Best Budget Hotels in London
Five of the best-reviewed budget hotels in London, from Marylebone and Canary Wharf to Stratford and Canning Town, with real booking links and honest notes.
London is one of the most expensive hotel cities in the world, and the way to save is to accept a smaller room in a less central location. Chain hotels such as ibis, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton by Hilton and Point A offer clean, predictable private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and they sit next to Tube, DLR or Elizabeth line stations that put the West End 20 to 40 minutes away. These are not hostel dorms; they are real hotel rooms, usually compact but modern.
The five hotels below were picked for the combination of solid guest scores, transport links and honest value. Each links straight to its listing on the major booking platforms, so you can compare rates for your own dates rather than trusting a single price.
How Much Do Budget Hotels Cost in London?
A clean three-star hotel in outer central London typically runs roughly $120 to $250 a night for a double, depending on the season and how far ahead you book, and the cheapest advance rates can dip lower. Rooms are compact by American standards, and breakfast is usually an extra charge of around £10 to £16. Prices climb sharply in summer and around major events such as concerts at the O2 and sports at the Olympic Park, and hotels near the venues fill first, so book two to three months out for those dates.
| Hotel | Area | Stars | Guest Score | Price Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point A Hotel London Canary Wharf | Canary Wharf | 3 | 9.0 | $ |
| ibis London Canning Town | Canning Town / Royal Docks | 3 | 8.9 | $ |
| Holiday Inn Express London Stratford by IHG | Stratford | 3 | 8.6 | $$ |
| Astor Court Hotel | Marylebone / Fitzrovia | 3 | 8.4 | $$ |
| Hampton by Hilton London Park Royal | West London / Park Royal | 3 | 8.4 | $ |
We filtered London's hotel inventory down to three-star properties with strong guest scores across a real volume of reviews, then balanced the list across the areas that matter most for a short stay: Marylebone, Canary Wharf, the Royal Docks and Canning Town, Stratford and West London. Price level is shown as $ (cheapest) to $$ and is relative to other London hotels, not an exact rate.
Best Areas to Find Budget Hotels in London
Canning Town, Stratford and Canary Wharf are the best budget bases: all three sit on the Jubilee line, the DLR or the Elizabeth line, they have a good selection of chain hotels and prices are noticeably lower than in the West End. Marylebone is more expensive but lets you walk to Oxford Street and Regent's Park. West London, around Park Royal, is cheapest and best for Heathrow, but you will spend more time on the Tube. For families, an apartment-style stay in the outer zones can be better value than a hotel room in the centre.
1. Point A Hotel London Canary Wharf
Point A Hotel London Canary Wharf is a no-frills three-star on Hertsmere Road, about 600 meters from Canary Wharf station, with around 130 rooms and a continental breakfast for a fee. It opened in 2015, and guests praise the location, cleanliness and staff. Rooms are small, hot water is sometimes inconsistent and there can be noise. With more than 6,000 reviews on record it is the most reviewed hotel on this list, and one of the cheapest in Docklands. Check current rates on Booking.com.
2. ibis London Canning Town
ibis London Canning Town is a three-star opened in 2017 on Silvertown Way, directly opposite Canning Town station, with around 196 rooms, a bar and cafe, a surcharge breakfast buffet and free Wi-Fi. The Jubilee line and DLR run from the station, and the O2 is one stop away. With more than 9,000 reviews on record it has plenty of feedback. Guests praise the transport links, while some find the rooms small and the facilities dated. Check current rates on Booking.com.
3. Holiday Inn Express London Stratford by IHG
Holiday Inn Express London Stratford is a three-star at 196 High Street with 153 rooms and a breakfast that is included in the rate and well reviewed. Stratford station is about 700 meters away, with the Elizabeth line, DLR, Central and Jubilee lines, and Westfield Stratford City is about a 15-minute walk. With more than 10,000 reviews on record, it has one of the largest track records here. Reviewers mention friendly staff and clean rooms, and some mention housekeeping lapses and hallway noise. Check current rates on Booking.com.
4. Astor Court Hotel
Astor Court is a Victorian hotel at 20 Hallam Street with around 52 rooms, about three minutes from Regent Street and 500 meters from Great Portland Street station. A continental buffet breakfast costs about £16. Booking.com guests score its location 9.4, which is the main reason to stay, and with more than 6,000 reviews on record the track record is long. Some find the rooms dated, and Tube and building work noise is mentioned. It is the most central choice here. Check current rates on Booking.com.
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Check Rates & Book →5. Hampton by Hilton London Park Royal
Hampton by Hilton London Park Royal is a 162-room hotel on Connell Crescent, about 150 meters from Park Royal station on the Piccadilly line, which reaches central London in roughly 30 minutes and also serves Heathrow. A buffet breakfast is included and praised. There is a bar, a restaurant and a fitness suite, and pets are welcome, though the hotel has no pool. Guests note the convenient Tube access, with a few mentioning thin walls and few shops nearby. Check current rates on Booking.com.
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Check Rates & Book →A note on prices: the price levels in the table above are relative, not exact. London hotel pricing shifts constantly with season, day of the week and how far ahead you book, and the cheapest rooms on any given night are often on a different platform from the one you checked yesterday. Compare two or three of the booking links above for your exact dates before you commit, and check the cancellation terms as well as the headline price.
