There are many different types of accommodation on offer in London, ranging from vast, five-star edifices in the smartest parts of the city, to the smaller, family-run guesthouses that are dotted all across the capital.
Guesthouses are also known as bed and breakfast accommodation, and these small and friendly places can actually be preferable to the costlier hotels if you’re simply looking for a good base to explore London.
There are also many different types of self-catering apartments available, and these are often preferred by visitors for lengthier stays, or those with children, who want to be able to come and go as they please without having to worry about specific meal times.
A London B&B is a great compromise, because guests receive excellent service and a clean bed for the night, with all the basic facilities and a hearty breakfast to get them started in the morning. This is available at a fraction of the cost of staying at a big hotel, and the saving can be substantial.
London has an excellent public transport system, and most hotels in London are within easy access of an underground station or bus stop for quickly getting to the main attractions. This is especially important as, unlike Paris, for instance, London sprawls over a vast area and it’s not really possible to walk from, say, the British Museum in Holborn to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington – whereas if your hotel is near a tube station, this is not a problem.
B&Bs often offer excellent accommodation in private homes and guests are often made to feel a part of the family. A cooked breakfast will be included in the price, and the service will always tend to be a lot more personal than what you’d receive in a bigger hotel.