Choosing a budget hotel in London can be a truly daunting task. But fear not, Cheapos; it is possible if you know where to look!

I recently spent several weeks visiting budget-friendly hotels, B&Bs and hostels in London for EuroCheapo’s London hotel guide. It’s hard to pick three favorites, but, if pressed, these would be my top three budget places to stay in London:

Relax in the Arosfa's garden. Photo: Nina Derham

1. Arosfa Hotel
83 Gower Street, Bloomsbury

Basics: The Arosfa is a truly charming and unique accommodation. Nestled amongst a large number of other B&B’s and student digs, the Arosfa stands out as a place that has truly been cared for. Owner Nicolas, is rightfully proud of his creation. Each room has a different color scheme and all are equipped with flat-screen TV’s and fantastic en suite bathrooms (complete with luxurious fittings such as rainfall showers).

Extras: Home-cooked breakfast is included in the price and there is also an ultra-modern living room where guests can catch up on emails and relax on comfy sofas after a busy day of sightseeing. Nicolas encourages guests to make use of his beautifully manicured garden, a very unusual thing to stumble across in central London!

Location: The hotel is slap, bang in the middle of Bloomsbury, making sightseeing by foot easy. The British Museum is within easy reach and a quick walk through Soho will take you to the National Gallery. The Arosfa is just a few minutes walk from the shops of Oxford Street. Some of London’s best theaters are just around the corner and fashionable Charlotte Street is also nearby, offering an excellent range of restaurants and pubs.

Read more and see additional photos on our review of the Arosfa Hotel.

PRICE: $109-$234
BEST FOR: Couples looking for a romantic London break in stylish surroundings, and families looking for affordable and comfortable accommodation.

This is no standard Generator. Photo: Nina Derham

2. The Generator
Compton Place, Bloomsbury

Basics: Hands down one of the craziest hostels I have ever visited, The Generator sits somewhere between nightclub and hotel. Take, for example, the bouncer stationed at the door of this 800-bed monster of a hostel and the UV lights in the metal-plated entrance hall. The staff all wear bright blue and fluorescent green uniforms and dance music plays throughout the day.

All beds are in dorm rooms and are pretty basic, with red metal frames and blue walls, but visitors here shouldn’t be planning on doing too much sleeping, so the simplicity of the rooms shouldn’t be a problem. There are some newer girls-only dorms which are painted pink and come with a mirror and dressing table for each girl–perfect for girly trips to London on a budget.

Location: The hostel is located close to Russell Square, so all the amenities of the lovely Brunswick Centre are nearby, including a foreign language cinema. The hostel is also perfectly placed for the British Museum and the West End; London’s shopping and theatre district.

Extras: The hostel boasts its very own nightclub with different theme parties each night (when I was there it was a “London tube” party, and everyone had to dress up as the name of a tube stop). There is also a large dining room where buffet breakfast and dinner are served each day, as well as a chill-out room with a big TV screen, sofas and Internet.

Read more and see additional photos on our review of the Generator Hostel.

HOW MUCH: $24-$126
BEST FOR: Lone travelers looking for a truly sociable environment, and big groups of girls or guys who want to party hard.

A very well-equipped Stylotel Suite. Photo: Nina Derham

3. Stylotel and Stylotel Suites
160 Sussex Gardens, Paddington

Basics: The Stylotel’s sleek new suites are quite a rare sight for the average budget traveler. While the original Stylotel sets itself apart with a spaceship-like design, minuscule bathrooms and metal-plated walls, the newly opened suites are an altogether classier affair. Located above the Stylotel’s very own pub, The Sussex Arms, the suites offer a selection of sleek studios and one bed apartments for 2-4 people, perfect for travelers looking for more independence.

Suites: The steep staircase leading up to the suites is adorned with somewhat futuristic neon lighting, but the suites themselves boast dark wood floors, chrome kitchenettes and plain white linen on the beds. Whilst breakfast isn’t included in the price, guests do have the necessary basic amenities to prepare food themselves, which for many, is a real added bonus.

Location: The location is ideal for exploring Hyde Park, and the shops of Oxford Street can be reached by foot. But the real draw has to be the proximity to Paddington station.

Read more and see additional photos on our review of the Stylotel.

HOW MUCH: $150-250 (for double room and for 1-bed suite)
BEST FOR: Single travelers on work trips, families and couples – anyone looking for a bit more space and independence on their trip to London.

The post Cheap London Hotels: Our favorite budget places to sleep appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

This is definitely the case in Dublin. The following neighborhood guide can help you determine which Dublin post code to call home (even just for a few days).

Overview

Dublin is broken in half by the River Liffey, into the north side and the south side. All addresses on the north side of the river have an odd post code (Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 7) and all the addresses on the south side of the river have an even post code (Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Dublin 6).

The smaller the number, the closer to the city center you will be. If you find an appealing hotel option – but it’s in Dublin 24 – you are going to want to keep searching (unless you want to spend a lot of time intimately getting to know Dublin Bus).

Dublin 1

Many hostels, affordable B&Bs and small hotels are located on the north side of the River Liffey, in Dublin 1. These options have their appeal – they are close to the center of the city, to nightlife, and to local attractions. Yet many locals would argue that this neighborhood has the least charm of all the central neighborhoods. You’ll find a great deal, but this area around O’Connell Street is known more for touristy t-shirt shops than authentic pubs or restaurants.

Dublin 1 attractions: The Abbey Theatre, the Dublin Writers’ Museum, the Hugh Lane Gallery

Dublin 2

Arguably the heart of the city, Dublin 2 is the very center where you will find Grafton Street, St. Stephens Green, Christ Church Cathedral, and a long list of five-star hotels. Cheapos shouldn’t fret – as there are a few affordable options too that will allow you to share addresses with the local rich and famous. Hotels might be a little older and classically styled, but they will be affordable and central. When you choose this central neighborhood, you can explore Dublin entirely on foot. Local pubs and cafés are all within easy strolling distance.

Dublin 2 attractions: Merrion Square, the National Gallery of Ireland, well-known pubs like O’Donoghue’s

Dublin 4

My favorite neighborhoods in Dublin are in Dublin 4. While still in close walking distance to all the action, these are local, leafy neighborhoods full of beautiful Georgian architecture. Here instead of five-star hotels, you will be surrounded by Dubliners going about their everyday business. Expect to stumble on affordable markets, lunch spots, and pubs all steps from the door of your B&B. While many of the former Georgian homes here were turned into offices, many of them house small, affordable B&Bs as well.

Dublin 4 attractions: Herbert Park, the pubs along Baggot Street, strolls along the Grand Canal

Pick your hood

Every traveler will have their own idea of the perfect neighborhood. First time visitors to Dublin might be drawn to bustle of Dublin 1 or Dublin 2, while those who are seeking more of an in-depth experience with the locals will be drawn to the neighborhood feel of Dublin 4.

In these neighborhoods and beyond – one thing is for sure – compared to other destinations in Europe there is excellent value to be found right now in Dublin hotels.

The post Dublin: Which neighborhood is right for your trip? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Ever since that first seaside jaunt, I’ve obsessively sought out funky, campy, grand and sometimes abandoned hotels and motels, leaving no historical, gossipy tidbit or photo-op with a retro roadside sign behind.

Theadora Brack, hotel matchmaker

So when EuroCheapo asked me to update the Paris hotel listings, how I could say no? I love hotels. There, I’ve said it.

Match point

Hotel reviewing is like matchmaking. It’s complicated! Goldilocks lives inside all of us. Besides, individual tastes and standards differ. So to help you find the room of your dreams, I’ve listed my favorite hotels in Paris, along with the Cheapo-types who could possibly love them.

But keep in mind a few things. In Paris, most of the rooms are small. That’s just a fact of life. So just do like the French do and don’t plan to hole up in your hotel—spend more time at a café instead!

However, if there’s a real problem with the room, always start off with a “bonjour,” and a little tenderness. As my grandmother would say, “you get more bees with honey.” Helen would also quip, “leave the baggage at home,” and, no, she wasn’t talking about the canvas or leather kind. So take heed and open both heart and mind!

The Hotel du Commerce

Now, which kind of Cheapo are you?

Hey, Jack Kerouac!

For example, do you see yourself as a Jack Kerouac seeking “Satori in Paris?” Well then,
Grand Hôtel du Loiret, the Hotel du Commerce and the Hôtel Cluny Sorbonne offer rooms that are basic but affordable with central locations that can’t be beat for a big revelation and a little revelry.

Take me to funky town

Backpackers, times are a-changing. Paris’ current crop of hostels sports a new-fangled, club-like attitude but with a funky, playground twist.

Pinching from Donna Summer, I definitely “felt the love” at the shabby-sleek Hôtel Absolute and the Plug-Inn Hostel.

The Grand Hotel Leveque

Mad Men

Get Draper on the horn, and Peggy Olsen, too. Advertising is based on one thing: happiness.

And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the sweet, gentle swagger of the Grand Hôtel Lévêque’s deluxe rooms. It’s freedom from fear. It’s their mod Philippe Starck-worthy chairs and leather headboards that scream reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay. Here in its swanky lounge room, you’ll also be able to change the conversation, if don’t like what they’re saying. Touché, Mr. Whitman.

Hotel Cluny Sorbonne

Starving poet

And you know it? Pack your fountain pen. We want you, and Lonely Hearts, too. Like visionary poet and globetrotter Rimbaud, head to the Hôtel Cluny Sorbonne straightaway, where the Vie de Bohème can still be found in its reflection-inducing garret rooms.

Here in room 62 is where Rimbaud composed the ultimate break-up, “he’s just not into you” opus, upon his fiery return to Paris in 1872. And speaking of another Rimbaud poem, “Eternité,” do keep a watch for spirits! The hotel is rumored to be haunted.

Hotel Prince Albert

Hooray for Hollywood!

With an exotic lobby resembling a glamorous movie set, the Hôtel Prince Albert had me yearning for rhinestones and Bogart on my arm.

Playing it again and again, their Casablanca-worthy bars also got me half-expecting an old flame to walk through the door, muttering on about all the gin joints in the world—while Sam (Dooley Wilson) played on as time goes (sigh).

And speaking of soft focus Hollywood endings, the Hôtel du 7e Art is a fantastical shrine to cinema.

Hotel Therese Paris

City slickers

You know who you are.

Demand a little three-star polish and refinement in your room? The Hôtel Saint-Thomas d’Aquin offers elegant, graceful, and splurge-worthy rooms, so let the saints go marching in!

Honeymooners and paramours: the three-star Hôtel Beaubourg also seduces, but with décor that is so deliciously frou-frou and inviting that you just might not want to leave the room forever and ever.

Hotel Royal Cardinal

Rat pack

Stepping out with your baby, along with a coveted copy of the June 1961 issue of Paris Match with Jackie Kennedy on the cover in a yellow pillbox hat, the still swanky Hôtel Royal Cardinal’s 1960s exterior signage certainly will catch your eye.

Setting the ring-a-ding scene from the get-go, you’ll also get a kick out of the joint from top to bottom. Its rooms are perfect for good old-fashioned postcard writing and crazy witchcraft. Stop. Was that Frankie?

Monsieur Eber and his Hotel Eber Mars

Road scholars

Lastly, are you a teacher or traveling with a family obsessed with the Eiffel Tower?

Here’s a tip: The 1930s-inspired Hôtel Eber Mars, named after the Champs de Mars Park at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and Monsieur Eber (the charismatic proprietor and resident curator, historian and former bellhop) is the place for you. Ask about the special family rate!

Monsieur Eber is not only an expert on the Eiffel Tower (and the rest of Paris), but he’s also a flea market guru, so feel free to ask him anything you want to know!

More help with Paris hotels

But wait! We’re just getting started. For more help choosing the right hotel for your trip, be sure to check out these articles:

How to find the right hotel in Paris: From 1-star to 4-star (not to mention no-stars), we’ll break down the differences in types of hotels in Paris, and help you choose the right neighborhood.

Read this before you book: 20 things to consider before booking your hotel room.

The post Paris Hotel Matchmaker: Which kind of Cheapo are you? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.