It’s more than an understatement to say that East London has changed over the past thirty or so years. The land of dingy docklands and eel-eating cockneys is mostly no more, replaced by the biggest hipster scene this side Williamsburg and perhaps the most multi-cultural community anywhere on Earth… ever! And despite worries about Brexit, the party is showing no signs of going anywhere else soon.
Hotel-wise, well, London’s certainly got a lot of them, that’s for sure. And while budget is something of a dirty word in this city, we’ve done our very best to seek out the slickest, trendiest, London-ist places to stay that won’t totally cripple your wallet, leaving coins left over to enjoy the rest of what this endlessly exciting capital has to offer.
From £64/ night
One of the closest boroughs of London where lots of people live, Stratford makes for an excellent, well connected base from which to explore this mega-polis. Famous these days for its proximity to the Olympic Park and the enormous Westfield shopping centre, there’s plenty to be done here, even without heading into “Central”. This Ibis offers everything we’ve come to expect from the chain: a full roster of amenities,
efficiently comfortable rooms, and helpful staff.
From £110/ night
Shoreditch: as much a place as a state of mind, and this supremely cool hotel might well have grown organically from the concrete. The rooms have a beautifully designed minimalism and contain all (and more) of the services any self-respecting hotel guest requires. WiFi? Check. Flat-screen TV? Check. USB charging point!? Of course, this is the 21st Century, isn’t it? It’s just down the road from the party central that is Hoxton Square, and barely a five minute walk from Brick Lane, where some of the best Indian food in the whole world is served.
From £65/ night
Proof that not everything in London is ultra-modern (or hiding an ultra-modern interior) is this old-fashioned inn. The rooms here are comfy and cosy in that distinctly English kind of way, but there’s still WiFi in most of them, plus all the common areas. And it is, if you didn’t guess by the picture, located above a pub, meaning you don’t have to go too far for a slice of the local colour, should that be what you’re looking for. The area’s a fair distance out from the centre of town, but transport’s good, and you’re just a short walk away from Greenwich: home to the Greenwich Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, and the most famous line of longitude anywhere on Earth.
From £86/ night
A hotel of straightforward, contemporary design that offers comfort right in the heart of things. Remember, London is as much a constellation of villages as it is a whole city, and this hotel sits at the centre of one of those: Stratford, so you have the feeling of being right in the middle of things, even while knowing there are plenty of other “middles” out there to explore.Great transport links, tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms, and a cooked breakfast that’s not to be missed round off the experience.
From £100/ night
It’s a hostel, yes, but you can also get private rooms here, and what with places under a hundred pounds tricky to find anywhere in London, it seemed worthy of inclusion. Something of a small world to itself, here’s a great place to meet your fellow travellers: there’s a bar and restaurant attached, a common area, and even a garden. WiFi is, of course, provided, though it is worth pointing out that bathrooms are shared. Out the front door and you’re in the middle of Greenwich with the centre of London just a short train ride (or boat trip) away!
