Visiting London? Cheap boutique hotels (that feel fancy)
Experience London’s boutique hotels without breaking the bank. Here's where to find rooms for under £150 per night
Take a dip in the rooftop pool at The Curtain this summer
Summer is here and it’s time to unwind. Whether you’re a local
looking to indulge in some downtime or an out-of-towner on a weekend
away, London is in no short supply of luxurious places to stay. Boutique
hotels are as much about character as they are comfort, and with trendy
interiors, quirky details, and world-class restaurants and bars housed
inside their walls, guests should prepare themselves for a one-of-a-kind
– often highly Instagrammable – stay.
Luckily, treating yourself to a night in one of London’s top hotels doesn’t always involve splashing out. With this selection of boutique hotels to book on a budget, all you need to do is to choose your favourite.
The Curtain, Shoreditch
Best for … cool comfort
Located in a six-storey warehouse building, The Curtain perfectly blends with its East London surroundings; the hotel’s 120 guest rooms and suites are characterised by exposed brickwork, hardwood floors and large warehouse windows. The industrial atmosphere doesn’t come at the cost of comfort, though. The Curtain offers spa treatments, morning yoga sessions and a rooftop pool with views over the city – Follow your dip with something from the all-day Mediterranean menu at the Lido restaurant, or perhaps even a frozen take on your favourite cocktail? In the basement, meanwhile, guest are served American soul food in the famous chef Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant, Red Rooster.
Where: 45 Curtain Rd, Hackney, London EC2A 3PT
Rooms from: £135
Sea Containers, South Bank
Best for … world class cocktails
Sea Containers London, formerly known as the Mondrian, serves some of the best drinks you’ll find in London. If you’re looking for innovative (and delicious) cocktails by ‘the world’s most awarded bartender’, Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan), head to Lyaness bar – if you prefer your drinks with a view, the hotel’s rooftop offers a panoramic outlook over the Thames. The London Skyline can also be taken in from a number of Sea Container’s rooms and suites featuring wall-to-wall windows. Not to worry if the river-view rooms are booked up, however, as the hotel’s interiors – mostly designed by the award-winning Tom Dixon – are a view unto their own.
Where: 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PD
Rooms from: £150
Rockwell East, Whitechapel
Best for … interiors inspo
Guests at Rockwell East, London’s first ‘design-led aparthotel’, can make themselves at home in their very own city-centre apartment. Designed by Waldo Works – the interiors firm behind the Laslett in Notting Hill – décor and furniture in bright yellows, bold blues and loud oranges stand out from the predominantly grey and white colour scheme. The minimalist interiors are combined with homely touches, and everything from cook books to the complimentary breakfast package provides you with what you need to settle into your home away from home.
Where: 99 Mansell St, London E1 8AX
Rooms from: £100
Twenty Nevern Square, Kensington
Best for … feeling like royalty
This renovated Victorian town house might be one of London’s most charming boutique hotels. The running theme of the individually designed bedrooms is a mix of European and Oriental influences, and luxurious furnishings like hand-carved headboards, turquoise baths and golden silk curtains makes you to feel ‘as regal as a Sultan’. What’s more, Twenty Nevern Square has received the seal of approval from Condé Nast Johansens – an expert group which has been recommending luxury hotels around the world for over 35 years.
Where: 20 Nevern Square, Earl's Court, London SW5 9PD
Rooms from: £100
St Paul’s Hotel, Hammersmith
Best for … historic architecture
Designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the architect behind the Natural History Museum, St Paul’s Hotel is a good pick for any history aficionado. The nineteenth-century red-brick building first housed the largest school in England and during the Second World War, it was the location of the historic meeting of Eisenhower, Montgomery and Winston Churchill, when the trio were planning the D Day landings of 1944. The hotel also became the set of Waris Hussein’s international cult film Melody in1971.
Where: 153 Hammersmith Rd, Hammersmith, London W14 0QL
Rooms from: £100
Mimi’s Hotel, Soho
Best for … crawling back to after a night out in Soho
With an array of shops, bars, restaurants and theatres a mere stone's throw away, Mimi’s Hotel in Soho is on the doorstep of the best things London has to offer. There’s no need to leave the hotel grounds to experience the vibrant city vibe, however, as the hotel’s own Henson’s bar is a regular haunt for the local Soho crowd. Go for a ‘lux’ room if size matters and you're having a night in, while if the plan is to explore the city’s nightlife, a room in the category ‘tiny’ or ‘mini’ should do the job.
Where: 56-57 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 3JG
Rooms from: £100
The Princess Victoria, Shepherd’s Bush
Best for … G&Ts
Gin-lovers, come this way: the Princess Victoria was formerly one of London’s oldest gin palaces, dating back to 1829. Now a 'pub with rooms', the hotel still houses a bar which offers over 100 different types of gin. If you end up having a tipple too many, worry not: the bedrooms are luckily only a short stumble up the stairs away. The five bedrooms are individually designed with bespoke gin-inspired artwork and named after classic gin cocktails, so you can request a stay in your favourite: Negroni, Bramble, Vesper, Gibson or Bronx.
Where: 217 Uxbridge Rd, White City, London W12 9DH
Rooms from: £119
Redchurch Townhouse, Shoreditch
Best for … feeling like part of the clique
With no members only spaces, Redchurch Townhouse might be your best bet if you’d like to hang out with the artsy, moneyed crowd of the Soho House group without getting hold of a membership (the club’s worldwide waiting list is said to be over 30,000 potential members). Designed in a style similar to the group’s Dean Street Townhouse and Kettner’s Townhouse, guests can expect Soho House’s characteristic retro chandeliers and velvet armchairs. There’s also Cecconi’s restaurant to get excited about, serving the brand’s much-loved signature dishes, while diners will be surrounded by the artwork of some of east London's hottest artists.
Where: 25-27 Whitby St, Shoreditch, London E1 6JU
Rooms from: £150
New Linden Hotel, Notting Hill
Best for … intricate details
Spread across three white, Victorian town houses in London’s chic Notting Hill, New Linden Hotel is an instantly likeable hidden gem of the city's boutique hotel scene. The 51 guest rooms are individually designed with hand-carved furniture, and marble and limestone bathrooms, while silk and velvet fabrics are used generously across furnishings, setting you up for a good night’s sleep. Coming to London for the famous Notting Hill Carnival? The hotel is located only a stone’s throw away from Westbourne Grove, where tpasses through.
Where: 59 Leinster Square, Bayswater, London W2 4PS
Rooms from: £90
The Westbridge Hotel, Stratford
Best for … seeing your favourite artist live
Situated outside the city centre, a stay at The Westbridge Hotel comes at a lower cost than at many of London’s boutique hotels. But its location is part of the appeal for many visitors: the hotel is within walking distance of one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe, Westfield Stratford City, and only a short tube-ride away from the O2 Arena – which hosts some of the biggest names in music: from Ed Sheeran to The Rolling Stones. Interiors wise, guests can choose between timeless ‘heritage’ and contemporary ‘modern’ rooms.
Where: 335-337 High St, London E15 2TF
Rooms from: £60
Luckily, treating yourself to a night in one of London’s top hotels doesn’t always involve splashing out. With this selection of boutique hotels to book on a budget, all you need to do is to choose your favourite.
The Curtain, Shoreditch
Best for … cool comfort
Located in a six-storey warehouse building, The Curtain perfectly blends with its East London surroundings; the hotel’s 120 guest rooms and suites are characterised by exposed brickwork, hardwood floors and large warehouse windows. The industrial atmosphere doesn’t come at the cost of comfort, though. The Curtain offers spa treatments, morning yoga sessions and a rooftop pool with views over the city – Follow your dip with something from the all-day Mediterranean menu at the Lido restaurant, or perhaps even a frozen take on your favourite cocktail? In the basement, meanwhile, guest are served American soul food in the famous chef Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant, Red Rooster.
Where: 45 Curtain Rd, Hackney, London EC2A 3PT
Rooms from: £135
Sea Containers, South Bank
Best for … world class cocktails
Sea Containers London, formerly known as the Mondrian, serves some of the best drinks you’ll find in London. If you’re looking for innovative (and delicious) cocktails by ‘the world’s most awarded bartender’, Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan), head to Lyaness bar – if you prefer your drinks with a view, the hotel’s rooftop offers a panoramic outlook over the Thames. The London Skyline can also be taken in from a number of Sea Container’s rooms and suites featuring wall-to-wall windows. Not to worry if the river-view rooms are booked up, however, as the hotel’s interiors – mostly designed by the award-winning Tom Dixon – are a view unto their own.
Where: 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PD
Rooms from: £150
Rockwell East, Whitechapel
Best for … interiors inspo
Guests at Rockwell East, London’s first ‘design-led aparthotel’, can make themselves at home in their very own city-centre apartment. Designed by Waldo Works – the interiors firm behind the Laslett in Notting Hill – décor and furniture in bright yellows, bold blues and loud oranges stand out from the predominantly grey and white colour scheme. The minimalist interiors are combined with homely touches, and everything from cook books to the complimentary breakfast package provides you with what you need to settle into your home away from home.
Where: 99 Mansell St, London E1 8AX
Rooms from: £100
Twenty Nevern Square, Kensington
Best for … feeling like royalty
This renovated Victorian town house might be one of London’s most charming boutique hotels. The running theme of the individually designed bedrooms is a mix of European and Oriental influences, and luxurious furnishings like hand-carved headboards, turquoise baths and golden silk curtains makes you to feel ‘as regal as a Sultan’. What’s more, Twenty Nevern Square has received the seal of approval from Condé Nast Johansens – an expert group which has been recommending luxury hotels around the world for over 35 years.
Where: 20 Nevern Square, Earl's Court, London SW5 9PD
Rooms from: £100
St Paul’s Hotel, Hammersmith
Best for … historic architecture
Designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the architect behind the Natural History Museum, St Paul’s Hotel is a good pick for any history aficionado. The nineteenth-century red-brick building first housed the largest school in England and during the Second World War, it was the location of the historic meeting of Eisenhower, Montgomery and Winston Churchill, when the trio were planning the D Day landings of 1944. The hotel also became the set of Waris Hussein’s international cult film Melody in1971.
Where: 153 Hammersmith Rd, Hammersmith, London W14 0QL
Rooms from: £100
Mimi’s Hotel, Soho
Best for … crawling back to after a night out in Soho
With an array of shops, bars, restaurants and theatres a mere stone's throw away, Mimi’s Hotel in Soho is on the doorstep of the best things London has to offer. There’s no need to leave the hotel grounds to experience the vibrant city vibe, however, as the hotel’s own Henson’s bar is a regular haunt for the local Soho crowd. Go for a ‘lux’ room if size matters and you're having a night in, while if the plan is to explore the city’s nightlife, a room in the category ‘tiny’ or ‘mini’ should do the job.
Where: 56-57 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 3JG
Rooms from: £100
The Princess Victoria, Shepherd’s Bush
Best for … G&Ts
Gin-lovers, come this way: the Princess Victoria was formerly one of London’s oldest gin palaces, dating back to 1829. Now a 'pub with rooms', the hotel still houses a bar which offers over 100 different types of gin. If you end up having a tipple too many, worry not: the bedrooms are luckily only a short stumble up the stairs away. The five bedrooms are individually designed with bespoke gin-inspired artwork and named after classic gin cocktails, so you can request a stay in your favourite: Negroni, Bramble, Vesper, Gibson or Bronx.
Where: 217 Uxbridge Rd, White City, London W12 9DH
Rooms from: £119
Redchurch Townhouse, Shoreditch
Best for … feeling like part of the clique
With no members only spaces, Redchurch Townhouse might be your best bet if you’d like to hang out with the artsy, moneyed crowd of the Soho House group without getting hold of a membership (the club’s worldwide waiting list is said to be over 30,000 potential members). Designed in a style similar to the group’s Dean Street Townhouse and Kettner’s Townhouse, guests can expect Soho House’s characteristic retro chandeliers and velvet armchairs. There’s also Cecconi’s restaurant to get excited about, serving the brand’s much-loved signature dishes, while diners will be surrounded by the artwork of some of east London's hottest artists.
Where: 25-27 Whitby St, Shoreditch, London E1 6JU
Rooms from: £150
New Linden Hotel, Notting Hill
Best for … intricate details
Spread across three white, Victorian town houses in London’s chic Notting Hill, New Linden Hotel is an instantly likeable hidden gem of the city's boutique hotel scene. The 51 guest rooms are individually designed with hand-carved furniture, and marble and limestone bathrooms, while silk and velvet fabrics are used generously across furnishings, setting you up for a good night’s sleep. Coming to London for the famous Notting Hill Carnival? The hotel is located only a stone’s throw away from Westbourne Grove, where tpasses through.
Where: 59 Leinster Square, Bayswater, London W2 4PS
Rooms from: £90
The Westbridge Hotel, Stratford
Best for … seeing your favourite artist live
Situated outside the city centre, a stay at The Westbridge Hotel comes at a lower cost than at many of London’s boutique hotels. But its location is part of the appeal for many visitors: the hotel is within walking distance of one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe, Westfield Stratford City, and only a short tube-ride away from the O2 Arena – which hosts some of the biggest names in music: from Ed Sheeran to The Rolling Stones. Interiors wise, guests can choose between timeless ‘heritage’ and contemporary ‘modern’ rooms.
Where: 335-337 High St, London E15 2TF
Rooms from: £60
