London is known to be one of the most expensive cities in Europe, and that’s not just a myth, especially because it’s necessary to keep in mind the currency exchange!
Staying in a hotel is therefore not really cheap, but sometimes, with a bit of luck, you can find that one special offer that changes your holiday!
Apart from this rare (but not too rare) occasion, you still have options if you want to stay in London without breaking the bank, and here are some suggestions!
Housesitting
This is probably the first thing you should look at, as it is literally free (usually), since you would be taking care of the house owner’s plants and pets in exchange for a place to stay. One of the best platforms for this is trustedhousesitters.com, although you have to pay a fee to subscribe and be verified, this website does a great job connecting you to people who need someone to look after their house for a specific period of time. This option ca be incredibly beneficial because you get to stay in a private place with a pet to look after and cuddle with, and let me tell you, some of these houses are a dream.
Hostels
London sees tons and tons of young travelers every year and so tourism naturally caters to them as the main, meaning you can find hostels located anywhere from the city centre to the greater area, offering a wide variety of experiences and ambiances. Hostels can be a great option, and some of them are really good quality stays, with modern features and amenities, and sometimes also offering a private bathroom or shower for the room, so be sure to look that up if you need privacy.
Ideal for backpackers, people on a fun group trip, or any young professional on a quick work trip, you can find youth specific hostels with fun events throughout the week among which karaoke nights, bottomless drink-somethings, comedy or game nights. There are also eco-hostels focused on granting its guests a commitment to leaving behind the lowest carbon footprint possible, and offering bio/healthy meals. If none of this interests you, there are some that offer the bare necessary for you to sleep comfortably and then hop out of your bed to start your day.
- Generator Hostels: this is a great chain that can be found in many European Capital cities, and you can’t go wrong with it. Modern looks, huge common area, bar, and restaurant, it’s one of the cheapest hostels in London, which is surprising, considering its short distance from King’s Cross Station. It’s just a short walk from Regents Park, Covent Garden, and the British Museum. Downside: there is no kitchen.
- Barmy Badger: this hostel has it all: from memory foam mattresses and the cushy pillows, to beds with individual reading lights, USB plugs, and power sockets. It’s included a breakfast of cereals and fresh fruit, and they offer free coffee and tea all day. They organize events like BBQs etc, but it doesn’t get all that crazy.
- The Walrus Hostel: this hostel is close to Parliament and Big Ben, with a busy pub downstairs where hostel guests get a discount – which is interesting if we want to go after cheapness! A word of advice, ask for a room on the lowest floor to avoid climbing up the stairways, especially after taking advantage of that discount…
Now this can definitely prove to be one of the best forms of cheap accommodation in London. It is free, it allows you to meet local people who’ll treat you like a friend staying over and might include you in their activities, perhaps taking you with them to cool places and events that can’t be found in the guidebooks. It is obviously a bit worrisome, the idea of staying in a stranger’s house, and that is perfectly understandable and not unreasonable. However, generally speaking Couchsurfing hosts tend to be Couchsurfers themselves so they know exactly what you are going through and will do anything they can to ease your mind. Obviously, nothing is 100% safe, but thankfully the platform also has a comment and rating sections, so you can go off by that.
You should also check out HomeToGo. It’s a search engine that aggregates results from some of the largest travel listing platforms in the market (Booking.com, VRBO, Vacasa, etc.) allowing users to search inventory across multiple platforms at one time, which is very convenient and time saving. A cool feature of this system is that it helps you find exactly that one thing you’re looking for, simply by searching up the place you plan to stay at. If you just want a vacation but aren’t really sure where to go, that’s not a problem: just click on the HomeToGo inspiration link and let it do its thing.
Moreover, you can get very specific while on the hunt for exactly what you want, be it a romantic place to stay, something family oriented, or even a place for an event.
For travel rentals as much as short term rentals, Airbnb has become an obvious search tool in the past years, and of course you should check that! It’s not always the cheapest, but the option of having a kitchen and a fridge definitely helps with saving money, doesn’t it?
Traveling for cheap is everybody’s dream, and having a decent but inexpensive place to stay allows you to actually do activities, go to the cinema, museums and parks, not to mention the money that you will inevitably spend to eat all the delectable international delicacies offered by this extraordinary place.
Well, look for the perfect place for you and come to us! London is waiting for you!