London, England

Pound the Pavement: Affordable London Hotels Near the Sights

A hop, skip and a jump across the pond! Canada’s special connection to Mother Britain, in addition to Heathrow’s position as a key gateway to Europe, makes London one of the top international destinations for Canucks.

Whether it be taking afternoon tea at a posh hotel, catching a West End show or trying to fit in the plethora of sights, London is an attractive year round destination for visitors coming across the Atlantic.

But let’s talk logistics. With one Canadian dollar buying just 61 pence*, a pint at the pub, much less a night in a hotel, might make your brain cramp with mental math exercises.

From the over 2,400 hotels listed on trivago, we’ve handpicked a selection of affordable stays near London’s top sights to spare you the long division. With the help of trivago’s hotel data, we’ve picked eight hotels under $200 per night* that don’t skimp on cleanliness, friendly service, and most importantly, location!

Unfurling the city map, each hotel was picked to ensure that you’re walking distance to a handful of attractions to save you a few more bucks on those pricey Tube tickets.

St. Athans

1/2

With a reputation for its intellectual and cultural edge, Bloomsbury perhaps holds as many stories as its touristic centrepiece, the British Museum. In no small part thanks to former residents Virginia Wolf, and E.M Forster. Landmarks including the BBC Broadcasting House and the Cartoon Museum for kids also call this area of central London home. Meanwhile, King’s Cross/St. Pancras Station finds itself at the north end — for Canadian visitors that means your sortie to Paris on the Eurostar.

Self-proclaimed as “simple, clean, family-run”, the St. Athans is precisely the kind of place we like to call home when travelling on a budget around Europe. Rooms range from a solitary single up to a fiver, perfect for families. Take note that this 200+ year old vintage of a building comes with all the “character and quirks”, notably original fireplaces, antique wooden dressers and a lack of elevators.

St Athans Hotel

London
7.8 Good (2319 reviews)

Z Victoria

1/2

It’s the stuff of illustrated encyclopedias: Buckingham Palace, the Changing of the Guard at 11:30 sharp, and The Mall which leads to Trafalgar Square, and beyond to Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Who wouldn’t want to be a Royal for the day? A bit more within reach: grabbing a bite at a pub in posh Belgravia or just admiring the embassies that call this area home. Another area worth a wander is Sloane Square with the Saatchi Gallery (which follows the lead of other museums in London and offers free admission).

Across the street from Victoria Station, The Z Victoria‘s rooms are sleek and space-efficient. Promising a “designer label without the designer price tag“, rooms come with a 40-inch TV with premium channels and, of course, free WiFi.

Hotel Z Victoria

London
8.1 Very good (272 reviews)

Qbic London City

1/2

Near — though not technically in — the “City of London” (the square mile that was found inside the old city walls), the Tower of London is best known for being home to The Crown Jewels. That is, when they’re not competing for photo tags with the Tower’s emblematic Beefeaters. Other landmarks of postcard notoriety nearby include the Tower Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral (with a sweeping view of the city).

Due northeast of the Tower of London, you’ll find the very affordable and utterly hip Qbic London City. This leading green hotel powers up on energy from renewable sources, offers free bike rentals and furnishes its rooms with Naturalmat organic mattresses. Succumb to the trendiness of its spaces and pick up some vintage threads and Bengali bites in Brick Lane.

The Corner London City

Top rated
London
8.6 Excellent (2590 reviews)

Z Piccadilly

1/2

Framed by Chinatown to the north, the luxury shopping of Regent Street and Oxford Street to the west, Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery (with free entry!) to the south, The West End is nothing short of a colourful place. Travellers on a budget who aren’t particularly picky about their performances can check out TKTS for half-price entry to shows like Aladdin and An American in Paris.

Retreat from the whirl of Piccadilly Circus to the Z Piccadilly on Orange Street. Sleek rooms from a Z Single to a Z Queen all include an ensuite shower room with frosted glass. Stop by the Z Café for the buffet breakfast by morning or for a nightcap on the way back from a show.

Hotel Z Piccadilly

Top rated
London
8.6 Excellent (239 reviews)

The Nadler Kensington

1/2

Dripping in affluence, South Kensington and Chelsea may be the stomping grounds of the city’s rich and famous but the sights can be done on a small budget during your London visit. The Victoria & Albert Museum covers everything from the world of decorative arts while the Natural History Museum has no more recognizable mascot than “Dippy” the Diplodocus. A walk through Kensington Gardens and a performance at The Royal Albert Hall are also must-dos while in SW3 and SW7 (the areas’ postcodes).

All your needs are taken care of at The Nadler Kensington — and without emptying your pockets of every last pound. This period townhouse‘s 65 rooms all come with a kitchenette (including a Brita tap, Fairtrade teas and Nespresso machine), Gilchrist and Soames bath amenities and free UK-wide calling. Guests are invited to trade in their Premier Loft pillows for any of the other four choices off the pillow menu (from goose feather to anti-allergy).

The Resident Kensington

Top rated
London
9.4 Excellent (2140 reviews)

ibis Styles London Southwark

1/2

Starting from Tower Bridge, a walk westward along the South Bank lets you connect the dots between some of London’s most essential sights: The Shard at 95-storeys high, the food stalls at Borough Market, the Millennium Bridge (of Harry Potter notoriety), Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the cutting-edge Tate Modern and the Oxo Tower before ending opposite of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

Stay close to the cultural happenings of Southbank at the ibis Styles London Southwark. Decked out in a wide palette of colours and textures, this affordable hotel offers rooms in three different sizes: The Queen, The Duet (for two singles) and The Works (for bigger groups). Motor out on a full tank thanks to the complimentary buffet breakfast offered by the hotel every morning.

Ibis Styles London Southwark – Near Borough Market

Top rated
London
8.9 Excellent (2449 reviews)

The Wellington

1/2

Coming off a stroll along the South Bank, continue past the Southbank Centre on The Queen’s Walk to the London Eye — visually stunning from 443 feet below and a treat when taking in the 360-degree view from one of the 32 glass capsules. Then across the Thames into Westminster, get your mandatory selfie in front of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament along with the gothic angles of Westminster Abbey.

The Wellington across from Waterloo Station brings the Underground a few storeys up with whimsical details inspired by The Tube. The family-friendly pub downstairs, complete with a mural of the Battle of Waterloo, hooks all of its guests up with a free English breakfast (hello!) which may just get you hooked on the idea of stopping in for their Sunday Roast too.

Hotel The Wellington

London
7.8 Good (1836 reviews)

Keen to save even more? Use trivago’s map feature to browse cheap hotels in London away from the centre.

*Exchange rate and hotel price data were accurate on the date of publishing.