Best Modern Accommodations in London

London receives around 20 million visitors each year. While not all visitors seek accommodation within the city, a good number do. The high demand for accommodation makes staying in London a lot expensive compared to other cities in England.

Accommodation gets cheaper if you move further from Central London, but then that means you will spend more time commuting. As great as London’s public transport is, we believe most people would rather spend time soaking in London’s history than staring out a train’s window.

All the same, you will be glad to know some accommodation options can work for you even if you are on a tight budget. We take a look at three of the best ones in this quick guide!

Homestays

A homestay is the perfect accommodation choice especially if you are looking to spend a couple of weeks in London. It’s perfect for individuals and groups alike.

Finding a homestay accommodation in London is easy thanks to the hundreds of reputable websites that link homestay owners to clients.

Since this is a business like any other, reputation comes highly valued. For this reason, a lot of these websites only host trusted homestay owners. You can always rest easy knowing your security and privacy are well catered to.

Benefits of staying in a homestay

• Peaceful and quiet since you only share the facility with the host family
• You’re likely to create lasting and beneficial relationships this way
• You get to enjoy authentic home-cooked food
• Homestays are comparatively cheaper than hotels
• You get real, first-hand information from locals and not market-driven information you’d get from a vested party
• You enjoy personalized care and a hygienic environment since you’re dealing with the homeowner

Staying in a homestay can have its downsides though. The biggest one being that your behavior and actions may be limited to the belief and religions of the host family.

Furnished Apartments

Furnished apartments are a perfect choice if you are looking to stay in London for a few weeks or months. They come in all sizes from studio apartments to three-bedroomed apartments.

You will find them in every corner of London and thanks to technology, all you need is your computer and internet connection to get one.

Furnished flats in London might be pricey but they are worth every penny.

Benefits of furnished apartments

• Less hassle moving in since the house is equipped with all the necessary furniture, sanitary provisions, and cookware.
• Provides a more personalized feeling. You can create a home away from home by including personal items in the apartment.
• Gives more freedom. Your movement is not limited by a schedule and you can eat whatever you want.

On the downside, renting a furnished apartment is expensive. However, you can still get one on a shoe-string budget by basing your search on the outskirts of London.

Hotels

Hotels are easily the most popular of the three options because they have been the primary source of accommodation for a very long time. They are suitable for stays lasting a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

There are hundreds of hotels in London serving different clientele. Chain hotels, consisting of 5-star hotels serve the high-end clientele while micro hotels cater to anyone looking for a simple meal and a cheap place to sleep the night off.

Getting hotel accommodation in London is easy and quick. While high-end hotels will require booking, sometimes months before checking in, smaller hotels just require a walk-in booking. With the internet, all these are doable from the comfort of your office or home.

Lately, the hotel industry has been losing its market share to furnished apartments and homestays, and for very good reasons. Let’s take a look at some of these reasons.

Why London hotels are losing their appeal

• Hotels that offer similar services to furnished apartments and homestays are comparatively expensive.
• Limited freedom. Your menu and movement are dictated by the hotel schedule.
• Hotels are not suitable for extended stays. You start feeling claustrophobic due to limited freedoms.
• Hotels have limited privacy. Even with room service, you will still meet people in the hallways. It gets worse in the high season when bookings are off the roof.
• Limited personalization options

Even then, hotels continue to attract much of the corporate world for a few reasons:

Why hotels still remain a popular choice

• High-end hotels offer better security.
• Less hassle. You don’t have to worry about cleaning or cooking as that will be done by the hotel staff.
• Hotels are budget-friendly. There will always be a hotel accommodation that is within your budget.
• High-end hotels are ideally located, usually within the confines of the city.

Which Way?

As with all top cities, London offers endless accommodation options for anyone looking for somewhere to stay. These accommodations cater to people and groups of all sizes and needs.

There are hotel accommodations sprinkled all over the city, furnished apartments for single visitors or families, and homestays that offer a more homely feel.

Whatever your budget or preference is, London has an accommodation that’s right for you.