Affordable Hotels in London: 8 Editor-Recommended Stays for Under $250 a Night
Finding a cheap hotel in London is no easy feat—London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to book a hotel. Finding a nice hotel for an affordable price tag is even more challenging. So where do you stay for less when you don’t want to compromise on style, location, and food? We’ve curated this list of the nicest cheap hotels in London. These are all hotels that Condé Nast Traveler UK editors have stayed at and loved. They all have beautiful bedrooms, a cool atmosphere, great places to eat and drink, and exciting settings. Most importantly, they’re all $250 or less per night. Of course, the term “affordable” is relative—but rather than a list of the cheapest stays in London, this is our editor-approved edit of the smart stays you can book for less.
How do I find a cheap stay in London?
There are a few ways to score an affordable hotel in London. First, you can look outside the central areas, where hotel room prices will be higher, and stay in one of the neighborhoods or boroughs a little further out. Hotels here are bound to be cheaper, and London is so well-connected that you’ll be in the city's center in no time. You can also choose to travel outside of peak times—midwinter months such as January and February tend to be cheaper, as do mid-week stays compared to weekend trips.
The best affordable hotels in London:
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Courtesy Kingsland LockeKingsland Locke, Dalston
Best for: An eco stay in East London
What's the story?
With a number of locales in London and throughout Europe, these design-led aparthotels are designed to be a hybrid hub where locals and travelers come to eat, drink, work, relax, and sleep, all while remaining true to the surrounding area. At this East London outpost, interiors nod to the miscellany of stalls at nearby Ridley Road—behind the leafy reception area, shelves are filled with an assortment of paraphernalia including lego collectables, stormtrooper helmets with Ziggy Stardust designs, and stacks of books.
The bedrooms
Aiming to blend home comforts and hotel treats, Locke is a place that guests can use as they please. Each room is fully equipped for self-catered stays, but also serves those looking for a less self-sufficient break, with a restaurant, bar, café, and a blue-toned co-working space. Bedrooms are less of a motley mixture than the Ridley Road-inspired reception area and corridors draped in varying shades of pink, instead looking to Hackney’s subtler side with soothing muted colors and raw textures. Our room looked onto the Rio, and the shower had an incredible view of London’s skyline piercing the horizon at the end of Kingsland High Street.
On the menu
Feast on traditional kebabs cooked on a wood- and charcoal-filled robata by local legends Le Bab in the lower-ground restaurant. The hotel has also collaborated with Dalton brewery Kraft and Jim and Tonic, an eco-friendly urban gin distillery. From the menu, the Ruby was our favorite, made with Roobee Rhubarb Gin and served with elderflower tonic, raspberry, and basil.
What we love
The location—Kingsland Locke is slap-bang in the middle of East London’s best bits.
What we don’t like
The bedroom was cleverly designed to maximize the incredible skyline view—while it was worth it in many senses, it left the room feeling slightly cramped. —Olivia Morelli
Address: Kingsland Locke, 130 Kingsland High Street, London E8 2LQ
Cheapest nicest price: Doubles from $136
Courtesy The HoxtonThe Hoxton, Shepherd's Bush
Best for: A Brooklyn vibe in West London
What's the story?
The first-ever Hoxton opened in 2006 in, unsurprisingly, the Hoxton neighborhood of Shoreditch. After years of existing as an indie boutique, Ennismore snapped it up in 2012, and the team expanded in Europe (Amsterdam, Paris, Rome) and the US (New York, Los Angeles, Portland). There are now four Hoxton outposts in London—but this West London sister spot is the only one that has rooms for less than $250.
The bedrooms
There's plenty of the midcentury vibes that The Hoxton is known for—low chairs, groovy headboards, and a wavy full-length mirror bring in curvy lines that soften things up. Of course, a vintage radio and a dimly lit rattan lamp make things cozy, and the bathrooms are big, chic, and utilitarian.
On the menu
Thai-Americana diner Chet's is helmed by James Beard-nominated Kris Yenbamroong, of LA's well-respected NIGHT+MARKET. Leather banquette metal table booths are the setting for plates of crispy chicken wings, wedge salad or nam jim—and plates here are affordable too. For breakfast, order the stack of buttermilk pancakes. The bar is great, too, bringing Asian flavors from the kitchen into the cocktail menu.
What we love
The zero-waste shop in the lobby downstairs, and the sustainable practices present throughout.
What we don't like
Shepherd's Bush is still at the start of its journey as an up-and-coming neighborhood—but you are easily connected to central London. —Sarah James
Address: The Hoxton, 65 Shepherd's Bush Green, London W12 8QE
Doubles from: $221
Photo by Jason BaileyhotelThe Pilgrm
$ |
Hot List 2018Best for: Feeling like one of the locals
What's the story?
Four Victorian townhouses make up the bones of the Pilgrm, Paddington’s first properly cool hotel. Not that it looks like one at all from the outside, with a neighborhood coffee joint replacing a traditional reception. This corner of town isn’t traditionally the most hip or interesting, but new openings over the past few years have marked it as one to watch when the stars of Peckham and Dalston finally fade, including lovely roof terrace Pergola Paddington and canal brunch spot Darcie and May Green, set on a barge.
The bedrooms
Interiors have been kept fairly minimal, with lots of vintage touches that bring out the building’s original features. Reclaimed, 200-year-old parquet flooring and cast-iron radiators rescued from old schools and hospitals are authentic touches; even the sweeping staircase was restored, its layers of paint stripped away. Up-to-the-minute accents have been added: brass lights and white-tiled bathrooms make it both bang on trend and timeless.
On the menu
First-floor café-bar the Lounge is a tucked-away spot for a casual supper—locals and young creatives settle into the low banquet seating for a menu overseen by Sara Lewis, formerly of Grain Store and Nobu. Try creamy lentil daal with punchy mackerel, soy-glazed pork belly, or the unusual chocolate-and-red-wine salami. Cocktails come on loan from superior bars all over the world: a Negroni from London's Bar Termini and the Reverse Martinez made with rose vermouth, gin, and maraschino liqueur from The Clumsies in Athens.
What we love
The stacks of plants from East London’s loveliest green-fingered hotspot Conservatory Archives.
What we don’t like
Some rooms have views of Paddington’s not-so-cool side—we overlooked an Angus Steakhouse on our stay. —Sarah James
Address: The Pilgrm, 25 London Street, London W2 1HH
Doubles from: $157
Veerle Evens/The CulpeperThe Culpeper, Spitalfields
Best for: Romantic weekends that won’t break the bank
What's the story?
Stairs from the street-level pub—consistently packed with shirts and Shoreditchers—lead up to a more mellow space where chef Sandy Jarvis whips up the sort of food you could introduce your parents to. Above the restaurant are the apartment-style bedrooms that look over Commercial Street and Petticoat Lane and smell like freshly baked cookies (sniff them out above the fireplace). The cherry on top—or perhaps that should be gherkin—is the Piculpeper rooftop bar, complete with a large green pickle glowing in the corner and great views of the city.
The bedrooms
Polished concrete, exposed plaster, painted brickwork—more reclaimed than industrial, but not hard-edged, with fun details such as garden-style Acapulco chairs dotted throughout by interior designer Mada Vicassau.
On the menu
Some of the city’s most interesting cocktails, using home-grown ingredients from the box garden on the roof, including pickles, mint and basil. The restaurant’s seasonal menu changes frequently depending on what the chef’s suppliers have in abundance: in spring, we had artichoke hearts with candied cashews and garlic aioli followed by pudding with peanut butter and pears from Kent.
What we love
Not having to move more than two floors in either direction for great food: the pub, restaurant, and rooftop bar all serve knock-out dinners, snacks, and superb cocktails. The wine list is all-natural, and staff are so keen to spread the word that they’ll let you try a couple before choosing.
What we don’t like
The uncomfortable chairs in the restaurant. —Anna Prendergast
Address: The Culpeper, 40 Commercial Street, London E1 6LP
Doubles from: $222
Courtesy Mama Shelter LondonMama Shelter London, Bethnal Green
Best for: Around-the-clock entertainment
What’s the story?
The Trigano family, who gave the world Club Med, have turned away from the Mediterranean and towards gritty city centers for their latest hotel concept—the affordable but design-forward Mama Shelter. Their London branch was the brand’s 12th, and embraces the more is more attitude of maximalist design, just like their other outposts in Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles and across Europe. Up-and-coming designers Dion & Arles have used bold prints, color clashing and various bad-taste bejeweled trinkets to make communal social spaces kitsch and cosy. It’s a grown-up hostel in the heart of Bethnal Green with charming staff, a delicious breakfast, but not a backpack in sight.
The bedrooms
Bedrooms are simple in a flat-packed Ikea kind of way, and the focus is very much on the giant flat-screen television at the center. Tongue-in-cheek toiletries, by eco-friendly French company Absolution, add a bit of sass, so do the low-hanging lights and English-accented bright velvet pillows. But as Mama Shelter is more pit-stop than plush pad, you won’t find a wardrobe, robe or mini-bar in any of the rooms.
On the menu
Go out for dinner but opt-in for breakfast. Mama Shelter’s menu takes a tour around the world—there’s bao, ceviche, and kebabs—to create a confusing medley of global flavors. Breakfast, though, is a more streamlined affair, serving up continental classics: freshly baked pastries, homemade jams, yogurt, and nutty granola, as well as smoked salmon and eggs. There’s a juice station, where you can press your own, plus jugs of freshly squeezed grapefruit and orange juice if you’re not a morning person.
What we love
The price, the location, and all the fun. Bethnal Green is only a 15-minute train ride from central London but it retains its cockney charm with its workers’ cafes and former industrial buildings. The hotel itself is all about keeping you entertained—there are Japanese-style karaoke rooms downstairs, table football, and virtual photo and video booths.
What we don’t like
The cartoon-character masks by the beds. —Emma Russell
Address: Mama Shelter, 419-437 Hackney Road, London E2 8PP
Doubles from: $140
Courtesy Green RoomsGreen Rooms, Wood Green
Best for: An arts hub in an unexpected locale
What’s the story?
Driving an early wave of regeneration through the undeniably tatty North London area of Wood Green, Green Rooms is something of a creative force. It was Nick Hartwright—founder of The Mill Co Project, a company that works with local councils to transform old buildings into arty social enterprises—who first spotted the potential in this striking 1930s building, before proceeding to refurb and relaunch it as a hotel in 2016. Fortunately, its original features had been concealed and therefore protected during its long tenure as council offices, following its former incarnation as an upscale electric showroom. Now the dainty ceiling flowers, mosaic tiling, and other period details are all back on display, showcased against the backdrop of a clean, modernist makeover.
The bedrooms
It’s no surprise to discover that Kurt Bredenbeck, the man behind the first Hoxton hotel in Shoreditch, advised extremely closely on the design, right down to picking every piece of furniture. The look for each room is simple: varnished floorboards, sleek grey walls, clothes rail, and wooden dresser. There are no TVs or minibars here, instead you’ll find statement pieces of art—the team is gradually building its own collection as each of the rising artists exhibited downstairs gifts them a few works.
On the menu
Gallery, hotel, community center... its other guises include DJ bar and restaurant, where the in-house chef alternates every few months, offered a profit-share set-up, industry advice (initially from Johnny Smith, of the Michelin-starred Clove Club in Shoreditch) and a taster of what it’s really like to run a kitchen business. On our 2019 visit, fantastic Japanese food was being served by Oita, a pop-up run by Fan Yi—an acupuncturist by day, now chef and restaurateur by night—while previous cooking has included Nigerian and Caribbean.
What we love
Despite its name, your experience is never going to be one-tone. On a Friday-night visit we witnessed nervous actors pacing outside audition rooms on the lower-ground floor, staying in the $25-a-night dorm rooms; a soul and Balearic house DJ in the community garden out back, gearing up to do a set in the lounge/lobby; a tattooed bride in a blue prom dress giving it some on the dance floor in the high-ceilinged top-floor space; and locals getting merry in the restaurant during a work leaving do, beside an artist who’d popped over from Wales for the hanging of her first ever exhibition.
It’s an artist and creative hub first, hotel second—discount rates are offered to those in the arts, and the Turner Margate has been over on a scouting trip too, looking for inspiration for its own rumored hotel venture.
What we don’t like
On our visit they weren’t serving breakfast, and we couldn’t find many nearby alternatives. Although hopefully this was just a one-off... —Becky Lucas
Address: Green Rooms, 13-27 Station Road, Wood Green, London, N22
Doubles from: $70 for those in the arts industries
Veerle Evens/The BuxtonThe Buxton, Brick Lane
Best for: Pit stops and layovers
What's the story?
We can’t get over The Buxton’s price tag—it’s one of the best-value spots in London, with smart interiors, vintage-style radios, and design details that honor the neighborhood’s history—plus there’s a lovely bar to boot. A great spot for start-up entrepreneurs to stay and bring clients.
The bedrooms
Rooms are small but smart. High beds allow for sliding suitcases underneath and alleviate any feelings of being cramped, while tall windows let in plenty of light. The space quickly becomes your own, as your things will take up every surface.
On the menu
We spotted five Ivy Gimlet Royales standing elegantly on the bar—they weren’t ours, but after ordering our own delicious icy gin cocktail, we wanted another. The wild-garlic gnocchi was fragrant and filling, and the hotel group’s signature cut steak, the bavette, was cooked to perfection. Ask for a side of seasonal vegetables and let the kitchen surprise you.
What we love
Having the rooftop all to ourselves; unlike its sister property, The Culpeper, The Buxton’s roof is for hotel guests only. Take a gimlet up for sunset over the city, or come in your pajamas with a coffee for a scenic stretch in the early hours.
What we don’t like
The shower curtains. —Anna Prendergast
Address: The Buxton, 42 Osborn Street, London E1 6TD
Doubles from: $125
Courtesy High Road HouseHigh Road House, Chiswick
Best for: Leafy London
What's the story?
One of the lesser-known Soho Houses, this Georgian townhouse on Chiswick high street is a hub for young creatives as well as a relaxing getaway in leafy West London. And yet, it’s only just over half an hour away from the center.
The bedrooms
With 14 to choose from you’re sure to find one that suits your stay. Tiny rooms pride themselves on being cosy and small ones are perfect for a busy visit. However, we recommend the playroom, simply because there’s a rather large freestanding bath in the bedroom. The walls are lined with wooden panels painted a pale forest green, while bathrooms have black-and-white mosaic floors and a walk-in rainforest shower complete with a full set of Cowshed products.
On the menu
Classic British dishes are served in both the main restaurant and the brasserie downstairs. If you're looking for a quieter experience, we recommend the member’s restaurant, furnished with mid-century retro seating, mix-and-match Peruvian rugs and a metallic, gold-topped bar serving cocktails until the early hours. Downstairs in the brasserie, tables are full of locals and friends gossiping over a glass or two of wine. House favorites include the 284g ribeye steak sourced from the neighborhood butcher and lamb rack with peas and new potatoes, which can be shared between two.
What we love
The bath-in-bedroom experience, to be enjoyed with a cocktail in hand.
What we don’t like
No plug sockets by the bed. How are you going to turn off your alarm in the morning without sprinting across the room? —Sophie Knight
Address: High Road House, 162-170 Chiswick High Road, London W4 1PR
Doubles from: $230This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller U.K.
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