When thinking of London, one of the first things that come to mind is the entertainment. Noteworthy attractions such as the London Zoo, the Tower Bridge, St. Pauls Cathedral or Buckingham Palace, attract millions of tourists to the UK every year. When planning a trip to London, the last thing anyone wants to be concerned about is the cost of their hotel stay. So is a London hotel an expensive proposition?

Hotel booking agencies have grown tremendously over the last few years, making the market highly competitive, resulting in valuable discounts for consumers. Whether you are looking for something from bed and breakfasts to 5 Star hotels on a budget, or looking to spend a little extra, finding discount hotels in London is possible.

* Bed and Breakfasts can be one of the cheapest accommodations in London. They can offer guests the simplest of accommodations without having to pay for all of the extras. Bed and Breakfasts have more of a cozy feeling, as most are small family-owned businesses and have just a few rooms, giving the guest more personal attention than would be received in a hotel.

* Hostels are also available in London. Some hostels have private rooms, while others have dorms which room from 6 to sometimes 20 people at once. These are great for someone on a budget or just passing through. They are anything but luxury, however normally offer bars and restaurants, self-catering kitchens and other facilities.

* Apart hotels in central locations around London have become popular as well. These are usually studio to 1-bedroom apartments that have things such as an individual kitchen, television and telephone. The rates are often compared to those of a 3 Star hotel in London.

* Most 2 to 3 Star hotels are considered the most popular and readily available hotels in London. Most are a mix of both independent hotels and brand name hotels, usually located north of Hyde Park. 4 Star London hotels usually have the best deals on the weekends and during the holidays; businessmen who travel to London during the week have left for the weekend, offering availability to those traveling during those days. The majority of these hotels are owned by large chain companies, but offer visitors bargain rates and often offer promotional rates for stays.

* Luxury London hotels are all 5 Star hotels, and are available in Central London. Many of these hotels are landmarks and well-known to many around the world. Family accommodations are also available at these hotels, and are also known to complete in the holiday seasons and on the weekends.

You will want to look for an online booking agency that is full of helpful information. Along with providing information on the cheap hotels in London, it should provide maps of the London area, tuberail station information and attractionentertainment information. Having all of this information available in one site will provide you with the ability to plan the best trip with the best price that you have had anywhere.

Cheap Hotels in UK: Classes of Accommodations

Hotels and Guest Houses

You will find a significant difference in both price and facilities between hotels and guest houses in the UK. Hotels usually offer breakfasts, lunches, teas, dinners, a licensed bar and a range of services and facilities to suit individuals, families and often business groups. Country house hotels will often add recreational facilities in their grounds such as golf, tennis, swimming, health spas, gyms and attended play areas for children. Top league international hotels in London and major cities offer comprehensive amenities and services for business and holiday guests, and a choice of first class and luxury accommodation. Guest houses may not have bars or offer lunch or teas, but will have television and sitting lounges.

In England and Wales, the AA, RAC (the largest UK motoring organisations) and the English Tourist Council have come together to provide an overall star for hotels and diamond rating for guest accommodations, including bed and breakfast. Hotels have between one and five stars; guest accommodations between one and five diamonds. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, all tourist accommodations are also graded regularly to provide a clear indication of the level of facilities you can expect.

Bed and Breakfast

Bed and breakfast accommodation, advertised by the famous ‘B&B vacancies’ sign, is mostly in private homes and the emphasis is on bedrooms rather than on facilities such as a bar or restaurant. They are often the least expensive form of guest accommodation although prices vary between those in the most popular holiday locations and those offering stopovers ‘en route’.

Thousands of bed and breakfasts have been visited anonymously by tourist officers to be inspected for a diamond rating of between one and five stars. This is intended as a guide to the quality of accommodation and food on offer.

As private homes, including farmhouses and working farms, B&Bs tend to offer a very personal welcome, and an insight into British ways of life in different parts of the country. Breakfast is intended to fill you and will often include bacon, eggs, fried bread, tomatoes, even fried potatoes and local additions such as black pudding. Or you can enjoy a ‘continental’ breakfast: cereal, bread, toast, tea, coffee and juice.

Hostels

There are many hostels located all over England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Hostels vary in style and amenities but they offer bedrooms with between two and six beds for young people, families and groups. They usually provide substantial breakfasts and dinners at low prices and have communal kitchen facilities if you prefer to cater for yourself.

The main hostel organisations are the Youth Hostel Association (YHA), the Scottish Youth Hostel Association (SYHA) and Hostelling International Northern Ireland (HINI). You do not have to be a ‘youth’ to stay because there is no upper age limit (in Scotland the lower age limit is 5). But you do have to be a member of the YHA or SYHA, which involves paying a small annual membership fee. There are also a variety of independent hostels offering accommodation. Staying in hostels is traditionally popular with people pursuing backpacking, walking, cycling or generally exploring outdoor pursuits. But there are also hostels in many towns and cities, which enable members to enjoy good basic accommodation on a low budget.