LONDON ACCOMODATIONS

Unfortunately, there’s a price for seeing London’s charms. It is one of the most expensive cities to visit, and hotel prices can really burn a deep hole in tourists’ pockets. But there are many ways of finding affordable accommodations, by staying in some of the less pricey areas of the city, and looking for discounts. You can also look for ways to cut your expenses for all aspects of your stay, including transportation, attractions, and more.

LONDON’S DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS

London is divided into different sections, and each has its own price range and unique ambience.

At the center of the city are the neighborhoods of Bloomsbury, Holborn, Piccadilly, and Euston. Because of the premiere location—very close to the British Museum and the mainline rail station—prices are higher. However, the convenience can mean that you spend a little less on transportation.

At the north of the famous River Thames, you’ll see the neighborhood of Victoria. It is found at the center of South Bank and Chelsea, and has many very affordable hotels. The central location is quite convenient and the transportation access quite helpful for those who want to see all that London has to offer.

You’ll find many tourist standard hotels here at Earl Court, which is located west of the very high-end neighborhoods of Kensington and Chelsea. One benefit of this area is that there are a lot of restaurants here that offer budget meals.

North of the Hyde Park are the neighborhoods of Paddington and Bayswater. You’ll find many affordable hotels here, and transportation is also easy. You have access to the undergroundstations, such as those in Bayswater, Paddington, and Queensway. You can also catch the express train at Paddington Station which connects to Heathrow.

GETTING HOTEL DISCOUNTS

You can save a lot of money by visiting websites that announce or display discounts on London accommodations. They offer quite a range of places where you can stay, from a hotel to a cottage to a bed and breakfast. It’s best to visit more than one site so you can look at the rate differentials, and then—based on your budget—narrow your list down to the top three places. Then, visit the websites of those particular places to see if they also offer extra incentives, and view the rooms and other important tourist features.

There are many ways of finding affordable accommodation in London… thousands of websites, hundreds of possible hotels and bed and breakfasts. This can seem overwhelming (and exhausting to search through). Here are some tips to help you locate the best deals.

Start wit the thitd-party sites. These travel experts rank the hotels and inns according the costs, the quality, and how far they are from major landmarks or key areas (you type in what place you are interested in seeing). This can at least give you an idea of what kind of places you may find and how much you can expect to pay. They also give you a way of comparing the features and prices of different accommodations.

Unfortunately those sites give the standard rates, and are not updated regularly to show discounts or promos. For that, visit the websites of the hotels you are interested in. You can also send a query letter to the customer service email to ask about their off-season rates, which are normally not published.

But remember that prices are not the only factor in choosing a hotel. It may be dirt-cheap, but the accommodations may be so uncomfortable and inconveniently located that you won’t enjoy your stay at all. Look at the ratings and customer reviews. Also see if the prices that are listed include all the fees. Be sure to factor things like cost of traveling from your hotel to other parts of the city, and the price of food. It may be more cost-effective to spend a little more on a hotel that is located near budget restaurants.

Don’t forget to look for promos, and even ask for them. Email the hotel. Avail of lowest-rate guarantees. You may also get good discounts by booking well ahead of time, but be sue to read the advance-purchase or cancellation policies. You can also ask if they have a rate for senior citizens, if you are one.

Also look into book discounts, where you get several coupons that will save you money on resraurants and hotels. This is particularly useful for frequent travelers, or if you are traveling off season. For example, some rates only apply if you are coming at a time when the hotel has an occupancy rate of less than 70%.

All smart tourists will look for ways to stick to a budget—even if, when staying in an expensive city like London, that can be a little tricky to do. Luckily there are many ways to save while seeing the different attractions.

For example, many of London’s key features are actually free to see! This includes the city’s marvelous art galleries and national museums, where you can see some of the greatest works of the masters. In fact, if you go to Trafalgar Square, at the heart of London, you can go around without even spending a single cent while savoring over two centuries’ of the country’s proud history. This includes Nelson’s Column and the British National Gallery. Right next to that is the British National Portrait Gallery, where you can view the faces of some of the people that changed the course of human history and culture.

Don’t forget the city’s famous Victoria & Albert Museum, which was named after the famous king and queen and hold some of the royal family’s treasured pieces. Don’t forget the Natural History Museum (children will love seeing the dinosaurs) and the Science Museum, which has displays of the world’s most important inventions. Don’t forget the Lord Mayor’s golden coach, which you can catch at the Museum of London.

The Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry also grants free admission, not to mention the Museum of Royal Armouries which is located in Leeds. And over five million visits every year se the works displayed in the Tate Modern, which stnds on the banks of the Thames River. There you’ll find a fine collection of the works of Dali, Picasso, Rothko, Whitehead, and Hockney. And don’t forget to see the World City Gallery, that documents the changes that the city has gone through, starting from the early 1800s.

For those who are interested in the fashion industry, the Zandra Rhodes Fashion & Textile Museum can be found near London Bridge on Bermondsey Street. Its collection shows some of the key pieces of major designers starting from the 1950’s.

If you visit during the summer months of July and August, London also has a Royal Festival where you can listen to music concerts for free.