Where to find budget accomodation in the UK

HOW TO BEAT THE EXCHANGE RATE – CHEAP HOTELS IN THE UK

Being English, and living in England, I am very well placed to be able to offer advice on cheap accommodation within the UK. The word ‘budget’ can be a very broad term, of course we all have a ‘budget’ and some will be higher than others, as a student with a very tight budget and a key eye for a bargain I can provide you on inside knowledge on how to beat the system and find the cheapest hotel rooms. I will also be advising on the cheapest method of traveling the UK. I am aware that the exchange rate against the pound at current is not on America’s side, so I hope that my advice can genuinely help people that would like to visit the UK.

We can start with TRAVELODGE an organization of which you Americans will of course be familiar. If you book your room via www.travelodge.co.uk it is possible to buy rooms if purchased in advance (at least two months) for just 19 per night. This equates roughly at an exchange rate of $2 to 1 to $38 per night. It is very unlikely that you will find cheaper hotel accommodation in most towns and cities within the UK, but don’t despair as there are over 200 Travelodge hotels within the UK in almost every town and city.

If even 19 Travelodge rooms is outside of your budget you could consider the UK Youth Hostel Association (YHA), please don’t be put off by the word ‘Youth’ as there are no upper age limits on membership! There are also many hostels within the UK which are independent from the YHA, you can visit their website at www.yha.org.uk. A hostel does not always have the comforts of a hotel but it is possible to book a bed throughout the UK for as little as 5 a night ($10) within a shared dorm or 10 ($20) a night for a private room. When using hostels you will meet tourists and backpackers from all over the world, including many New Zealanders and Australians. If you intend to travel the UK for a long period of time then choosing to stay in the huge network of youth hostels throughout the country can make your cheap very affordable. Other useful websites are www.hostelsclub.com and www.hostelworld.com/uk.

Another option for people on a low budget would be to stay in student accommodation. Outside of term time (normally first week of July – end of September) universities and colleges throughout the country make their accommodation available for tourists to provide an income when the students go back to their hometown. This can be a very low cost way of staying