Top 3 Alternatives for a Hotel in London

We’ve all been there, scouring the web for a great deal on the perfect place to stay in London. Location, cost and ease of booking can all be factors when choosing a hotel. Somewhere close enough to the central areas; the City of London, Kensington and London Bridge, can be costly when thinking about the nightly rate of a hotel room, especially during peak times of the year. Even when trying to find something between a basic hostel room and five-star luxury, an average hotel in London can cost over £200 per night.

City of London

When searching on a budget, or maybe for a longer term rental, whether it be for work or other long-term commitment, are hotels really the best option? Could there be a great hotel alternative that you haven’t thought about, yet?

Here are some of our top options:

1. Rent an apartment

I know what you’re thinking, an apartment in Central London – this could be costly or you think you may need to commit to an extensive, long term contract. Think again… With the market for renters becoming more extensive, you can now find a wide range of options for various contract lengths with ease! Compared with the cost of a hotel, which could easily mount up over the course of a month, a rental apartment cost could work out much cheaper! This is a great option for couples or small families that want to remain together in a homely environment, whilst staying in the city.

2. Live in a flat share

Alternatively, if you don’t mind sharing your space with another person, a flat share is the perfect way to get a great deal on a place to stay, whilst splitting the cost between people. Increasing numbers of young people and couples are taking this option, which enables them to cut commuting times and save money whilst being able to live in the centre of London and other big cities. As well as splitting the monthly expenses, you also get the social benefits of living with other people too. There are many options for sharing, some are large houses, which might have 6 or more people there. Or you might prefer to live with just one other professional who is renting a room to help with the bills. Either way, you make friends and save!

Make friends and save

3. Find a spare room to rent in London

Similarly to finding a flat share, but an even more cost effective solution could be to rent a spare room from somebody else in the city. With this you often still have access to some of the amenities within the house, as well as a sanctuary of a room to yourself. Often when you live in the house of the person who is renting the room to you, you may be referred to as a ‘lodger’, but the benefits of this are that the home is usually of a higher standard and is very well looked after.

Top Tips!

Location, Location, Location

Whether it’s your work commute, or just to get around, think about the nearest tube station to your chosen new place to live. MyRooms has a great feature that allows you to search for a new home by area, but this awesome feature is also sorted by tube station! So merely sort by your preferred station to help find a place to snip those minutes off of your daily travels. They also show the closest tube station on each listing on their site – so useful!

Wants or Needs?

As with all things in life, deciding what aspects of the accommodation are an absolute necessity will help you narrow down your apartment choices. Think about amenities, is it essential to have a shower? A gas hob? Would you be fine to share a bathroom, or can you not live without your own shower?
 Make a list of wants and needs to help you narrow down your choices.

See before you sign

In an ideal world, you could view a range of properties to find the perfect one for you, but with the demand in the London market being so high, property can be snapped up rapidly.
 To ensure you have the best idea of the room you are choosing, MyRooms has a range of professional images and floorplans to help you make an informed decision on the room you choose. But unlike most other websites, MyRooms also offers video footage of each room, to show you with true accuracy, what the place really looks like.

Think fast

As with general London life, a lot of things move quickly, so keep this in mind when searching as properties can be snapped up within mere days or hours of being listed. MyRooms offers a booking process for rooms online, where there is always someone available to chat online to answer any questions. Their convenient online run system helps cut out the worries of getting to an office and traipsing around when reserving a property. The only time you need to visit their office, which is based in super-central Mayfair (just a few minutes’ walk from Green Park, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus tube stations), is to sign any contracts and collect your keys on your ‘check-in’ date.
The team can also help you whittle down the properties if you are unsure of which room to choose, and are very experienced in matching tenants to their perfect place.

Myrooms team

With Myrooms you have the option to change your room for free within 7 days. If the place isn’t what you have expected, or an unexpected change is needed, trust MyRooms to help you to relocate to ensure your property match is made in heaven.