The 20 best cheap hotels in London: from East to West

Originally built as a Danish prison (be prepared for door alarms that serve as a small reminder), the floating hotel docked in London in 2016 after sailing across from Amsterdam. Its founder, Marten Dresden, had come up with the Good Hotel concept four years prior while travelling in Guatemala. Now, each night you spend there pays for a week of school for a child in South America, with profits also going towards hospitality training for long-term unemployed locals. Rooms come in varying sizes but each one gets views over the calm Royal Victoria Dock. The interiors are soft, earthy and paired back — think low-hanging lights, origami-style lamp shades and charging ports hidden inside bed frames. Five hangers dangle on the wall in lieu of an actual wardrobe, favouring the lighter packers among us. It’s absolutely worth staying on site for dinner. The kitchen offers a delicious tapas menu made up of locally sourced produce (shoutout to the caramelly, parmesan-clad grilled leeks and the velvety sea bass). The bar compliments it with a selection of fun artisan wines (we knocked back a dangerously drinkable bottle of Spanish orange wine). 

Mood: Urban chic
Location perks: Calming waterfront views overlooking Canary Wharf and Greenwich. 
Budget range: Reasonably priced for London.

Time Out tip: The hotel’s rooftop bar opens up in the spring/summer months for guests and passers-by to enjoy a tipple or three right above the dock’s peaceful waters.

The prices at this new-ish east London hotel really do offer excellent value, given it’s a high-spec hotel from a brand that really knows what it’s up to. Even the suites aren’t too bad, if you want to up your budget. You’re close to Brick Lane and right by Aldgate East Tube, so exploring London is easy, but if you want to stay close? The in-house restaurant, Zoom East, is excellent. 

Mood? East London-chic.
Location perks? In the heart of Whitechapel, with the Whitechapel Gallery nearby for culture, and Tayyabs close for high-quality Punjabi cooking.
Budget range? Rooms from around £100. 

Looking for a cheap and cheerful hostel in (fairly) central London? Look no further. Wilson House has just what you need for an affordable stay in London. While it's not technically a hotel and rather a three-star hostel, it is wildly cheap and deserves a spot on this list. Plus, the accommodation itself is lovely and modern, the location's great, and there's a shared kitchen if you fancy cooking before heading out for the day. And just like that, job's a good'un. 

Mood? Camden living.
Location perks? Less than a two-mile walk to Camden Market and all its sights.
Budget range? Double rooms from £60. 

Get slap bang in the middle of town without forking out extortionate prices. The Generator is a vibrant hostel with dorms and private rooms on offer. There's quirky lighting everywhere, a games room, a bar and a graffiti-painted piano. Add to your culture intake with a short stroll to the British Museum, Piccadilly Circus and other prime sightseeing spots nearby.

Mood? Modern vibe.
Location perks? In the hustle and bustle of Bloomsbury.
Budget range? Surprisingly affordable. 

As far as locations go, you can't beat a stay in Soho. The theatre district, major museums, shops, restaurants and bars are all within walking distance. Usually, this convenience comes at a (high) price, but Z Hotel has some super affordable rooms available. Unsurprisingly, you won't get a lot of space for your money, but you do get all the essentials: en suite, toiletries, flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi.

Mood? Contemporary chic.
Location perks? Conveniently located in central, in the wilderness of Soho.
Budget range? A great deal. 

The Dutch invasion of stylish budget hotels continues with this Brick Lane offering focused on community and sustainability: the hotel works with local cycling charity Bikeworks and with Food Cycle. Rooms that are individually styled in bright tones and determinedly youthful, but all have TVs, rain-shower bathrooms, free tea and coffee, even free bikes, and Wi-Fi throughout.

Mood? Eclectic charm.
Location perks? Walking distance from Aldgate East tube for a wide range of transport connections.
Budget range? Very well priced.

Whatever you think you know about the Youth Hostels Association, forget it. This is YHA like you've never seen it before. Think stylised colour-block furniture, a sleek bar/pizza joint and foosball. The 100-odd beds are a bit more basic, but you'd be getting an absolute bargain. Especially considering the Fitzrovia location.

Mood? Cheap and cheerful.
Location perks? One for the travellers, the YHA is around the corner from Soho.
Budget range? Super budget-friendly. 

Virtually opposite The Savoy and so at the heart of Covent Garden and Theatreland, the grand old Strand Palace, in business since 1909, is a bargain for the area, and comes with modern, comfortable rooms. Free Wi-Fi, a gym, a gin palace and an Indian restaurant all add to the appeal.

Mood? Classic English charm.
Location perks? Located in London's theatre district, better known as the West End.
Budget range? A welcome surprise for central London. 

For a chance to explore west London without paying west London prices, try this independent, family-run hotel on a pretty Victorian street, a stroll from Notting Hill and Hyde Park. Rooms in this grand terraced house have a bright, modern feel and (other than the small ones) plenty of space. The lounge, with its wood floor and leather furniture, is a great place to kick back after a trek through the park after a West End matinee or shopping spree.

Mood? Sweet and simple.
Location perks? In the heart of West London's charming Notting Hill.
Budget range? A fantastic offering. 

This family-run hotel has José Radio to thank for its attractive and original craftsmanship. He’s responsible for the brightly coloured décor and he made the bedframes himself. A good breakfast is included in some rooms and there’s an honesty bar too, not to mention plenty of local buzzing options to whet your appetite.

Mood? Colourful design.
Location perks? Nestled in Southeast London.
Budget range? Super duper cheap.

On the touristy side of Paddington and a brisk walk from the appealing Merchant Square development, this small-budget hotel is a retro-futurist dream, with metal panelling, and lots of royal blue and pod bathrooms. Rooms are fit for two in a double, or the Stylosuites can sleep up to three people, and include breakfast.

Mood? No frills accommodation.
Location perks? Minutes away from Hyde Park. Enjoy.
Budget range? Well priced for what's on offer.

A new addition to London’s affordable hotel scene is always good news for London’s visitors, especially when it’s in the heart of lively Soho. Mimi’s contemporary rooms cram everything you need into a range of rooms – beginning with ‘minis’ which squeeze in a double bed with Frette linen, a rainforest shower and Molton Brown products in the bathroom, plus free newspapers and bottled water. The hotel has its own stylish bar that morphs from the breakfast area to the cocktail lounge, and beyond all that, Soho beckons. 

Mood? Charming but so cute.
Location perks? Two minutes walk from the chaos that is Oxford Street.
Budget range? Mid-range.

Wombat’s 120 rooms – including dorms, twins and doubles – are all en suite. There’s a bar, a terrace with hammocks and free wifi throughout. Its location is great, both for the galleries, shopping and bars of the East End, but also for the river and sights to the south like the Tower of London and Borough Market and South Bank. You’re stumbling distance from the excellent curry houses south of Brick Lane, though there is a communal kitchen on site as well.

Mood? Light, airy and modern. 
Location perks? Less than a mile from Tower Bridge.
Budget range? Pretty sweet deals.

Despite the corporate-sounding name, Safestay Holland Park is, in fact, one of the city’s leafiest hostel options, with beautiful gardens and a terrace partly built in a Jacobean mansion within Holland Park. Accommodation options run from twin rooms to 33-bed dormitories (think bunk beds with reading lights and privacy curtains), there’s a 24-hour reception and even a cash machine on site. Elephant and Castle have another branch.

Mood? Pretty in pink.
Location perks? In the heart of Kensington.
Budget range? Almost free.

At just a short walk from King's Cross & St Pancras International, this sunny-sounding stay is incredibly conveniently located. In fact, you can walk to many desirable attractions from this B&B and if you'd prefer to take public transport, there's the Tube, buses, Overground and national rail to be utilised. Hotel-wise, there are 60 en suite rooms spread throughout four Georgian townhouses that brim with character, paintings and art deco features. Plus, you get the novelty of telling your mates you're staying at 'Hotel California'.

Mood? Next-level interiors. 
Location perks? Around the corner from King's Cross and St Pancras Railway Station.
Budget range? Very reasonable. 

This family-run bed and breakfast is set in a converted factory in the conservation area of De Beauvoir in Islington and has four en suite rooms that surround a stylish loft space. A self-service breakfast in a shared dining room-lounge area, free run of the kitchen, and a courtyard garden make it feel homely, though if you want to explore, you have a whole of Dalston’s cafés and restaurants around the corner.

Mood? Simply adorable. 
Location perks? Nestled in East London, and all the wonderful quirks it comes with.
Budget range? Cheaaaap.

Forget cabbing it to Gatwick at an ungodly hour, book a room here instead. Bloc opened at Gatwick’s South Terminal in 2014 and offers 245 rooms that are pitched halfway between a Japanese pod hotel and a design hotel, but at prices far below normal airport prices. There’s free Wi-Fi, king-size beds, Smart TVs and monsoon showers, and while there’s no restaurant on site, discounts are available from eateries in the terminal. Plane nerds (and honeymooners) should plump for the Runway Suite.

Mood? Flying solo.
Location perks? Wake up to views over an airfield. Literally. 
Budget range? Very well-priced for an airport hotel.

Granted, it’s not quite the Langham, and you’re more likely to bump into BBC bods down from Salford than the celebs who’ve flown in to appear on the telly, but the Langham Grange Court is almost as close to Broadcasting House as its more famous namesake. Doubles are super economical, rendering this gorgeous hotel perfect for a weekend of shopping and sightseeing. The modern, airy rooms feature luxury marble bathrooms, there’s a stylish French restaurant, and the distinctive black-and-white exterior makes it very easy to find.

Mood? Incredibly charming. 
Location perks? 10 minutes walk from Regent's Park and 20 from Hyde Park.
Budget range? On the pricier side of cheap.

So you want to be fairly central without breaking the bank? Can do. Far from some dingy, crumbling, and long-forgotten B&B, Point A Liverpool St offer guests a cosy yet functional base for all of their London endeavours. Whether you're here for business or leisure they'll get you from A to B with clean, simply decorated rooms complete with a private bathroom, desk, a bedside safe and a flat-screen TV. Food-wise, Point A offers a spiffing continental breakfast each morning for a little extra. And when your city adventure calls, you're a short stroll away from Liverpool St Station for travel links into the centre, and Brick Lane for delicious street food, markets and thrift shops galore. 

Mood? Modern and clean.
Location perks? A decent-sized room, continental breakfast and of course those convenient travel links. 
Budget range? Incredibly affordable with some rooms around £500 for a typical four-day trip to London. 

Budget needn't be plain old boring. See for yourself at Yotel London Shoreditch. Catering to a younger crowd more so, their spacious hotel white, grey and purple-themed rooms are kitted out with beds that feature under-bed storage for your luggage, reading lamps and plug sockets, for the midnight scrollers. Need a nightcap? No problem Yotel's downstairs lounge and bar is the perfect place to wind down when the city turns in for the night. 

Mood? Hip and urban. 
Location perks? You're close to Bethnal Green tube station – from there, you can hop on and explore the city via the Central Line. 
Budget range? Super affordable for London.