

 

Although, maybe the price was too good to be true.

 

This is how Wikipedia describes North Gower street:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gower_Street,_London#North_Gower_Street

 

"North Gower Street, the northern continuation of Gower Street beyond Euston Road, is not accessible from Gower Street at street level for vehicles or pedestrians. For pedestrians, the most direct access is via a subway along the concourse of Euston Square station."

[Huntingdon1701]

North Gower Street is fine. It's not as nice as Gower Street but it's not run down or dangerous or anything like that. And it is handy for everything.

[insanemagnet]

It is handy for Drummond Street if you like curry and The Bree Louise if you like real ale.