Affordable Places to Stay in London: Budget Hotels, Hostels & Tips

May 18, 2025
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While London is a pretty expensive city, it is definitely possible to find budget-friendly accommodation in the city centre. Here are my favourite hostels and affordable hotels in London, as well as other tips on saving money in London.

I lived in London for over ten years and still visit the city at least once a year to see my friends and go to my favourite spots. It is probably one of the places I know best and that feels most like home.

Visiting London this often can quickly get expensive as it is certainly one of the more expensive places to visit, but well worth it. Over time, I have discovered lots of tips and tricks on how to save money, including where to stay without breaking the bank.

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Where to stay in London on a budget:

London is an expensive city, there is no way really around it. Both hostels and hotels are on average more expensive than in most other places. That being said, you can still find budget-friendly finds in very central locations – here are my favourites:

Affordable hostels in London’

Wombats City Hostel – Probably the hostel I would recommend based on quality for the price. The rooms are nice and spacious for London and the place is clean. Not the most social hostel from my experience, but I stay here often when coming to London.

Hostelle – Women’s Only Hostel – As someone who always books female dormitories, I was really excited to try this hostel. I think it is a decent stay for the price and feels very safe, though the rooms were pretty small for the amount of people. Bathrooms were always clean though.

Palmer’s Lodge Swiss Cottage – Located near Camden, this hostel offers big dorms at affordable prices. The building has a historic vibe and the hostel is known for good service, clean rooms and nice beds.

Onefam Waterloo and Onefam notting Hill – They unfortunately do have the dreaded triple bunk beds, but it is a great and clean budget hostel with an amazing sense of community.

Urbany Hostel London – Basic dorms at fair prices and people keep returning here for the sociable atmosphere and nice staff.

Budget hotels in London:

$ The Crescent Hyde Park London Hotel– A super central hotel at a fair price. Beds are comfortable and service good, rooms on the smaller side.

$ Point A London, Paddington– Located next to Paddington, this hotel is budget-friendly with nice rooms. Bring earplugs though as it is right by the train station.

$ Hub by Premier Inn London Shoreditch Hotel – This hotel is in Shoreditch which is a really lovely and safe area of London. Rooms are compact but nice and prices low if you get a deal.

$$ Tavistock Hotel– A big hotel in the heart of London, here you can expect friendly staff and lovely rooms.

$$ NOX Hyde Park – An exceptionally reviewed hotel in the centre of London at a fair price.

How to get to central London?

There is usually a fast route from each of the four main London Airports and a slower one that is cheaper. To get a quick overall look at train times, I recommend checking Trainline.

The quickest way to get from Heathrow into central London is the Heathrow Express. It goes every 15 minutes from Heathrow Airport straight to Paddington station. From there, you can get countless tube and bus connections to every corner of London.

You can also get the Piccadilly or Elizabeth Tube line into London. The Elizabeth Line takes around 30 minutes to Paddington and costs £12.80 one way. The Piccadilly line is the cheapest option, costing around £5.50, but takes around one hour to get to central London.

The cheapest way is getting the local Southern Railway train to London Bridge Station. It takes 29-50 minutes and costs £12 (off-peak) – £25.70 return. The fastest way is the Gatwick Express which gets you to central London in 30 minutes for £35.20 return.

The cheapest way to get to Stansted is by bus, National Express or Megabus.

Travel Time: Megabus 50 minutes, National Express up to 2 hours
Cost: From £10 one-way

Alternatively you can get the Stansted Express for £33 return.

There is a shuttle train called DART that brings you from the airport to Luton Airport Parkway, the station that connects to central London. If you book the train journey in advance, it can be pretty affordable.

Travel Time: 48 minutes
Cost: around £25 return

Alternatively, you can also book a National Express or Megabus.

The Ultimate Guide to London on a Budget: 15+ Tips for Saving Money

Bell

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1 September 2023

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Blog, United Kingdom

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2 Comments

The Ultimate Guide to London on a Budget: 15+ Tips from Locals for Saving Money Bell | 29th August 23 While travelling …

How to get around London by public transport:

London has a very comprehensive public transport system consisting of the tube and buses, as well as trains for longer journeys. You do not need to buy tickets for the public transport. You can simply tap on and off (on buses you only tap on) using your contactless payment card. It costs the same and is what most Londoners use themselves.

I would highly recommend downloading the app Citymapper for your London trip. It will show you the quickest and cheapest way to get somewhere.

How many days do you need in London?

I would recommend at least 3-4 days to begin seeing some of London’s highlights, up to a week to really see all of London’s top attractions. London is a big city packed full of must-see attractions. If you have more time, London also has a ton of affordable and even free stuff to do (check out the best walks, my favourite free viewpoints and top free museums).

If you are on a time crunch or experiencing London on a layover, here is my guide on what to see in just one day in London.