All the rooms on this list are doubles with private bathrooms for less than £100 per night. Keep a few things in mind when choosing a cheap room:
- Breakfast may not be included
- There may be a fee or a slow connection for wi-fi
- Factor in travel costs to attractions
- Beware of super cheap offers which may be almost impossible to pin down.
1. Lord Haldon Country Hotel near Exeter in Devon
This 23-room hotel is set in large private grounds and gardens. It's four miles from the cathedral city of Exeter and within easy reach of both the coast and the moors. Rooms have views over the countryside. This hotel is popular for weddings so it's always a good idea to book in advance. It's not suitable for disabled visitors who are unable to cope with stairs as there are no lifts and no ground floor rooms.
2. Hotel Cimon in Torquay, Devon
People rave about the breakfasts at the Hotel Cimon in Torquay, a converted Victorian villa built in 1850. If you're traveling on a tight budget, you can stuff yourself silly on the breakfast buffet, followed by a full English breakfast, and be set up for the whole day. On a hill overlooking Torbay, some rooms have pool views or views taking in the broad sweep of the "English Riviera". The pool, by the way, is heated from May to the end of September. Torquay is popular with retirees but if you're not yet part of the blue rinse brigade, don't worry - there is plenty to do in Torquay and nearby. Agatha Christie was born here and fans will enjoy the museum, annual festival and other Christie themed attractions.
3. Quayside Hotel in Brixham, Devon
Bring your easel, sit on the quay and paint. Brixham is a Devon fishing village so scenic it hurts. Working fishing boats, yachts, leisure craft and a small fleet of Brixham's historic red-sailed trawlers share harbor space with a replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship,The Golden Hind. The Quayside Hotel is a quirky place built from six period fishermen's cottages that overlooks all of this. Rooms have been furnished with a good deal of style, though you may get lost in the twisting, up and down corridors. The hotel has free private parking about 350 yards away - a real bonus in this crowded little town. Prices hover around the £100 mark so look for deals online.
4. The Resnova Floating Inn off Dartmouth in Devon
Dartmouth is a lovely town on the Dart Estuary. Home of the Brittania Royal Naval College, it is popular with well heeled travelers and budget accommodations are not easy to find. As a change from the usual domestic B&Bs, The Renova is a 19th century steel Dutch barge with a restaurant and seven guest cabins, anchored offshore. Accommodations include breakfast and regular use of the Renova's water taxi for the three-minute trip to the town docks. The barge was totally renovated in 2005/6. Cabins have portholes overlooking the river and the town. Bathrobes and slippers are provided for the short walk to the shared showers and loos. Children under 14 are not permitted as overnight guests.
5. Durrant House Hotel in Bideford, Devon
This hotel overlooks the sandy beaches around the historic North Devon port of Bideford. Classed as a luxury hotel, it's 125 rooms have marble baths, some with jacuzzis and fourposter beds. Given its good position for touring North Devon's dramatic coast and golden sand surfing beaches, bed and breakfast prices at the Durrant House are remarkably reasonable. Standard doubles, nicely furnished and well looked after, cost about £40 per person in season in 2010.
6. Quies Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall
Newquay is surrounded by some of the best surfing beaches in the UK. This 15-room, North Cornwall hotel takes its name from several small islands that can be seen from the hotel. The hotel has double, twin, treble and family rooms, suitable for groups of surfing friends. It's a short walk to either the beaches or the town center. Most rooms have good views of the town and the coastline. The breakfast room overlooks Newquay Bay.
7. St Ives Guest Houses in Cornwall
St.Ives, on the North Cornish Coast, is an artists community, home of a branch of the Tate Gallery and surrounded by beautiful, wide sandy beaches. This picturesque little town attracts well-heeled visitors after its great climate, cultural and dining seen. Looking for a cheap hotel here is a non-starter. But the town's bed and breakfast inns have bags of style and are reasonably priced.
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Or check the guesthouse pages of the St. Ives Hotel and Guest Accommodation Association. They have loads of tempting three, four, five star and approved accommodations well within budget.
8. Arundel House in Cheddar, Somerset
The hint is in the location. This unpretentious B&B inn, near the caves of Cheddar Gorge, is just up the road from the birthplace of the famous cheese. Arundel House has four-stars from English Tourism and a Green Tourism award. The privately owned hotel is in a Regency building at the foot of the Mendip Hills. It's centrally located for touring, with Bristol, Bath, Glastonbury and the seaside at Weston-Super-Mare all within easy reach.
9. Legacy Rose and Crown Hotel in Salisbury, Wiltshire
If you're planning on a visit to Stonehenge or Longleat Safari Park, Salisbury is the best place to stay. The medieval town has a cathedral with the tallest steeple in England and a wonderfully animated clock, not to mention lots of picturesque half-timbered buildings. The Rose and Crown is a 13th century coaching inn beside the river Avon and its half timbered facade is about as picturesque as it gets in England. Features, like original wooden beams, a huge log fireplace and a traditional oak bar help maintain character. The hotel's 29 rooms have modern amenities but the odd shapes and sloping floors are what you'd expect in a place that has hosted guests for more than 800 years.
