Location, Location, Location
The Ridgemount Hotel, located next to University College London and less than half a mile from the British Museum, is a clean, basic, no-frills option for travelers on a budget. About half of its 32 rooms have a bathroom en suite, while the other half share a hallway water closet. For less than £100 a night (with some rooms under £50, as of 2009), you get a great central location, a friendly hotel staff, and even a full English breakfast.
The Ridgemount Hotel
65-67 Gower St
London, WC1E 6HJ, UK
Tel: 011-44-20-7636-1141
http://www.ridgemounthotel.co.uk
The Splurge
Though the Hotel Russell with its Victorian facade is a bit more posh than some places, there are still deals to be had here. Book on their website and get up to 65 percent off your stay, with doubles for less than £100, as of 2009. Half a mile from the British Museum, close to Euston Station, and overlooking Russell Square, the location can't be beat. Though some of the rooms feel rather old, the whole place has recently undergone a major makeover, so much of the décor is new, and the lobby, restaurant, and bars, are especially elegant.
Hotel Russell
1-8 Russell Square
Bloomsbury
London, WC1B 5BE, UK
Tel: 011-44-20-7837-6470
http://www.londonrussellhotel.co.uk
Sleep Where the Beatles Slept
Hotel Cavendish, located in the heart of Bloomsbury, is a small, charming Georgian hotel, where the likes of D. H. Lawrence, Jimi Hendrix, and even the Beatles have stayed. Rooms are tidy and airy, the owners make you feel like family, and the prices are reasonable. There is even a beautiful walled garden located within the hotel, which offers the perfect way to relax after a day of trekking through London.
Hotel Cavendish
75 Gower Street
Bloomsbury
London WC1E 6HJ, UK
Tel: 011-44-20-7636-9079
http://www.hotelcavendish.com
Comfort on the Cheap
With hotels all over the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain, the Travelodge chain has comfort on a budget down to a science. Less than five minutes walk from the British Museum, the Travelodge London Covent Garden Hotel is literally in the heart of London with perhaps the city's best prices. The Travelodge website advertises for prices as low as £19 a night, but in the center of London the lowest rate you'll find is probably closer to £30 or £40, as of 2009. Book online for the best rates.
Travelodge London Covent Garden Hotel
10 Drury Lane
High Holborn
London, WC2B 5RE, UK
Tel: 011-44-0871-984-6245
http://www.travelodge.co.uk
