London
Good-value hotels in London: eight central stays that keep the bill down
Compact rooms, wall-to-wall beds and a rooftop bar facing the Tower of London. These eight hotels put you in Zone 1 without Mayfair prices, and we are honest about what you give up.
Order a drink at the rooftop bar of citizenM Tower of London and you are looking down on the walls that guard the Crown Jewels. Downstairs, your room is barely bigger than the bed. Then again, the bed runs from wall to wall, and so does the window.
That is the deal with good-value hotels in London. You pay for location and a decent night's sleep, and you give up floor space and room service. Make that trade knowingly and you can sleep five minutes from Covent Garden or Tower Bridge for far less than the grand hotels charge. Every hotel below is in Zone 1.
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In short
The best value hotels in London are modern chains with small, well-designed rooms in Zone 1, such as citizenM, The Hoxton and Motel One. Rooms often measure under 15 square metres, but you save time and Tube fares. Stay in the City at weekends, when business hotels lower their rates.
Our first choice: citizenM Tower of London. The rooms are small but the beds are large, and the rooftop bar has one of the best views of Tower Bridge in the city.
Book your stay: See rooms at citizenM Tower of London (Paid link)
The City and Tower Hill
citizenM Tower of London
You check yourself in at a screen in the lobby, and a tablet in the room controls the lights and blinds. The rooftop bar faces the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
Good for couples and solo travellers who want a central base for less. There is little room for large suitcases, so pack light.
Book your stay: See rooms at citizenM Tower of London (Paid link)
Motel One London-Tower Hill
Motel One is a German chain with the same recipe everywhere: shades of blue, a good bed and a lounge where people actually sit. Tower Hill station is two minutes away, and Tower Bridge a ten-minute walk.
A safe bet for weekends, when the City empties and its hotels cut their prices.
Book your stay: See rooms at Motel One London-Tower Hill (Paid link)
Covent Garden
hub by Premier Inn London Covent Garden
hub is Premier Inn's compact brand, with rooms that squeeze everything into a small footprint. An app controls the lighting and temperature, and Covent Garden market is five minutes' walk.
Handy for West End theatre nights. Some rooms have no street-facing window, so check the room type when you book.
Book your stay: See rooms at hub by Premier Inn London Covent Garden (Paid link)
The Resident Covent Garden
Every room at The Resident has a small kitchen with a fridge and a microwave. Breakfast and supper in your room is where you save most money in London.
The hotel sits on a quiet side street off the Strand, close to Somerset House and the river. It suits longer stays and families who like to make their own meals.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Resident Covent Garden (Paid link)
Seabird at The Hoxton, Southwark
The rooftop restaurant has plants under a glass roof and views over Southwark. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Holborn and Covent Garden
The Hoxton, Holborn
The Hoxton treats its lobby as a living room for the whole area, and you will share it with people working on laptops. Rooms start at the size the hotel calls Shoebox, and the name is meant honestly.
Holborn sits between the British Museum and the City. Good if you like a buzz downstairs and quiet upstairs.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Hoxton, Holborn (Paid link)
Wilde Aparthotels, Covent Garden
Wilde runs apartment-style rooms with their own kitchens, a couple of minutes from Covent Garden market. Check-in is digital, and you get more space than a standard hotel room at a similar rate.
Ideal for stays of four nights or more, when buying breakfast beats paying for it. There is no restaurant on site.
Book your stay: See rooms at Wilde Aparthotels, Covent Garden (Paid link)
The South Bank
The Hoxton, Southwark
The Hoxton Southwark is ten minutes from Tate Modern and Borough Market. Seabird, the restaurant on the top floor, has a long list of oysters and a view across to St Paul's.
Rooms are roomier than at many rivals in the same price range. Ideal if you want to walk the Thames to the Globe and eat your way round Borough Market.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Hoxton, Southwark (Paid link)
citizenM London Bankside
citizenM Bankside sits two minutes behind Tate Modern and follows the same formula as its Tower Hill sibling: a big bed, a tablet in the room and a ground-floor living room open around the clock.
Good if you want Borough Market and the river as your neighbourhood. Pick it over Tower Hill if you have tickets for the Globe.
Book your stay: See rooms at citizenM London Bankside (Paid link)
Getting the most for your money
Sunday nights: Sunday to Thursday is often cheaper than Friday and Saturday in the West End. In the City it works the other way round.
Room type: Check whether the room has a window, since many budget hotels sell inside rooms at the lowest rate.
Flexible rates: Book a cancellable rate and check again a week before. London prices move a lot.
Stay central: Zone 1 saves more in travel time and fares than it adds to the room rate.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you find good-value hotels in London?
The best good-value hotels in London are in the City and Holborn, where modern chains offer small rooms with good beds. Covent Garden and Soho put you right in the centre, though the rooms are often even smaller for the money.
When are London hotels cheapest?
London hotels are usually cheapest in January and February and on Sunday nights. Hotels in the City, which rely on business travellers, often lower prices at weekends. December and weekends with big concerts or football matches are the most expensive.
Is it worth staying outside central London?
Staying far outside central London rarely pays off. What you save on the room often goes on Tube fares and lost time. A small room in Zone 1 is usually better value than a large one in Zone 4.
How big are hotel rooms in London?
Rooms at good-value hotels in London are often between 10 and 15 square metres, and some of the smallest have no window. The chains make up for it with good beds and clever layouts. If you travel with a large suitcase, go up one room category.