London on a Shoestring: Cheap Hotels and Travel

by Pierce King. Published Fri 08 Apr 2011 19:01, Last updated: 2011-04-12

You may be planning a dream vacation away to see the wonders of the English capital but are worrying about the cost of it all.
From cheap hotels to thrifty flights; in our handy guide, we will take you through what is needed to get the best deal when visiting this wonderful city.

Ever since we could begin booking our vacations online, we have been inundated with fantastic offers and it’s become harder to spot the best ones. The first thing you need to do is carefully choose the date of your break; if chosen carefully, it can vastly affect the overall cost of your trip.

Before you begin, try and grab a list of British holiday seasons. If you decide to travel during half term or on a bank holiday you may find the prices of your flights and accommodation increase dramatically. Half terms are essentially school breaks and similarly, a bank holiday is a nationwide day off.

Try to align your vacation with times at which the British public would be working and you will not only save money on your trip but also find that you have easier access to some of the fantastic attractions London has to offer.

Once you have settled on a date, the quickest way to get a grasp of what to expect from the cost of your vacation is by using price comparison websites. These are easily sourced using online search engines and will normally give you estimations on both flight and accommodation costs.

However, these websites make money on referral and will not always contain every deal available. Also as the tour operator is usually paying the price comparison website too, this can actually inflate the final cost and you may find a cheaper alternative elsewhere.

To assess the cost of the flight, don’t just use American flight carriers for quotes. UK-based airlines such as Virgin Atlantic and British Airways may be a cheaper option and are easily bookable in the US. Booking direct may often appear cheaper, but some flight and package deals can save a large sum, especially if they are last minute.

If you decide to book flights and accommodation separately, there are many options to save you money. England has a large range of discount hotels, many of which you can find situated in the heart of cities such as London. If booked in advance, hotel chains offer large discounts; for even more reductions, try searching online for voucher codes.

For an even cheaper option, you can also find a wide range of hostels in the English capital. The London Hostel Association hosts a wide range of places to stay while you visit the 'big smoke'. Prices are extremely low and a standard hostel usually consists of a shared room with shared bathroom facilities.

If you are looking for something a little more comfortable, you might consider student accommodation. London has a number of universities, such as University College London and the University of Westminster, and during months of hiatus the student dormitories are rented out at a low cost. The facilities are dependant on the rate and location of the room, but most will feature a single bed, en suite bathroom facilities, a shared kitchen and lounge and full Internet access. They are usually booked directly through the university website or over the phone.

Those looking for a classic hotel experience may want to not only use American price comparison websites, but British ones too. Booking directly though an English agent may save you money and payment services such as PayPal can cut the cost of overseas handling fees. This can be especially useful when booking last minute as the UK offers a vast range of high quality websites which offer discounts and promotions. It is as simple as ordering anything online and all you should need on your arrival is a copy of your confirmation email.

Finally, before you book anything, make sure you check out vacation review websites which offer customer opinions regarding your accommodation or flight carrier. Sometimes a low price is driven by the quality of the establishment and a failure to research your eventual destination could lead to a nightmare vacation. Typing your accommodation name into a search engine will usually give you what you need, ensuring you a happy vacation in the heart of the English capital.

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